Good Business: The Talk, Fight, Win Way to Change the World
Bill Novelli, one of the founders of social marketing, challenges us all in his new book Good Business to change the world for the better and is “a blueprint for tackling today’s critical issues”.
Starting out in business by selling soap in a sales training programme he rose rapidly in the New York advertising scene. It wasn’t long, however, before he became disillusioned with the drive for profits at any cost. He knew that his marketing skills made those companies successful, but what good did that success do for the world?
He then set out to take the marketing and communication tactics by big businesses and apply them to social change. He found that this strategy was “not only good for the world but also good for business”.
Novelli’s Good Business explains how used these tools and experiences to help reposition the Peace Corps; built Porter Novelli, a global PR agency for social impact; “fought the Tobacco Wars”; and became CEO of AARP, the largest non-profit in America.
A key lesson from all these activities, Novelli stresses, is working on building and maintaining connections with people, and engaging them in the cause.
Good Business includes a portrait of crafting social and health policy, and argues that you can do well for yourself and your organisation in financial terms by doing good, helping to solve social problems.
Indeed Novelli argues that you can make a positive social difference regardless of what business you are in or where you are in your career.
Good Business features forewords by Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO, Gallup, and Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO, AARP.
WATCH Bill Novelli discuss Good Business
Bill Novelli is a Distinguished Professor of the Practice in Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, where he started and oversees the Business for Impact Center, and is the cofounder of Porter Novelli, one of the first social marketing companies, and now a global PR agency.
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