Your Money and Your Brain, Jason Zweig

Published by Souvenir Press

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Subconscious triggers that control investment behaviour

Who’d have thought it – neuroscience can make you a more successful investor!

This fascinating, though not always easy, book attempts to explain the weirdness of the stock market and those who invest in it from the standpoint of evolutionary biology and psychology.

Apparently, our human proclivity for finding patterns even when none exist causes us awful problems as we try to predict what is coming next for our stocks. Equally, rationality and emotion, wrongly mixed, can be disastrous.

With the help of brain scans and interviews with scientists at the forefront of neurological research, Mr Zweig shows why we over-estimate gains and minimise possible losses as we decide how to build our portfolios. )At the same time I found he opens up some interesting possibilities that have nothing at all to do with investing.)

So if you want to know why you keep taking profits too early and hang on to crashing stocks too long or you’d like to learn how being happy can make you richer I suggest invest (geddit?) in a copy soon. Your bank balance may appreciate (sorry!) as you “become a smarter more successful investor the neuroscience way.”

How to Get Rich, Felix Dennis

Published by Ebury Press

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Someone's having a laugh!

I’m not sure that hippy-turned-tycoon-turned-poet Felix Dennis’s book will help you get rich; in fact it may well put you off the whole idea!

But this roistering, rambunctious tour de force will certainly entertain and enlighten you. And I suspect that, taken to heart, his ideas could well pay off for the determined wealth seeker.

However, Mr Dennis does not come from the rose-tinted dream worlds of positive thinking or do-as-I-did formulae. He is brutally honest about the downside of riches; in fact he begins his book offering solid reasons not to seek wealth. That takes just 17 pages – the next 300 cover getting started, getting rich and what to do when you have made it big.

Liberally laced with anecdotes and asides, warnings and wit, poetry and polemic, this is a compulsive read; more fun and containing more wisdom than the last ten ‘get rich’ books I have read combined.

I can find little fault with this vastly entertaining volume; perhaps on occasion the author overdoes the rambling and musing but he is never less than fascinating as he bitches and blusters his way to his final piece of advice – “Remember to duck!”

Highly recommended for fun or profit, whichever is your fancy. My final piece of advice – don’t lend it to anyone; you will never see it again.

Being Positive and Staying Positive, Pauline Rowson

Published by Rowmark

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Self-confidence primer

The prolific Ms Rowson adds another volume to the ‘Easy Step by Step’ series with this practical guide to being positive even when the going gets tough.

The book promises you ways to increase self-confidence, to stop being frustrated with life and to finding inner contentment.

Realising that we all feel ‘down’ on occasion; whether because of health problems, family or professional setbacks or simply the baffling pace of modern life, the author tackles the subject with directness and vigour.

As usual with these guides, there are plenty of bullet points to help you take in the messages quickly and easily and the end-of-chapter summaries provide handy reminders.

Covering negativity, stress and self-esteem, the author shows how you can improve your self-confidence by appearing confident, by your body language and how you communicate; and even by the way you think.

Adding self-knowledge and assertiveness plus tips on dealing with less than positive contributions from others makes this a pretty comprehensive survey of the subject.

If you have ever felt that you are not realising your full potential, this book can help you start living a fuller life.

KNOCKOFF – the deadly trade in counterfeit goods, Tim Phillips

Published by Kogan Page

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

The deadly trade



So you thought that ‘Rolex’ you picked up in Beijing for a fiver wasn’t really doing anyone any harm? This book will make you think again.

Counterfeiting is apparently one of the fastest growing industries in the world ($500 billion or more). Far from being a ‘victimless’ crime that irritates the rich companies who are targeted, this illegal global industry spews corruption, violence and the deaths of thousands of people every year.

Tim Phillips has researched an incredible amount of information for this highly readable and informative volume that spans the globe as it exposes this vast industry.

Pretty well anything can be and is counterfeited. From handbags and watches to medicines and aeroplane spares, the fakers make killings (sometimes literally) day after day.

