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In the world of marketing, only the most dedicated remains at the top of the competition. Therefore, you must know the best techniques to make your business successful. Many classic books on marketing can stand the test of time.
There is no better time to check out the best marketing books that you can read. But better still, marketing executives can chill out and enjoy this selection of marketing classics, while new marketers can start from the basics.
Whether you’re new to marketing, experienced, or an entrepreneur looking to understand the function, our guide to the best books for marketing has got you covered.
What are the Best Books for Marketing?
Contagious: Why Things Catch On
Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Contagious is the result of years of his research. His book reveals the secret science behind why products, campaigns, and center ideas go viral.
It contains actionable techniques you can use to improve your marketing. It provides valuable insights into human psychology that trigger engagement. I also understood my behavior online.
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products
If you want to learn about habit-forming products and increasing user engagement, then Hooked is a must-read. It gives you the framework for starting to think more scientifically and build your service with habit-forming in mind.
Ogilvy on Advertising
Ogilvy wrote the book in 1985, but its main ideas about emotion and narrative still apply. It covers media, print, and direct marketing advertising, along with career advice for getting a job in advertising. Ogilvy also shared his copywriting insights to apply to your marketing projects. That, along with the rest of the key ideas of the book, can improve your marketing performance.
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Dale Carnegie’s book is another marketing book classic that is highly regarded. You can learn the best ways to influence people, win friends, and turn them into your supporters. It is a complete book that can teach you about six ways to turn people like you, nine ways to change people without arousing resentment, 12 means to win others to your way of thinking, and more.
Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company-and Revolutionized an Industry
The book provides a good overview of Salesforce’s beginnings and how Benioff made his decisions. You can use strategies to do innovative marketing. This book will offer ideas for using technology, business, and philanthropic models to create a unique and better change. In general, its writing is OK.
Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A Moore is among the best marketing books you can trust for your marketing needs! It comes with examples of successes and failures in the marketing world. It also helped improve my productivity. It also allows you to enhance your knowledge, which you can use to succeed with your marketing business.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
This book will guide you to the core human psychology of what makes us say yes beyond marketing. Having this in mind for your campaigns can make you a skilled persuader and help you in all walks of life.
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!
This book is featured as a classic in many “must-read” lists, and it fits for beginners and managers. In this book, you will learn the laws of marketing that can help you succeed. You will find the basic concepts of marketing that are timeless and tested and then try to use them to your business’s advantage.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Dan Ariely is awesome! His book is an eye-opener. Ariely presents a wide range of irrational tendencies and psychological traps to which we fall prey. It is relatively easy to read (except for some parts) and can motivate you to rethink stuff and make more informed decisions.
Scientific Advertising
This is among the top marketing books you can find on the market. This is a true classic, and Claude Hopkins is an advertising genius. You will read the basis for direct-mail advertising, and although written many years ago, it can boost your advertising skills.
The Boron Letters
Gary C. Halbert was a well-known writer of successful direct-mail sales letters and one of the world’s best copywriters. In 1984, Halbert served in Boron prison for tax fraud. While there, Halbert wrote these letters (hence Boron Letters) to his son Bond. Reading these letters, you will learn much about direct-mail marketing and business, as well as get advice on navigating life’s difficulties.
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene wrote this classic marketing book that contains the laws of power, which features the philosophies of Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, and other infamous strategists. In theory, it can help you with ultimate control over your marketing. With these 48 laws, you can have a clear vision of the world. I can say that reading this book can help you to have full control over the situations that happen to you.
Writing That Works; How to Communicate Effectively In Business
Another classic book to help you improve your communication skills and writing. Roman provides comprehensive content about written communication, such as speeches, letters, business memos, reports, and emails. It is also easy to understand.
Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers
To be on this page, you definitively know Seth Godin. Permission Marketing is another one of Godin’s classics. You will find 20+ case studies on permission marketing. It also helps build trust with others, not spamming them and respecting their time and space.
Godin explains the strategies of permission marketing, as well as the advantages and difficulties. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, purchasing Permission Marketing is a good idea. It will enhance your marketing skills to encourage others to choose your product or service. With this, you also have the chance to build strong relationships with other people, especially your customers.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Shoe Dog is the story of how Nike started and grew. You will read about the constant battle, stress, and challenges of building a business. Knight also describes how important creative individuals are along with extraordinary management for an organization.
Before you go…
As you can see, there are many great books out there for marketers to choose from.
But have you considered how having a strong foundation in both marketing and psychology, as well as top-notch negotiation skills, could benefit you in your career? Our post on the best strategy and negotiation books can help you develop these crucial abilities. So why not take a look and see how you can improve your skills and become even more effective in your role? You’ll be glad you did!