getAbstract Summary: Get the key points from this book in less than 10 minutes.

Companies waste time and money on ineffective marketing strategies. Marketing research professor Byron Sharp suggests that, instead, they should act according to research that shows definite patterns or "laws" in how buyers buy and brands grow. He defies conventional marketing theories as he explains why sellers should use mass marketing to reach light buyers, and why loyalty programs and price promotions don't work. According to Sharp, marketing managers erroneously focus on serving existing customers rather than on acquiring new ones. However, Sharp doesn't mention Groupon, Living Social and similar sites that redefine mass marketing every day. And, except for the occasional quirky quote, the prose – while informative and applicable – is dense and dry. getAbstract recommends his insights to marketing students, professors and researchers; to those seeking to understand consumer behavior; and to data-oriented ad buyers or analysts.

Book Publisher:

Oxford UP