Think Two Products Ahead: Secrets the Big Advertising Agencies Don't Want You to Know and How To Use Them for Bigger Profits
Ben Mack
John Wiley & Sons, 2007
242 pages

Taylor read this a couple of months ago, and I finally got around to reading it over the past few days. I'm always out for creative approaches to advertising, since oftentimes traditional advertising methods aren't as cost-effective as they could be (especially when your advertising budget ain't that much).

Ben Mack has taken the concept of branding and made it accessible to even small business owners. He demystifies just what branding is (hint: it's not just about the logo), and takes it from being a dirty word to something useful. Rather than placing it at the polar opposite of direct marketing, he instead shows that it can be used by those who also use DM advertising, and that you don't necessarily have to be limited to one or the other.

Mack shows the value of the brand--what your company stands for, what it offers--and most importantly, the relationship with the customer. He outlines the various stages the customer goes through, from initial contact with your product, through interest and consideration, all the way to purchase--and beyond. He then gives further advice on improving your brand, mixed with anecdotes from his own experience, as well as that of others.

What I got mostly out of this book was a series of exercises and thought processes that helped me to really think about how I and the small businesses I am a part of/owner of are presented to the public, and what that entails. People often take that for granted, especially once you start hitting microbusinesses--but the concepts are useful regardless.

Unless you're working in corporate marketing, you probably won't have a use for everything in this book. But take from it what you can get. Mack's writing style is excellent and he explains concepts with clarity, humor, and occasional subcultural references (RAW, anyone?).

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