05/03/2021
Marketing gurus think of marketing as both a science and an art. Marketing is the art of understanding your customers and the best way to engage them with your brand. The science part is studying the tools and methods that transform those customers into loyal clients.
That is exactly why marketing experts around the world have written so many books and manuals to help you become a professional marketer who works smart, not just hard.
On World Book Day, here are 5 must-read books on marketing:
- Principles of Marketing by Philip Kotler:
Despite being first published in 1989, this book is still among the top references for marketing in academia. With 18 editions and counting, it is by far the most popular marketing book out there.
In this book, you will learn about marketing basics, branding essential concepts, and the best marketing practices. Its methodology presents marketing as a science that is built on rules and foundations that fulfill a business’s objectives.
- Purple Cow by Seth Godin:
Seth Godin, or the King of Marketing as dubbed by Forbes, speaks in this book on the phenomenon where human attention is always drawn to what is different and unusual.
He uses the example of a “purple cow” which is sure to stand out in a farm of black and white cows. Similarly, if you want your product to stand out, read this book to know how to do it.
- Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim:
This book managed to gain unprecedented fame due to its revealing insights on future markets, how to regulate them, and benefit from them. The book divides any market into 2 categories: a red ocean & a blue ocean.
The writer tells that the “red ocean” is an existing market, overflowing with competition between businesses. These businesses are like blood-thirsty sharks willing to tear each other apart over business opportunities to secure their place in the market.
On the other hand, the “blue ocean” is a pool of untapped potential that is yet to be explored. The only downside is that it needs a lot of planning, strategizing, and calculation to determine which opportunities are worth pursuing.
- The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout:
This book is considered one of the best marketing books published in the past 20 years. It clearly and simply discusses 22 rules in marketing that the authors believe will cause any business a great loss if violated.
The authors pose the question of: “Who gains the most profit: the best or the first?”
They explain that the first to enter the market and reach out to the customers is the one who makes the most profit; while the best in the market needs to constantly remind the customers of the value of their product or service.
But what if your business cannot be the first? The authors, then, recommend that you create a niche where your business stands out among the competition as the first of its kind.
- The Price Is Wrong by Sarah Maxwell:
This book is essential if you are in the process of pricing your products or services. The author offers statistics and case studies that help every marketer understand the consequences of ill-informed pricing practices.
Have you read any of these 5 books? 🤓
Which ones would you recommend to a fellow business-owner or marketer? 📖
