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Don't Just Relate - Advocate

A Blueprint for Profit in the Era of Customer Power

Glen Urban

Wharton School Publishing, 2005

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This is an unusual business book for two reasons: it presents a new marketing idea in which companies act as advocates for their customers; and it is a polemic that insists this strategy is the next big thing in marketing. Unfortunately, author Glen Urban does not quite make a powerful enough case for either position. The basic idea of customer advocacy is straightforward, and Urban does a good job of explaining it in the first chapter. However, he tends to repeat the same ideas and examples, interspersed with the reasons he believes trust-based marketing is the next logical step in the field. Although some of his concepts are fresh, the book lacks the substance it would need to serve as the foundation for a broad-based marketing strategy. Still, getAbstract.com urges marketing strategists interested in trust-based marketing to read it. Although Urban may not convert you into an advocate, his ideas are original and will plant useful seeds.

Summary

Trust Me

The Internet gives customers unprecedented power. With it, they can find out about your company, products and competitors. They can compare your products and prices with those of similar companies in any part of the world.

How can your company gain an advantage in this competitive situation? You must become an advocate for your customers. Look out for their interests, even if you initially lose some sales as a result. When customers appreciate your efforts and become convinced of your sincerity, you will convert short-term losses into long-term gains.

While this strategy may seem unusual, it makes sense in the context of the current power shift between customers and suppliers. Customers now have the upper hand for five reasons:

More information - Web sites, customer reviews and online stores such as eBay provide customers with product, company and seller information. For example, 64% of car buyers rely on the Internet, and 68% use third-party car reviews when making a purchasing decision. This abundance of information has had a real impact on traditional marketing, which does not encourage customers to verify salespersons' claims...

About the Author

Glen Urban teaches at MIT's Sloan School of Management. He created the information acceleration method for simulating future sales and has co-authored six books, including Digital Marketing Strategy and Design and Marketing of New Products.

Don't Just Relate - Advocate

A Blueprint for Profit in the Era of Customer Power

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