When I first saw "Cash Register Rings Non-Stop: The amazing transformation of Eu Yan Sang" in bookshops I rolled my eyes and rolled over laughing. What? Another wank off book? But I went ahead and bought it anyway because I wanted insights into how the Cina-man marketer thinks. So there, I parked my balls aside in the name of learning.
Through out the book, you'll come across quite a lot marketing lingo words like "SWOT", "Positioning", etc, being dropped in a rather obvious manner, especially in the first few chapters. It's as though they are taking a pre-emptive strike on the reader, to force upon us an impression that they are in touch with "modern" marketing principals and approaches in their "traditional" type business.
To be honest, the book really reads like an annual marketing plan / report presentation most of us have to prepare for our bosses. The (real) goal of such presentations is to show management that we've been and will be doing loads and loads and loads of marketing programs so as to justify our salaries and stay in the company. It's superficial but true. And most bosses are happy with this type of presentations because it makes them feel that they are "getting their money's worth" from their employees. So if you really want to look forward to reading EYS's radio ad script or the behind–the-scenes development of their calendar, go knock yourselves out.
To say that the book was a waste of time is however, not true, as it did give me an idea on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) business and how they work. In fact, I did find some of the marketing initiatives innovative and 'blue-ocean', like their New Soup Packs, Wild Ginseng Tea, Chicken Essence Traditional and a few others. And if you're sharp you'll also find two or three really good ideas in practice hidden between the lines. I guess for the price of the book and the share of ideas, it's worth a read.
To be honest, the book really reads like an annual marketing plan / report presentation most of us have to prepare for our bosses. The (real) goal of such presentations is to show management that we've been and will be doing loads and loads and loads of marketing programs so as to justify our salaries and stay in the company. It's superficial but true. And most bosses are happy with this type of presentations because it makes them feel that they are "getting their money's worth" from their employees. So if you really want to look forward to reading EYS's radio ad script or the behind–the-scenes development of their calendar, go knock yourselves out.
To say that the book was a waste of time is however, not true, as it did give me an idea on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) business and how they work. In fact, I did find some of the marketing initiatives innovative and 'blue-ocean', like their New Soup Packs, Wild Ginseng Tea, Chicken Essence Traditional and a few others. And if you're sharp you'll also find two or three really good ideas in practice hidden between the lines. I guess for the price of the book and the share of ideas, it's worth a read.
