even for the most talented salespeople, natural intuition is not enough.
people have been in your shoes before, and at least one of them has come up with a better solution than you can study. Fortunately, many of the world’s top marketers have written about their experiences. you can (and should) use your lessons to avoid your mistakes and gain an edge over your competition.
We’ve compiled some of the best marketing books of all time for entrepreneurs, marketers, and anyone else running a business or marketing a brand. Learn from some of the best marketers and business leaders to think differently, understand your business purpose, decide how to sell to your customers, and crush your marketing strategy in 2020 with this list.
You are reading: Best books on marketing
the list: 22 best marketing books you need on your shelf
1. hoax of icarus by seth godin
You may remember that Icarus’s fatal flaw was not heeding his father’s warning not to fly too close to the sun. Furthermore, Daedalus warned his son not to fly too low, fearing that the salt water would also damage the wings.
In his acclaimed book, Seth Godin takes a hint from Greek mythology and pushes readers to think radically outside the box, moving forward without a map—critical skills for any salesperson looking to get ahead. he emphasizes that conventional wisdom, conformity, and fitting the mold are a sure path to mediocrity.
2. Hooked: How to Create Habit-Building Products by Nir Eyal
The people who use your product are great, but the people who regularly use your product are cool. there is a pattern according to which products and services attract attention and become essential for consumers and which ones, and the hooked responses, how to do it. Nir Eyal’s book, drawn from years of behavioral design research, is a must-read and one of the best marketing books for entrepreneurs looking to create and market products that consumers come back to.
3. influence: the psychology of persuasion by robert cialdini
how do you get someone to say yes? Marketing at its core is getting someone to agree to a proposal. Easier said than done…
People are asked for their attention and money all the time, and social pressures add a wrinkle to an already complicated and saturated competition for consumer attention. In his bestselling and possibly one of the best marketing books of all time, Robert Cialdini discusses how, with thoughtful persuasion, people can be influenced to say yes more often.
4. how brands become icons by douglas b. forest
Any business is a good business, right? not exactly…
In his bestseller and nominee for one of the best marketing books of all time, former Harvard Business School professor Douglas B. Holt lays out what marketers need to understand if they want to communicate an authentic brand that truly resonates with customers over time, not just once because of low price or hype. Taking advice from iconic brands like ESPN, Mountain Dew, Volkswagen, Budweiser, and Harley-Davidson, Holt breaks down his advice for cultivating a marketing strategy that goes beyond gimmicks and makes a meaningful brand connection with potential customers.
5. the undo project by michael lewis
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Michael Lewis’s acclaimed book turns the academically dense psychology of judgment and decision making into a gripping book. Understanding the human psyche is critical to outperforming the marketing competition, and the undo project will help marketers do just that in a book whose intellectual rigor matches its entertainment value.
6. blink: the power of thinking without thinking by malcolm gladwell
gladwell’s blink success isn’t explicitly about marketing, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best marketing books. his second book examines the thinking we do when we’re not thinking. we make split-second decisions all the time about what we want, and it’s important for marketers to understand those snap judgments. If you’ve read Gladwell’s classic before, it’s worth listening to again on Audible and absorbing the content during your daily commute, a perfect audio companion for your podcast listeners.
7. misbehaving: the making of behavioral economics by richard thaler
The best marketers do a good job of understanding how consumers think. the best marketing books do this too, and bad behavior is one of them. Legendary behavioral economist Richard Thaler guides readers through how consumers behave irrationally. we don’t make the best decisions for ourselves and we are consistent in making mistakes. It’s helpful for marketers to understand those patterns.
8. red team by micah zenko
Do you think you always have good ideas? In Red Team, Micah Zenko shows you why you shouldn’t. makes it clear that even your best ideas need to be challenged internally before they hit the market. Pharmaceutical companies, the CIA, and a host of other organizations follow this process to take their work to the next level. Even if you and your entire team agree with your new marketing strategy, sometimes encouraging healthy criticism is the difference between a good plan and a great plan.
9. originals: how mavericks move the world by robert grant
everyone thinks the same thing all the time. ideas are amazingly iterative. startups present themselves as the “uber of x”, businesses imitate businesses. and this is a bit for a good reason. being different can be risky. the gains can be large and the losses heavy. In one of the best marketing books for entrepreneurs, Robert Grant shows marketers how they can think differently without risking it all.
10. contagious why things catch on by jonah berger
with contagious, jonah berger, a professor at the wharton school, created one of the best books on marketing. Berger explores how and why certain information goes viral while other doesn’t. His work has become a seminal marketing book and a must-read for any marketer trying to figure out how to stay ahead of the curve.
