JACKPOT: HARRAH'S WINNING SECRETS FOR CUSTOMER LOYALTY

The inside story of the gaming company that hit the jackpot playing by its own rules
Robert L. Shook, a New York Times bestselling author, delves into the business behind one of the world's foremost gaming and entertainment companies, Harrah's. Since Bill Harrah took over a small card game business in 1937, Harrah's has become a top casino, dominating Nevada and beyond. The first gaming company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Harrah's is a $4 billion-dollar business driven by smart marketing and smarter leadership. This book is the first to examine Harrah's and its leader, a man who dominated an industry and amassed a staggering fortune while refusing to deal with mobsters and corrupt politicians. Though Bill Harrah died in 1978 and the company has since been sold, Harrah's has retained its sense of history and remained an industry leader. Following the company's growth, Shook uncovers rich business lessons about marketing and customer loyalty, increasing market share in fiercely competitive industries, and maintaining a sense of integrity in a cutthroat business world. This is a compelling and intriguing story of a company that gambled and won, and it offers business readers an opportunity to benefit from the hard-won lessons of a paragon of the entertainment industry.
Robert L. Shook (Columbus, OH) is a seasoned business journalist and the ghostwriter behind several New York Times bestsellers. He is the founder and former CEO of Shook Associates and the American Executive Life Insurance Company. He is the author or coauthor of thirty-five books, including The IBM Way, Mary Kay on People Management, and Mary Kay's You Can Have It All.

ROBERT L. SHOOK is a seasoned author, former salesman, and founder and former CEO of Shook Associates and American Executive Life Insurance Company. He is also the author of forty-five books, including The IBM Way, Honda: An American Success Story, and Turnaround: The New Ford Motor Company.

Introduction.
PART I: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT (1937-1978).
A Risky Business.
The House That Harrah Built.
PART II: MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, AND EXPANSION (1979-1994).
The Holiday Inns Influence.
Leaving Nevada.
PART III: HARVARD COMES TO VEGAS: HARRAH'S UNIQUE MARKETING STRATEGY (THROUGH THE PRESENT).
Formulating a Marketing Strategy.
Winning with People.
The IT Commitment.
All Customers Are Not Created Equal.
There's No Business Like the Gaming Business.
Notes.
Corporate Milestones.
Index.