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While reminiscing about the books that I've read throughout my decade-plus career, I put together this list based on applicability to the various roles that a marketer might face. Each of these books would help you and your team grow in some aspect of marketing.
Given my experience in the digital world, I can attest that it is still hard to beat the classics because the basic structure of marketing has not changed. We humans have not developed new senses. We still love technology that shows us words and images, which is only slightly different than old newspapers.
Therefore, the best book with the most applicable modern-day skills in all marketing environments is a classic that you'd find in the reading lists of big agencies, "The Ultimate Marketing Plan" by Dan Kennedy.
These are, and will probably always be the core aspects of any successful marketing campaign. Acquiring the skills and know-how to implement a successful marketing strategy from start to finish is bound to enhance the effectiveness of any marketing campaign, even if you don't take it to the same extremes as Dan Kennedy.
For instance, Kennedy recounts a tale of a business owner who visited various hair salons and would purchase mailing lists depending on whether or not the salon's customers inquired about a specific haircut.
Review of The Ultimate Marketing Plan by Dan Kennedy
Summary
Dan Kennedy has authored several books, but the one featured on this list is his best. This book taught me the art of crafting engaging sales copy, the kind that compels you to pause what you're doing and make a purchase. Every time I’m about to write copy for a landing page, a Facebook ad, or a direct mail campaign, I Google Dan Kennedy's guide.
Kennedy also outlines the basics of customer personas and building funnels. The book includes worksheets. Seasoned professionals and inexperienced marketers will enjoy this book, if not just for the novelty of Kennedy's old-school back-to-the-basics no-nonsense marketing advice.
Dr. Robert Cialdini is a Clinical Ph.D. psychologist. Cialdini penned this book due to his recurrent experience of purchasing products from every door-to-door salesman who came knocking. He was determined in his quest to uncover the reasons behind the remarkable effectiveness of sales techniques.
Review of Influence by Robert B. Cialdini
Summary
This book has a casual, academic, and often comedic tone, I found it highly engaging. The anecdotes he shares are from some of the wildest experiments within the field of psychology that you would ever read about. The only issue with this book is that some people might find it boring. If you are the type to read business news, or just have a love of psychology (most of us?). Then this book is for you.
In this book, written like a layman's systematic review, Cialdini reviews hundreds of academic papers and summarizes his findings into 6 core principles. Those principles affect every aspect of marketing and sales on every team. If you are curious why a particular strategy is so effective, this is the most enlightening book you'll probably ever read. Utilizing just a few of these concepts in your marketing materials will increase its effectiveness.
This book is probably the longest one on the list but I found it entertaining from beginning to end. It's captivating with anecdotes, studies, and amusing real-life scenarios that showcase astoundingly effective marketing tactics. The book is structured into the 6 essential principles that influence all buying decisions.
The principles that Ciladini helped discover are reverberated in marketing documents all over the world, such as in Google's Messy Middle.
I highly recommend this book to seasoned marketing professionals and those who are a bit more technical.
In 2020, I was hired as an SEO Manager for a company called Discount Dumpter. My former bosses were SEO sharks. We would take the top ten spots of a Google search on purpose, for location-specific keywords around the country, then after we secured a stream of calling clientele, we'd outsource the work back to a local dumpster company, arbitrating the difference.
Review of SEO Made Easy by Evan Bailyn
Summary
There are some unfair negative reviews online about this book. I'll say that this book is not really meant for SEO experts. However, I think most so-called 'experts' could benefit from this book because as an SEO expert myself, it's easy to get lost in technical nonsense that actually doesn't do anything for your SEO. Things like Domain Rank are old myths that still haunt the SEO community today. (Search for 'web-link graph ranking' patents and you'll see what I mean). And many of the technical SEO things that modern SEOs will tell you are important - like keywords in your URL: actually aren't.
How do you know if you are an SEO expert? Well, have you ever intentionally doubled or tripled traffic or conversions aside from Google updates? Have you written a page targeting a top keyword that gets 10,000's of clicks, and succeeds at claiming the top spot with regularity? If the answer is no, then you're probably not an expert and this book is for you.
It took me 3 years to realize everything in this book is not only true but it's the only SEO advice you'll ever need.
When I started the job at Discount Dumpster, I didn't know that much about SEO. But then I got my hands on this book, and in that very same year, we went crazy and whipped up 354 local landing pages. Our organic traffic was up 194% and sales were up 122% YoY.