11. Winning: The Key Principles for Taking Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary by Frank Luntz
Frank Luntz has been a messaging expert in political inner circles for decades, helping his clients change their conversations with language. those on his side love him and those against him hate him for how effective he is. Luntz takes what he has learned inside Washington, D.C. beltway and applies it to business in a way that marketers looking to communicate more effectively and succinctly with their customers will appreciate.
12. dog shoe by phil knight
phil knight is one half of the team behind one of the best-selling brands of all time: nike. knight’s memoir is loaded with lessons and insights on how to not only articulate a cohesive brand vision, but live it. Understanding the mechanics and theory of marketing is important, but Knight’s book can provide a case study that teaches how to implement these tactics extremely well.
13. highlights by john hall
When people think of your industry, your brand should be the first thing that comes to mind. But this is no easy task… John Hall’s top of mind is a guide to help you do it. Hall’s book provides information on how to create meaningful and authentic relationships between customers and products.
14. external view by jørn lyseggen
big data is still in fashion, and it’s not just a buzzword. jørn lyseggen has used it to propel his media and business intelligence company, meltwater, ahead of the competition. It can be easy to drown in the wealth of data now available, but lygseggen’s book is useful for marketers looking for insight on how to use data to their advantage.
15. brand identity design by alina wheeler
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Good brands are not just strategy, design or writing. They are the sum of the three things. Alina Wheeler’s detailed book on holistically marketing all aspects of a brand is one of the best marketing books for entrepreneurs looking to understand every aspect of their teams and how to get the most out of them.
16. the autobiography of gucci mane by gucci mane
Few have come from so little, almost taken it from them, and yet prevailed to build such an enduring career and brand. gucci mane, born radric davis, recounts his rise from poverty in east atlanta and several stints in jail to create one of hip-hop’s most recognizable personalities. Even if his work doesn’t touch music or culture, marketers can get more than a tip or two from the Malcolm Gladwell fan’s relentless courage and success in cultivating a well-known and well-respected personal brand. /p>
17. the life of pt barnum by pt barnum
Sometimes the best marketing books are the ones that go back to basics. Barnum’s autobiography is as basic as marketing’s. The visionary entrepreneur is known for his famous circus, but was able to build a lasting brand thanks to his marketing expertise. Barnum invented many of the marketing and advertising essentials that continue to dominate the industry in 2019. His book tells the inside story of how he pulled it off.
18. marketing permission by seth godin
seth godin, whom businessweek once called “the supreme entrepreneur of the information age,” discusses his strategy for winning customers. This book was published in 1999 and Godin was able to effectively communicate the changes that were coming with the growth of the technology industry. traditional advertising was aimed at capturing attention. godin looks forward to the lessons marketers can learn about reaching customers who have already shown interest in a product and brand, and how that can fuel a successful marketing campaign.
19. positioning: the battle for your mind by al ries and jack trout
hit the marketing world when it first came out and now, several decades later, alries and jack trout’s positioning still holds a place as one of the top marketing reads. Whether you’re picking it up for the first time or brushing up on Audible, you’re in for a concise, concise masterclass on everything from how to find competitors’ pain points to how to find the right name for a product. , until identifying the right market niche to attack. And if you’re looking for more top marketing audio content, check out our list of the 19 Best Marketing Podcasts.
20. extraordinary popular ravings and the madness of crowds by charles mackay
charles mackay’s 1841 classic has stood the test of time and continues to be praised and cited by contemporary scholars and writers. Mackay covers how the deception of crowds can lead to things like the oft-referenced tulip mania. This book is essential for marketers looking to gain a historical perspective on how crowd psychology can affect human behavior.
21. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence, and How You Can Too by Gary Vaynerchuk
A good marketing philosophy often starts at the top and works its way down. In one of the best marketing books of 2019, New York Times bestselling author Gary Vaynerchuk discusses how an entrepreneur’s own personal brand can help all of their businesses, get noticed, reshape their ethos, and, ultimately succeed.
22. marketing myopia by theodore levitt
In business, you’re not selling a product, you’re meeting customer needs. it’s a distinction that many marketers forget but is the cornerstone of the profession.
As businesses grow, many find that their prosperity fades. they lose sight of what kind of business they are and what they are trying to serve customers. Good CMOS and salespeople never lose focus, and Levitt’s tried-and-true advice will help keep you on the right track.
let’s read, marketers!
There are plenty of sales and marketing books out there, and more and more, but with this list, we’ll help make sure you’re spending your time wisely on the best of the best.
Practice makes perfect, but use these books to make sure the marketing you’re putting into practice is as perfect as possible.
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