Synopses & Reviews
Duct Tape Marketing is the small business marketing road map - A collection of proven tools and tactics woven together in a step-by-step marketing system that shows small business owners exactly what to do to market and grow their businesses.
This guide combines insights gained from over twenty years of successfully working, in the field, with real-life small businesses.
There are no theoretical complexities presented in Duct Tape Marketing - just simple, effective and affordable marketing that sticks.
CAREFUL Duct tape is a serious tool... it sticks where you put it. So are the ideas in this book. If you're ready to make a commitment and are willing to make something happen, John's book is a great place to start. --Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow
For all those who wonder why John Jantsch has become the leading advisor and coach to small businesses everywhere, Duct Tape Marketing is the answer. I have never read a business book that is as packed with hands-on, actionable information as this one. There are takeaways in every paragraph, and the success of John's blog is living proof that they work. Duct Tape Marketing should be required reading for anyone who is building a business, or thinking about it. --Bo Burlingham, editor-at-large, Inc. magazine, and author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big
Duct Tape Marketing is a worthy addition to the growing library of how-to books on small business marketing -- concise, clear, practical, and packed with great ideas to boost your bottom line. --Bob Bly, author of The White Paper Handbook
With the world suffering from depleted reserves of trust, a business that sells plenty of it every day tends to create the most value. The great thing about trust as a product feature is that it delivers exceptional returns. With this book, John Jantsch has zeroed in on exactly what small businesses need to sell every day, every hour. --Ben McConnell, co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force
John Jantsch has provided small businesses with the perfect perspective for maximizing all marketing activities - offline and on. Jantsch has the plan to help you thrive in the world of business today. Read it, all your competitors will. --John Battelle, cofounding editor or Wired and author of The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture
Duct Tape Marketing is a great read for anyone in business. It has fresh ideas laid out in a practical and useable way. I highly recommend this book for growing any business. --Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI and Co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Masters of Networking
Review
“The Commitment Engine is a no-nonsense, hard-driving locomotive that can help turn dreamers into doers. Get on board!”—Steven Pressfield, author of
The War of Art and
Turning Pro “Wow! This book hit me deep. It dives into the deepest core of meaning—the side of business that other books are scared to touch. A powerful mix of why and how.”—Derek Sivers, founder, CD Baby, sivers.org “John Jantsch does it again! I’ve recommended The Referral Engine over and over again, and The Commitment Engine is another great resource to grow your business. Step 1: Commit to read this book—soon.”—Chris Guillebeau, author of
The $100 Startup “Not often enough does a book come along and inject a breath of fresh air into the world of business. This is one of those books.”—Guy Kawasaki, bestselling author of
Enchantment; former chief evangelist of Apple “Jantsch’s book is required reading for small-business owners. It will help you with lofty things like finding your higher purpose as well as the practical steps of making a commitment plan.”—Nancy Duarte, CEO, Duarte, Inc.; author of
Slide:ology and
Resonate “As I read John’s book I kept thinking of Steve Jobs’s admonition that you must follow your heart first—and that if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, you’ll give up just when the going gets tough. John has extended this idea to the entire company and shows business leaders how to ignite this same kind of passion and commitment throughout an organization.”—Verne Harnish, author of
The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time and
Mastering the Rockefeller HabitsSynopsis
The small-business guru behind Duct Tape Marketing and The Referral Engine teaches readers how to establish lasting commitment in their employees, customers, and businesses. Why are some companies able to generate committed, long-term customers while others struggle to stay afloat? Why do the employees of some organizations fully dedicate themselves while others punch the clock without enthusiasm? By studying the ins and outs of companies that enjoy extraordinary loyalty from customers and employees, John Jantsch reveals the systematic path to discovering and generating genuine commitment. Jantsch’s approach is built on three foundational planks, which he calls the clarity path, the culture patron, and the customer promise. He draws on his own experiences and shares true stories from businesses like Threadless, Evernote, and Warby Parker. His strategies include these:
- Build your company around a purpose. People commit to companies and stories that have a simple, straightforward purpose.
- Understand that culture equals brand. Build your business as a brand that employees and customers will support.
- Lead by telling great stories. You can’t attract the right people or get them to commit without telling a story about why you do what you do.
- Treat your staff as your customer. A healthy customer community is the natural result of a healthy internal culture.
- Serve customers you respect. It’s hard to have an authentic relationship with people you don’t know, like, or trust.
As Jantsch says, “Have you ever encountered a business where everything felt effortless? The experience was perfect, and the products, people, and brand worked together gracefully. You made an odd request; it was greeted with a smile. You went to try a new feature; it was right where it should be. You walked in, sat down, and felt right at home. . . . Businesses that run so smoothly as to seem self-managed aren’t normal. In fact, they are terribly counterintuitive, but terribly simple as it turns out.” As a follow-up to
The Referral Engine, this is about more than just establishing leads— it’s about building a fully alive business that attracts customers for life.
About the Author
John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, a speaker, the acclaimed author of
Duct Tape Marketing and
The Referral Engine, and the founder of the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network. He blogs at ducttapemarketing.com and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Visit www.TheCommitmentEngine.com.