So who cares if Gucci loses a few quid because you buy a fake? Probably no-one, especially since you probably wouldn’t have bought the real thing anyway, so it’s Marks & Spencer who lost a sale really. But what about those drugs you got on prescription last week? Fake drugs can be very dangerous. As can fake booze made with methyl alcohol; yes, it has turned up in the UK!

From CDs to software, medicines to machine parts, the counterfeiters are operating and making big profits. And if you are the victim whose replacement windscreen isn’t properly tempered or whose brake pads are made from compressed grass or sawdust, well – the warranty won’t stand up even if you do survive the impact.

This is an entertaining read that will leave you better informed. More – it is an important book that should make you think hard next time you are offered a fake. Let me leave you with Tim Phillips’ final sentences; ‘Fakes destroy honest companies and kill innocent people. When you buy them, you’re helping it to happen.’

E-MAIL Selling Techniques (that really work!), Stephan Schiffman

Published by Adams Media

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Everything you ever wanted to know

Billed as America’s No1 corporate sales trainer, I remember Mr Schiffman as the author of ‘Telephone Selling Techniques – that really work!’ And I have to say that they did.
Now at least two decades later we have this comprehensive guide to a new era in selling.
Described by Stephan as a compilation of concepts and principles developed over a long period of time, the book is crammed with good advice for all who struggle with the ‘instant’ world of cyber space.
Beginning with an explanation of the basic differences between selling now and selling in the last century, he shows how communication has changed, how emailing is different, sometimes irritating, and why it can seldom stand alone.
He goes on to develop a concept of selling as a series of ‘next steps’, covering relationships, buying signals (yes, you get those with email too!) and, importantly, creating the ‘perfect’ email.
In a final short section we are treated to a list of 22 unforgivable mistakes – most of which I confess I have made.
Mr Schiffman clearly understands the technology; I am sure this book will prove as useful in the Internet age as his last was in the telephone age. If you use computers and email for business (and who doesn’t today?) get this book – Stephan Schiffman will show you how to do the business.

Instant Creativity, Brian Clegg & Paul Birch

Published by Kogan Page

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Creativity catalyst

Competitors, costs, customers; life would be so much simpler without them. But they are facts of life and Messrs Clegg & Birch claim that creativity is the way to handle these and all the other problems business throws your way.. Creativity, they say, is a survival factor.

The authors have set out to create a handbook that is easy to use and will make the most of whatever creativity is available – yours or others’. They begin by establishing what exactly creativity is and what gets in its way before going on to look at specific creative techniques. These they split into two sections;

First, establishing exactly what the question is. This is handy when you know you have a problem but you aren’t quite sure what it is or what the cause is. So the techniques in this section are designed to help you get a clear understanding of the nature of the problem with, perhaps, some idea of a general approach. Once you have a clear statement of the problem, you are ready for …

Second, what’s the answer? You know pretty well what you want to achieve but how to achieve it is proving elusive. The problem solvers and idea generators in this section will get your juices going, the authors hope, and ultimately drag the optimum solution out into the open.

You may have briefly to suspend judgement as some of the techniques can seem bizarre. In fact, some of the titles seem bizarre, take ‘Time Slices’ for example, or ‘Mud Slinging’, ‘Cacophony’ and ‘Psychiatrist’s Couch’. Stick with it though; it all makes sense in the end.

This is a ‘dip-in’ book with more than seventy techniques explained and a selection guide to help you choose the best technique(s) each time you use it.

Recommended if you have problems or simply want to increase the amount of creative thinking that goes on in your business.

Are Your Customers Being served? Pauline Rowson

Published by Rowmark

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Exceptional customer service

Pauline Rowson is a prolific author of crime fiction as well as non-fiction books on a variety of business and self-help topics. This is her latest, part of the ‘Easy Step by Step’ series, and has all the virtues we have come to expect.

It is short and to the point – you can read the whole thing in under a couple of hours. Each chapter is summarised for reference and stuffed with tips and techniques. Finally, the guides are written by people with real-life experience who do not constantly lapse into jargon.

