I chose this book as a break from the plethora of books and articles about programmatic marketing that I have been wading through over the past few months. The title suggested a ‘back to basics’, insight driven approach that would cut through the obsession with data that we all know we have to have. I thought it would be about the importance of creativity and the need to overcome the assumption that, because it’s disposable, the content we create has to be cheap.
And those quality aspects are certainly touched on, but essentially this is a book about personalisation, the fact that although we have this amazing thing called digital, we still need relationships and the relationships that we have do influence our decision making…including of course the all-important purchase decision.
The book uses an old fashioned American hardware store as its working example throughout. If you can get past the cuteness of the language and the stories eg., young harassed mother (she’s called Marjory Appleyard) looking for a cupboard latch to prevent her toddler (little Teddy) from getting at the bleach “Oh my! He could have [drunk the bleach]…She squeezes her kid, and kisses him on the top of the head before flicking off a Cheerio she notices glued to his cheek” to highlight the importance of and strength in knowing your customer.
Sociology and the science of relationships are a recurring theme and, the authors tell us, “…the single most important aspect of an organisation’s success in today’s (and tomorrow’s) world…”. So they set their stall out for offering practical help and advice about connecting with your visitors and building relationships that encourage them to return and become loyal customers – ultimately ones that advertise for you to their friends and family.
And to its credit, it is logical in the way it sets about doing this dealing in turn with all aspects from building your site and setting your stall out to measuring the value of the relationships that are built. The copy is broken up with loads of charts and diagrams plus a very interesting chapter on the Relawatt equation and how to measure your own site’s Relawatts (page 86 for the mathematicians amongst you). The chapter on understanding need in the relationship cycle (chapter 7) was enjoyable too – apart from taking me right back to my A level sociology class, it also served as a reminder that visitors to your site are people and that, despite what the data tells you, they aren’t all the same.
The book provides a good, thorough overview of what’s important when setting up and developing a digital offering. The problem of course with any book about ‘digital’ is that it is out of date the moment it hits the shelves and in that respect, the language and the use of the Massachusetts Hardware store as its inspiration certainly doesn’t help. After nearly a year of visiting the same Café Nero three times a week at the same time and ordering the same thing, I am just about on shy smiling/nodding terms with one of the people behind the counter – a million miles away from the relationship between Marjory Appleyard and Kevin the hardware salesman.
Overall though, if you can identify with that kind of shopping experience, then the promised ‘practical help’ from the authors is definitely here – you just have to wade through a lot of Apple Pie to find it.
Join our Book Club. If you're a member of The Marketing Society we'd love you to write a 300-word review for our Clubhouse. Or if you're an author get in touch. We've got lots of members keen to review your book. Contact Michael Piggott to find out more.