Professor on Bison Hill publishes marketing book

Features Editor, Allison Jarboe

Entrepreneurship is becoming a way of life for many Americans, so one OBU professor wrote a book to make starting and branding your business easier than ever.

Dr. Daryl Green, Oklahoma Baptist University assistant professor of business, Dickinson chair of business and internationally recognized writer and researcher, has published his newest book, Marketing for Professionals: The Handbook for the Emerging Entrepreneurs of the 21st Century.

For over 20 years, Green has aided individuals and organizations, helping them make good decisions through his writings, classes and seminars. Marketing for Professionals addresses topics in marketing, like strategies

and analyses. It also includes topics like new product deployment, niche markets/ segmentation and the marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion).

“I came here to this department at OBU after 27 years as an engineer and have a doctorate degree in business leadership,” Green said. “In saying that, I’ve worked in the past with startups and aspiring entrepreneurs.”

Green worked at Lincoln Memorial University Knoxville College before coming to OBU. Originally from Treeport, Louisiana, and a resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Green has noticed a common thread in his experiences.

“Many people don’t have time to come to college,” Green said. “Some of them are just starting out, or just getting into business. Really, this handbook is more for emerging young entrepreneurs [and] new business starters.”

Green said he has run into many college students who want to start businesses.

“Of course, I would love for them to be in the school of business, but I understand that they may not have the resources,” he said. “With my book, you can finish it in one day—it’s a quick read. That’s really what I designed it for. I want to give individuals some basic comprehensions. When a lot of individuals go into business, they may be really passionate about something, but really dislike the business they’re in or the company they work for,” Green said.

Green began writing in high school.

“I write all the time,” Green said. “My ambition was to be a writer, but then I found out that they don’t make any money, and I became an engineer. But God has a funny way of working. My first book was in 1998, and after that people started asking for help writing books. So I started some workshops to mentor people on how to write books. Now, I have about 30 or more books right now.”

Green’s book was published with PMLA Press, his press company, through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

“Amazon owns a publishing press called CreateSpace, and I work through them,” Green said. “It’s a great model. My books are sold in Asia, Europe, all over the place. I’ve written a couple textbooks as well.”

Marketing for Professionals is available on amazon.com, where its description reads, “The Handbook for Emerging Entrepreneurs in the 21st Century provides a roadmap for steering clear of marketing landmines by focusing on market opportunities in a systematic fashion. This book doesn’t waste readers’ time with literary fluff, but provides meaningful content to apply.”

Green is also currently working on a kindle addition of his book, as well as a video component.

“I’m currently working with a talent here at OBU,” Green said. “Her name is Lindsi Skinner, and she is the communications part of this project. On Monday we start a DVD for the book, we’re going to lay out a DVD part with the book. A lot of people don’t like to read, so this project should help engage them.”

Lindsi Skinner, senior communications studies major, is working with Dr. Green on this media portion.

“I had the opportunity to assist Dr. Green in debuting his book, marketing for professionals, on YouTube,” Skinner said. “I interviewed Dr. Green about the different portions of his book. Dr. Green is passionate and it was a privilege to get to work with him.”

Skinner stated that the finished product is expected to be ready in March or April.

“It will provide practical marketing tips to viewers as well as an insight into the importance of ‘branding’,” Skinner said.

Skinner explained that Dr. Green’s book provides advice for entrepreneurs in addition to ways of improving one’s social media existence.

Green also publishes columns every month and writes on his blog. Major media platforms including USA Today, Associated Press and BET have all quoted Green.

“My students also blog with me,” Green said. “Over 200 articles were published last semester by OBU students. That helps the students to be prepared. Even the ones who don’t like writing are able to write in order help their careers and ambitions.”

In the acknowledgements section of his marketing handbook, Green lists the students in his marketing classes.

“I got my students involved in this and they helped me,” Green continued. “It’s very important to me to engage students, so that they can be a part of my research, my writing, my community and university service.”

Last semester, three of Green’s students published books. One student’s book sold over 70 copies in the fall semester.

Green also discussed three primary takeaways from his book.

“When you create and start a business, you need to build it on a need,” Green began. “You need to understand what the need or problem is that you’re trying to solve or fulfill. And then you need to connect with the reader or buyer, and try to build relationships with that individual. The third thing is that you need to be excited with whatever you’re doing and promote it by being passionate about it. If you focus on those three things, I think you’re well on your way to being successful.”

Skinner also discussed important topics regarding Green’s book.

“Dr. Green emphasizes the importance of establishing your ‘personal brand’,” Skinner said. “As a reoccurring theme in his book, one tip that really stuck out to me as an emerging entrepreneur was the importance of creating a close relationship.”

By analyzing challenges and new ideas for business growth and discussing models to discern advantageous opportunities, Dr. Green’s book aims to open up exciting options for aspiring entrepreneurs and motivate them toward a successful path in the industry.