Beginning with why we need to provide decent service and a brief consideration of customer profiles, Ms Rowson sets out a methodology for building a customer-friendly organisation (an increasingly rare beast!) mainly through good communication in various forms. Dealing with people and listening skills, assertion without aggression and with a whole chapter devoted to the telephone, she has produced an interesting and practical handbook deserving a place in any business bookcase.

While we all chase new business it is only too easy to overlook the fact that our existing customers are what sustain us – and they can enhance our profits if we look after them! They will spend more, tell others about excellent service and sometimes even sell for us.
This book will help you develop the right kind of customers; a welcome addition to the literature on customer relations.

You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader, Mark Sanborn

Published by Random House Business Books

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

The six principles of leadership

Well, at least it isn’t the magic seven so beloved of self-help authors the world over.

Mark Sanborn is a world renowned motivational speaker. In this slim volume he explains how each of us can learn to become a leader. He sprinkles stories and anecdotes to illustrate his points throughout the book. Some of them are perhaps a little earnest for British readers but they do a good job of reinforcing the book’s messages; messages about self-mastery, focus, people, communication, execution and giving.

An accomplished speaker, Mr Sanborn is also an accomplished author. His book is easy to read and, while none of what he says is particularly new, he says it well and doubtless someone will benefit from each of his stories. My own favourite is about the man who gave up giving in favour of ‘returning’. He reasoned that everything he had from life had been given to him and it was his time to give back. That’s principle six, by the way – giving.

Be your own guru, Olivia Stefanino

Published by Capstone

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Three days to transform your life

A difficult book for me to review. So let me get my reservations out of the way at the start.

Ms Stefanino is a Master of Reiki and has qualifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Both are widely regarded as pseudo-sciences. Further, at quite a late stage in the book, she trots out the old chestnut about less than 10% of what we communicate being through the words we use. This is quite simply untrue and someone of Ms Stefanino’s background should be aware of it.

All this is a pity because it leads one to doubt the value of areas of the book where one has no knowledge. And there is considerable value to be had here.

Through the medium of stories gathered from her experience we learn much about dealing with negativity, understanding our emotions and, importantly, dealing with our own emotional baggage.

The final part of the book will be the most interesting to many. Here the author provides the tools with which to become your own guru. Through what she calls the Self Journey, the Relationship Journey and the Soul Journey, she leads us to a potentially deeper understanding of our ‘self’.

Recommended – with reservations.

The Game Plan, Steve Bull

Published by Capstone

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Winning through ‘mental toughness’

Steve Bull is consultant psychologist to the England cricket team. He has been the Great Britain Team Psychologist at three Olympic Games. He has a twenty year track record of success working with people in sport and business. He has an honorary doctorate for outstanding work as a sport psychologist. His book is filled with good advice; quotes from famous successes from all walks of life; a whole final chapter on how to put it all together and succeed.

Why then did I find Steve’s book so unsatisfactory? Firstly, I think, because of the continual emphasis on ‘toughness’. It begins to grate after a while. I know ‘macho’ is the flavour these days, but wouldn’t ‘resilience’ have done the job just as well without the overly aggressive connotations? Then there are the ‘four key areas of toughness’ (at least it wasn’t seven!) – ‘turnaround’, critical moment’, ‘endurance’ and ‘risk management’ toughness. They all sound so naff!

Now this is a shame which may say more about my prejudices than it does about Steve Bull’s book; but I have to say I found it all mildly depressing. The content is full of good ideas and his record, in and out of sport, is outstanding, so please pop along to your local bookshop and thumb through a few pages before making your decision.

And don’t let Britain’s sporting record put you off – just think how bad it might have been without Mr Bull!

Commonsense Direct & Digital Marketing, Drayton Bird

5th edition

Published by Kogan Page

Buy it now from Blackwell Books


Drayton is the man!


