• tbface webinar My Top 10 Favorite Business & Marketing Books Of All Timeby Todd Brown

    I’ll admit…

    Prior to about the age of 23 I despised reading. Back then I was more interested in playing a little Sega Genesis or simply goofing off with my buddies.

    It wasn’t until I was bit by the business and marketing bug that reading became one of my most treasured joys.

    Today, I love books. I love buying them. Flipping through them. Reading them. Highlighting them. And, putting them to work in my life.

    Having invested in an average of about 2 books a week for the past 14 years, I can honestly say… the acquisition of actionable knowledge via reading has… no-doubt… altered the course of my life.

    There are about 15 or so books that I credit for having the greatest impact on my thinking and actions.

    Today, I want to share 10 of those books with you.  In a future blog post I’ll share the rest.

    For now, scan the list below to see what books, if any, you haven’t read.  Then, go get ‘em. More important – go get ‘em, read ‘em, then put what you learn into action.

    marketing books

    Psychology Of Winning by Denis Waitley

    This book was one of the first “self-help” books I was really exposed to.  I was given the 6 CD version of this book by my, then, employer. It radically changed my thinking about success and failure. More than anything, it taught me how winners think, and that with some practice, I could train my mind to think the same way.  I credit a lot of my mindset today to this book.

    Goals by Brian Tracy

    This quite possibly could be my favorite personal development book of all time. Because I’m a huge believer in goal setting, I fell in love with the depths this book goes into as it explains and lays-out the goal setting process.  At the end of almost every year, I go through this book to refresh my memory of the goal setting process and help me prepare for another coming year.

    Triggers by Joe Sugarman

    As someone who spent almost 12 years in fitness-related sales, I really enjoyed the way Sugarman breaks down 30 different sales principles in this book, and shows how they’re used effectively in business every day.  This is one of those books you’ll refer back to periodically. And, every time you do… you’ll be reminded of a gem.

    Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan S. Kennedy

    When I first started learning about direct response marketing and long-form copy, this book was a goldmine. It really gave me a great foundational understanding of the format and structure of a good sales letter.  Even to this day, I still reach for my original copy of this book and flip through it for random ideas and reminders.

    The Robert Collier Letter Book by Robert Collier

    When I started to get serious about writing great sales letters I decided to grab a copy of this classic. And, boy am I glad I did.  It contains some incredible examples of quality salesmanship in print.  It was this book that really opened my eyes to many of the principles we still use today when writing sales letters and crafting email promotions.  I guess that’s why this book is recommended by almost every legend of marketing and advertising.

    How To Write A Good Advertisement by Victor Schwab

    What makes this book such a gem is how Schwab breaks down, in detail, the process every marketer needs to follow to get the attention of the marketplace.  He actually reviews 100 great headlines and explains why they’re so effective.  This was the book that really showed me the mandatory elements of a response-generating marketing or advertising piece.

    Testing Advertising Methods by John Caples

    In combination with the previous two books I mentioned, I feel this book really took my understanding of effective copy to a whole new level. This is one of those books that you’ll want to keep close when you’re writing any kind of copy. Caples’ does a superb job of handing readers actionable lists you’ll refer to over and over. I still do.

    The 26-Hour Day by Vince Panella

    A couple of years prior to going full-time online, I got hooked on the idea of time management and productivity. I started reading everything I could get my hands on about the topic. More importantly, I started putting into action the things I was learning. And, very quickly I realized… the better I controlled my actions and time, the more I got done.  I was so impacted by this book, I requested an interview with the author.  And I got it. It provides some great advice about managing your time.  (Honorable mention here: Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. The main concept of this book also changed my view of tasks and prioritization. It’s definitely worth a quick read.)

    Influence by Robert Cialdini

    This book is the mother of all persuasion books. Almost everything you need to know about persuasion and the way the human mind can be “controlled” you’ll find within this book.  Not a day goes by that something I learned from this book isn’t used in our marketing efforts.  I think almost every top marketer would agree.

    Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz

    From a pure marketing perspective, there’s probably no other book that’s had more of an impact on me than Breakthrough Advertising.  The way Schwartz breaks down and explains the process of creating winning marketing and advertising is just outstanding.  This book shares what no other book does – the appropriate communication style and approach for each stage of marketplace maturity. This little book is truly been worth it’s weight in gold for me!

    That’s all for now.  In a future post I’ll share the rest of my list of books that I credit for having the greatest impact on my thinking and actions.

    What about YOU?

    What books have had the greatest impact on you, your thinking, your actions, your business, your marketing?

    Share it below. Leave a comment.

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