There is nothing more comforting than a good read that powers you to success when you think of the Fall season even so, when the markets are learning to rebuild the global economy after the pandemic. As someone who wants to uplift your business, brand, or company, check out our recommendation of the top 10 marketing books that will gear you for a rewarding Fall this year.
If you are one of the marketers whose reading lists grows year-on-year, you are not alone. You can count yourself among the leading legends and business icons such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffet. A known-fact and quite an enigmatic one at that, Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. To add to your marketing book lover’s trivia, Elon Musk taught himself rocket science simply by reading. Over the zillions of stocks Warren Buffet puts on his name, he also claims to read 500 pages a day. So, if you are preparing to battle it out through this pandemic, here are the top 10 marketing books to read:
1. Building a StoryOpens a new window Brand by Donald Miller Opens a new window Â
Source: Building a BrandStory
Our two cents: Companies often struggle to talk about their businesses with customers. Building a StoryBrand, written by Donald Miller, a New York Times best-selling author, offers its readers a competitive advantage and helps design ways to make customers understand who they are, what they do, and the unique value they provide. The book offers valuable insights into what brands should focus on while creating their brand story. It further discusses a few excellent points and actionable steps on how marketers can engage their customers better.
The book offers a simple yet valuable framework to marketers for creating an effective brand story that can help them simplify a brand message so that people understand it. The book further discusses how marketers and brands can create the most effective messaging across their online and offline assets.
Learn More: 10 Best Social Media Marketing Books to Read in 2020
2. Contagious by Jonah BergerOpens a new window Â
Source: The New York Times
Our two cents: In today’s world people tend to listen more to their peers than advertisements. But, how do certain products become more popular than others? Why do some corporate stories, rumors and online content go viral? Jonah Berger, a Wharton marketing professor, discloses the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission in his book Contagious.
This book talks about six basic principles that make everything go viral, be it policy initiatives, consumer products, workplace rumors, or YouTube videos. The book further provides a few real-life examples, specific and actionable techniques to help businesses design content, messages, and advertisements that people will share. Contagious shows its readers how to make their product or idea catch on.
Learn More:Â Opens a new window Top 20 Content Marketing Online Courses and Certifications to Enroll in 2020Opens a new window
3. Giftology by John RuhlinOpens a new window         Â
Source: Goodreads
Our two cents: Gifting is a powerful way to boost referrals, retention rates, and RoI. However, gifts that are not thought-out well or include a catch for the receiver can backfire. Giftology, written by John Ruhlin, provides effective tactics that lead to appreciative responses and sales.
John Ruhlin is the founder of the Ruhlin Group, a gift logistics company, which has helped clients including the Chicago Cubs, The John Maxwell Company, Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley successfully execute year-round gifting strategies. Through personal stories and data-backed evidence, Ruhlin breaks down how everyone can master gifting techniques by mastering reciprocity, laser-targeting the recipients of gifts, situations for using thrift, uncovering the client’s inner circle and becoming part of it, and more.
Learn More: Top 10 Digital Marketing Books to Read for 2020
4. Killing Marketing by Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose Opens a new window  Â
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: Over the last two decades, the world has changed the way it buys and stays loyal to brands. Killing Marketing by Joe Pulizzi and Robert Roseshows how some brands are abandoning outdated marketing strategies and embracing futuristic marketing strategies. Successful companies achieve great results by changing the approach from advertisements and campaigns to delivering value to audience through content, in turn achieving massive customer loyalty and revenue.
The authors show in this book how leading companies have used content-driven and audience-building initiatives to drive value outside the day-to-day products they sell. The book provides valuable insights and approaches to understand the disruptive forces in ways that turn marketing efforts into revenue generators.
5. Outside Insight by Jorn Lyseggen Opens a new window                                        Â
Source: Outside Insight
Our two cents: There is more data available to us than ever. A wealth of valuable insights can be obtained from data and information left behind by companies and people on the internet. Outside Insight, written by Jorn Lyseggen, CEO of Meltwater discusses why companies should move from solely focusing on internal data towards utilizing external industry-data. It explores how focusing and analyzing external data in real time can help companies obtain a complete picture of opportunities and threats. Many successful brands are already making use of external insights to gain competitive advantage.
