The following review was contributed by S.V.SWAMY

The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses by Jay B. Lipe is a highly practical, Do-It-Yourself book targeted at small to small-medium organisations (with an employee strength of say 5 to 50). He brings those marketing strategies from large organisations that are also useful to smaller, emerging businesses. Even if the organisation is going to use the services of an external consultant for developing and implementing marketing plans, it is essential that the CEO or some other reponsible person in the organsiation understands what is involved. This book helps that person to focus clearly on what needs to be done.

In the space of nearly 250 pages, Jay gives the Marketer (would-be type, need-be type, seasoned type, a novice type, in fact any one with any interest in marketing), a well-prepared, field-tested game plan, a road-map for success. He assumes nothing on the part of the reader and uses a practical, easy-on-the eyes, step-by-step approach. The style is lucid and conversational, friendly without being patronising.

The book or toolkit (that is an apt description), is divided into 17 chapters, thus making it easy for the reader to take the concepts in easily. Every chapter focuses on one aspect of the marketing, for example, Chapter 6 is ""Your Business Vision & Goals: Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize"". Notice the second person approach. The book is a well-written and good-to-read practical step-by-step guide. It is as if Jay is standing in front of us in a small seminar room and is giving us the distilled wisdom and experience of his and several other seasoned marketing professionals.

Yes, the book is full of practical wisdom. Every chapter focusses on one important aspect, and at the end of the chapter, the main points are well-summarised and are presented as ""Tools to go.""

The book is well designed visually and uses all the presentation tools and techniques effectively viz., boxes, bullets, figures, diagrams etc., designed to help the average reader, who is a busy marketer with many things crowding his/her mind and clamoring for attention, absorb the concepts and more importantly get the gut feeling, yes, this guys knows what he is talking about, he has been there, he is genuine. If he can do it, so can I. And that after all is the objective of the author in writing the book and I would say without the least hesitation that he has fully succeeded.

Considering the amount of information packed into the book, which I again emphasise is not an academic tome, meant for being stored in your book-shelf, but is your daily friend, philosopher and guide, to be kept with you and used; considering that the volume captures the knowledge of a seminar of many hours - 10 hours at a guess?, the price is very, very reasonable. In fact, it is a bargain. Go for it.

And yes, for those who are perfect beginners or even for those, whose experience has been in some specific areas of marketing, who may have just a little difficulty in understanding some terms, the book comes with a glossary. And for those, whose curiosity has been kindled and would like to read further on some aspects, there is a big list of further reading. Added value or bonus items, in my view.

The book is primarily meant for the US Markets, especially the small (Jay prefers to call them emerging) businesses, who need marketing but can't afford a full time marketing director. However, some of the tools, tips and techniques are applicable to markets in other countries too.

I compliment Jay for coming up with such an excellent effort.