When it comes to direct (&digital!) marketing, Drayton Bird is the man. At £24.95 this is the bargain book of the century. At £249.50 it would still be a bargain. A top seller for 25 years, this is the definitive tome on the subject.

Why is it so good? Because Drayton knows more than anyone else about the topic, he is a very good writer and he is brutally honest - especially when it comes to his own mistakes.

At over 400 pages this is no lightweight volume. It is virtually a degree course in direct marketing and any reader would do well to treat it as such.

In the first three (of sixteen) chapters we are introduced to D&DM and what it can do for business. The following four chapters deal with the nuts and bolts of the subject; getting started, positioning, planning and the various media, then Chapter Eight covers digital marketing in depth.

Chapter Nine is all about lists (or databases, as they are now almost exclusively known) and Chapters Ten and Eleven will tell all you need to know about ideas and creativity.

From Twelve to Fifteen we learn about testing and agencies – including whether or not you need one – and what to do when it all goes wrong.

And so to the last chapter – predictions! As Niels Bohr once remarked, prediction is tricky, especially if it involves the future. So I will say no more than that his predictions are worth noting.

“No criticisms?” I hear you say, “That’s not like you, Jim.” Oh, okay; some of the plates could be better reproduced.

By the way, if you are interested in marketing training, you might like to Click Here! It will take you to an outfit called Marketing Sphere. I suggest you get the free report before you make any decisions!

re-think, Nigel May Barlow

Published by Capstone

Buy it now from Blackwell Books


Thinking as unusual

The author notes inside the back cover of this book describe Nigel May Barlow as a rethinker and agent provocateur. This latest book will certainly provoke thought.

From early on in the book, where he encourages taking the viewpoint of an enthusiast to mid-way where he advocate’s a bat’s eye view, he sells his ‘rethink’ philosophy in a way that compels one to at least consider the possibilities. On a personal level, I found the concepts of ‘your life as a fairy tale’ and the ‘before and after story’ particularly relevant.

Underlying the practical ideas of the book are Nigel’s philosophical meanderings. He covers quantum physics and string theory alongside fairy tales and intuition, remaining strangely rational throughout. And, as a long time exponent of transcendental meditation, he devotes a whole chapter to encouraging the reader to take it up. But don’t let this put you off!

Don’t let anyone give you this book as a present; invest £12.99 yourself so you have at least a little at stake to encourage you to pay attention to Mr Barlow’s ideas rather than simply approaching it as an entertaining read (which it also is!)

My Big Idea, Rachel Bridge

Published by Kogan Page

Buy it now from Blackwell Books


Genius at work?

In this follow on to her wildly successful ‘How I Made It’ (Kogan Page again), Rachel Bridge treats us to tales of more entrepreneurs and their schemes.

Some you will recognise – Ian Wilson of WEXAS; Martyn Dawes of Coffee Nation; Don Lewin of Clinton Cards. Others are more obscure yet no less successful – Nick Austin of Vivid Imaginations; Paul Stanyer of HolidayTaxis.com; Richard Tang of Zen Internet.

These are the stories of 30 people who each had an idea and ran with it until it worked. Each is a very different individual but with one thing in common with all the others – self belief and belief in their idea. As Richard Branson says – every entrepreneur needs a big idea. And as Doug ‘Dragon’s Den’ Richard points out – the first step is to see every problem as an opportunity; solve the problem and you have a business. Each of Rachel’s entrepreneurs took a ‘problem’, came up with a solution and, in may cases, battled serious odds to achieve their dream. As a result they all became very rich.

Thought provoking, inspiring and often funny, this is an ideal gift for the budding entrepreneur in your family.

Lend Me Your ears, Professor Max Atkinson

Published by Vermillion (Random House)

Buy it now from Blackwell Books


The best introduction to public speaking

Professor Atkinson is the academic who famously coached a novice speaker to a standing ovation at the 1984 SDP Conference in Britain. Over twenty years later, with this book, he confirms his pre-eminence in the field.

