review: the x and y of buy by elizabeth pace

A good marketing plan is important, especially today when people are thinking twice about spending money; so Elizabeth Pace’s book provides advice on different marketing strategies for men and women. She illustrates her point about how the sexes react differently by giving examples regarding purchasing a new car and going shopping at the mall.

The X and Y of Buy is more of an introduction to marketing rather than a full guide as it’s so brief that it barely grazes the surface; furthermore, Pace fails to adequately address the variables. This presents fairly black and white versions of how men and women react. At the beginning, Pace states there are exceptions, but seems to forget that as the book progresses. Some advice is impractical and a bit stalkerish. Does anyone really have time to hunt down the organizations a potential client belongs to and then join them in order to build trust?

Much is made of women being motivated by the nest without acknowledging that many women have no children and are not motivated by such desire. Hopefully anyone seeking marketing advice will realize there’s much more to be studied. An introductory course on marketing or business communication would be a better way to go since such courses cite the scientific research lacking from The X and Y of Buy.
2/5