Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them (4th ed.)

Over 90 per cent of all books published never go beyond their first editions. Both of the above works did; in fact, McDonald’s now is in a fourth edition, having sold over 100, 000 copies. Both are international best sellers for Butterworth‐Heinemann bestsellers who published them in conjunction with The Chartered Insitute of Marketing with over 60,000 members worldwide.

Marketing Plans’ 13 chapters cover every aspect of the process, from planning and auditing, to the communication and pricing plan, to distribution and implementation. Step‐by‐step formulas are offered not only for market planning, but also for setting objectives and strategies, as well as a whole market system. The emphasis in this revision is upon the key concepts in this field, along with the latest developments in marketing techniques and tools. For good reason, professors have called it the best book on marketing, including theory, practice, and planning. With a two‐color design and new page layout in this update, its features promote maximum clarity. The content sparkles with sharp prose, helpful check‐lists or exercises, and insightful figures or graphics.

Dr Malcolm McDonald has been descibed by Arts Business Magazine, as “the acclaimed guru of marketing planning”. A professor and deputy director at the Cranfield School of Management, he is also author of three other marketing books.

McDonald’s worldwide consulting practice with multinational corporations was preceded by his role once as Canada Dry’s marketing director. Thus, his writings are pragmatic and on marketing’s leading edge.

Cybermarketing analyzes twenty‐first century media and its effective use for product/service promotion and sales. Norbert Weiner who coined the word “cybernetics” described the term as the “science of communication and control in men and machines”. Certainly, this book builds upon that computer concept, applying it to global marketing strategies through the Internet. This second edition begins with a useful introduction about the power of global networks and websites for cybermarketing. The next ten pithy chapters provide comprehensive coverage of marketing through the Internet, using it to explore and research the world and its multiple markets. Further observations are presented by this writing team on how information systems work, how to establish and exploit a global market niche, and how to develop on‐line promotional materials. The last two chapters are the most important dealing with E‐commerce and the future of marketing in the Information Society. The up‐dated guide is well illustrated, provides case material, and seven very useful appendices with practical tips for making the most of the Internet.

The principal authors, Pauline and Matthew Bickerton, are directors of MarketingNet, the UK’s leading Internet marketing consultancy who share their experience of advising bluechip companies. Their academic colleague, Professor Upkar Pardesi, is dean at the University of Central England’s Business School.

Both books are highly recommended to EBR readers, though there is one dimension of the marketing challenge that both fail to address, namely, the cultural factors involved in marketing across borders, whether in person or by use of media. Although McDonald does devote a chapter to the issue of differences in corporate cultures, neither book deals with marketing for cultural sensitivities and specifics. Perhaps their future editions will include this key concept, or better still, one of our readers may be inspired to write a book on “transcultural marketing”. As co‐editor of Butterworth‐Heinemann’s Managing Cultural Differences Series, I would welcome a proposal for a volume on that theme!

This is a joint review with Cybermarketing: How to Use the Internet to Market Your Goods and Services (2nd ed.)