There are lots of books on business strategy, but there are very few that make a real difference over time to the businesspeople who read them. Everyone has a favorite strategy book, and I have one too: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore.
If you've ever seen the movie "Wizard of Oz," you'll recall the scene in which Dorothy's house falls from the sky, kills the Wicked Witch of the East, and when Dorothy opens the door to Oz -- the movie goes from black-&-white to color. That's what happened to my knowledge of business after reading CtC. Old concepts had been slain, and everything looked different. Suddenly, I wasn't in Kansas anymore.
Strictly speaking, CtC is a book on technology marketing -- but the practical uses of the chasm model (and the "technology adoption life cycle" and the "whole product model") go waaaaay beyond I.T. So far beyond, in fact, that Moore's model has been reworked in a number of excellent business books, not the least of which is Unleashing the Ideavirus by Seth Godin.
Anyway, Geoffrey Moore has written a new book called Dealing with Darwin, to be published next month. From what I have seen, it superimposes the cream of Michael Treacy's landmark strategy book The Discipline of Market Leaders with the essential concepts developed in CtC. (If you haven't read it, Treacy's book kicks strategy butt, too. My copy is highlighted, underlined, margin-scribbled, and Post-It noted to death.)
I'll shut up now. But suffice it to say, Darwin's going to be a real page turner, especially if you want to know how to grow your business -- whatever your business may be. Until the book comes out, you can download Dealing with Darwin's key concept PowerPoint slides right here. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
Q: Need the number of a recruiter who "gets it?"
A: Download Harry's contact info for future reference.