Though the good Professor’s book concentrates on speaking skills, he does examine the differences between writing to speak and writing to read. He breaks down the rhetorical aspects of speaking and explains several clever ways of getting the reaction you want. He also covers body language and his book is sprinkled with exercises to help you comprehend and practice the principles he advocates. A persuasive and very useful work.

But here’s the interesting bit, and one of the reasons I admire this book so much. Like me, Professor Max eschews PowerPoint – at least when used as it seems to have been designed, for a bunch of bullet points. The professor loathes bullet points and wants graphics to be the main use (if use there must be) of PowerPoint. The matter is not as clear cut as one would like, of course; it must be a case of assessing each presentation’s type of support on the merits of the case. In the main though, the less one relies on PowerPoint, the better - say the Professor and me!.

Entertainingly written by a man who clearly understands his topic.

The Leader’s Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills, Paul Sloane

Kogan Page - £9.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books


Just how creative are you?

Lateral thinking? Isn’t that a bit old hat? Well, as management fads go, it’s been around a long time. Never entirely out of fashion but perhaps in need of a Trinny and Susannah-type makeover? If so, Paul Sloane is your man.

Inspiration, innovation and creativity are what Paul promises. With his executive skills honed at the likes of IBM and Ashton Tate plus a string of top-name clients such as American Express, Shell and HP, his CV is impressive and his book revelatory.

There are 21 chapters plus a couple of appendices in just under 200 pages. So, at an average of less than 10 pages per section, even an attention span like mine can cope.

The book is replete with lateral thinking puzzles to amuse, bemuse and encourage new ways of approaching problems. There are also plenty of real-life examples to reassure you that this stuff does work.

But perhaps the most telling point made by Mr Sloane comes quite early in the book – around 20 pages in. At this point the author demonstrates, with the help of just four examples, his premise that innovation will beat efficiency pretty well every time. A very useful book – especially if you find yourself striving to improve efficiency!

Excellence in Coaching, edited by Jonathan Passmore

Kogan Page - £24.95

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

A handy guide to the industry

Fancy being a coach? Don’t fancy paying a small fortune to some dubious ‘institute’? Here is the answer to your prayers! A helpful industry guide that the experienced coach will also find invaluable.

Excellence in Coaching is a comprehensive guide covering what coaching is and how to set up a coaching business. It explains eight different approaches to coaching (including my favourite ‘GROW’ model) and it examines the ethical issues involved. Lastly there is a section on supervision (or coaching for coaches).

You will also find this book revealing if you are on the other end – a ‘coachee’. It will help you decide what kind of coaching you need, rather than just accepting what is on offer. And the articles can also help you understand whether your current coach is doing a good job or not.

The book is made up of thirteen chapters, each by a different author or authors and each covering a different topic. The list of contributors (all leaders in the field) is impressive and includes Sir John Whitmore (Coaching for Performance) and Ian McDermott (The NLP Coach).

Published under the auspices of the UK’s Association for Coaching, Excellence in Coaching lives up to the Association’s slogan of ‘promoting excellence and ethics in coaching’. The coaching profession is exploding and has needed a handbook of best practice for some time. This book fulfils the role admirably.

Hostage at the Table, George Kohlrieser

Jossey-Bass - £18.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

The psychology of conflict

George Kohlrieser in a professor of leadership, a psychologist and a hostage negotiator (and occasional hostage). He uses his experiences to show how we should manage conflict at work and in everyday living.

Hostage at the Table is not solely about being held hostage by others – we can create our own hostage situation by the way we think. Conversely, we can also use the way we think to avoid being a hostage for others. Mr Kohlreiser has some very insightful ideas about how to lead, controlling our emotions and dealing with self-imposed limits. He also has many fascinating stories to tell about hostage situations and the mindset that allows one to deal with them.

My one reservation about this book comes down to the old saying, ‘If your only tool is a hammer, every problem begins to look like a nail.’ I sometimes felt the author might be stretching the hostage analogy a little too far. That said, his approach to the conflicts in the book is always interesting and convincing, his arguments compelling.

