The Business Builder’s Toolkit is not just about the knowledge of business fundamentals but a step-by-step guide of how to implement them. This is the business guru in your pocket; the mentor you wish you had and the handbook that you will refer to again and again.

Including topics like:

• Busting business jargon and exposing business lies
• How to increase sales
• HR basics for when you can’t afford HR yet
• Customer retention tactics and community building
• Mental health management strategies
• Efficient and effective marketing tactics

An astonishing 94.6% of businesses fail to sell, closing at an enormous cost to the owner, their family, their staff and the economy. It’s a shocking realisation to many business owners that after all the courage it took to start, the creativity and care it took to build, every business faces only two possible ends: a sale or closure. So you’ve got to build to $ell.

Sweat, Scale, $ell shares real business-building stories about how ordinary business owners changed their fate using the Asset of Value™ method, a practical approach to building a winning business. With Pavlo Phitidis, they Sweated to reshape their business to be relevant to a changing world; they built a solid foundation for Scale; and then they pressed hard on the accelerator to ramp up growth in preparation for $ale to create a business any buyer would want.

Phitidis draws on 25 years of direct experience in conceptualising and building businesses across four continents. He has developed and brought to market business assets in excess of US$300 million through a combination of business start-ups, turnarounds, sales and acquisitions. Phitidis started, built and sold 12 businesses in nine years and took the lessons from the two failures, two IPOs and eight sales to build a business that builds businesses. As a co-founder of Aurik he has worked with over 1 500 established businesses across most sectors in the economy, including family businesses, partnerships and lone business owners.

PAVLO PHITIDIS is the resident entrepreneurial and business growth content contributor for Radio 702 and CapeTalk, the presenter and host of The Growth Engines for Business Day TV, as well as a speaker at both local and international business conferences.

Major, ongoing change is the distinguishing characteristic of the business environment worldwide and it affects how contemporary organisations operate and deal with change. Organisations still need to do more with less. In addition, they need to provide for the needs of customers who, with more exposure to local and global markets, have higher expectations relating to the cost, quality, speed and innovation of the services and products they purchase from these organisations.

Due to this global need for managing change, ‘new’ forms of organisation are replacing the ‘old’ traditional bureaucracy and presenting managers with unique challenges. Thus managers of contemporary organisations need to take a holistic view of the changes in their environments and need to apply a completely new set of skills.

The approach towards contemporary management principles offered in this publication integrates discussions on vital managerial competencies and skills with information on traditional and essential managerial concepts that have been effective in the past and are still effectively used today in many business organisations.

The emphasis is on the vital role of human resources in the success of an organisation and the need for modern managers to self-actualise and embrace the practice of life-long learning.

“We need to innovate!” - every CEO ever!

Innovation is not about changing your product, it’s about changing your mindset. It’s not about doing something new, it’s about stopping doing something old. This entire book rehashes these two lines in as many ways as ground-breaking (if you dropped him off a high platform wearing heavy shoes) business thinker Richard Mulholland was able to do in around 125 pages.

Changing the legacy mindset is not easy, but hot-damn, it’s worthwhile. Legacide, the book, hopes to do just that.

When Feyi Olubodun, CEO of one of West Africa’s leading creative agencies, witnessed one too many cases of brands failing in the African marketplace he began to ask himself questions:
- Why did brands, both global and local, so often fail to connect with the African consumer?
- What was it about the African market that brand owners were not seeing?

He began to reflect on his own marketing experiences and out of this emerged the framework for The Villager.

In Feyi’s view, the African consumer begins his life’s journey by moving from the village, his rural dwelling, to the city, carrying with him not only his own dreams but also the dreams of his community. He is a highly aspirational consumer, motivated to succeed, and he becomes the economic portal for the rest of his community back home. But although he may be exposed to global influences and technology, his essential identity remains largely intact. This is why Feyi calls the African consumer a Villager. The Village is no longer a physical space; it is a psychological construct that defines him and the filter through which he engages with and consumes brands.

In developing his construct, Feyi posits that if you wish to engage successfully in a market you may not understand, you must have the right ‘lenses’ to view a people. He believes the secret lies in applying these lenses at the confluence of commerce, culture and consumer. Data is not enough to understand the vagaries of a particular market. Drawing on his wide experience and wealth of astute observations, he provides a highly readable and indispensable guide to the mindset of the African consumer today, yet it is true to say that his insights apply, albeit in a more nuanced way, to consumer behaviour across the globe.

