Yes, my bosses did write this book, but I assure you my recommendation is not a biased one.

I've read so many marketing books that talk about one new fad or trend or "new" thinking that claimed to be the way it was going to be and if you didn't adapt you'd be left behind. Then 6 months (or less) later, there was a new book with a new fad saying forget the other one, THIS is the "new reality."

Your Gut, on the other hand, is timeless. It talks about the basics of marketing strategy which NEVER change, yet way too few people in business really understand or talk about much. They also talk about HOW to make decisions in these areas and not in some loosey-goosey, over-the-top-creative type way that just isn't practical for me or most companies. They talk about how to back up decisions and that's it's OK to take some time to sort through the options and the data--which is much more in-line with how I like to make decisions anyways.

The mix of case studies is good too--some big companies, some small ones, consumer and B2B.

It's really changed the way I think about business decisions in general. There's so much out there about how the big shots in business are the ones with good instincts. But this book inspired me to take a much closer look at those big shots and, as it turns out, there was A LOT more data driving their decisions. They just played up the instincts end of things. It made me feel much more empowered--that with the help of good information I can make just as good decisions as the folks people are writing books and articles about.


- Ami Bowen