Rules For Revolutionaries

Despite citing many of the examples from the perspective of the software industry, this book shines as a resource for all industries. The concepts are broad enough that they can be transcribed into the guidelines for other industries, yet still narrow enough that it is not some general business concept; Kawasaki aims for a niche that allows the concepts to be versatile and customizable for every business in every situation. While not exactly a framework, he does outline certain steps to follow in order to internalize the material. Exercises included regularly in the book also prod readers into wrapping their minds fully around the topic – a great way to provoke thought and encourage readers to continue thinking about the topic, even after finishing the section.

This book effectively serves as a refresher course for many businesses and marketing professionals due to its lack of new knowledge. There is nothing amazing in the book; at its core Kawasaki’s book is just a summary of what word-of-mouth advertising is and how it can be achieved through different channels. It should be noted that many businesses do not follow these principles despite them being more-or-less common knowledge, but this does not make the book the cornerstone of all evangelist marketing. The current day and age requires a deeper investigation of evangelist marketing, and seeing as how this book is outdated by over a decade, it pales in comparison to newer publications such as The Customer Experience Edge, Customer Experience Strategy, and Designing the Customer-Centric Organization.

Guy Kawasaki, CEO of garage.com and former chief evangelist of Apple Computer, Inc., presents his manifesto for world-changing innovation, using his battle-tested lessons to help revolutionaries become visionaries.

Create Like a God

Turn conventional wisdom on its head-create revolutionary products and services by analyzing how to approach the problems at hand.

Command Like a King

Take charge and make tough, insightful, and strategic decisions-break down the barriers that prevent product adoption and avoid “death magnets” (the stupid mistakes just about everyone makes).

Work Like a Slave

Get ready for hard work, and lots of it. To go from revolutionary to visionary, you’ll need to eat like a bird-relentlessly absorbing knowledge about your industry, customers, and competition–and poop like an elephant–spreading the large amount of information and knowledge that you’ve gained.

Filled with insights from top innovators such as Amazon.com, Dell, Hallmark, and Gillette and rich with hands-on experience from the front lines of business, Rules for Revolutionaries will empower you–whether you’re an entrepreneur, engineer, inventor, manager, or small business owner–to turn your dreams into reality, your reality into products, and your products into customer magnets.

There is great value when this book is placed in the hands of someone new to marketing concepts. Those with experience in the field, though, will find that this is a conglomeration of ideas to make the backbone of a marketing book. Used as a refresher course in evangelist marketing or as a foundation for new businesses, this is a great book for those looking to understand a little bit more about marketing products in a competitive environment.