SEO is shrouded in so much mystery even by expert practitioners. Many have asked me to teach them SEO, and I find that it is almost impossible to teach in a simple and straightforward format. Remarkably, Evan Bailyn manages to do just that in this book. This book is timeless and expertly written, the content is presented in easily comprehensible terms. What truly stands out is that by adhering to the outlined strategy, your content will shine, even if it doesn't claim the top spot in Google.
Evan provides some nice anecdotes from within the SEO industry, such as stories about website flipping, domain name negotiation, and how to create SEO-optimized content if you're not an expert in the field. He avoids getting stuck in the technical parts of SEO, and honestly, the technical parts don't matter as much as the core concepts.
As someone immersed in the world of SEO, constantly producing and consuming SEO content, I can confidently say that this is the best book on the subject.
This book was written by a renowned Wall Street professional who served time in prison, better known as "The Wolf of Wall Street."
Review of Way of the Wolf by Jordan Belfort
Summary
This was one of the best books I ever read. The fact that this selling system landed the author in prison, is enough to take the book seriously.
He takes you through his entire system and lays out the groundwork for you to implement it in your own marketing or sales efforts. If your team picks up the phone and deals with cold-calling prospects, you must read this book.
I think in some ways this system is not practical. From my own experience, some organizations may have ethical issues with this extreme level of selling.
In Belfort's book, he details the strategies he employed to make his company Stratton Oakmont so successful. The book covers both psychological aspects and copywriting techniques. Belfort covers vocal tonal shifts and timing considerations that enabled his cold-calling sales team to convince otherwise normal people to purchase unregulated penny stocks.
The stuff he teaches in this book could be dangerous. He developed a sales system that uses tonal shifts in the seller's voice to convince the prospect that this product is precisely what they need, and his sales team asks people questions that are almost impossible to say no to. He taught his team how to address every way a person might say no, with prewritten follow-up questions that convince the prospect that their no should be a yes. This book is absolutely brilliant.
If you are cold-calling, or knocking on doors, you should take the time to read this work of literature. This book is a rare masterpiece and you will not find any marketing book that is as thorough.
The Anti-Sell dives into the importance of networking and creating beneficial connections. It's a great read for anyone who is starting their own freelance career, as it provides guidance on how to increase confidence and advises you on the marketing and networking strategies that the author has learned from his experience as a freelance copywriter.
Review of Anti-Sell by Steve Morgan
Summary
It is a one-of-a-kind book. The author is a freelancer who worked at some agencies. He shares his struggles of transitioning from full-time to freelance, as well as tips to avoid making the mistakes he made.
This book is a welcome addition to the business world. It is all about focusing on your niche expertise and building relationships. This book is great for freelancers of all kinds, he gives you practical advice on how to find clients just by being yourself.
It is an all-around good marketing book even for those who don't want to be a freelancer. You might find that BNI's and networking events would benefit your career in other ways, even if you don't plan on becoming a freelancer.
'Affluent Marketing Blueprint' delves into the importance of cultivating relationships with the wealthy and seamlessly integrating into affluent social circles without feeling like an outsider. This book touches on some copywriting concepts discussed by Dan Kennedy, it also includes worksheets. Mark Satterfield is wealthy himself and runs a marketing agency that specializes in marketing to wealthy clients.
Review of Affluent Marketing Blueprint by Mark Satterfield
Summary
To most of us, the wealthy are shrouded in mystery.
Mark is a wealthy entrepreneur who specializes in marketing to the wealthy. Written in an everyday tone. This book is great for anyone looking to break into finance or anyone marketing to high-net-worth individuals.
This book is all about overcoming your self-confidence, and how to present yourself and your business to high-net-worth individuals, the type who might spend $300,000 on a weekend Yacht rental.
This book is about the Harmon Brothers. Chances are you've seen their viral marketing campaigns on social media, such as the Squatty Potty ad featuring a unicorn pooping rainbow ice cream.
Review of From Poop To Gold by Chris Jones
Summary
The Harmon Brothers are known for marketing the most boring products ever known to man, such as the squatty potty.
I've always wanted to make viral commercials. The effectiveness of the Harmon Bros campaigns is astonishing, gaining organic shares and even getting free press exposure.
Chris Jones worked for the Harmon Brothers, and in this book, he breaks down their formula. He tells you precisely how to make a viral commercial just like the Harmon Brothers.
From Poop to Gold takes you behind the scenes and explains how they created these successful campaigns. But it's more than just a case study. The book also provides valuable insights into creative strategy, storytelling, and the power of humor in marketing. Whether you're a marketing pro or just starting out, this book is a must-read.
The best part about this book is that the author removes the veil behind creative marketing, simplifying the Harmon Brothers' formula into something we can all replicate if we so choose.
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