Released in September 2006, Marketing That Matters is already embraced across North America. Marketing That Matters is the first book of the Social Venture Network (SVN) Series and is followed by three other recently released books. The SVN series was created by a group of over 400 businessmen and women in hopes of stimulating businesses to focus on the global impact, benefits to the community, and contributions to a sustainable economy as part of their mission or value system. In fact, in order to survive today’s educated, concerned and discerning consumer, businesses must adopt this attitude.
Co-written by Chip Conley and Eric Friedenwald-Fishman based on knowledge they gained as leaders in the business world,
at no point does the book become jaded, boring or redundant. It reads smoothly, as if there were only one author involved. Use of bullets, italics and the general placement of text creates a casual and relaxing feel to the book, rather than
its reading like a textbook. The authors also employ charts and diagrams, tables and graphics to give the readers visual aids throughout the pages.
The authors cleverly relay key tools used by socially responsible businesses to build confidence in marketing practices. Examples of real businesses that thrived because of these practices are shown in each chapter. The authors discuss the importance of strategic marketing and defining the business’s aim and values. Businesses will learn to identify precise goals, audience, service and the exact benefit of the product to the customer and community.
Conley and Friedenwald-Fishman stress that being authentic wins repeat customers. Their tools empower both consumers and communities.
Each ad, printed promotion material, or marketing endeavor must be for a specific purpose. By using the authors’ advice, businesses can decide how
to reach the intended audiences and how customers will respond. Marketing plans can now provide a strategic plan to
who, when, how often and where the customer is reached as well as estimated costs and timelines.
Defining what success means to owners, employers, and employees is another huge step the authors recommend business owners undergo,
including what methods will ensure that individuals connected to the business will maintain and even surpass current standards and services. How this
will be publicized and rewarded must also be discussed, along with how data will be tracked and measured for results.
Throughout the book, the authors stress that each business strategy should align with values, mission, social value or service
- connecting with your community, its emotions and historical or ancestral connections, showing you are concerned about the environment, your employees and quality of service are the keys to a successful business.
At the end of the book, about a dozen pages filled with author’s notes includes names, websites, titles of reports and other information, separated conveniently by chapter
and followed by a little information about SVN, which sponsored this book and the authors who wrote it.