Home > Resources > 20 Best Marketing Books That You Shouldn’t Miss

20 Best Marketing Books That You Shouldn’t Miss

Written and researched by experts at AvadaLearn more about our methodology

By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

Drive 20-40% of your revenue with Avada
avada email marketing

Maybe you come to Marketing as a real ads runners, a copywriter carefully worded for each word or an account planner that knows customers and your team, no matter what position you are in, it is difficult to climb to the top of this industry if you ignore the background knowledge.

As well as all subjects must have textbooks, Marketing also has books that “lie at heart”. AVADA has compiled the top 20 must-read books for marketers. In the following amazing books on marketing, marketers will have access to knowledge from the masters of marketing such as Philip Kotler, Seth Godin, etc. They are the pioneers in marketing and succeed in uplifting giant brands, reaching customers easily, and ultimately making customers spend money. Let’s find out!

Why reading marketing books still matters?

Bagging a good marketing book is like having yourself the secret to extremely effective marketing. Accordingly, there are many reasons for people to buy marketing books and read right away. Typically as:

  • Marketing books provide many new advertising thinking ways to help people change old thinking and make a breakthrough. This will be an important factor for marketers to make a difference in the communication process.

  • Marketing books help marketers navigate the right communication path and help readers plan advertising strategies to bring products and services closer to users.

  • Inside a good book is a lot of valuable experiences drawn from very successful marketing experts. These will be invaluable lessons to help you avoid many unfortunate mistakes in marketing.

People who have a habit of reading will give them a solid foundation of knowledge that directly affects career and financial success throughout their lives.

Nowadays, technology is constantly evolving away from traditional marketing distribution methods. However, the fundamentals will never change.

Read more:

Here are 20 best marketing books that can give you advice from well-known industry experts and provide a solid foundation for marketing.

10 Best marketing books for beginners

1. Kotler on Marketing

Kotler on Marketing (Source: Amazon)
Kotler on Marketing (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $ 17.99 for paperback

Philip Kotler is a world-famous marketing professor, “father” of modern marketing. He is considered the only marketing legend, the grandfather of modern world marketing, one of the four “Greatest Managers of All Time” with Peter Drucker, Jack Welch and Bill Gates (as voted by the Financial Times).

He is known by millions worldwide as an expert in marketing, a senior speaker, author or co-author of more than 100 books and articles specializing in marketing and business administration. ; including “Kotler on Marketing.”

Considered one of the forebears of modern marketing, Philip Kotler and his advice is almost always a guideline for business people. This book “Kotler on Marketing” is a must-read before others and especially for beginners, because it is both detailed and concise enough to explain the core concepts: what is marketing, what is the process, SWOT, 4P, 4C, etc.

This book presents Philip Kotler’s long-awaited basic guidelines on marketing for managers. The book is written based on his phenomenally successful lectures around the world on marketing in the new era. The reader will explore the latest thinking, concisely expressed in a coherent, easy-to-read text on hot new areas such as magic database marketing, relationship marketing, high-tech marketing, global marketing, and Internet marketing. Besides, readers will also find his practical advice (who has been in the marketing industry for 38 years) about marketing.

2. Trout on Strategy

Trout on Strategy (Source: Amazon)
Trout on Strategy (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $19.60 for paperback

Jack Trout is the chairman of Trout and Partners, one of the most prestigious marketing firms in the US, with offices in 20 countries. This is the place for Jack Trout to demonstrate to the world the role of an expert in branding. Aside from “Trout on Strategy,” he is also well-known for a series of other specialized works on the brand such as “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” or a book about “Differentiate or Die,” “The Power of Simplicity, “ “ The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing “, etc.

The book “Trout on Strategy” specializes in developing strategies for more effective marketing. This amazing book provides useful content for a basic to complex strategy approach and gives the reader a broad strategic vision.

3. All Marketers are Liars

All Marketers are Liars (Source: Amazon)
All Marketers are Liars (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $12.99 for paperback

Compared to many good books on marketing, this is a marketing book with a fairly simple form, no need for headlines, and too much fanfare, but this is worth reading.

Marketing, which means telling customers the stories they want to believe. In a society where users are getting more demanding at receiving their messages, how can marketers win over customers’ hearts and confidence? Seth Godin’s book is not a book about tips, tricks, or how to weave information. By telling his ingenious story, Seth Godin opened the reader for a completely new business mindset and presented fundamental transformations in conveying the message.

