Book Review: Who Killed Category Management by Mark Taylor

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Who Killed Category Management: About the Book

From the author, Mark Taylor comes his first release, Who Killed Category Management. He calls it ‘What every salesperson, marketer, retailer and shopper needs to know about retail shopper management’.

Currently, this book is £10.17 for paperback and £8.96 for the Kindle edition. It contains around 113 pages which would take the average reader about 2 hours to read, with 60% comprehension.

From the Author:

‘If you are in Retail, FMCG, Brand Marketing, Key Account Management, Sales or Manufacturing and want a job in 5 years time you should read this book today! Our world is about to crumble. Never before has a Tornado of destruction this large touched down in the retail sector. If you think e-tailing is changing the face of traditional shopper behaviour you haven’t seen anything yet’. 

Book cover for Who Killed Category Management by Mark Taylor
Looks at future category management success and what failure might look like

Overview

‘Who Killed Category Management’ is a funny and often challenging look at what future category success and failure will look like. It explores this by discussing how to meet the needs of tomorrow’s shoppers and customers in a world that is now dominated by e-retailing.  It provides thoughtful insight into the retailer-manufacturer relationship by someone who is clearly well versed on the subject.  In addition, it also adds value and highlights opportunities that can help deliver strategies for success.

The author describes it as ‘..not a traditional desert dry business encyclopedia’, which I am happy to confirm is accurate.

Moreover, it provides thought-provoking industry insight without relying too heavily on jargon and buzzwords. It is an insightful exploration of the world of Category Management which anyone could pick up and read. All too often is the case with Category Management that it gets overcomplicated over jargonised and underutilised. Not the case here.

This book takes us back and forward into what really matters, with amusing stories and practical examples of how to get it very wrong and very right.

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Final Thoughts on Who Killed Category Management

In summary, it is a very straightforward, easy to read, and in parts very very funny book. The author’s passion for retailing is contagious and very clear for all that read this book. Consequently, it kept me hooked page after page. This book is a little over 100 pages, thus, it is a quick, concise, and an enjoyable read. Furthermore, it lacks the complications so often seen in other books on the subject matter.

This book should be on the ‘must read’ list of every Account Manager, Marketeer, Category Manager, and anyone else involved in identifying, selling, and landing opportunities. To conclude, it is highly recommended, very engaging and thought-provoking read.

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