9 Marketing Books to Read

Simply put, marketers comprise an impressively busy population. With a perpetually incomplete to do list, an eternal quest for work-life balance, and ongoing efforts to keep up with the latest creative trends, where the heck are we supposed to find time to do something like, say, read a book?

But something that might seem recreational on the surface could actually be vital to your career development. Even better, there’s a veritable plethora of books available on marketing, specifically, and some of them can be quite influential. The question is: When you’re already short on time, how do you pick out the best ones?

1) Contagious: Why Things Catch On, by Jonah Berger

Read This Book If You:

Want to boost the virality of your content.
Are curious to learn more about word-of-mouth marketing.
Would like to see marketing examples from SMBs that have gone viral.

2) Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content, by Ann Handley

Read This Book If You:

Are looking for a hybrid of a “writing guide” and “handbook on the rules of good sportsmanship in content marketing.”
Are a journalist who wants to learn how to write on behalf of a brand.
Are a marketer who wants to learn how to generally enhance your editorial skills.

3) Different : Escaping the Competitive Herd, by Youngme Moon

Read This Book If You:

Are a marketer who isn’t that into business books – this one is more conversational.
Want to achieve continuous uniqueness – both personally and in your work – to sustainably stand out in a competitive market.
Would like to learn how to leverage the criticism you’ve received to improve your marketing.

4) Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, by Nir Eyal

Read This Book If You:

Want to learn how to apply the principles of viral and word-of-mouth to your product marketing.
Are looking to step up your UX efforts and knowledge.
Are curious to learn more about the psychology of consumer behavior.

5) Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator, by Ryan Holiday

Read This Book If You:

Want to improve your general PR knowledge and skills.
Made a somewhat public mistake, and want to know how to fix it – but can’t afford professional help.
Need to learn how to navigate the online media landscape (versus the traditional one).

6) Learn SEO: An On-Page SEO Tutorial, by Patrick Coombe

Read This Book If You:

Have limited knowledge of SEO, but aren’t sure how to start learning.
Don’t have time to learn a lot at once, and need to master SEO in phases.
Are looking for efficient ways to keep up with algorithms and other frequent SEO updates.

7) Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight

Read This Book If You:

Love marketing and sports – and have always been curious where the two intersect.
Learn better from stories, rather than how-to or academic guides.
Want to know how to leverage cultural phenomena to build and complement your brand.

8) Creativity, Inc., by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

Read This Book If You:

Absolutely love the Toy Story movies, and are curious to know what the heck they have to do with marketing.
Are struggling to convince your colleagues or boss to promote a culture of creativity.
Want to find new ways to for your team to produce unique, original work – and how that starts with the people who comprise it.

9) No One Understands You And What To Do About It, by Heidi Grant Halvorson

Read This Book If You:

Manage or are part of a team with low morale – better communication can fix it, with the three pillars identified by the author (trust, power, and ego).
Are concerned that project execution and quality are suffering because of flawed communication.
Have trouble tactfully expressing what you really think or how you really feel.

By Amanda Zantal-Wiener (www.hubspot.com)