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    How the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing can still help your business (after all these years)!

    7 Min Read


    The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout 1994 has become an all-time marketing classic. Within its pages, one will find valuable insights about branding, positioning, differentiation, and the like for any business or marketer who wants to stay on top of their game.

    It is not a coincidence that โ€œimmutableโ€ means unchangeable. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout 1994 has been published for over two decades, yet it still holds true today as one of the most insightful books about marketing ever written. Every marketer should read this book to better understand how to create and sustain a successful brand.

    Introduction

    “Billions of dollars are wasted every year on marketing programs that couldn’t possibly work, no matter how clever or brilliant. Or how big the budgets” So starts this marketing classic. Al

    Ries and Jack Trout, two of the world’s most famous marketing consultants, wrote The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing to help businesspeople cut through the clutter and focus on what really works in marketing.

    The book’s subtitle which could well be, “Violate Them at Your Own Risk!,” is a good summary of its contents and is in itself fairly self-explanatory.

    The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is a book written by Al Ries and Jack Trout. The book is a guide to marketing and it teaches businesspeople how to cut through the clutter and focus on what really works in marketing. The book is divided into 22 chapters, each of which discusses a different law of marketing.

    Some of the laws discussed in the book include the Law of Leadership, the Law of the Category, the Law of Focus, and the Law of Connection. Each law is explained in detail and provides examples of how it can be applied to real-world marketing situations.

    The book also includes a section on marketing myths and mistakes, which debunks some common misconceptions about marketing.

    Overview

    Although it was first published in 1994, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout is still one of the most valuable marketing books around. It provides timeless insights about branding, positioning, differentiation, and more than any business or marketer can use to stay on top of their game. Although the very valid examples set against the individual rules are somewhat dated now, the lessons within are as relevant today as they were when the book first came out.

    If you want to stay ahead of the curve and keep your business growing, violating any of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is a risk you should not take!

    Some of the key points or takeaways from The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing include:

    • The importance of branding
    • The need for differentiation
    • The power of positioning
    • And much more!

    One specific thing I liked most about The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing was the section about the importance of differentiation. It’s a point that a lot of people forget in today’s marketplace, and it’s something that can really set your business apart from the competition.

    While the book was written “way back when” certain aspects of the narrative are still alive and well today, such as brand Trump for example – yes, The Donald remains a divisive topic almost three decades later. At the time of writing Donald Trump was only USD1.4 billion in debt and the writers ask “What’s a Trump?” and highlight that what made him successful in the short term was exactly what caused him to fail in the long term – line extension … and he has kept on failing … right to the top of the hill and down again. He makes it look easy, but for us lesser mortals we should note from the authors, “marketing is not a game for amateurs”, or maybe even mere mortals!

    One specific thing I did not like about the book was the lack of updated examples and case studies. A lot has changed in the world since 1994, and it would have been helpful to see how the rules applied in more recent times. Additionally, many of the examples used in the book were from businesses that are no longer around, which may make it somewhat difficult to relate to – maybe this would be a prompt for someone to take up the mantle and update this excellent book for the digital age.

    Takeaways

    As this is a very concise book and packed full of marketing gems, it is very difficult to give just one notable quotation that completely summarizes the book’s contents. However, one of the most important things that the authors Al Ries and Jack Trout stress is the importance of focus in marketing. Marketing efforts should be concentrated on a very small target market to be successful. This is still excellent advice after all these years and something that many businesses could benefit from taking to heart.

    Another great takeaway from the book is that businesses need to focus on creating a unique selling proposition or USP. This is what will differentiate your business from the competition and make people want to buy from you instead of someone else. If you don’t have a USP, it’s time to create one!

    So, the following might qualify as real gems:

    “Marketing is not a battle of products, but of perceptions.”

    “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sells itself.”

    Or as they say in current marketing parlance, the task of the marketer is to meet the prospect with a conversation that is already taking place in their head and the challenge is to “fish where the fish are swimming”.

    And Finally

    22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

    by Al Ries and Jack Trout (1994)

    When The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing was first published in 1994, it took the marketing world by storm. There were two guys who really knew their stuff when it came to marketing, and they were sharing their secrets with the world. The book became an instant classic and has remained relevant even today โ€“ more than 20 years later.

    According to the authors, create the concept and raise money to exploit it. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing has a warning at its conclusion that many of these laws are against conventional thinking, and this is even the case today, so implementing these ideas in practice may be tough, but if you succeed, you will succeed significantly!

    I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to stay ahead in the world of marketing. The immutable laws explored within its pages are still relevant today and can help any business achieve success.

    Overall, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is an essential guide for anyone who wants to learn more about marketing and how to be successful at it. If you are looking for a book that will teach you everything you need to know about marketing, then this is the book for you.


    Of Course, If You’re On The Go – You can Always Get This On Your Audible Membership Offer This is my review, I have an Audible Membership and, full disclosure, I may get an affiliate commission if you make a purchase and will be very grateful. Thank you and enjoy.

