I had read a couple of reviews that indicated that this book would be good for educators as we have to 'sell' our students on the curriculum. However, it really is a handbook on selling in the traditional sense. I think we would be all better off to read it to be able to see through traditional sales techniques. The book corresponds with the "Psychology of Money" unit I just finished with the "A Beginner's Guide to Irrational Behaviour" on-line course I'm taking right now. The unit gives a very brief overview on how marketers can use our predictable irrational behaviours around money and budget, and twist it into ways to sell us products we may or may not need. Fascinating stuff, and I now walk into a retail store with a whole different set of eyes.
That said, I did pick up one tidbit for educators. One of the things we are told that students need for the future is problem solving skills. However, that is not the number one skill employers want. Employers want employees that can identify what the problem is . . . . this is essential if you want to solve the problem. For example, if you notice that the traffic into your store has slowed, you can solve the problem by putting new displays in the window, advertising through traditional means, etc. However, if the problem is not marketing, but the bees' nest that has developed over your front door, none of those strategies will work.
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