The Villager is essential reading for brand owners wishing to conquer new markets.

Being the best doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the business. Having the best pitch does.

Whether you’re looking for clients, investors or employees, you need to know how to pitch your products, services and ideas in a way that is most likely to secure you the deal. Justin Cohen’s internationally acclaimed six-step formula is designed to do just that. Having taught and refined his Pitch To Win programme for five years, and having helped win numerous multimillion-dollar deals in that time, Justin now shares his secrets for success in the Pitch To Win book.

In it he reveals:

• The number one reason a winning pitch gets chosen over the competition.
• The mindset of people who win the most pitches.
• A step by step guide to creating and delivering a winning pitch script.
• How to reduce nervousness and develop ‘big pitch temperament’.
• How to win without being salesy.
• How to win with integrity, by living your purpose.

Sales drive the business world and the economy. However, sales in any business need to be managed to ensure that the business achieves its objectives. This is where the function of sales management comes into the business structure: it plays the key role of ensuring that salespeople succeed at selling. The profitability of the organisation depends on how successfully sales managers lead their sales force.

The sales manager is responsible for the strategic planning of the sales force, which includes the management of the selling process and organising the sales activities within the sales department. With the third edition of this textbook, the authors hope that both industry and academia will be able to use the information to better understand and implement the different functions of sales management. Concepts are presented in such a manner that a student new to the field will easily grasp them.

Examine the latest developments in online business with cutting-edge coverage, real examples, actual business cases, and hands-on applications found in the market-leading ELECTRONIC COMMERCE, 12E. With comprehensive coverage of emerging strategies and today's most important technologies, this popular book equips you with a solid understanding of the dynamics of this fast-paced industry. The new edition offers thorough discussions of e-commerce growth in the rapidly-developing economies of China, India, and Brazil. You also examine key topics, such as social media and online marketing strategies, technology-enabled outsourcing, and online payment processing systems. New intriguing "Learning From Failure" segments help you draw important lessons from the experiences of actual companies as you review real-world e-commerce practices in action.

Marketing Management takes a fresh look at topics such as the architecture of marketing, integrated marketing communication and the identification of target markets. Core topics such as product and services, wholesaling and retailing, distribution, global marketing and pricing strategies are, of course, also dealt with. It includes all-new chapters on customer interface management, branding decisions, digital marketing communications, customer value and retention, and measuring and managing the return on marketing investment.

Marketing Management has been widely prescribed for more than 20 years. This edition – containing the most recent and relevant research – is sure to remain the market leader, particularly within the South African context.

Key Features:

• Well-researched case studies
• Numerous examples to explain marketing theory, many of which are taken from South African companies
• Extended marketing mix is discussed where relevant and not as a separate topic
• Focus on customer satisfaction as well as on accessing and using information in decision making
• Support material for adopting institutions

Organisations that want to continue being successful in today's global competitive market, where customers are more empowered and brand loyalty is eroding, will have to move to Relationship Marketing (RM) with a strong focus on Customer Relationship Management (CRM). CRM enables organisations to provide excellent real-time customer service through the effective use of individual account information. This requires a more complex approach, since organisations need to investigate and satisfy customer needs, and have to build relationships with existing and potential customers. CRM of the future will have to secure state-of-the-art customer management services delivered to customers through the Cloud to establish a convenient, but professional, customer management service. Relationship Marketing and Customer Relationship Management (fourth edition) includes new South African case studies illustrating RM and CRM within South African organisations. The book also focuses on current RM and CRM themes, such as the changing face of the customer, how to deal with positive and negative relationships, poor service experiences and the recovery of customer relationships.

A thorough understanding of the basics of marketing is essential for any marketing practitioner and student of marketing. Marketing: An Introduction is a valuable tool which describes the foundational aspects of marketing and enables a basic understanding of this field. This book has a strong focus on the principles of marketing, the importance and use of social media, and the integration of marketing principles with other business functions.

Marketing: An introduction builds on the huge popularity of the first three editions - all of which have been widely accepted and adopted in the business and academic community. This addition is once again written in a way that is easy to understand by students and focuses on the latest trends in marketing.