Consider also that hostage negotiators have an astonishing 90+% success rate. What George does for us is to relate his skills in this area to business. Read this book – it could be life changing; it will be unforgettable.

Writing a Business Plan and Making it Work, Brian B Brown

Rowmark - £9.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Creating the future

“Show me your Business Plan.” Words to chill you! A business plan is something you dream up to keep your bank happy and then ignore while you deal with real life. Or is it?

Another in the ‘Easy Step by Step Guide’ series, this small book has all the attributes we expect from Rowmark:

Easy to read
Short and practical
Full of useful tips

It also has lots of tick lists and those invaluable bullet point summaries at the end of each chapter.

Assuming no prior knowledge, the author begins by asking ‘what is a business plan?’ and continues via SWOT analysis, planned objectives and market research to a consideration of customers and competitors.

Mr Brown uses a training company, TDC, throughout the book to illustrate his method of creating a sound business plan – one you can actually use as opposed to a bank manager pacifier. Whether TDC is a real company or a figment of Mr Brown’s imagination matters not. Taking the reader step-by-step, he shows exactly how to incorporate all the elements needed. Follow the directions and you will end up with, if not the perfect business plan, at least a good solid one with every prospect of success.

Ideal material for the sole trader and SME.

The Three Most Important Lessons You’ve Never been Taught

Vermillion - £4.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

"If anyone can help, it’s this man."

So says Justin Rowatt of Panorama about probably the Book of the Year 2008. (Yes, I know there are eleven months of books yet to come, just bear with me.)

Why is this book so important, at least if you live in the UK? Simply because the nation is drowning in unsustainable debt and doesn’t know what to do about it. Martin Lewis does know what to do and here he passes on his knowledge – for £4.99 a copy with all his royalties going to charity.

If you’ve never heard of Martin Lewis, power up your computer and go to http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/, subscribe to his newsletter and start getting even with the people who are taking your money.

But back to the book. It will take you half-an-hour to read and a good few hours to do the money makeover and budget exercises. Believe me, it will be worth it.

Mr Lewis was challenged to turn a bunch of schoolchildren into money saving experts for a TV show in the middle of last year. 12 pupils went on to save their families £5050. And out of that little experiment comes this book.

The three lessons are explained in a forthright manner in just under 100 pages. The entertaining story of the junior money saving experts is covered with similar economy and the details of how to win at the personal finances game takes up the rest of the book.

If you spend money – mortgage, credit card, cash – or try to save, you need this book.

The Origin of Wealth – Eric D. Beinhocker

Random House - £25

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

R-evolutionary economics

I have a short attention span. I do not like long books. Mr Beinhocker’s volume spans more than 500 pages, including notes and index. I approached with trepidation.

I could not put this book down. Whether or not you are the least bit interested in economics, you will enjoy every page. Well, maybe not the index, unless you also enjoy reading telephone directories.

Not content with exploring economics, Eric D. ranges around the whole of human society, including much of its history and pays a lot of attention to evolution. Indeed, the evolutionary nature of economics is his main theme and he uses actual evolution and computer-simulated experiments to illustrate and support his arguments.

From ‘The Promised Land’ (the world’s biggest garbage dump, located near Manilla), taking in Karl Sim’s block people and Epstein and Axtell’s ‘Sugarscape’ and analysing ‘Big Man’ versus ‘Market’ economies along the way, we are offered a new perspective – Complexity Economics.

I have long wondered why it is that opposing political parties are able to come up with ‘experts’ to support their (often totally opposite) views on how to handle the economy. Surely, I wondered, there must be a ‘right’ answer to economic questions?. Thanks to Mr Beinhocker, I now see that the problem is not the economy but rather the hopelessly unscientific approach that is conventional economics.

The best holiday read I have enjoyed in years.

The PR Buzz Factor – Russell Lawson

Kogan Page - £14.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Boost your business with PR

Russell Lawson is Head of Public affairs for the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales – as well as being a journalist and commentator on small business issues. So he should know what he is talking about and be able to express himself in print. And so he proves in this book.

