Friday, June 26, 2015

Small Business Marketing - Summer Reading List

Summer is here & most of us take some time off for some much-needed rest & rejuvenation. But that doesn't mean your marketing has to stop.

In fact, while you're enjoying the time off, pick up one or more these great marketing reads:

1001 Ways to Market Yourself and Your Small Business, by Lisa Shaw - this little book is a fast-paced, fun read and covers just about every marketing tactic pre-1997. Good sage, basic marketing advice.

(The) eBay Marketing Bible, by Cliff Ennico and Cindy L. Shebley - this book written by my good friend and business attorney, Cliff Ennico a certified eBay Instructor. Don't let the title discourage you if you're not on eBay - this book is a great online marketing source as well. And, don't overlook Chapter 5 - Offline Marketing Strategies and Tools, featuring yours truly as the quoted contributor.

Guerilla Marketing, by Jay Conrad Levinson - this is actually a series of many books, each tailored to a specific marketing niche such as his title specifically for Home-Based Business. Each of the books in this series is worth the read and the franchise has become legendary in business book circles.

Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results, by Jack Mitchell - written in a no-nonsense, folksy manner by the CEO of Mitchells/Richards two of the most successful clothing stores here in Connecticut. This guy can sell anything to anyone. If you've ever been to one of his stores you know the average price of anything in there is several thousand dollars, and his customers beg him for more. Fortunately for us, he tells us exactly how he does it.

Imagineering: How to Profit from Your Creative Powers, by Michael LeBouef, PhD - more than just a marketing book, this is really an idea book and shows the reader how to think big and unleash creative potential personally and professionally.

Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing Out of Sync?, by Seth Godin - the premise here is to take a step back from all the "toppings" such as ad words, blogs, videos, etc. and concentrate on the basic ice cream so that you make it great, THEN add the toppings. Billed as "the definitive guide to the fourteen trends no marketer can afford to ignore" this small book is full of interesting and funny stories.

Mismarketing: Case Histories of Marketing Misfires, by Thomas L. Berg - written from an academic point of view in 1970, this interesting book is still very on target. Professor Berg analyzes some of the biggest "oopsies" by some of the biggest US companies including DuPont, General Foods, Dow, and Union Carbide.

(The) Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools & Strategies for Business Success, by Lon Safko and David K. Brake - this book really is the size of a bible. It begins with a framework, explaining in detail how/when to use each tool available, then moves on to over 100 social media tools and their applications, and finally the authors have included mini exercises and assessments for business owners to conduct their own social media audit.

Where's My Fifteen Minutes?, by Howard Bragman - written by "the" celebrity PR guy, this is a very good primer on the art of the media and how to harness its power. He should know as he has represented some of the biggest celebrities and companies all over the world.


Affordable Marketing Solutions: Proven Techniques to Profitably Market Your Small Business, by Randye Spina - OK, so I'm shamelessly plugging my own book here, but I'm always so happy when I receive feedback from readers who tell me that my book REALLY helped them. I show you how to market your small business effectively and efficiently without wasting time or budget - period. I promise.

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