There can't be anyone in the marketing field who is not aware of the major changes that are going on. Some feel quite frightened by the new directions while others are confused. The old marketing model is dead we are told, but where should we and our firms be heading?

Lois Kelly has come up with a new book that sheds a bit of light.

Certainly many things are made clearer in this easy-to-read 200-page publication. What this lady, who heads up Foghound strategic communications consulting company, says makes a lot of sense. She suggests that marketing today is less about cajoling, seducing or selling and more about having a meaningful conversation.

Her book is a useful guide and she adds some pertinent case studies to make her points. One important point jumps up regularly - listen to the customers, listen to employees. She then shows you how to identify what is important to them and craft a message that will resonate with customers.

Kelly does not reveal anything that you might not find in other recent marketing books but she ties it together nicely. Most readers will benefit from a few hours with Ms Kelly.

--Jonathan Bright