The CEO's Guide to Marketing: The Book Every Marketer Should Read Before Their Boss Does

by Lonny Kocina

The SAM 6 process is now an accredited marketing course on the ProThink Learning platform! AMAZON BEST SELLER IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AMAZON BEST SELLER IN MARKETING AMAZON BEST SELLER IN STRATEGY & COMPETITION 2018 AXIOM BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS SILVER MEDALIST IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING You are looking at a must-have marketing book for CEOs. This is not a thousand-and-one clever ideas book. There are plenty of those already. This is a process book that carefully explains what marketing is and how to practice it in 6 easy steps. But it's also something else that's very important. It's a book that exposes a shocking and almost universal problem within the marketing industry. Let me explain. 

As a CEO, you should be aware that your marketing team knows much less about marketing than they let on. The chances are slim to none that they know even the most basic marketing concepts or follow any sort of logical process. I have a question for If you found out your accounting team was confused about adding and subtracting or they didn't know what GAAP stands for, would you feel you hired professionals? I know it seems like a laughable example but that's what you will find if you evaluate your marketing team based on what you learn in this book. 

How can I be so sure you have a problem? Because I have the same problem. Over the last 30+ years, my agency has averaged around 40 full-time employees and we simply can't find applicants who can pass even the most basic marketing quiz. 

In addition to my personal experience, last year I ran an ad challenging marketers to take a simple 10-question multiple choice quiz. Of the 644 people who took the quiz, the average score was 7 wrong. That's the same score you would get if you had someone randomly picking answers.
A word of caution. Be careful how you approach your marketing team with this book. While CEOs and managers love it, some marketers hate it and even lash out. No one likes having their weaknesses exposed and that's understandable. But with a little finesse or heavy handedness if needed, this book can fix your problem just as it fixes the problem in my agency. I not only make every employee we hire read and study "The CEO's Guide to Marketing," I make everyone in the agency start every meeting every day by discussing key marketing concepts from the book as they relate to the projects they are working on. Everything in this book has become part of our agency's DNA and it can become part of your marketing team's DNA too.
The big challenge in writing this book wasn't connecting with CEOs. They are naturally avid readers who catch on quickly. The challenge was writing a book that would also appeal to creative people who are visual learners, not big readers, and often resistant to processes. So I designed this book to be a quick guide CEOs could use to evaluate the knowledge of their marketing team as well as a colorful easy read marketers would feel comfortable studying and adopting. 
To sum it up, as a CEO you have a problem. Your marketing team likely knows a lot less about marketing than you think, and that lack of knowledge and process is having a negative impact on sales. The good news is that "The CEOs Guide to Marketing" is a do-it-yourself fix-it book you can use to evaluate your situation and put to work right away. Buy a copy, read it, and then quiz your staff. If you don't like what you find, you will be holding the solution in the palm of your hand.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

248 pages, Hardcover

Published October 24, 2017

Reviews

[Kiki Brosnan (Bookworm_KikiB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop wasting time, energy and money doing marketing wrong and take a second to read this book!!

Hint: your marketing should be strategic (like this strategically aimed marketing 6 step process)

This has it all: clear steps, succinct writing, graphics/diagrams, and relatable examples. The end even has a daily “marketing terms” section to refresh each day of the month on some of the concepts covered. Media is a highlight as the author has a media agency background, which is great advice for large/medium businesses (maybe less of a priority for small startups).

As someone who has formally studied marketing and worked under marketing leaders who just wing it or make decisions on gut instinct, I wish I had read this sooner. I have even convinced some of my coworkers to give it a quick read so we can be an even better, more aligned and focused marketing team.

I received a copy through a Goodreads giveaway.

[fruitcake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an excellent guide to marketing. Some stuff is basic Marketing 101; this will be a good refresher if you took marketing in college, or a great overview of marketing if you didn't. The book is bright and easy-to-follow, and also reminded me of some of my marketing textbooks from college.

The SAM 6 process is well-explained and lined out for you to develop your company brand, mission and vision, market, etc. I was trying to think of something the process left out, but I couldn't. If you follow this, your team will be well on its way to having a great marketing strategy.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Joseph Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot like having a trainer go through a powerpoint with you. Each point, piece, and definition is laid out to be the stepping stone for the next piece. I can totally see using these elements to explain the concepts. This is a great marketing book. Heck this is a good read and one you will want for your professional library!

Mr Joe

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very informative. This was a Goodreads giveaway.

[Anwer Qureishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer especially for company heads’ who don’t have a marketing background. Breaks down the stops and gives a workable plan to achieve your objectives.

[Sherry Abrams]

STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED! How can I review this book?

[Hazel]

I recommend this book to everyone. It's covers all you need to
Know on marketing. This book is good for employees and Bosses.
I learned many new ideas. Wonderful author I read more
Books by him.