The book has been written with the aim of providing students and practitioners with a thorough understanding of marketing, as well as how the theory is applied in a practical sense. Once again it is made clear that for a business to survive the various functions should work closely together in order to meet the demands of the market and that all are working together towards the overall profitability of the organization.

This fourth edition of Strategic Marketing has been revised and updated to include the latest trends and examples in business. This edition provides a concise and thorough look at the strategic business issues todays managers must cope with.

The focus is on how organisations need to adapt and cope with the demands from the global and local business environment, and in the process better understand their responsibilities their own organisations needs and their own products and other offerings.

Over the years and with all the new developments in the world and technological advances, the four key questions all organisations must answer still remain as follows:

• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How will we get there?
• Did we get there?

These questions sound easy and straight forward but it is not as simple as it sounds. It requires a thorough understanding of the organisation and all the elements in the business environment that can and will impact on the business. This edition addresses these questions in an easy to understand and practical manner and covers a range of topics including an analysis of the external business environment, a detailed analysis of customers and competitors, market analysis, analysing the internal environment. There after the focus moves to marketing strategy and metrics which is applicable to organisations and the importance thereof, and added to this is the management of customer experiences and market strategies, and a global view of strategic marketing from the organisation’s perspective.

The Four Legs Of The Table is a master class in the balanced management style and system of 'the four legs' – Administration, merchandise, promotions / social responsibility, people – with the sovereign consumer on top of the table. It is a lesson on how to run a successful business based on consumer sovereignty and the principle that making money is the reward rather than the reason today.

Raymond Ackerman built his retail chain during and after apartheid, and he stands his ground on the question of ethics - he believes it is possible to hold to a set of business principles and still be financially successful, whatever the circumstances. In an age of corporate greed, The Four Legs Of The Table is a welcome antidote to some of capitalism's spectacular failures.

All royalties from The Four Legs Of The Table go to the Raymond Ackerman academy of entrepreneurial development. The Academy, endowed by the Ackerman family, is intended to enhance the career prospects of disadvantaged South African school–leavers.

The ninth edition of Marketing Concepts and Strategies has been fully updated to reflect the latest marketing themes, together with the authors' real-life practitioner expertise.

The marketing world has gone digital as consumers rely on social media; new operational regulations abound on data compliance and privacy. Marketing has become more aligned to ethical, responsible and sustainability issues; the discipline has become more critical and reflective, and the pandemic has changed business strategies worldwide.

Prepare for a successful career in social media marketing or a related field with the unique emphasis found only in SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: A STRATEGIC APPROACH, 2E. Each chapter in this popular book includes a section on creating a personal brand, which is useful to current or future professionals at any stage of career development. This edition emphasizes how to use social media techniques, detailed in the book, to develop and maintain a strong personal brand. Helpful discussions also address a full range of online and offline elements you can use to create a viable personal branding strategy. You learn how to use graphical concepts to structure and strategize within what is otherwise a chaotic social media milieu. This edition summarizes many of today's best practices for marketing activities on social media platforms to assist you in functioning most effectively and dealing with the rapid change that is a hallmark of social media.

International marketing combines foundational marketing theory and practice and illustrates the latest advances in international trade agreements and legislation with specific reference to the Southern African region. The text combines foundational international marketing theory with practical experience. International marketing is the only South African-based textbook written by a team of South African academics and practitioners.

Advertising, Promotion, and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications, South African Edition provides a contemporary view of the role and importance of marketing communications. Emerging topics such as the enormous popularity of social media outlets, online and digital practices, viral communications, and personal selling - along with all of their effects on traditional marketing - are also discussed in this edition.

The first of its kind in South Africa, Brand Management constitutes an invaluable tool for the growing number of academic institutions that offer this exciting subject. Making use of both local and international examples and cases, the subject is approached from a holistic, yet applied perspective. Written in an accessible style, this book assists both students and practitioners to develop the ability to manage brands from the outset to the ultimate outcome. This text is an invaluable reference work for practising professionals, written by authors who have extensive academic and professional expertise and international exposure.

In his seventh business book, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and investor Gary Vaynerchuk offers fresh, in-depth advice to enhance brand development, grow sales, and beat the competition using modern advertising strategies grounded in social media.

In his 2013 bestseller Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Gary Vaynerchuk showed the world how to create winning content for underpriced attention channels. But since then, new platforms have emerged, others have become less relevant, and algorithms are incentivizing new styles of content. New skills are necessary to create advertising that builds brand and sales.

