From the Back Cover
As technology becomes more prevalent in everyday products and as more people become small business owners, nonmarketing professionals are increasingly finding themselves in traditional marketing roles. The Accidental Marketer: Power Tools for People Who Find Themselves in Marketing Roles is a practical guide for any professional looking to develop effective marketing strategy when they haven't done it before. Written by two widely respected marketing professionals who provide over 120 marketing workshops a year to corporate audiences, the book is based on the authors' 20+ year quest to understand the specifics of what drives marketing success.
The Accidental Marketer follows the approach of the in-person strategy sessions that have been conducted for private clients over the past 35 years by the successful marketing consulting firm, Impact Planning Group. It gives readers a recipe they can use to obtain customer insights, create strategies based on those insights, and execute their initiatives through proper planning and positioning. These tools are straightforward and can be applied immediately to duplicate the successes of the companies spotlighted.
The book's companion website offers bonus material as well as an assessment to help professionals determine where to focus their reading. Though all of the tools are inter connected, most of the chapters can largely stand on their own to provide immediate help for different marketing strategy needs.
TOM SPITALE has spent the last 20 years studying and unlocking the mysteries of marketing success. As a speaker, consultant and trainer he has launched thousands of strategic initiatives and plans in the Americas, Europe, and Asia for Fortune 500 companies and for lesser-known organizations in highly-specialized markets.
Tom creates tools and frameworks that his clients use in workshop settings, helping them uncover the keys to differentiating their products and services in as little as two days. His goal is to help elevate the role of marketers in the modern organization to be the "orchestrators of company strategy."
Prior to his consulting career, Tom held a variety of marketing, pricing, and actuarial positions for Walmart, General Electric, and Great American Insurance Company. He is a husband, father, entrepreneur, investor, musician, golfer, sports fan, spiritualist, and cook.
MARY ABBAZIA is Managing Director of Impact Planning Group where she guides global clients to grow profitably. She focuses on developing their marketing skills and creating fresh dynamic strategies. Mary also teaches at Columbia University School of Business' Executive Marketing Program and at the California Institute of Technology.
Mary started her career at Intel and was Vice President of The BASES Group, where she forecasted new products and services. Over the past 25 years, her passion has been maximizing clients' potential. She has worked across virtually all industries as a speaker, executive educator, and business coach. Her practical approach and real-life experiences, combined with proven frameworks and tools, give clients real results. In addition, teams gain alignment and common language.
Mary received her Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics from the University of California at Davis and her MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA. She lives in Connecticut with her family and enjoys hiking and learning about different cultures.
