80/20 Sales and Marketing

GREAT book BUT get the ebook version, not this

This is a GREAT book, however, the author keeps referring to illustrations that are not supplied (like they are for other audio books) making you wonder what he is talking about - if you listen to this book as opposed to reading it with the illustrations, you are missing the whole picture. Get the print or the ebook version of this great book instead. The illustrations are REQUIRED to fully understand it.

Note to Audible: if you make a book that contains plenty of illustrations available in audio format, PLEASE supply the illustrations with it - without them, you are selling a crippled product that isn't the same as the original book.

Fascinating

Incredibly interesting with lots of actionable ideas for any business.

One warning, however, this is one of those audio books where the experience isn't as rich as the hardcopy book because it references a number of figures and diagrams.

Disappointing, but follows the 80/20 rule

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This book follows the principle it is about too well. The first 20% is were the meat is and the rest is all a sales push for other content and resources that aren't in the book. Go to this website now for...

What could Perry Marshall have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

There is far too much push to go to other websites where you need to sign up for more content. After going to the sites, my inbox was flooded with garbage I didn't want. I bought the book, let me learn from that and stop trying to keep upselling me on additional material.

What three words best describe Ron Allan’s performance?

The narrator was fine, my issue is with the content.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from 80/20 Sales and Marketing?

Just stop reading once you've read the first 20-25% and don't bother going to the websites.

Any additional comments?

It's hard to fault Perry Marshall as he is doing exactly what he is teaching in the book. I kept reading hoping for more actual content of value, but the lesson was learned. Hopefully I can spare others from having to endure the last 80%.

Used car salesman

The narrator and book sound like an infomercial. The sales & marketing tactics are VERY basic - if you have ANY knowledge of sales or marketing, this book isn't for you. Perhaps if you're starting your own small business and have no experience and want to understand cheap guerrilla marketing, this book might be a small starting point (but definitely NOT a 'definitive guide'). His book in a nut-shell: try to sell more (high priced & high value product) to the top 20% of your customers. Don't waste your time on the other 80% of customers and don't waste your time on remedial tasks (pay assistants or maids to do your easy tasks, to free up your time for more important work). He also talks about Google Ad Word test 'n learns, but it's very basic (e.g. try 20 different ads and use the one with the best response). Nothing much about SEO to get your ads above the fold, etc. And he seems to like scare tactics to get consumers to notice you (e.g. something like . . . "click here to learn how to stop the gov't who's secretly planning to take 30% of your investments starting x date"). I'm a Consumer Packaged Goods Marketer at a tier 1 company (the type of 'Marketing expert' he would interview for his research), and I found this book was much too basic and won't help you build a strong brand or emotional connections with consumers. I suggest you read ANY article from Harvard Business Review instead . . . unless you're looking for a 'get rich quick' scheme.

Read the book in print.

The content is terrific, but the presentation is lacking. I own the print version of this book and enjoyed it so much that I nabbed the audio version as a refresher. Bad idea. Should have checked the reviews. The material is somewhat dry and needed a lively reader to help the listener stay engaged. It didn't get one.

Spoilt by the robot

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book - yes. But not the audio book.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Ron Allan?

Anyone that is not a robot-like narrator.

What did you take away from 80/20 Sales and Marketing that you can apply to your work?

Don't sound like a robot.

good book painful listen

I like the content, but I'm not a fan of the reader, terrible reader his voice killed. it felt cheezy. but perry did a great job on the content.

It's a SCAM... DON'T BUY THIS!!

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Nobody! I was actually enjoying this book for about the first 30 minutes. However, the script suddenly changed to an ad laden sales pitch. Go to my site for this, go here and check this out, and all discussion about the 80/20 rule went completely out the window. I fast forwarded to see if I might have missed something, assuming there might be a point to all this nonsense, but an hour later it's still the same crap.

What didn’t you like about Ron Allan’s performance?

If anyone remembers "Crazy Eddie" from the 80's TV commercials that's what this book reminded me of!

Top business book! Thanks Perry Marshall

This is one of the best business books I have ever read if you are seeking growth in your business you must read, understand, & implement this information.

Good but skip the last few chapters

Would you try another book from Perry Marshall and/or Ron Allan?

Maybe.

What could Perry Marshall have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

1. Drop the politics and religion. This is a book about marketing. 2. As another review said, It seemed like one long sales pitch. 3. The friend gambler story seemed a bit of stretch to believe. Could someone really take a shotgun into a casino and rack a shot without being tackled, teased or more likely shot by security or the police? Diddo for the story of God giving the author the "magic equation" to marketing success. Stick to the info, that part was good.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

What did you take away from 80/20 Sales and Marketing that you can apply to your work?

I should check out Ad words and learn more about it. I should come up with a Killer guarantee that makes me unconformable if I want to differentiate myself from the pack.

Any additional comments?

I liked the book but found the above 3 issue annoying. Too bad, because this might have been an audible I would highly recommend but because of those it would only get a tepid recommendation from me.