I have mixed feelings toward marketing books. They help me in my job, but sometimes they seem like a total waste of time. Many marketers use the excuse that writing a book establishes them as credible and serious. Self-publishing has become a norm in the marketing space, which is why there are new marketing books every month. Unfortunately, many of them don’t cut it.
Some are just a waste of your time while others provide such poor advice, that it can really ruin things for you. That’s the reason I am here. Yes, in this article, I will provide you the best marketing books that a beginner can read. Now, what exactly makes a marketing book worthwhile?
If you’re thinking of trying something out in marketing and are a bit confused about which books to start with, then I recommend you first read ‘Marketing for Dummies’ and ‘The New Rules of Marketing and pr’ to get a better understanding of what’s to come. If you’re looking for something more digital be sure to read ‘Digital marketing for dummies’ and ‘Jab, jab, jab, right hook’. These are important reads for any beginner marketer.
It’s the reverse in fact. Only a veteran would know the difference. It all depends on what exactly you are looking for and where you are working.
Here is what you will find in the article:
- Strategy vs. Tactics: There are many who prefer marketing books that outline things they can do rather than big ideas. As you know, internet marketing is an industry characterized by rapid shifts so books may become irrelevant at any moment.
- Who Is It For: Most authors of marketing books indicate who exactly is this book for. They can either be the founders of the new companies or the marketing managers in established ones.
- Stage and Industry: Some business books are applicable to only a specific stage of the business. Some authors have worked with large corporations while others with smaller ones.
There are many opportunities to make it big in the digital marketing world however it is entirely up to you to decide what you like the most and then work towards achieving it.
Also, be on the lookout for the red flags. Fake Amazon reviews exist and some authors have no clue what they are talking about – it is best to read books written by those with actual experience. Even then, it is not easy to grasp all the concepts described in a great book.
Content
List of the Best Marketing Books for Beginners
Below, I’ve listed 7 best marketing books for beginners. These books are ones I’ve read and enjoyed.
- Lost and Founder — A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World
- Predictably Irrational —The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions
- Breakthrough Advertising
- The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding —How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand
- 10x Marketing Formula — Your Blueprint for Creating ‘Competition-Free Content’ That Stands Out and Gets Results
- Hooked — How to Build Habit-Forming Products
- The 1-Page Marketing Plan — Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand Out From The Crowd
1. Lost and Founder
“Lost and Founder” is not just about marketing, there is more to it. It is authored by Rand Fishkin who is an excellent marketer, the founder of Moz and now heads SparkToro.
To elaborate, Rand has aimed to share his personal life as a founder of a startup and has made a ton of marketing suggestions. He endorses the history of the marketing company Moz and emphasizes how companies shift with time and expansion.
He touches upon growth hacking which provided short-term results but led to troubles in the future such as this one. I witnessed this too.
All in all, there are a lot better and more inspiring options available for people willing to pursue a career in marketing but Lost and Founder certainly promises to be entertaining as much as instructional.
2. Predictably Irrational
This is a book I have recommended many times and will continue to do so. Several times I have highlighted how good the content is and how interesting it was to read.
Dan Ariely is a remarkable communication expert, a skillful instructor, and a prominent behavioral scientist. One would only guess how entertaining it is to read his books bearing in mind that they contain many real-life experiments, which are not complicated and engaging in terms of stories.
In “Predictably Irrational,” it’s discussed how the workings of our brains often lead us to make errors in reasoning, for instance, how our silly decisions can be rationalized even in our perception. Quite a portion of the book deals with how people buy, owing to Ariely’s insights on the subject.
For instance, did you know that the power of the word “Free” is so engaging that it allays our fears? If we refrain from purchasing something, there is always the element of fear involved. Did you know that fear is the highest emotion felt when we buy something? That’s why we feel so much better when we see the word “Free.”
It is evident that the aspects of marketing are hardly dealt with in this book, but considering how many marketers are there in the world and are poised to read this work, one will walk away with plenty of understanding of how to advertise their goods, enhance one’s site, and attract clients in their multitude.
I assure you, this is one of the finest pieces of literature on marketing, you would come across.
3. Breakthrough Advertising
There are many who consider ‘Breakthrough Advertising’ to be a very valuable publication for people engaged in writing advertisements. Others know it as ‘The Lost Book’, owing to its rarity and high cost, approximately $400 on Amazon. But in my opinion, it is really worth it.
Move aside all those vague advertising jargon such as CPC, CTR, Facebook Ads, and Display advertising. This book was drafted a long time ago, in the year 1966, when advertising was restricted to newspapers and sending direct mail to people.
However, although a lot has evolved in the world of advertising, people have not much changed.
This book is not only about advertising tricks, and there are many of them, but primarily about how to understand why people purchase and how to construct ads that make people wish to purchase.
The concepts proposed in this book are even more useful in this modern world, perhaps these ideas are more applicable nowadays than when he was writing for the 1960s.
One of my favorite things the book says is, ‘A Marketer’s job is not to make people want new things. That would be too hard and expensive. Instead, your job is to understand what people already want and use that in your ads.’
I think it will definitely make you more effective at marketing.
4. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding
Al Ries is definitely one of the prolific branding pillars recognized for the classic marketing body of work. According to Amazon reviews, his work is often received with mixed feelings by readers, some news channels dislike it while others like it very much.
I can relate to that.
Branding is something I love especially branding for SaaS Marketing. Additionally, I consider it quite critical in relation to digital marketing.
In Ries’ book, one of the greatest flaws is the age – the publication will shift 20 years this year. According to him, some of the examples that he uses are wrong.
Some of those bad examples might make some people look at his book in a not-so-favorable light, but that is not my view. There are fables in every business, but that doesn’t mean that the usual principles do not hold good most of the time.
In my view, there cannot be any other book that is better written for marketers and businessmen than that one. The book is a good read and details how well-known brands are created and why the so-called “laws” in the book still apply to internet marketing of the brands to this day.
5. 10x Marketing Formula
If you are in any way related to inbound or content marketing, you will have fun cracking the “10x Marketing formula”.
The publication is the work of Garrett Moon, the co-founder of Co-schedule, which I have found to be quite different, but you will have to read the book to see for yourself.
The essence is that there have to be great leaps for marketing to work rather than small wins. Small wins might lead to sales but not in all cases.
This book focuses on creating, maintaining, and improving a marketing strategy that is built on risks. Not all will work but the few that do will change your business.
The emphasis of the book lies heavily on content marketing, which, in my opinion, does more to scale SaaS businesses than any other. The strategies outlined have been tried and tested on CoSchedule’s blog too while social media marketing received a lot of focus as well.
While this may not be the first on the charts of “best books marketing for beginners”, it still is a book worth checking!
6. Hooked
This book by Nir Eyal sits at the 5th number in this list of best marketing books for beginners. Not to mention, it is one of the bestselling books internationally. It is about ways through which companies are able to manufacture goods that are used by people time and again.
This book is not focused solely on advertising. It focuses more on the concept of developing certain kinds of products that are of such an appealing nature that the customers use them over and over again. It addresses solutions that help gain and retain customers and enhance their loyalty toward your organization.
If you work in product marketing, this should definitely be on your reading list. It can be called an action plan to increase the success of your products. In this book, it shows how other departments can interface and communicate for effective results.
The concepts found in “Hooked” also serve as a good supplement when putting together a product-led growth (PLG) approach. It gives you smart ways to grow your products.
7. The 1-Page Marketing Plan
Allan Dib’s book was something that I had already heard of back when I was employed at AdEspresso six years ago. And if I am not mistaken, the book is interesting, to say the least.
One of the recommended books for people who are involved in B2B Marketing. It provides you with precise guidelines for each component of a good marketing plan.
The book consists of three parts: Before, During, and After.
Essentially, the Before phase prepares you for your launch. It identifies the target audience, creates a message, and advertises to identify the customer.
What the Before segment explains are the steps necessary that need to be taken before sales take off; examples include figuring out the customers and strategizing the message that is to be delivered to them.
Winning and retaining customers is the main goal during this stage, the During segment.
In this stage, the objective is to ensure that the customers are satisfied and remain satisfied.
It’s a good marketing book for the purpose of advertising strategy development. However it is not such good marketing strategy development because it offers practically no insight on how to get the target audience to notice the business, in any case, these things are already there, a very good book and one of the simplest marketing books.
Classic and Introductory Marketing Books for Beginners
Are you enthusiastic about starting your career in marketing? The term marketing encompasses a collection of varied and extensive perspectives and ideas distilled from interesting global books. Some of its professionals, authors, and teachers who have taken an interest in the subject deeply include Robert Z*R. Cialdini, Seth Godin, and Malcolm Gladwell. Whether looking to sell clothing on online platforms such as Amazon or understanding the dynamics of E-commerce, these writers have amassed years of experience and knowledge which has helped them write their books well and truly.
FAQs
Which is the Best Book in Terms of Marketing?
Finding the right professional book in terms of marketing can be troublesome because they are written with a certain audience in mind. On a related note, numerous writers have gifted the world with very well-written books on marketing; some of which are:
Lost and Founder Predictably Irrational Breakthrough Advertising The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding 10x Marketing Formula Hooked The 1-Page Marketing Plan
What is a good way to self-train yourself in marketing skills using a book?
The answer to that question revolves around the type of book one is reading. To be able to grasp the many concepts of marketing successfully, it is best to combine the reading approach with practical skills. A good approach is to not only read a book but to also note down important aspects. Gradually, as you learn different marketing methods and concepts, you can test them in reality.
Where do I even go About Learning Marketing for Dummies?
Marketing concepts can be learned through reading, completing online courses, watching tutorial videos, or browsing educational websites. Start looking for simple popular books that talk on topics such as how to look for customers, branding, advertising, and digital marketing.
How to Become a Marketer Starting From a Book?
Let’s say first read some books about marketing before starting other activities. For instance, try gaining some experience through taking internships, freelancing, or working in entry-level marketing jobs. Educate yourself and connect with other marketers to enhance your skills.
Final Verdict
By this point, you have advanced through 7 of the best marketing books for beginners. The books mentioned in this article are the ones I have personally grasped and I recommend them.
So, which book do you want to choose now?