So for a while I’ve been doing this thing where, when I read a great blog post or a cool business book, I’ll take notes in a black notebook that I keep specifically for that purpose. I’ve found that it helps me to remember what I read, and makes a handy reference when I want to go back and check something for more detail. Think of it as something of a swipe file.
At the same time, since I last wrote I’ve since taken a new job as The Marketing Department at Instructure, a small edu-oriented startup. This new job has shown me just how much my marketing education is lacking. To rectify the situation, I’ve come up with a list of influential advertising and marketing books, which I intend to read and take notes on. This brings me to my point: instead of keeping my notes in my black notebook, I think I’m going to try to keep them on this blog. That way, if you’ve read (or are reading) the same book, you can point out to me the obvious points that I have no doubt that I’ll miss. And maybe, if you haven’t read the book, you’ll still be able to glean some of the wisdom contained therein. At very least, you’ll get to see what happens when I try something I read about.
Also, I make no promises as to frequency of my posts, but I’m hoping for a post a week, at least.
As for my reading queue, here’s the list as it currently stands:
- “CROSSING THE CHASM” - Geoffrey A. Moore
- “THE E-MYTH REVISITED” – Michael E. Gerber
- “ALL MARKETERS ARE LIARS TELL STORIES” – Seth Godin
- “INFLUENCE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION” – Robert B. Cialdini
- “MADE TO STICK” – Chip and Dan Heath
- “TRUST AGENTS” – Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
- “POSITIONING: THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND” – Al Ries and Jack Trout
- “CRUSH IT” – Gary Veynerchuck
- “PURPLE COW” – Seth Godin
- “HEY, WHIPPLE. SQUEEZE THIS: A GUIDE TO CREATING GREAT ADVERTISING” – Luke Sullivan
- “OGILVY ON ADVERTISING” – David Ogilvy
- “GOOD TO GREAT: WHY SOME COMPANIES MAKE THE LEAP AND OTHERS DON’T” – Jim Collins
- “THE 22 IMMUTABLE LAWS OF BRANDING” – Al Ries
- “ADVERTISING, SECRETS OF THE WRITTEN WORD” – Joseph Sugarman
- “THE 22 IMMUTABLE LAWS OF BRANDING” – Al Ries and Laura Ries
- “WHERE THE SUCKERS MOON: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN” – Randall Rothenberg
- “THE BOOK OF GOSSAGE” - Howard Luck Gossage
- “BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING” – Malcom Gladwell
- “ICE TO THE ESKIMOS” – Jon Spoelstra
What do you think? Anything I’m missing in here?
(Thanks to AdAge.com and a few other sites and sources for the recommendations.)
I’m looking forward to your blog plan, Nate. If you can, you should bump up “Influence” higher on your priority list. It was an awesome book that changed the way I approach digital media.
Thanks for the suggestion, Scott. The list wasn’t originally in order, but I’ve changed that, and bumped your recommendation up to 3rd (“Crossing the Chasm” pretty much mirrors my paradigm in my current marketing situation, so it’s first on the list, followed by “The E-Myth Revisited,” which I hear is revelatory). You should definitely let me know if I’m “getting it” while I’m reading it.
Can’t wait to see your insights, notes, and highlights Nate.
Have you read “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath? “Trust Agents” by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith is another obvious must read. I could go on for days about influential books that every market or web savant must read, but I’ll just stick to listing those two choices for now.
Thanks Tanner. You’re right, those should definitely be on the list, not sure how I overlooked them. *slaps forehead* They’re added now.
I’m excited about this… I think I might follow your lead. Let me know what book you’re starting with, and I’ll try to keep up with your lightning-speed reading.
Ironically, I own a few of these books, but they have yet to be read.
Bags – I think I’m going to read them in the order that I’ve listed them on the site. Feel free to tag along, it’s gonna be epic!