Making Marketing Happen

by Brian D. Smith

Book Overview

'Making Marketing Happen' is prompted by needs of practising managers who have found the traditional marketing planning texts to be fine in theory, but hard to apply to my special market. In short, it holds that marketing planning fails for most companies because it either does not fit their organizational culture, their market conditions or both.

Successful companies do not plan. They use a hybrid strategy making process including vision,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0750662484
• ISBN13: 9780750662482
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 1.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.5" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

Selling Marketing to the CEO

Having come up the ranks of medical marketing in a big corporate environment, and now CEO of a medical marketing firm, I could relate to the premise of this book very well. As marketeers we have often been recognized for artistic achievements, typically embodied in advertising. What really counts in the end is creating value for shareholders. Effective marketing can and should enhance shareholder value but how do you convince top management that an investment in marketing is as important as production equipment, quality systems, or other operationally related investments? Marketing Due Diligence provides the framework for the marketer to sell his investment plan to top management and gives top management a quick read lesson in understanding how to evaluate the real value potential of a marketing plan. Great read for new comers to marketing, refresher for "old timers", and one to leave on the CEO's desk before making the next plan presentation.

Practical Advice for the Thoughtful Practitioner

Cranfield University researcher and consultant Brian Smith breaks from the tradition of M.B.A. jargon laden texts to offer a clear and understandable guide to developing strategic marketing plans that work. Moving beyond approaches that are variations on a largely (unsuccessful) theme, Smith demonstrates how to develop successful strategies that integrate rigorous marketing methodologies with corporate culture and "real life". Making Marketing Happen is based on five years of reserach and is oriented to marketing practitioners who strive to develop and implement winning strategies in situations that seldom mirror traditional textbook examples.

Pragmatic approach to strategy development and implementation

"This book succeeds in combining high academic content with practical guidance on making marketing theory work. Too often turning theory into practice is where strategic planning breaks down, Dr Brian Smith provides a detailed insight and roadmap to resolve this. This book is a must for every marketer that wants to maximise return from their strategic planning process. A long overdue contribution to close the gap that exists between textbooks and practice, this book successfully plugs the gap" Baba Awopetu - Marketing Manager IMS Health