In his latest book, Vaynerchuk argues that today’s fast-growing businesses, brands, content creators, and influencers have one thing in common: they mastered storytelling in areas of underpriced attention, which predominantly exists across a handful of social media platforms. Informed by 20+ years of business and marketing success, he contends that the biggest transformation and opportunity is the “TikTokification of Social Media.” Increasingly, platforms are distributing content based on what users are interested in, rather than who they follow.

Small businesses, large corporations, and creators can take advantage of this trend to develop brand and grow sales by producing relevant, strategic content, even if they don’t have an audience. But how does one make relevant content? What should advertisements look like, in this new world?

In this book, Vaynerchuk provides detailed answers to these questions and more, revealing the tactics to master modern advertising with strategies you can apply to the moment you’re currently living in.

The world of integrated marketing communication (IMC) has changed dramatically over the last 10 years, due in large part to the expansion and advances in digital media technology. These changes have affected clients, consumers and advertisers alike.

Marketing Communication: An integrated approach 2nd edition deals with the past, present and future of IMC and the impact this has had on the pace and demands of effective persuasive communication in the current digital age. It is also the first IMC textbook to cover in detail alternative communication strategies and how their unconventional and disruptive tactics have been integrated into our daily lives. Self-study questions per chapter have also been included in this edition.

In the developed world, which is a mature market, many businesses are finding that opportunities for growth have declined. As a result, they are seeking growth opportunities in developing economies. Africa is an emerging market, with some countries outpacing developed nations in economic growth. It has the fastest growing population and an exploding middle class with more disposable income. The continent is open for business and has become an investment destination of choice.

Marketing in Africa covers the key aspects of marketing in non-traditional markets and explains important marketing concepts. The book is about understanding the lucrative African markets, including informal markets, and how to market to them.

The Fifth edition of Marketing Management: A South African Perspective, the leading marketing textbook in Southern Africa, adopts a new perspective on the business environment and the way in which businesses can deal with changes in that environment.

Marketing 6e is a strong foundational text for first-year students studying towards a BCom and BA qualifications in departments of management, marketing or business management at universities. It is also suitable for students who are studying a national diploma in marketing at universities of technology. The book covers issues such as sponsorship, marketing research, consumer behaviour and marketing positioning. Marketing is a principles-based guide through current topics such as green marketing and marketing communications. The title includes pedagogical features such as opening case studies, strategy readers, technology boxes, key concepts and useful summaries. New to this edition: Additional content on sustainability; Updates on digital marketing; Updates of examples, readers and case studies

The research techniques and methods discussed are applied to researching advertising, mass-media audiences, mass-media efficiency and organisational and development contexts. The research problems or issues addressed are also relevant to other communication fields, including political, government, marketing, intercultural, health and interpersonal and small-group communication, plus information and communications technology.

This second edition elaborates on the application of additional measurement scales and of content analysis. It contains more practical examples of the application of scientific criteria and it includes additional marginal notes that facilitate the comprehension of key concepts.

Since the original publication of Building A Storybrand, over one million business leaders have discovered Donald Miller’s powerful Storybrand Framework and they are making millions.  Now, the classic resource for connecting with customers has been fully revised and updated, making it even more powerful to prepare you for today’s challenges.

If you use the wrong words to talk about your product, nobody will buy it. Marketers and business owners struggle to effectively connect with their customers, costing them and their companies millions in lost revenue.

In a world filled with constant, on-demand distractions, it has become near-impossible for business owners to effectively cut through the noise to reach their customers, something Donald Miller experienced first-hand and led him to create his proven system he first shared in Building a Storybrand to help you engage and truly influence customers.

The StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their companies. Without a clear, distinct message, customers will not understand what you can do for them and are unwilling to engage, causing you to lose potential sales, opportunities for customer engagement, and much more.

In Building a StoryBrand 2.0, Donald Miller teaches marketers and business owners to use his fully revised system of the seven universal elements of powerful stories to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their businesses.

His proven process has helped thousands of companies engage with their existing customers, giving them the ultimate competitive advantage. Building a StoryBrand does this by teaching you:

• The seven universal story points all humans respond to;
• The real reason customers make purchases;
• How to simplify a brand message so people understand it; and
• How to create the most effective messaging for websites, brochures, and social media.