The richly entertaining case studies make this an amusing read; but Mr Lawson gives us something far more important than entertainment. He gives us questions, answers and check-lists. Let’s face it, why do most people buy this kind of book? Not to become instant experts but to be told what to do to make a success of, in this case, Public Relations.

The reader wants to keep his or her money in their pocket while still gaining some of the benefits of employing a consultant. This is what ‘PR Buzz’ delivers; a step-by-step guide. You fill in the boxes and you end up with your PR campaign ready to go.

There are several gems woven in among the charts and questionnaires. I especially liked the concept of the non-, latent-, aware- and active-publics that go to make up a key audience. Another strong idea was the PEST analysis (political, environmental, social, technological) that goes with the SWOT analysis (which I am sure you know is strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

An excellent and practical book. My one niggle is that Mr Lawson repeats the myth of the Yale University Survey showing the importance of written goals. Please, authors, get it through your heads that it never happened!

Amaze your Customers! – Daniel Zanetti

Kogan Page - £9.99


Buy it now from Blackwell Books



Imaginative strategies

Co-owner of a training company specialising in customer orientation (whatever that means), Daniel Zanetti has come up with an entertaining slant on capturing those elusive creatures called customers.

Essentially a series of anecdotes, this book clearly shows how essential customer satisfaction is if you want to grow your business. Using a character called Joe Friedman, we are first subjected to a truly awful customer experience and then hear how other similar organisations have come up with ‘amazing’ strategies. For example; a tanning salon with real sand and pictures of exotic locations; a dentist who wears mint flavoured latex gloves; a hotel that has replaced the traditional Gideon Bible with a book entitled ‘Are you good in bed?’ That last one is probably not as racy as it seems, but I’d bet anyone would open it – and remember the hotel, which is the important thing.

A book that is a lot of fun, has a serious message and covers a wide range of businesses. This one I’ll keep.

Publishing and Promoting Your Book – Pauline Rowson

Rowmark - £9.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

A useful addition to the ‘Easy Step by Step Guide’ series

These guides are practical, easy to read and choc full of valuable tips. One of the things I like most is that each chapter has its own quick, bullet-point summary – though I’d like to see the summary precede the chapter – that way I could skip chapters!

Pulling no punches re publishing, Pauline Rowson tells us about the market for authors; the bad news and the slightly better news, before covering the steps one needs to take prior to approaching a publisher.

But this book is mainly about self-publishing. The author addresses typesetting, book size, printers, binding, ISBN numbers and all the other things that worry new authors. She also covers pricing, branding, selling and promoting your book. Especially useful are the tips on dealing with the media.

Finally there is a list of useful addresses – author’s organisations, agents, self-publishing etc. Pauline is a prolific author (10 books and counting, fact and fiction) and her expertise may well save the budding author a lot of time and trouble.

Cool Time – Steve Prentice

Wiley - £11.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Oh no! Not another time management book!

Take heart. This book is a little different – no, a lot different.

First of all, it is not written in the same ‘tone’ as most; it is more about keeping cool than worrying about priorities and schedules. Mr Prentice’ premise is when you are mentally cool you make better decisions. Hard to argue with, but so what? The ‘so what’ is addressed in eighteen chapters over 230-odd pages.

Right at the start we get a really useful tool; a quick reference page. So, if you have an urgent need to deal with those unexpected visitors – check ‘Deal with drop-in visitors’ at page111. E-mails getting you down? See ‘Survive your e-mail Inbox’, page 129.

Early on in his book, the author addresses the reasons we have such problems with getting stuff done in the most productive way. (It’s all to do with the way we evolved apparently.) Then, by way of inventory, critical path, productivity and the ubiquitous ‘work-life balance’ we come to the ‘Change Statement’. Download it from Mr Prentice’ web site, fill in the blanks and begin to take control of your time.

