Competition? What's that?

A new book by Arindam Chaudhuri and wife Rajita teaches you to stay on top of your game

Au00a0few centuries ago, a certain wise man named Charles Robert Darwin had established theu00a0 theory of 'survival of the fittest'. Several decades down the line, Darwin's theory could not have been more pronounced at an age where cut-throat competition is the order of the day. And even a 90 plus score cannot assure you of a seat in a college and course of your choice.


Rajita and Arindam Chaudhuri and (below)

And even if you have excelled in academics, there is still no guarantee that you will succeed in the rat race called life. This is one fear that always remains at the back of everyone's minds. And the fear, in turn, leads to frantic writing and printing of self-help books that claim to guide you to success.


Shah Rukh Khan at the launch of the book in the Capital pics/Rajeev Tyagi

So when yet another book comes up claiming that it will lead you to success in these competitive environs, you tend to be sceptic. But the scepticism starts evaporating, bit by bit, once you start going through the book.
Thorns to Competition, by management guru Arindam Chaudhuri and wife Rajita Chaudhuri (Dean at The Indian Institute of Planning And Management), is an 'irreverent look at competition and winning in the marketplace'. And the key to that is through advertising and marketing, feel the authors.

The husband-wife duo started penning the book months back but it gathered momentum only in the last few months. "We would give it 14-18 hours daily towards the end," says Arindam. "When you work at that pace, your efficiency improves and you work better and longer. The experience was so enjoyable we didn't even realise the time," adds Rajita.

Writing the book, which only went to print about nine days back, was indeed an enjoyable experience for the couple. "I was surprised to find the number of things we agreed on," says Rajita, chuckling. "It gave us a chance of discussing and debating beyond family and kids," she adds.

Pairing up
So they first discussed the basic thoughts, agreed upon certain principles and put in what they thought was good. Then they co-ordinated and worked out of their own study rooms and wrote their respective bits which would then be put together.

And when the workload increased manifold, they would work in shifts. And yes there were few debates because, as the couple points out: "We agreed on the same philosophy and line of thinking."u00a0

The book is all about attitude. "Winning is a lot about attitude coupled with strategies. We presented
'attitude' in the name of the book itself. The rest are strategic steps," elaborates Arindam. So the word 'Thorns' is actually an acronym, with each letter standing for a strategy that would lead you to the path of success.
So 'T' is for 'targeting it right' (both the market and the message), 'H' stands for 'hit where it hurts' (the competition, silly), 'O' or obsess with it, 'R' is about 'reinvent it' (the product, in this case), 'N' means 'nail it' (the message, again) and 'S' stands for 'sell it'.

The book is replete with examples which are relevant and contemporary. So from cult brands to Steve Jobs to Mahatma Gandhi and Lady Gaga, all have been elucidated.u00a0 While they have refrained from using their own businesses as examples ("I have tried my best not to become autobiographical," he says), Arindam reiterates that these are the principles he follows in real life too. However, "the product should be good and it should be sold ethically," he stresses.

So he suggests one should go for competitive advertisements, and 'focus on being a winner in an aggressive and competitive manner'. "The consumer's mind is very cluttered. So nail your message strongly and make sure your product is easily available and is sold aggressively," says Arindam. Amen to that.



Publisher:u00a0Vikas publishing house
Price:u00a0 Rs 395
At: Leading book stores