Chapter 1. Tactics dictate strategies. Traditional marketing is top-down oriented. You decide what you want to do (the strategy), and then you figure out how to do it (the tactics). Marketing should work just the opposite way. Find a tactic that will work and then build the tactic into a strategy.

Chapter 2. Going down to the front. To find a tactic that will work, you have to leave your ivory tower and go down to the front where the marketing battle is being fought. Where's the front? In the minds of your customers and prospects.

Chapter 3. Monitoring the trends. To make sure that your tactic is in tune with the future, you have to be aware of the trends that are taking place in your category. Caution: Trends change very slowly. It's only a fad that is fast moving.

Chapter 4. Narrowing your focus. The key method of developing an effective tactic is to narrow your focus. It's only a narrow idea that has a chance of moving into the mind. This principle is ignored by most top-down strategists, who constantly look for ways to spread their forces.

Chapter 5. Finding your tactic. A tactic is a "competitive mental angle." The best tactic to use is one that strikes at the weak point of your competitors in the mind of the prospect.

Chapter 6. Finding a tactic to fight drug abuse. One of the biggest problems facing America is the problem of illegal drugs. Here is a tactic that will help reduce the demand.

Chapter 7. Building your strategy. A strategy is defined as a "coherent marketing direction." The strategy is the device that drives the tactic into the mind. To build a successful strategy, you have to find a way to direct your organization's entire resources to exploit the tactic.

Chapter 8. Building a strategy for Avon. Let's say you are the marketing manager at Avon. This chapter shows you the process of finding a tactic and then building an effective strategy for your company.

Chapter 9. Making the changes. You can't change the mind of the prospect. You have to make your strategy work by changing the product, the service, or the organization. You are bound to run into difficulties.

Chapter 10. Shifting the battlefield. When you're losing the battle, shift the battlefield. There are four types of battlefield shifts: shifting the audience, shifting the product, shifting the focus, and shifting the distribution.

Chapter 11. Shifting the battlefield at GM. Let's say you are Roger Smith at General Motors. How do you shift the battlefield to repel the European invaders at the high end of the market?

Chapter 12. Testing your strategy. How to test your strategy in advance with your prospects, your sales force, and the press.

Chapter 13. Selling your strategy. How to sell your strategy to top management in the event that you are not top management yourself.

Chapter 14. Getting the resources. How to get the necessary resources (spelled "money") to finance your marketing strategy.

Chapter 15. Calling in the outsider. When should you call in an outsider to help you develop an effective marketing program? Should the outsider work on the tactic or the strategy?

Chapter 16. Launching your program. There are two ways to launch a marketing program: the big bang and the slow roll-out. Who should use which type?

Chapter 17. Keeping things on track. As time rolls on, you will face increasing pressure to change your strategy.

Chapter 18. Sensing your success. You'll find that successful programs usually start working from Day 1. Unsuccessful programs are usually unsuccessful from the beginning too.

Chapter 19. Pouring it on. The essence of winning a marketing victory is to pour it on. You have to go all out if you want to be a big winner. Rest is for losers.

Chapter 20. Cutting your losses. No one can predict the future. If your program doesn't work, find another tactic and build it into a different strategy. Don't reinforce failure.

Chapter 21. Playing the game. The essence of bottom-up marketing is to put your mind into the mud. If you have what it takes, you could become the next Gates (Microsoft), Monaghan (Domino's Pizza), or Smith (Federal Express). Of course, you have to be lucky.