Must-Reads for Marketers

There are so many business-oriented books out there; how do you know which one is what you're looking for? How about turning to someone who has read not all, but a good many of them. When author and president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland Advertising, Steve McKee, was starting out as a field marketing manager for Pizza Hut, he found himself unable to earn an MBA. Instead, he developed a love for business books and began reading everything he could get his hands on to help him with his career. Today, he is often asked which book is his favorite. Unable to pick just one, McKee put together a list of branding, marketing, and advertising books that have made an impact on his life. See the list below:

1. Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy by Thomas Sowell - According to McKee, "Sowell presents practical concepts about how incentives, trade-offs, and other dimensions of the economy really work" and the book is more interesting and more relevant than any economics course you could take in college.


2. The Marketing Imagination by Theodore Levitt - McKee says this book made the concept of marketing "come alive" for him. Written by a late Harvard Business professor, the book is somewhat dated, but still a great read.


3. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors by Michael E. Porter - According to McKee, this book takes a long time to digest and he finds himself referring back to it as he works with his own clients. This is a popular book that is really helpful in any industry.


4. Positioning: The Battle for your Mind by Jack Trout and Al Ries - This book is all about branding and making a complex subject easy to understand.


5. Profit from the Core: Growth Strategy in an Era of Turbulence by Chris Zook and James Allen - This book is the result of a 10-year, 2,000-company study. McKee says it won't make any top marketing book lists, but it does a great job of explaining why all companies seek sustained, profitable growth but only a fraction of them actually achieve it.


6. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Jack Trout and Al Ries - The second book on the list by Trout and Ries.


7. Hitting the Sweet Spot: How Consumer Insights Can Inspire Better Marketing and Advertising by Lisa Fortini-Campbell - McKee says this is the best resource he's found for account-planning. He says, "Following the disciplines in this book can lead to truly groundbreaking marketing and advertising efforts."


8. A Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young - This isn't exactly a book, so much it as it is a booklet. Originally developed for University of Chicago students in the 1930's, McKee says the the information in this book is helpful and quaint, and explains how process of creativity works.


9. Feeding the Media Beast by Mark Mathis - This book explains "how the news business works, the pressures journalists face, and the predicaments in which they often find themselves." McKee says this book helped him overcome his fears of talking to reporters or appearing on television.


10. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White - McKee says much of the business world's problem is understanding that the written word is still important. No matter how great your idea is, crafting it and presenting it poorly can hurt your cause.

According to McKee, reading just these ten books will put you ahead of most of the business world. You can read more about what he says about the books here: Essential Reading for Marketers

Best Small Business Books of 2009

The editors at Small Business Trends, along with a 27-member advisory panel have put together a list of the Best Small Business Books of 2009. According to the website, the decisions were difficult to make due to the "quality of this year's business book releases." Here is a look at the books they chose.

Anatomy of Buzz Revisited by Emmanuel Rosen: Learn how to build "buzz" into your marketing strategy with this sequel to Rosen's best-seller. According to Small Business Trends, you can use this book to "build a community of experts and then let them speak freely about the advantages and disadvantages of your product or service."

Escape from Cubicle Nation by Pamela Slim: This guide for aspiring entrepreneurs helps get you out of the corporate world and into your own business. This proves that you have to make the change to be successful. If you aren't happy in the corporate world, chances are you never will be.

Greening Your Small Business by Jennifer Kaplan: According to this book, being isn't just trendy, it also saves you money. This book shows you how to become "green" and proves that consumer are going to see eco-friendliness as a reason to purchase your service or product.

Me 2.0 by Dan Schawbel: This book is all about personal branding and how your brand will determine your ultimate success. Here, you'll get ideas, resources, tips and on how to find your personal brand and use it for new opportunities, from registering your own website to finding a field to become a known expert in!

The New Community Rules by Tamar Weinberg: Everyone is using social media these days and it can be a great tool to help you build and grow your business. This book, written by a social media consultant, will help you use various social media to market your business online. The best thing is this book doesn't just teach you how to use the general Facebook and Twitter, it shows you the way to other, lesser known tools, as well.

Outrageous Advertising by Bill Glazer: This book points you in the direction of tons of direct marketing and advertising campaigns that will help you grow your business and build a larger customer base. The website calls it an encyclopedia of how-to and advertising ideas and tips.

Talk Less, Say More by Connie Dieken: There can be many ways to communicate with customers but this book shows you how to cut to the chase and eliminate the excess. Get your message across and get things done with lots of tips and tricks.

Super Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner: Small Business Trends describes this book as "fun and engaging." It shows how the world works and proves there is a solution for more than you think, unconventional as it may be.

Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith: Another social media-oriented book, this one helps you learn social media quickly and use it to help with your brand.

Upstarts by Donna Fenn: This book looks at 150 different businesses started by Generation Y'ers. Get inspired as you read how a younger generation overcame challenges to make something of themselves.

Viral Loop by Adam Penenberg: This book tells the story of some of the most successful viral marketing campaigns and then shows you how to implement some of it into your own company!

You are What You Choose by Scott de Marchi and James T. Hamilton: Make decisions based on more than just demographics, such as time, risk, altruism, getting information, meToo status and stickiness or loyalty with this book. Once you understand how to do this, you can implement it into your own business.