Duct Tape Marketing

Duct Tape Marketing

by John Jantsch

Jan Jantsch writes, “Marketing is getting people who have a specific need or problem to know, like, and trust you.”  The Duct Tape Marketing System is about identifying the target customer, articulating a consistent core message, generating qualified leads, educating prospects, and encouraging existing customers to refer new business.  The author presents many good ideas for marketing small businesses.

At times the content sounds very familiar. When Jantsch writes about finding a core marketing message in chapter two he writes, “…you claim a simple idea or position in the mind of the customer.” That sounds like the words of Al Ries and Jack Trout, authors of several books including Positioning. In chapter eight Jantsch writes, “Advertising is salesmanship in print.”  That sounds like the words of Claude Hopkins, author of My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising.

On page 140 Jantsch writes, “No one can officially verify this, but studies have shown up to 25 percent of presort standard (bulk) mail does not reach its destination.”  If you’re aware of a study, cite it.  If you’re not aware of a study, it’s a rumor. Frankly, I find it hard to believe. That’s an enormous volume of paper to simply disappear.

Duct Tape Marketing is a catchy title, but I think it’s a weak metaphor.  The author describes duct tape as “simple, effective, and affordable.” However, duct tape also symbolizes half-assed, amateur repairs, so I think it’s an odd choice for branding the book.  There must be something else simple, effective, and affordable which doesn’t carry the negative association.

Jantsch, John. Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2006. Buy from Amazon.com