Introduction ixTruth 1 Your customers want a relationship, not a one-night stand 1Truth 2 Design it, and they will come 5Truth 3 Sensory marketing-smells like profits 9Truth 4 Pardon me, is that a breast in your Coke? 13Truth 5 One man's goose... 17Truth 6 Throw `em a bone, and they'll no longer roam 21Truth 7 Stay in their minds-if you can 25Truth 8 These are the good old days 29Truth 9 Why ask why? Understand consumers' motives to meet their needs 33Truth 10 He who dies with the most toys wins 37Truth 11 Your customers are looking for greener pastures 41Truth 12 "Because I'm worth it" 45Truth 13 Love me, love my avatar 49Truth 14 You really are what you wear 53Truth 15 Real men don't eat quiche (but they do moisturize) 57Truth 16 Girls just want to have fun 61Truth 17 Queer eye for the spending guy 65Truth 18 Yesterday's chubby is today's voluptuous 69Truth 19 Men want to sleep with their cars 73Truth 20 Your PC is trying to kill you 77Truth 21 Birds of a feather buy together 81Truth 22 Sell wine spritzers to squash players 85Truth 23 They think your product sucks-but that's not a bad thing 89Truth 24 When to sell the steak, when to sell the sizzle 93Truth 25 People are dumber than robots (lazier, too) 97Truth 26 Your customers have your brand on the brain 101Truth 27 Let their mouseclicks do the walking 105Truth 28 Nothing shouts quality like leather from Poland 111Truth 29 Consider investing in a drive-thru mortuary 115Truth 30 Go to the Gemba 119Truth 31 Your customers want to be like Mike (or someone like him) 123Truth 32 Go tribal 127Truth 33 People like to do their own thing-so long as it's everyone else's thing too 131Truth 34 Catch a buzz 135Truth 35 Go with the flow-get shopmobbed today 139Truth 36 Find the market maven, and the rest is gravy 143Truth 37 Hundreds of housewives can predict your company's future 147Truth 38 Know who wears the pants in the family 149Truth 39 Youth is wasted on the young 153Truth 40 Make millions on Millennials 157Truth 41 Grownups don't grow up anymore 161Truth 42 Dollar stores make good cents 165Truth 43 The rich are different 169Truth 44 Out with the ketchup, in with the salsa 173Truth 45 Look for fly-fishing born-again environmentalist jazz-loving Harry Potter freaks 177Truth 46 Ronald McDonald is related to Luke Skywalker 181Truth 47 Sign a caveman to endorse your product 185Truth 48 Make your brand a fortress brand-and make mine a Guinness 189Truth 49 Turn a (pet) rock into gold 193Truth 50 Think globally, act locally 197References 201About the Author 209

Consumer response is the ultimate test of every product, service, and marketing strategy and, ultimately, every business. But most businesses need far deeper understanding of customers: how they behave, what they want (and don't want), and what really motivates them to action. In The Truth About What Customers Want, world-renowned customer behavior expert Michael R. Solomon brings together the 50 absolutely crucial facts and insights you must know to successfully attract and keep profitable customers. This book doesn't deliver abstract theory: it delivers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information and plain-English explanations you can actually use, no matter what business you're in, consumer or B2B. You'll discover which psychological motivations drive your customers, and how to forge deeper, more emotional relationships with them; how to drive more value from the positive associations customers already feel; how to stay "top of mind" in a crowded marketplace; and what you need to know about emerging trends like green marketing, virtual worlds, and neuromarketing. Solomon reveals how changing gender roles are impacting marketing... demonstrates how to shape your brand's personality, market by lifestyle, build brand communities and consumer tribes... even shows how to generate low-cost buzz via guerrilla and viral marketing. Unlike some books on customer behavior, this one's simple to use, up-to-date, and complete.