12 Best Marketing Books For Young Professionals
What’s one book all young professionals should read about marketing? To help you discover the best book in marketing for young professionals, we asked marketing professionals and business leaders this question for their best recommendations. There are several marketing books that are recommended to help you understand the principles, and learn the ropes in marketing as a young professional.Here are 12 marketing books these leaders have read and highly recommend for all young professionals:
- Contagious, Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
- Hooked by Ryan Hoover
- Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Understand Your Customers to Drive Action and Loyalty by Nancy Harhut
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Influence. The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- This is Marketing by Seth Godin
- Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy
- Fanocracy by David Meerman Scott and Reiko Scott
- $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
- Marketing: An Introduction by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong
- Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson
- Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Contagious, Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
One of the most important books for younger marketers is by far “Contagious, Why Things Catch On”. While other similar books may all deliver similar punchlines, saying that there’s no magical way to succeed and that what you need is tenacity and hard work, Berger approaches things from a different perspective. His book is all about teaching you why some ideas hit it big and become the next big thing that all of the world talks about, and why others fail to do so. A very eye-opening book that will no doubt prove a good and intriguing read.
Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
Hooked by Ryan Hoover
One of the best books on broader marketing psychology and business growth is ‘Hooked’ by Ryan Hoover. It’s about how you create habit-forming products, essentially those that customers come back to, time and time again. However, product innovation and advice aside, I think it’s more about what makes a brand ‘trusted’ via its marketing processes, and it really looks behind the curtain at what makes the mind of the consumer ‘tick’ based on not only your products but your approach in marketing them.
Wendy Makinson, HR Manager , Joloda Hydraroll
Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Understand Your Customers to Drive Action and Loyalty by Nancy Harhut
What will truly set young professionals apart from other marketers is if they understand consumer psychology and behavioral economics. Nancy Harhut’s new book Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Understand Your Customers to Drive Action and Loyalty needs to be on everyone’s to-be-read list. She provides easy-to-understand and actionable tips on behavioral science techniques. It’s clear, to the point, and unlike so many marketing books… it’s free of fluff!
Marissa Pane, Online Marketing Strategist, Pane Marketing
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Every young professional should read the sales classic from Dale Carnegie – “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” There are so many skills you learn in school that are academic in nature, but the ability to build and deliver value through relationships is paramount for success. Especially as we live more of our lives behind screens and phones, it’s critical to understand how to listen, find what motivates others, communicate effectively, and “win others over” in order to generate interest in what you’re building, selling, etc.
Ali Schwanke, CEO / B2B Marketing Strategist, Simple Strat
Influence. The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
“Influence. The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini. The book was first published in 1984 and revised countless times later so far. The author of this oldie but goldie marketing evergreen is a researcher widely known for his studies on influence and persuasion. He presents science in a reader-friendly, witty manner.
“Influence. The Psychology of Persuasion” is a fascinating review of influence principles supported by real-life examples. What I really appreciate about the book is the fact the suggested techniques are original, effective, and based on ethical psychological solutions at the same time. True must-read about marketing for all young professionals!
Agata Szczepanek, Community Manager, Resume Now
This is Marketing by Seth Godin
The language, the examples, the concepts, everything is tied so well together, and you can’t stop yourself from highlighting the entire page. I have learned many valuable marketing lessons – frameworks, tactics, insights, and the role of customers for an organization, from this book and would recommend it to everyone stepping into a marketing role.
Nupur Mittal, Content Writer, Mailmodo
Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy
They should read “Ogilvy on Advertising” by David Ogilvy. This book really opened my eyes to how powerful marketing can be. It’s not a book that goes deep into psychology but it’s a very motivational book that will inspire you to create amazing products. Now, I do recommend that you also read books that are more psychology-based like “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini. I also recommend that you read books that take a broader view of marketing. The best book that I’ve found is “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz. It’s not a marketing book but it’s a book that talks about the psychology of startups and how to build one.
Luciano Colos, Founder & CEO, PitchGrade
Fanocracy by David Meerman Scott and Reiko Scott
“Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans” by David Meerman Scott & Reiko Scott, is about how to drive success. Their research into really successful organizations reveals that amazing businesses put “the needs and wishes of fans ahead of every other priority.” Raving fans can make brands succeed. Understanding the power of devoted consumers and customers is to understand the essence of marketing. These two authors (a Baby Boomer and a Millennial) show how different brands, from local small businesses to national brands, have created their fan base. And, in turn, these fans have made these organizations great. It’s a win-win situation.
I highly recommend this book for anyone starting out in marketing because it will change how you think about marketing and how you can create marketing success at the small business level.
Janet Granger, CEO/Marketing Strategist/Mentor/Coach, Two Beagles
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
My number one marketing book recommendation is $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi. This book is focused on how to design an offer or USP that really stands out in your market, sets you apart from the competition, and makes working with you a no-brainer decision for any prospect or potential customer who is in need of your products or services. We used this book to craft the messaging for our Ecommerce agency and have seen a great response from new prospective clients. The strategies are evergreen and applicable in any market. They’re based on human psychology, what makes people say ‘yes’, and how you can overcome common reasons people wouldn’t trust or buy from a brand.
Ryan Turner, Founder, EcommerceIntelligence.com
Marketing: An Introduction by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong
“Marketing: An Introduction,” by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong. This book is considered the bible of marketing and is a great starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about the subject. It covers all the basics of marketing, from market research to advertising and promotion. The book provides a solid foundation for anyone who wants to enter the field of marketing. It’s also a great resource for experienced professionals who want to brush up on their skills.
Martin Seeley, CEO, Mattress Next Day
Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson
I started my business from scratch with no outside investment and very little money. I handle my business’s marketing on my own, and I’ve had to get creative to make sure I’m reaching my target audience. I’ve found one book to be particularly helpful and all young professionals should read it: “Guerrilla Marketing” by Jay Conrad Levinson. The book offers unconventional but effective marketing techniques that can be used on a shoestring budget. For example, Levinson suggests using public places for advertising and turning customers into walking billboards by giving them T-shirts with your company’s logo. I’ve found that these low-cost methods have been extremely effective in getting my business noticed.
Ludovic Chung-Sao, Lead Engineer & Founder, Zen Soundproof
Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
“Don’t Make Me Think” changed my business overnight over a decade ago. Learning how users navigate a website, and where and why they click is foundational knowledge for any digital marketer today. Just because a design looks great, does not mean it will convert. And marketing today is all about conversions. This book changed my life as a marketer.
Scott Krager, Founder, TubeSplit.com
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