It is with much anticipation that we at Remodeling and JLC are waiting to see Mark Harari's book, Lobster on a Cheese Plate. It is now available only for pre-order, but the time of its release is getting close: The book is due out December 8. This is one we think every spouse should consider as a holiday gift for their favorite builder or remodeler. (Hint, hint, honey.)
Ostensibly, Lobster on a Cheese Plate is about marketing. And Mark, who currently serves as director of marketing for Remodelers Advantage, and formerly as head of marketing for a Baltimore-based remodeling company, has a clear head for marketing. But he rarely uses that word. He prefers to talk about differentiating a company, as that is what marketing is all about. For Mark, marketing is what you act on to answer the questions: How will you distinguish yourself from all the other lumps of cheese on the plate? How will you make it obvious to others that your company is the right choice, the only choice, to do business with?
In his forward to Lobster on a Cheese Plate, John Warrillow, author of Built to Sell, elaborates on why differentiation in business matters:
"Having a crisp point of differentiation helps you in two ways. First, a well-differentiated company with unique products has pricing authority, which allows you to make better profit margins. If you pour some of that extra cash into further differentiating your business, you’ll create a competitive moat, making it difficult for rivals to compete with you. "
To serve that end, Warrillow tells us: "Lobster on a Cheese Plate is equal parts how-to manual and textbook. Yes, Mark has put together a number of useful templates and guides that will help you build the identity and messaging you’ll need to successfully market your business. But more fundamentally, he’s laid out a roadmap by which you can build a complete brand identity."
If you've ever had a chance to see Mark Harari in action, you know he likes to keep things lively, mixing humor with brutal honesty about what works and what doesn't. Based on our initial read of advance copy, we know Lobster on a Cheese Plate will serve up plenty of the same. It is a book that will keep you laughing as you read. But it is entertainment with a clear purpose: To move you to integrate marketing seamlessly into what you do in a way that truly fits who you are.