According to the legendary author, hailed as this “Information Age’s best entrepreneur,” every marketer is a storyteller, only the losers are the liars. TTo market a product to be successful, the author has concluded that we do not necessarily have to list the characteristics that attract users and should not write down lies or brag about the products to the customers. Instead, you create a marketing method based on artistically telling the content and stories to build customer trust.n customers.

The “All Marketers are Liars” tells you how to tell reliable stories in a distrusting world. It is very likely that when we build up our own story, we are also easily tempted and include details that deceive customers, listeners - to seek benefits. So how to keep the balance between the delicate lines of marketing flair and being the scorned liar is an art that needs to be mastered.

4. Digital Marketers Sound Off

Digital Marketers Sound Off (Source: Amazon)
Digital Marketers Sound Off (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $14.99 for paperback

This amazing book will be an ideal choice for you if you are looking for tips, advice, and tips on everything about digital marketing.

With the help of 101 successful digital marketing specialists, Matt Chiera has written this book that goes into every aspect of digital marketing from content marketing to social media marketing and email marketing; especially, the book also has SEO related content.

It’s no doubt that this book is great for beginners. However, this book is also suitable for experts because it provides full details for anyone reading it to learn something.

Interestingly, this book isn’t entirely about success stories, but it’s also the biggest weaknesses of marketers these experts uncover and how to help them reinforce to improve their efforts and results.

5. #GetSocialSmart

GetSocialSmart (Source: Amazon)
GetSocialSmart (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $24.95 for paperback

Wondering how to get started with social media? #GetSocialSmart helps you identify key platforms to focus on and learn how to effectively use social media sites.

As part of building your social media strategy, you’ll also learn how to use various social technologies (including live streaming) to tell your company’s story and form. Also, nurture relationships with customers.

6. How Brands Become Icons

How Brands Become Icons (Source: Amazon)
How Brands Become Icons (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $28.85 for hardcover

Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, Nike, and Budweiser are rated higher by customers for their logo than they can do; these products are more than their brands; they are cultural symbols. How can managers create brands that have a strong influence on customers? Based on extensive analysis of America’s most successful iconic brands, the book’s author explains how to turn brands into icons through their potent symbolization stemming from change about culture and society.

Logos cannot be built through normal brand strategies that focus on margins, brand identity, and emotional relationships, he warned. Instead, he calls for a deeper cultural vision of traditional marketing platforms, positioning, brand equity, brand loyalty, and drafting culturally differentiated brand principles. The ability to change the way companies approach everything from marketing strategy to market research to recruitment and management training.

With the “How Brands Become Icons”, managers can learn how to promote the most successful brands in the second half of the last century to brand their logos.

7. Crossing the Chasm

Crossing the Chasm (Source: Amazon)
Crossing the Chasm (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $15.49 for paperback

By identifying the differences between “moderns”, “backward people”, and a whole group of people in between these two extremes, author Geoffrey Moore has drawn a path to developing new markets.

Although Moore focuses primarily on marketing and sales in the tech sector, the lessons and examples that the author gives in this compelling marketing book can still be applied to many industries and fields.

We live in an era of change at a dizzying pace. Customers’ needs and tastes are also changing to a higher degree, requiring technology businesses to innovate to adapt to the market continually. To meet that requirement, businesses need to have appropriate marketing strategies, even give up the marketing habits when starting a business, and apply completely new and specialized strategies.

The “Crossing the Chasm” has become the Bible to help businesses overcome the “chasm” of the market - the gulf between the emerging technology market and the mass market. This is a must-read for those who want to step into the high-tech playground.

8. Good to Great

Good to Great (Source: Amazon)
Good to Great (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $14.99 for hardcover

Jim Collins - The author of a book about the business world “Good to Great” is both a learner and a teacher at great and enduring companies. Concerned with the big question “How can good companies, ordinary companies, or even companies that are in bad shape reach everlasting greatness?”, the author and co. spend a long time on researching and discovering how these companies grow, achieve high results, transform and leap from “good” to “great”. This is the thing that everyone is interested in, wants to find out, but not everyone has the patience to find the answer.

Finally, the book came out with 9 chapters clearly and clearly laid out and accompanied by carefully noted and detailed appendices. The layout of the logical book is clear, along with graphs, figures, and charts that are carefully and carefully recorded. Serious research and has undergone specific tests from the leap from the “good” to “great” level of 11 companies. Therefore, the information given is extremely useful and closer to reality than ever.