There is much else of value in this entertaining and practical book. More than you would expect from its size. Worth while for anyone who struggles with time – and who doesn’t?

Get Out of Debt Forever – Lorraine Turner

Random House (Vermillion) - £8.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Solve your debt problems and get a life

Increase your income, cut your spending and get free holidays. Sound good? Read on!

According to the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, debt is spiralling and record numbers of citizens are going bankrupt. If you are having debt problems, this book will certainly help. Assuming you can find £8.99 / $12 (or have a library ticket).

Lorraine Turner specialises in personal finance, business, property investment, life coaching, self development and cookery. A sort of general specialist then. Or maybe I’m being mean?

However, Ms Turner certainly delivers the goods. From getting the right sort of specialist help with your enormous debts all the way to shopping for free, she provides a cornucopia of advice and over 15 pages of really useful addresses covering debt counsellors, lawyers, consumer protection bodies and bargain hunting.

Fortunately she also realises the importance of maintaining some kind of life while you struggle out of the debt trap. She shows how to cut back while still taking advantage of the numerous leisure activities you can enjoy on a limited budget; or even no budget at all.

This is a credible, serious, in depth action plan. Recommended, though mainly for UK readers, even if you are not yet in debt!

How the Stock Markets Work – Colin Chapman

Random House - £15.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books



A straightforward introduction

Now that more and more of us have a few shares in this or that, Mr Chapman’s ninth revision of this work is welcome.

Authoritative and comprehensive, this book covers the history and currency of the world’s markets. Beginning at the beginning with ‘What is a share?’, Mr Chapman examines the start of it all with the world’s first two public companies (the Muscovy Company and the East India Company) whose creation led, via various adventures and scandals, to the Stock Exchange of today.

Examining institutions, private investors, investment clubs, global markets and the movers and shakers therein, the book bursts with all the information one could possibly need, whether a professional investor or an enthusiastic dabbler. The glossary of terms alone occupies 17 pages!

Get this book if you are ever likely to want to float a company, buy a few shares or you simply want to know how the world’s equity and bond markets affect you and the global economy.

A brace of books for the wage slave!

The amazing secrets of how to negotiate your salary by Derek Arden

DON’T Change Your Job! by Rekha Wadhwani

Buy Derek's book now from Blackwell Books

Buy Rekha's book now from Blackwell Books



Would you like to be paid what you are worth?

Mr Arden is a skilled negotiator, teaching the skills at Henley Management College and privately. Now Derek is passing on his secrets – and his eight key steps to successful negotiating. He covers what another author has referred to as ‘the magic of thinking big’ and suggests that ‘asking for it’ may be the key. And some of the things he suggests may surprise you - many suggestions to help create the ‘win-win’ situation beloved of all negotiators (and salespeople who are. After all, just niche negotiators). With clients quoting salary increases from £1000 to £15000 this has to be worth reading.

Do change your attitude

Rekha Wadhwani is a life coach. And she has discovered that many people think changing jobs is the answer even before they have figured out the question!
Ms Wadhwani clearly understands people. She uses a story approach that works reasonably well, though inevitably some parts verge on hectoring. In all, a useful little book, especially if you are ‘up to here’ with your job or thinking of a change of direction for any reason.

How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie

Paperback from Vermilion (Random House)

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

It’s back! The BEST ever book for personal development!

Really. This is the book that everyone in the ‘personal development’ business has plagiarised since it was first published in 1936. Read it and you will recognise the practicality of Carnegie’s advice. This is the one book that can really revive your relationships, maximise your ability to deal with life’s problems and improve your personal dealings exponentially.

This latest edition from Random House has been updated with contemporary examples (it is still a little old-fashioned but none the worse for that) and some of the now obscure references have been removed. The power of the book remains intact.

How to Win Friends claims to help you:

Get out of your rut
Make friends
Increase your popularity
Win others over
Increase your ability to get things done
Handle complaints
Become a better speaker
Arouse enthusiasm

So, pretty comprehensive. Buy it and read it – you will be glad you did!