APSU alumnus pens ‘primer' on branding & marketing success
September 2, 2003In the past few years, the word branding has become imbedded in the vernacular of corporate America, as every company and organization searches for a better way to imprint itself and its values in the mind and heart of its audience or market.
Austin Peay alumnus Joe Calloway offers real-life insight on how to achieve success in branding in his new book, Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison, released this month by John Wiley & Sons Publishing.
September 2, 2003
In the past few years, the word “branding” has become imbedded in the vernacular of corporate America, as every company and organization searches for a better way to imprint itself and its values in the mind and heart of its audience or market.
Austin Peay alumnus Joe Calloway offers real-life insight on how to achieve success in branding in his new book, “Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison,” released this month by John Wiley & Sons Publishing.
The APSU National Alumni Association will host a reception and book-signing for Calloway on Tuesday, Sept 16, 4-6 p.m. at Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill.
Among his many interests, Calloway owns Mirror, an award-winning Nashville restaurant that was featured on television's Food Network. A consultant on branding and competitive positioning, his client list includes a wide range of companiesfrom South African computer companies to American Express. Calloway, who was inducted into the prestigious International Speaker's Hall of Fame, frequently gives presentations on business trends.
Although not the first one off the presses, Calloway's book is among the best, because it draws from personal experiences and interviews of several clients who have been successful in achieving brand recognition. Calloway presents this information in an enjoyable, anecdotal format.
“As Starbucks is to coffee, Harley Davidson to motorcycles, Xerox to copying…your business, too, can become a ‘category of one,' “ says Calloway. With examples from such clients as BMW, Calloway shows readers how.
What the author has found in his work with companies struggling as today's competitive environment meets a soft economy is that the experience of doing business is crucial.
“The price of entry into the game of business today is that you must have a quality product and offer good service at a competitive price,” Calloway says. “That's just the beginning. Then the real competition starts.”
Speaking of Calloway's book, Ken Blanchard, the author of “The One Minute Manager,” said, “‘Becoming a Category of One' shows what it takes to build a brand on something more than just product. This book inspires us…to win by using our hearts as well as our minds.”
A “Publishers Weekly” review of “Becoming a Category of One” said, “In this no-nonsense guide…Calloway emphasizes triumph is possible with disciplined application and provides the case studies, interviews and anecdotes illustrating successful approaches for earning customer loyalty and setting businesses apart in their fields.”
The Library Journal's review said, “With companies scrambling to survive in this dicey economy, this book is apropos for all business collections.”
At a cost of $24.95, “Becoming a Category of One” is available at area bookstores or on the Web at www.amazon.com/categoryofone or barnesandnoble.com
Autographed copies will be available for purchase at the Sept. 16 reception at Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill. For more information, telephone 7979.