The book draws upon practical examples of transformative and data-led decisions made by successful brands such as Facebook, Apple, and many more to explain the future of corporate decision-making. It offers business leaders a detailed plan to implement external data-driven thinking into their company policies and processes.
6. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam GrantOpens a new window
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: Many people who have original ideas often find it daunting and challenging to raise their voice against long-held beliefs. Being a non-conformist is often considered risky in today’s world. Originals, written byAdam Grant, helps readers challenge the accepted myths of success be it in business, politics, or life in general. The book illustrates how people and businesses can challenge dogma and bring forth original ideas and practices without risking it all.
The book uses examples and studies from across industries, politics, sports, and entertainment, and explores how people and businesses can think independently outside ‘groupthink’, identify the right time to put forth their ideas, and win opposition effectively among others. The book draws important insights from industry examples that can help organizations and people to challenge status quo, influence people, and achieve significant results.
7. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout   Opens a new window                    Â
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: Companies often try to make inroads into an already established market by competing with the leader in the niche. However, it is common knowledge that this is an uphill battle. Positioning written byadvertising experts Al Ries and Jack Trout illustrates how companies can start from their existing position and improve from there, eventually creating a position for themselves and their products in the minds of their prospects and customers. The book further explains how to stay in the position they create and dominate the niche.
Positioning shows how brands can use some of the best naming, pricing, and advertising techniques to build strategies around their strengths and to capture a sizeable market share. The book provides valuable insights from real life examples of successes and failures in the advertising history and is a required reading for anyone who wants to successfully position their brand.
8. Pre-Suasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini Opens a new window             Â
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: In his book, Pre-Suasion, social psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini talks about what separates great persuaders from the rest of communicators. Through his studies on several sales training programs, interactions with sales professionals, experience, and scientific research, Dr. Cialdini discusses ways to successfully influence people.
The state of mind as well as the window before the message is delivered play important roles in the decision-making process of a listener. The book discusses how communicators can successfully leverage this state of mind and the window to prime listeners to be more receptive to the message. The book further discusses how marketers, sales professionals or even politicians can become effective persuaders in ethical and science-backed ways.
9. The Practice of Management by Peter DruckerOpens a new window         Â
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: Peter F. Drucker is one of the top influential management gurus to have lived in the last century. Drucker wrote more than twenty-five books in his lifetime and most of his thoughts and ideas still hold good for today’s corporate world. The Practice of Management is a book that was first published 66 years ago in 1954 and has influenced the thinking of numerous corporations and professionals.
The Practice of Management covers several management concepts in a way that is direct, sharply analytical, and has unparalleled clarity. The book covers management elements using reason, anecdotes, experience, and common sense. The book enlightens the reader by resolving the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ in the reader’s mind in an authoritative yet, gentle and masterful way. The Practice of Management remains a management bible to this day for several professionals.
10. Top of Mind by John Hall Opens a new window                                    Â
Source: Amazon
Our two cents: What is the common thing about all successful and top-performing businesses? They are on top of mind of their customers. Brand recall is one thing organizations will have to strive for and Top of Mind by John Hall addresses this area effectively. The book discusses how top companies achieve this by developing habits and strategies that help them remain on top of their customers’ minds.
One of the key practices of staying on top of the customers’ mind is developing valuable relationships. The most popular organizations do this through engaging content. Top of Mind offers a few basics as well as more sophisticated content marketing strategies and tactics that help marketers and brands build trust and influence, nurture relationships, and achieve business success.
To Sum Up        Â
Book stores keep getting flooded with new books regularly as the marketing landscape keeps changing. However, we believe that the books listed above are some of the evergreen marketing books and should be on your bookshelf this Fall whether you are a marketing or a management professional.
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