The Marketing Reading List

Marketing is humbling, the learning curve is never truly done when you’re a marketer. The moment you learn something new, the next update comes out. If you think you’re the master of your trade, you’re probably not, and that’s why most of us love it.

But as we stumble into 2022. Blissfully unaware of what the next year will hold, I want to get back on track with my learning for work.

There’s so many online courses marketers can sign up for that are free and official, Google Skill Shop, Facebook Blueprint, and Pinterest academy are the top three that come to mind for B2C marketers.

Yet there’s nothing that beats a good marketing book, as I’ve got older I’ve strayed away from fiction and moved towards marketing books.

As stressful as the job sometimes seems, picking up a book written by others in your industry shows you’re not along. There has been at least one person in the same situation, and countless others in need of answers. Hearing some of the worlds best marketers write about their experiences and use them to help others avoid the same problems.

So as we move into the new year, and I start setting the wheels in motion for my New Years resolutions I thought I’d share some of the marketing books on my reading list this year.

The icarus Deception by Seth Godin

You might recall that Icarus’s fatal flaw was not heeding his father’s warning to not fly too close to the sun. Furthermore, Daedalus warned his son to not fly too low, fearing that the saltwater would also damage the wings. 

In his lauded book, Seth Godin takes a hint from Greek mythology, pushing readers towards thinking radically outside the box, move forward without a map — critical skills for any marketer looking to get ahead. He emphasizes that conventional wisdom, conformity and fitting the mold are a surefire path to mediocrity.  

Hooked: How to build habit forming products by Nir Eyal

People using your product is cool, but people habitually using your product is cooler. There’s a pattern to which products and services catch attention and become essential for consumers and which, and Hooked answers how to to do just that. Nir Eyal’s book, culled 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 keep coming back to.

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 proposition. Easier said than done…

People are being 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 bestseller and arguably of the best marketing books of all time, Robert Cialdini breaks down how with thoughtful persuasion, people can be influenced to say yes more often.

How Brands Become Icons by Douglas B holt

Any business is good business, right? Not exactly… 

In his bestseller and candidate for one of the best marketing books of all time, former Harvard Business Schoolprofessor Douglas B. Holt lays down 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 a low price or hype. Taking the tips from iconic brands including ESPN, Mountain Dew, Volkswagen, Budweiser, and Harley-Davidson, Holt breaks down his tips to cultivate a marketing strategy that goes beyond gimmicks and establishes a meaningful brand connection with potential customers.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell’s hit Blink isn’t explicitly about marketing, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the top marketing books. His sophomore 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 that marketers understand those snap judgments. If you’ve read Gladwell’s classic before, then it’s worth your time to snag it again on Audible and absorb the content during your daily commute, a perfect audio companion for his podcast listeners.

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Planning Your 2022 Social Strategy

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Reflecting on 2021