Michael Hyatt once said, “You are the same you’ll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.”
James Altucher wrote, “Read every book, blog, website, whatever about what you want to be an expert in.”
If you saw the bookcases in my office, my bedside table, books on my kindle app and the history from my amazon prime shopping cart, you’d understand how I’ve taken Michael Hyatt and James Altucher seriously. I’ve spent the last several years immersing myself with masters of marketing.
I love to learn about marketing, copywriting, and business growth. (Ok, some might label this an obsession, while you fellow lifelong learners and marketers will clearly understand.)
If you’re looking for a spark of creativity, a fresh idea, inspiration, or mentoring from some of the top marketers past and present, consider checking these out.
There are so many great titles out there, but these have been especially meaningful to me.
Book 1: Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
New York Times bestselling author Donald Miller uses the seven universal elements of powerful stories to teach readers how to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their business.
A few of my favorite quotes from Don Miller’s book:
“Almost all companies try to sell solutions to external problems, but customers are much more motivated to resolve their inner frustrations.”
“People don’t buy the best products, they buy the products they can understand the fastest.”
“If we haven’t identified what our customer wants, what problem we are helping them solve, and what life will look like after they engage our products and services, for example, we can forget about thriving in the marketplace.”
Book 2: How to Write Copy That Sells: The Step-By-Step System for More Sales, to More Customers, More Often
Writing copy that sells without seeming “salesy” can be tough, but is an essential business skill. Ray Edwards teaches you to write fast, easy-to-read, effective copy. Copywriters, freelancers, and entrepreneurs will find this an indispensable guide to creating copy that generates sales like magic.
Two of my favorite quotes from this copywriting classic:
“We start with this: what are you selling and how does it benefit the customer? You must drill this ‘big idea’ down to a single, clear sentence.”
“As the great copywriting legend Robert Collier said, you have to ‘join the conversation that is already taking place in the reader’s mind.’ You must speak to the person, expose the problem you are helping solve, and make a clear connection to the pain the problem causes. Person, problem, pain.”
Book 3: Influence
In Dr. Robert Caldini’s book on persuasion, he explains the psychology of why people say ‘yes”- and how to apply these understandings. You’ll learn the six universal principles and how to use them to be a skilled persuader.
One of my favorite quotes from this book is “The idea of potential loss plays a large role in human decision making. People seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than by the thought of gaining something of equal value.”
Book 4: Ogilvy on Advertising
A candid and indispensable primer on all aspects of advertising from the man Time has called “the most sought-after wizard in the business.” Included are how to write successful copy – and get people to read it, the secrets behind advertising that works, eighteen miracles of research.
A few of my favorite quotes from Ogilvy on Advertising:
“The consumer isn’t a moron. She’s your wife.”
“The headlines which work best are those which provide the reader a benefit.”
“I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
Book 5: Loveworks: How the World’s Top Marketers Make Emotional Connections to Win in the Marketplace
Lovemarks brands maintain a laser-like focus on making and sustaining emotional connections with consumers. Loveworks showcases 20 real-world business that implemented Lovemarks with examples spanning markets worldwide in widely varying categories. Rather than using the common business language of war (target, penetrate, ambush), Lovemarks uses the language of love (mystery, sensuality, intimacy).
Author Brian Sheehan shares, “My book shows that Lovemarks thinking works-anywhere, anytime. All it takes is having the brains to implement it, the guts to see it through and an abiding faith in emotion as your compass.”
I’d love to hear your insight about your favorites. Leave a comment below or send me an email at hope@hopeschaefer.com