Customers

Customer-Centric Product Definition:
The Key to Great Product Development

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Editorial note: Too often entrepreneurs spend a lot of time and money developing products and services that slightly or even grossly miss the sweet spot of the market. What is cool to the innovator may not be worthy of a customer's attention let alone precious cash. This book is really not written for entrepreneurs but corporate types, yet Take Command recommends it because of its disciplined approach to evaluating what customers in any given market are really willing to purchase. Preferably, entrepreneurs will learn this time-saving, money-saving information while they are developing a first business plan rather than after a product has been developed, packaged and now collecting dust on a store shelf. If you want to avoid that nasty "ah-ha" moment, buy this book.

Customer Loyalty: How to Earn it;
How to Keep It

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Editorial note: 9 out of 10 startup businesses fail to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Take Command believes that these companies don't sink because of a lack of effort but a lack of managerial efficiency. Making one-time sales to hundreds or even thousands of customers doesn't set a company up for long term success. However, working hard to attract and retain customers that will buy repeatedly is very much the mark of a winning business. Customer Loyalty presents many useful strategies for managing productive, repeat customer relationships. Read this book before you write your business plan. It might change your thinking about what customers really are the most desirable customers.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

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Editorial note: Malcolm Gladwell's guru-ish books get considerable press, so it's unlikely that Take Command editors can add something new to the book review discussion. We like this book, like his other book Tipping Point for trend insights. Ask yourself, what can I learn about customer behavior that will help me make decisive, well conceived product development and marketing decisions?