Book Review: <i>365 Marketing Meditations</i>

Every once in a while you come across a book that is literally makes you smile … fun, thought provoking … but not too thought provoking. It becomes something akin to reading a light romantic comedy. I had the pleasure of reading 365 Marketing Meditations while riding on a train to Philadelphia and honestly, by the time I arrived I was smiling for a variety of reasons.

While I don't agree with every meditation, I found the book to be the essence of what marketing and communications professionals should have on their lips and in their minds. True ' at a certain stage in one's career (and thank goodness I have arrived at that stage) most of what is in this book should come naturally. Alas for many … not! Hence, much can be learned by reading and adopting most of these “tricks of the trade.” This little book (it measures only six by four inches) has a “one liner” for each day of the year including one for February 29th (as the authors point out “Today is the day that comes but twice a decade. Commemorate it. Offer clients something equally rare.”).

Here's a glimpse of some of the meditations, most of which I liked with one exception:

February 5 (my mother's birthday … she's 91 and still going strong). I wanted to check this day out to see if it had any of that Aquarian strong and intuitive feeling to it. Surprisingly it did. The great philosopher Popeye's first rule was “I am what I am!” It applies to all professional services firms. You can only be viewed by the market for what you are, or what you will be soon…. very mom, very Aquarian … right on point.

February 7. Most marketing is based on personal experience. Make a patient wait for an hour, or don't return client calls, and no amount of marketing will change that perception. And this goes for marketing professionals. I find that some marketing professionals don't practice what they or others preach to attorneys … returning phone calls within 24 hours. You're not a professional, if you don't return calls even if you believe they are unimportant. It's called being courteous.

February 25. There are two answers to every question: a solution or an excuse. Hey marketing professionals … the buck stops with you. Either find a solution or get out of the job and for goodness sakes … stop making excuses.

June 5. Do not live in denial. There is too much to be learned in helpful criticism no matter how hard it may be to hear the first time. This says it all!

September 14. Do you care where the cook at a great restaurant went to school. Who cares where your partners went? Include it if you like but don't lead with it. This is the meditation where I part ways with the authors. I happen to know good food and I do care where the chef went to school. Similarly clients do care where their lawyers went to school. In fact deals and long term client relationships have been started by someone saying, ” She went to my alma mater … Harvard … she must be good. Let's give her a call”

September 18. If the managing partner can't say what the priorities are, how can you succeed. This is by far the best meditation in the book because it is absolutely true. Leaders understand leadership and leadership sets priorities.

October 1. Hold as few staff meetings as possible. Keep them short and to the point. Have an agenda and zip through it. Get back to work … stop pontificating.

October 27. Don't market if all you want is a “toe in the water.” Spending more gets you more. Spending less gets you nothing. Boy if I had a dollar for every time the marketing budget in a law firm was cut for no apparent reason.

December 25. For God so loved the world that he did not send a committee. Marketing is not a part-time or volunteer activity and it is not for dilettantes. Marketing is the surest way to kill an effort. And we all know the definition of the camel … the horse created by a committee. Enough said.

And last but not least, my personal favorite is on December 28. Thinking differently means that some days you will be all alone. Alone maybe … successful guaranteed!

For all of us in professional services marketing, this is one great read. I admire Richard's and Larry's courage and conviction and even though they thank a lot of people, I think that most of this comes from the hearts and minds of two smart and caring individuals. In speaking with Richard about this book, I learned that the book was in each and every “goodie bag” at the recent Legal Marketing Association annual conference in Phoenix. My comment: This book should have been placed in everyone's hotel room so it would have a special distinction as “must bedtime reading.” So when's the sequel going to be written?

365 Marketing Meditations Daily Lessons For Marketing & Communications Professionals, By Richard Levick and Larry Smith (372 pages, Watershed Press, Washington, DC).

Every once in a while you come across a book that is literally makes you smile … fun, thought provoking … but not too thought provoking. It becomes something akin to reading a light romantic comedy. I had the pleasure of reading 365 Marketing Meditations while riding on a train to Philadelphia and honestly, by the time I arrived I was smiling for a variety of reasons.

While I don't agree with every meditation, I found the book to be the essence of what marketing and communications professionals should have on their lips and in their minds. True ' at a certain stage in one's career (and thank goodness I have arrived at that stage) most of what is in this book should come naturally. Alas for many … not! Hence, much can be learned by reading and adopting most of these “tricks of the trade.” This little book (it measures only six by four inches) has a “one liner” for each day of the year including one for February 29th (as the authors point out “Today is the day that comes but twice a decade. Commemorate it. Offer clients something equally rare.”).

Here's a glimpse of some of the meditations, most of which I liked with one exception:

February 5 (my mother's birthday … she's 91 and still going strong). I wanted to check this day out to see if it had any of that Aquarian strong and intuitive feeling to it. Surprisingly it did. The great philosopher Popeye's first rule was “I am what I am!” It applies to all professional services firms. You can only be viewed by the market for what you are, or what you will be soon…. very mom, very Aquarian … right on point.

February 7. Most marketing is based on personal experience. Make a patient wait for an hour, or don't return client calls, and no amount of marketing will change that perception. And this goes for marketing professionals. I find that some marketing professionals don't practice what they or others preach to attorneys … returning phone calls within 24 hours. You're not a professional, if you don't return calls even if you believe they are unimportant. It's called being courteous.

February 25. There are two answers to every question: a solution or an excuse. Hey marketing professionals … the buck stops with you. Either find a solution or get out of the job and for goodness sakes … stop making excuses.

June 5. Do not live in denial. There is too much to be learned in helpful criticism no matter how hard it may be to hear the first time. This says it all!

September 14. Do you care where the cook at a great restaurant went to school. Who cares where your partners went? Include it if you like but don't lead with it. This is the meditation where I part ways with the authors. I happen to know good food and I do care where the chef went to school. Similarly clients do care where their lawyers went to school. In fact deals and long term client relationships have been started by someone saying, ” She went to my alma mater … Harvard … she must be good. Let's give her a call”

September 18. If the managing partner can't say what the priorities are, how can you succeed. This is by far the best meditation in the book because it is absolutely true. Leaders understand leadership and leadership sets priorities.

October 1. Hold as few staff meetings as possible. Keep them short and to the point. Have an agenda and zip through it. Get back to work … stop pontificating.

October 27. Don't market if all you want is a “toe in the water.” Spending more gets you more. Spending less gets you nothing. Boy if I had a dollar for every time the marketing budget in a law firm was cut for no apparent reason.

December 25. For God so loved the world that he did not send a committee. Marketing is not a part-time or volunteer activity and it is not for dilettantes. Marketing is the surest way to kill an effort. And we all know the definition of the camel … the horse created by a committee. Enough said.

And last but not least, my personal favorite is on December 28. Thinking differently means that some days you will be all alone. Alone maybe … successful guaranteed!

For all of us in professional services marketing, this is one great read. I admire Richard's and Larry's courage and conviction and even though they thank a lot of people, I think that most of this comes from the hearts and minds of two smart and caring individuals. In speaking with Richard about this book, I learned that the book was in each and every “goodie bag” at the recent Legal Marketing Association annual conference in Phoenix. My comment: This book should have been placed in everyone's hotel room so it would have a special distinction as “must bedtime reading.” So when's the sequel going to be written?

365 Marketing Meditations Daily Lessons For Marketing & Communications Professionals, By Richard Levick and Larry Smith (372 pages, Watershed Press, Washington, DC).