The way of integrating comparison in the book is also very interesting but extremely effective as the story between the hedgehog and the fox in chapter 5 and the helpful messages “Know yourself” and know how to turn awkward situations into the simplest idea. The most important points that the book emphasizes are ideas, strategy, discipline, technology, and, ultimately, how to build a foundation to leapfrog. Each of these conclusions has great and useful meanings that may even surprise readers, but it is difficult to deny the value and philosophy that the book brings.

Indeed, this is an indispensable book for those who are entering the business world and running large and small companies.

9. The Art of Social Media

The Art of Social Media (Source: Amazon)
The Art of Social Media (Source: Amazon)

Authors: Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick

Amazon: $14.49 for hardcover

Despite being a popular and useful marketing tool, how to get the most out of your social media marketing is not easy. Foreseeing this issue, “The Art of Social Media” of two social media strategists Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick presented more than 100 “tips” using social networks to achieve effective “marketing” “The Art of Social Media” is an essential Social Media Marketing manual for every small business to large global business.

“The Art of Social Media” shares all steps of building a solid foundation for Social Media, from attracting customers to expanding global influence by providing meaningful and practical value to those in your circle through social media.

Throughout the book by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick, one can find great guides to using social media for marketing such as setting up avatars and personal information to attract interested people. the ability to post original “videos” on Facebook, use the ripple of Google+ to build a connection, how to use hashtags to help customers find products, and so on. You can also find tips for making effective use of Pinterest, Twitter, and Hangouts, Instagram, Slideshare, and Linkedin to attract as much as possible customers and interested people.

Through “The Art of Social Media”, Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick provide a fairly realistic overview of what social media marketing is like and how to be successful in this field.

10. Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)
Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)

author: sam

Amazon: $13.98 for paperback

Smart marketers know that the majority of customers who buy goods are based on emotion. This awesome book will provide good examples of our irrational behavior as well as essential lessons and concepts for every marketing professional.

In a series of experiments aimed at clarifying the problem, Dan Ariely has countered the general view that humans are fundamentally based on reason. By combining in-depth research with practical experience, Ariely has given us an unexpected answer: we are sometimes more irrational than we think. Often even systematically irrational.

Ariely discovered that we not only make simple mistakes every day, but we also repeat them. We don’t understand the impact of our emotions on what we want and often overestimate what we have. But these mistakes are not random or meaningless. They can be predicted.

It can be said that the “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely is a particularly fascinating and inspirational book. It forces the reader to think more carefully about all their actions and those who are wrong to live a reasonable and better life. Therefore, it is not surprising that the book is still on the best-seller list even though it has been published for a year from its publication date.

10 best marketing books for entrepreneurs & marketers

1. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

author: sam

Positioning (Source: Amazon)
Positioning (Source: Amazon)

The concept of Brand Positioning was first introduced by American brand strategist Jack Trout in an article in the magazine “Industrial Marketing” in 1969. But until the book “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” This new concept was really welcomed by the US marketers and went into business life.

Who should read this book?

The first is business directors regardless of the industry, size, and type of business. In a competitive environment, product and service quality has become a similarity instead of a difference as before, they all share a fierce challenge: how do customers remember first, prefer, and buy often.

According to Al Ries & Jack Trout’s “ladder positioning” theory, there are usually only three brand names mentioned. Too little.

Even so, the author named the book “The Battle for Your Mind”. The word “battle” itself speaks fiercely. The war on perception is even more difficult. You know that. Today’s customers are sensitive, have a lot of options, and how difficult they are. In order to reserve a place in their narrow memory compartment, the authors have summarized a series of laws of cognition and behavioral psychology that are very helpful.

Another good reason to read this book is from Al Ries & Jack Trout himself. The two authors have a short and concise writing style. You will mostly come across single sentences. Even compound sentences with two propositions always have only one idea. Be direct and clear in ideas. You hardly have to frown to ask yourself if you understand the author or not. They have the ability to simplify academic matters to suit a wide range of readers who are very different in marketing knowledge. These will help you feel like you want to read through the book right from the first problem pages. For books on academic subjects, this is very rare.

2. Icarus Deception

author: sam

Icarus Deception (Source: Amazon)
Icarus Deception (Source: Amazon)

Seth Godin, the author of The Dip, Purple Cow, All Marketers Are Liars and other international bestsellers have changed the way entrepreneurs think and act. He is one of the most influential business bloggers in the world, and always one of the 25 most read bloggers in English. He is also the founder, CEO of Squidoo.com, and a very popular speaker.

The Icarus Deception is one of the most inspiring books by Seth Godin.

