September 2002 Track Selling Times Book Review
 Book Review -
Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing
Harry Beckwith (Warner Books)
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(From May 2000 Track Selling Times)
"Oh, the times, they are a changin'." And never was this more evident than in "Selling the Invisible," in which Beckwith predicts that, by the year 2005, 8 out of 10 Americans will be employed in service industries. Yet the faux pas of many business', he argues, is that they're continuing to market their products and services as they did in the 70s and 80s, much to their own peril. Beckwith contends, rather, that company's must shift their focus away from the tangible (features such as size, speed, ease of use) and toward the intangible of building partnerships (the benefits of working with a company such as ongoing support).
The book is an easy read and, once you begin, you likely won't put it down until the back cover appears. The chapters are short and make one specific point which is then summarized at chapters end. To classify this book as relevant to only sales and marketing professionals is a mistake. It's my belief that every person in a company is either selling or unselling the company, all of the time. And points such as "Say a.m., deliver p.m.," "Answer on the first ring," and "Under promise, Over deliver," support this position as they're applicable to all and easily implemented.
The only caution I have is that you don't underestimate the books value due to its simplicity. When reading the book, you might find yourself skipping through it, thinking it's common sense. DON'T FALL INTO THIS TRAP! The problem with common sense is that it's not that common. This book is a must read for anyone truly concerned with serving their customers.
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