Last year we wrote an article titled The Five Best Content Marketing Books of 2019. As a continuation of bringing some popular and lesser known marketing materials to industry professionals and anyone with a hunger for more information, today we present our picks for three (3) more must-read marketing books. This list will focus on some more interesting and lesser known books in addition to the more well-known best sellers on the market today. Additionally, we will extend our search beyond the most recently released books and pick three essential reads for anyone interested in modern marketing practices.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die 2007
Authored by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die has been an influential book both inside and out of the marketing community. As the authors put it: “Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas?” This revolutionary marketing book takes a close look at what makes ideas stick while others fade away with surprising answers.
By examining success stories and failures, Chip and Dan Heath help us to understand the intersection between communication and marketing practices. Anecdotes and deep dive analyses throughout history range from gastroenterologist Barry Marshall to elementary school teachers and everything in between. In the modern world where marketing is often focused on the next big technology or so-called revolutionary delivery systems, getting down to the core of human communication and understanding can be refreshing and essential!
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind 1980
Authored by Jack Trout and Al Ries, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind carries the rare distinction of being perhaps even more relevant today as it was upon its release some 40 years ago. Trout and Ries were beginning to feel the oversaturation of marketing even then, and introduced the idea of “positioning” as opposed to then traditional marketing methods. We now understand that brand positioning is perhaps the number one priority of any solid marketing effort.
Much like Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind is a timeless book for any marketing professional or amateur. It lays the groundwork for modern marketing methodologies by exploring how customers interact with brands, how brands can use basic human psychology to their benefit, and some very concrete lessons, including:
- The importance of being first in your industry/service line. This does not necessarily mean inventing your own industry, but it does entail being an innovator that is tied directly to an idea/product.
- How developing a niche can be more beneficial than fighting for the number one spot. There is only one Google in the world, and while no software companies are likely to overcome them anytime soon, thousands of tech companies have carved out a successful niche in their own markets.
- Know what your consumers want. While the list could go on, Trout and Ries also describe the importance of “echoing” what your consumers already think and feel. Positioning is all about molding your brand to customer wants and needs.
Data-Driven Marketing with Artificial Intelligence: Harness the Power of Predictive Marketing and Machine Learning 2018
The 2018 marketing book: Data-Driven Marketing with Artificial Intelligence written by Magnus Unemyr and Martis Wass is a huge departure from our other two selections in this list. Where Made to Stick and Positioning are timeless classics, this work is a cutting edge look into big data, AI, and how technology is changing the marketing world. Yet much like our other two selections, we feel that this is a must read for even non-tech savvy marketing pros.
Whether we like it or not, technology will continue to drive marketing and branding decisions moving forward. Data-Driven Marketing with Artificial Intelligence uses interviews with industry professionals, advanced research, and real-world examples to show how technology has already changed our world and will adapt over time.
Unemyr and Wass use their expertise to lay out a guide for how to use big data and AI to get the upper hand in marketing battles. This book effectively combines tech talk and marketing wisdom to provide a complete picture of the modern marketing landscape. A must-read for anyone in the marketing industry!
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