Everyone knew that Icarus’ father gave his wings and told him not to fly too close to the sun; He ignored the warning and plunged into his own death. Lesson: Work safely and listen to experts. It’s the perfect propaganda for the industrial economy. Which boss doesn’t want employees to believe that obedience and compliance are the keys to success?

But we tend to forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, as seawater would damage the lift in his wings. Flying too low is even more dangerous than flying too high because it makes him feel safe.

3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

author: sam

Influence (Source: Amazon)
Influence (Source: Amazon)

The classic book of persuasion by psychology, explains the psychology of why a person says “yes” and how to apply it. Dr. Robert Cialdini is a leading expert in the field of influence and persuasion, which is rapidly expanding. His 35 years of rigorous evidence-based research, coupled with a three-year program of research into what makes people change behavior, has led to this highly acclaimed book.

This is a very useful book for sales and marketing professionals. The author Robert Cialdini has analyzed the motivations for buying consent and the know-how for businesses to get them to this point. From many practical observations, Cialdini has drawn actions and words that have a substantial impact on customers’ needs and wants.

You will learn the six basic principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader, and how to defend yourself against them. This book applies to people in all areas of your life. Influencing principles will lead you to profound personal change that serves as a driving force for your success.

author: sam

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (Source: Amazon)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (Source: Amazon)

The author of the book is Malcolm Gladwell, an old writer of The New Yorker, with strange thinking ways. This book is about using our subconscious mind - thinking without thinking, making decisions “in the blink of an eye.” Gladwell’s writing is very attractive and engaging, accompanied by strange insights and exciting stories.

Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made at once - in the blink of an eye - really not as simple as it seems. Why do some people make excellent decisions while others are continually unsuccessful? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up making mistakes? How does our brain actually work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that cannot be explained to others?

According to the book, we meet the psychologist, who learns to predict whether a marriage will last based on a few minutes of observing a couple. A tennis coach knows when a player will make a foul even before the racquet is in contact with the ball. Antiquities experts recognized the fake at a glance.

Blink revealed that great decision makers aren’t the ones who process a lot of information.

5. Contagious, Why Things Catch On

author: sam

Contagious, Why Things Catch On (Source: Amazon)
Contagious, Why Things Catch On (Source: Amazon)

The “Contagious: Why things catch on” is a piece of artwork about Viral Marketing written by Jonah Berger, Professor of Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, and first published in 2013. It was the Bestseller as soon as it was published and during the following years, it still appears in the top highly recommend by who are professionals. It can be said that the “Contagious: Why things catch on” is considered as one of the “immortal” books in the Marketing industry.

Talking about the Principle of “Dispersing” or The Contagious Effect in Marketing, there must be hundreds of books on this topic, but few books clearly state the Mechanism that it “disperses” as well as How do you generate marketing ideas that can spread thousands of miles in seconds?

And the “Contagious: Why things catch on” is the “key” to those questions.

Jonah Berger stems from the idea that, on average, Americans engage in 16 conversations each day in which they will say something about a brand, product, organization, or service. “Contagious: Why Things Catch On” answers why a few products or ideas become social trends and others not.

The answer that Jonah Berger spent a long time studying, the “viral effect” is the key factor for a product or idea to impress society. This is also a genuine and trustworthy form of advertising, which is why this factor becomes core. The secret also lies in the psychology of the shared person and “Contagious: Why Things Catch On” introduces how to take advantage of the word of mouth factor in marketing quickly.

Last but not least, whether you care about marketing, politics, engineering, or public health, you definitely need to understand how to make your products and ideas socially noticed and well-received. The “Contagious: Why Things Catch On” will help you do it.

6. Shoe Dog

author: sam

Shoe Dog (Source: Amazon)
Shoe Dog (Source: Amazon)

The memoir “Shoe Dog” is one of the best-selling books in the world in 2016 and is a work with many valuable lessons for the startup, drawn from the story of the father of the famous Nike brand - billionaire Phil Knight.

Besides the start-up story of “real people, real things”, which are presented humorously and attractively in “Shoe Dog”, there are also valuable reflections of a modern Phil Knight, now a rich billionaire who has assets with over 30 billion USD.

Therefore, the memoir has been praised by both Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. In his 2017 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Warren Buffett said: “The best book I read last year was the Shoe Dog by Nike founder Phil Knight. Phil is an intelligent, talented businessman and an excellent storyteller.”

In this autobiography, Knight recounts his journey from traveling the world at the age of 24 until Nike first went public in 1980. Contains insightful advice on leadership as well as Shoe Dog’s compelling advertising strategies are an insight into the decisions that have brought Nike where it is today.

Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, was not interested in advertising and focused instead on athlete sponsorship. These include famous runner Steve Prefontaine and tennis player John McEnroe. As fans saw them using the company’s products, Nike’s image in the media and consumer markets as well as market share and sales accelerated rapidly.

7. Permission Marketing

author: sam

Permission Marketing (Source: Amazon)
Permission Marketing (Source: Amazon)

Today, the media has many annoying advertising campaigns, becomes less and less effective when customers are exposed to an overwhelming amount of information. It’s all based on “disruption” - businesses work through various forms of visual stimulation to interrupt and get the customer’s attention without their permission.

Permission Marketing is a groundbreaking concept created by author Seth Godin - who Business Week calls “The Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age”. This term helps businesses understand that conveying messages with respect is always the best way to get customers’ attention. In this title, the author points out that the key to successfully conveying information is “permission”, which captures potential customers’ attention in the right ways that make them feel comfortable with providing the messages, and then things will easily go on when we have consensus.

Therefore, what Seth Godin wrote in the book will be a solid foundation for businesses to effectively implement modern advertising campaigns by focusing on providing real value to potential customers.

author: sam

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (Source: Amazon)
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (Source: Amazon)

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay is a study of crowd psychology and is extremely relevant to this day, despite being rewritten in 1841. It explores how we can easily misunderstand, how can we think when popular opinion influences.

Mackay’s central theme in the book is the human tendency to develop herd psychology that leads individuals in the herd to act and respond to various stimuli. The reactions are very similar and predictable, and this madness has resulted in a downward spiral with undesirable effects. His book highlights a number of stories from history. Some lessons can still apply well today.

Even though technology changes and mentality and human needs are more complex, crowd-based marketing is still very useful. This book tells us that: before you want to market, think, and analyze the interests and behavior of a group of people first to come up with the right marketing strategy. As you read this book, you will find the huge success of your marketing campaigns obvious.

9. Email Marketing Rules

author: sam

Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)
Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)

Chad S. White is one of the leading email marketing experts who gained his popularity through Twitter. Chad White gives a step-by-step overview of 150 best practices for building a strategy designed for long-term success.

If you like to ignore the theory sometimes and get started right away - this is the perfect book for you.

It’s certainly not an entry-level Email Marketing book, but intermediate and advanced professionals will find it extremely helpful.

The book writes about the relevant program goals by understanding the “deep metrics” metrics and correct interpretation of the campaign. Besides, you know how to create high-quality listings by identifying valuable sources of subscriber list acquisition. In particular, the book helps you understand the factors that cause recipients to block senders, how to automate your messages, and the campaign process to avoid errors and speed up efficiency.

This is a great book with practical tutorials on building email lists, checklists, and strategy frameworks from one of the top email marketing gurus - Chad S. White.

10. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too

author: sam

Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)
Predictably Irrational (Source: Amazon)

Gary is one of the main speakers in the US as well as a television network. The reason he got where he is today is that he combines strategies and practical analysis with his passion and inclination. In order to help other young people also achieve success in life, Gary’s book “Crushing it” will be an essential document for all who want to understand and exploit the future of their business. Having passion is having everything and be patient step by step, that’s what he wants to convey to readers when reading this book. The book “Crushing it” will be the ultimate handwritten guide to modern business.

Gary Vaynerchuk is known as a pioneer in the field of online marketing. He is a talented businessman and alcohol expert who has revolutionized PR and marketing activities in the wine industry with video blog posts on Wine Library TV, growing the family wine business. from a scale of 4 million dollars to 60 million dollars in five years by focusing on the Internet and leveraging social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Blog, WordPress, YouTube, etc.

With his own abilities and the experience gained in the working process that he summarized, summarized in detail and clarity in the book gives readers a look of fever as well as create a determination, belief as well as help readers to have more will and energy to be able to boldly fulfill their dreams, even if you fail, if you are still passionate and enthusiastic, then your efforts will be rewarded.

Published on October 13, 2009, according to Amazon, the “Crush It” is the number 1 bestselling marketing book in the Web Marketing category, the best book on E-commerce and a motivational book for business.

If you are passionate, love business, want to explore the market, this book will be a useful guide to help you closer to success. Good luck!

Related posts:

Conclusion

To write a good Marketing book, the author has to accumulate experience for a long time. These books give readers the most practical insights into marketing knowledge and things to prepare or learn from. Not “just read and understand” but need to have specific evidence, so the “20 Best Marketing Books” above will bring you useful marketing knowledge. I hope that you can spend time reading all of these books so that you won’t find marketing hard anymore.


Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.