How Customers Think: Essential Insights into
the Mind of the Market |
 |
Harvard Business School professor Zaltman notes
that despite enormous amounts of time and money dedicated to customer surveys
and marketing, approximately 80% of all new products fail within six months
or fall significantly short of their profit forecast. This shouldn't be
surprising, he convincingly argues, since "a great mismatch exists
between the way consumers experience and think about their world and the
methods marketers use to collect this information." He calls for creative
questioning that probes the unconscious values underlying consumers' reactions
to products and marketing campaigns. Drawing on an impressive array of recent
multidisciplinary research, Zaltman is especially provocative on the importance
of memory, metaphor and storytelling in customers' decision making and the
ways marketers might use these findings. Marketers worried about the scale
and complexity of the surveys Zaltman advocates will breathe a sigh of relief
as he outlines efficient methods to develop a set of shared values in a
target market by creatively interviewing a small sample of customers. In
fact, large vision and practical application go hand-in-hand for Zaltman.
He may caution, rather abstractly, that successfully gauging the mind of
the market depends on developing creative surveys and quality thinking about
information gathered, but he also reminds readers to frame campaigns for
a product in terms that vividly communicate its function and its emotional
appeal for consumers. Zaltman's smart, practical analysis and many success
stories will hold special appeal for those facing competitive markets, as
well as for those rethinking more limited marketing approaches.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. |
|
| Category: |
Books and Software: Marketing |
| Title: |
How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market |
| Link: |
Buy
Now! |
| Released Date: |
February 21, 2003 |
| Cost: |
$20.37 |
| List Price: |
$29.95 |
| Pages: |
352 pages |
| Edition: |
1st |
| ISBN: |
1578518261 |
| Publisher: |
Harvard Business School Press |
| Author: |
Gerald Zaltman |
| Keywords: |
martketing software, marketing books, marketing software books |
| Summary: |
Harvard Business School professor Zaltman notes that despite enormous
amounts of time and money dedicated to customer surveys and marketing, approximately
80% of all new products fail within six months or fall significantly short
of their profit forecast. This shouldn't be surprising, he convincingly
argues, since "a great mismatch exists between the way consumers experience
and think about their world and the methods marketers use to collect this
information." |
| Description: |
Harvard Business School professor Zaltman notes that despite
enormous amounts of time and money dedicated to customer surveys and marketing,
approximately 80% of all new products fail within six months or fall significantly
short of their profit forecast. This shouldn't be surprising, he convincingly
argues, since "a great mismatch exists between the way consumers experience
and think about their world and the methods marketers use to collect this
information." He calls for creative questioning that probes the unconscious
values underlying consumers' reactions to products and marketing campaigns.
Drawing on an impressive array of recent multidisciplinary research, Zaltman
is especially provocative on the importance of memory, metaphor and storytelling
in customers' decision making and the ways marketers might use these findings.
Marketers worried about the scale and complexity of the surveys Zaltman
advocates will breathe a sigh of relief as he outlines efficient methods
to develop a set of shared values in a target market by creatively interviewing
a small sample of customers. In fact, large vision and practical application
go hand-in-hand for Zaltman. He may caution, rather abstractly, that successfully
gauging the mind of the market depends on developing creative surveys and
quality thinking about information gathered, but he also reminds readers
to frame campaigns for a product in terms that vividly communicate its function
and its emotional appeal for consumers. Zaltman's smart, practical analysis
and many success stories will hold special appeal for those facing competitive
markets, as well as for those rethinking more limited marketing approaches.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. |
|
