Selling The Sights

A fascinating journey through the origins of American tourism In the early nineteenth century, thanks to a booming transportation industry, Americans began to journey away from home simply for the sake of traveling, giving rise to a new cultural phenomenon —the tourist. In Selling the Sights, Will B. Mackintosh describes the origins and cultural significance of this new type of traveler and the moment in time when the emerging American market economy began to reshape the availability of geographical knowledge, the material conditions of travel, and the variety of destinations that sought to profit from visitors with money to spend. Entrepreneurs began to transform the critical steps of travel—deciding where to go and how to get there—into commodities that could be produced in volume and sold to a marketplace of consumers. The identities of Americans prosperous enough to afford such commodities were fundamentally changed as they came to define themselves through the consumption of experiences. Mackintosh ultimately demonstrates that the cultural values and market forces surrounding tourism in the early nineteenth century continue to shape our experience of travel to this day.

Presenting 60 years of newspaper advertising for motion pictures great and small, this book features ads created by Hollywood and adapted by local and regional exhibitors that motivated patrons to leave their homes, part with precious income, and spend time in the dark. Because of the high stakes involved, theater operators used wildly creative means to make that happen. They made movie advertising equal parts art and psychology, appealing to every human instinct in an effort to push product and keep their theatres in business. From the pen-and-ink masterpieces of the 1920s and 30s to location-specific folk art to ad space jam-packed with enticements for every member of the family, the book dissects the psyche of the American movie-going public and the advertisers seeking to push just the right buttons.

In 1975, Tom Gunn had a life-altering career change when he went from an eight-year stint as staff lawyer with the U. S. Senate to a job in aerospace sales and marketing at McDonnell Douglas. Gunn knew a lot about military appropriations and classified developments; he knew almost nothing about marketing, which may have been the most important attribute he brought to the job. Over the next 22 years, Gunn and the team he assembled and organized, developed a process for strategic selling and marketing that delivered $250 billion in sales of military and commercial aircraft, missiles, space systems, and logistic support, against strong and at times cut-throat domestic and international competition.Gunn Sights is both the story of that success and a handbook for anyone---experienced or neophyte---who wants to learn about high-powered selling, about assessing the competition and understanding the customer, and about using a defined process to shape strategic planning.Gunn details that process step-by-step, outlines cultural traps overseas and political realities at home, and makes his points in selected case studies---including what a Congressional opponent of a pending sale once called “the most sophisticated and far-reaching campaign to promote a sophisticated arms transfer that I’ve ever seen . . .” This is a business book about strategic selling and marketing, drawn from the experiences of Gunn and his associates, that takes one behind the scenes to see how deals are made in the aerospace industry.

"From celebrated music writer Dan Ozzi comes a comprehensive chronicle of the punk music scene's evolution from the early nineties to the mid-aughts, following eleven bands as they dissolved, "sold out," and rose to surprise stardom. From its inception, punk music has been identified by two factors: its proximity to "authenticity," and its reliance on an antiestablishment ethos. Yet, in the mid- to late '90s, major record labels sought to capitalize on punk's rebellious undertones, leading to a schism in the scene: to accept the cash flow of the majors, or stick to indie cred?Sellout chronicles the evolution of the punk scene during this era, focusing on prominent bands as they experienced the last "gold rush" of the music industry. Within it, music writer Dan Ozzi follows the rise of successful bands like Green Day and Jimmy Eat World, as well as the implosion of groups like Jawbreaker and At the Drive-In, who buckled under the pressure of their striving labels. Featuring original interviews and personal stories from members of eleven of modern punk's most (in)famous bands, Sellout is the history of the evolution of the music industry, and a punk rock lover's guide to the chaotic darlings of the post-grunge era. "--

Provides salespeople with information on hypnotic techniques and how to use them in sales presentations and script books to win the customer's trust and make sales.

Returning to the popular world of Dominaria for the first time in years, the Time Spiral Cycle centers on Teferi Planeswalker, a well-loved character with a rich history in Magic: The Gathering. This title also features appearances of many other beloved characters who will be easily recognized by readers and fans alike. As with previous Magic titles, Future Sight previews the latest Magic card set release by giving readers the first look at what will be coming out in the set.

The first book on short cycle sellingthe fast-track route to a higher closing ratio Sales professionals today waste untold hours worrying about identifying, tracking, and timing their sales cycles. In Short Cycle Selling, author Jim Kasper trains his sights on the only important concept and goal in sales cyclesshortening them. He walks professionals point-by-point through the series of steps that constitute the sales cyclefrom identifying prospects to negotiating and closingand at each step shows how to streamline the process. Short Cycle Selling is the first book to deal specifically with proven techniques that condense the time from prospecting to closing, while taking advantage of today's most innovative concepts in selling skills and E-technology. Packed with case studies and actual examples of short cycle selling successand techniques that were field tested on clients from Amoco and Pentax to Wells Fargo Bankthis hands-on book reveals how to: Land more accounts Achieve greater sales volumes Generate greater sales income and satisfaction

The real story behind the investigation of Iraq, and the basis for the MSNBC documentary of the same name hosted by Rachel Maddow Filled with news-making revelations that made it a New York Times bestseller, Hubris takes us behind the scenes at the White House, CIA, Pentagon, State Department, and Congress to show how George W. Bush came to invade Iraq--and how his administration struggled with the devastating fallout. Hubris connects the dots between Bush's expletive-laden outbursts at Saddam Hussein, the bitter battles between the CIA and the White House, the fights within the intelligence community over Saddam's supposed weapons of mass destruction, the outing of an undercover CIA officer, and the Bush administration's misleading sales campaign for war. Written by veteran reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn, this is an inside look at how a president took the nation to war using faulty and fraudulent intelligence. It's a dramatic page-turner and an intriguing account of conspiracy, backstabbing, bureaucratic ineptitude, journalistic malfeasance, and arrogance.