    Full Disclosure

    Click below to see where you can go for a hardcopy, digital or audible version of this great book – by the way, full disclosure, as an Amazon associate, I can make a small stipend when you use this link to make a purchase. 

    If you would like to consider building your own passive income stream online, or indeed, your own ecommerce, or affiliate business, please contact me at: https://jimhoulihan.com to access some excellent online experiential training.


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    Why Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits Are Still Relevant Today – Updated 2024 Review

    6 Min Read

    Stephen Covey, the author of this bestseller, outlines the habits that he believes will help individuals achieve success in all areas of their lives. 

    Stephen Covey published a book that has captivated readers and transformed the lives of millions of people. That book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and it is still highly relevant today. In this book, Covey outlines the habits that he believes will help individuals achieve success in all areas of their lives. These habits are: being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking to understand and then to be understood, synergising, and sharpening the saw.

    Why these habits are still relevant today

    In the 25 years since Covey’s book was published, the world has changed a lot. But the principles in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are still just as relevant. In fact, they might be even more relevant now than they were when the book was first published.

    The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a self-help book that teaches individuals the habits that Covey believed would help them achieve success in all areas of their lives. These habits include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking to understand and then be understood, synergizing, and sharpening the saw. The book has sold millions of copies and although the author passed away in 2012 it continues to be highly relevant today.

    A book can make you feel a variety of emotions whether you like it or not. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a powerful book that teaches individuals the habits that Covey believed would help them achieve success in all areas of their lives. 

    The book has sold millions of copies and although the author passed away in 2012 it continues to be highly relevant today. I read this book for the first time a couple of decades ago, and it made me feel hopeful. I had just graduated from college and was full of hope and probably false confidence but luckily realized that I had not learned a whole lot about building a life, or a business for that matter – a common complaint about college education even now! 

    This book showed me that it was possible to achieve success, whatever that means, and that success by many definitions is dependent, not on what I had learned at college, but on what I had learned about myself if I was willing to put in the effort and follow the habits that Covey outlines. 

    This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their life or career. 

    Key takeaways from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

    • The first habit, being proactive, is still relevant because it’s more important than ever to take control of our lives. With the constantly changing landscape of the world, it’s more important than ever to be proactive and take charge of our own lives. 
    • The second habit, beginning with the end in mind, is relevant because it helps us focus on what’s important. In a world where there are so many distractions, it’s important to be able to focus on what’s really important and work towards our goals. 
    • The third habit, putting first things first, is still relevant because it’s important to prioritize our time. With so many demands on our time, it’s more important than ever to make sure we’re spending our time on the things that are most important to us. 
    • The fourth habit, thinking win-win, is still relevant because it’s essential to have good relationships. In order to build successful relationships, both personal and professional, it’s important to think win-win.  
    • The fifth habit, seeking first to understand and then to be understood, is still relevant because it’s essential to communication. To effectively communicate with others, we need to first seek to understand them and then be open to being understood ourselves. 
    • The sixth habit, synergising – the principles of cooperation, is still relevant because it’s important to work together. To achieve our goals, we need to be able to work together with others. 
    • And finally, the seventh habit, sharpening the saw, is still relevant because it’s important to continuously improve. In order to be successful, we need to continuously strive to improve ourselves. Some would say that success is not what we get from the journey, it’s what we become during the journey.

    High Points of the 7 Habits

    I liked the section near the end of the book where Covey talked about how we need to continuously improve ourselves in all areas of our lives, where he spoke about sharpening the saw – this really held resonance for me, both when I first read the book and again when I re-read it several weeks ago. This is something that I’ve taken to heart and strive to do every day. Whether it’s learning a new skill, reading a book, or simply trying to become a better person.

    The book is full of quotable points and gems of which the following might be of use today:

    “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” 

    “A person who is genuinely interested in you will want to hear about your dreams and aspirations.” 

    “The highest level of effectiveness comes from living by principle rather than personal opinion.”

    And Finally

    The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

    by Stephen R Covey (1989)

    So there you have it, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is still as relevant and powerful a book today as it was when published over thirty years ago. I am convinced that it will stand the test of time alongside some of the greats like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

    If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. And if you have read it, I encourage you to re-read it and see how the principles can apply to your life in 2022. 

    Of Course, If You’re On The Go – You can Always Get This On Your Audible Membership Offer This is my review, I have an Audible Membership and, full disclosure, I may get an affiliate commission if you make a purchase and will be very grateful. Thank you and enjoy.

    And Full Disclosure

    Click below to see where you can go for whether a hardcopy, digital or audible version of this great book – by the way, full disclosure, as an amazon associate, I can make a small stipend when you use this link. 

    If you would like to consider building your own passive income stream online, or indeed, your own e-commerce, or affiliate business, please contact me at: https://jimhoulihan.com to access some excellent online experiential training.


     

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