10. Crossing the Chasm
Comparing the "Innovators" and "Early majority" (the terminology of the book), Geoffrey Moore draws the map of new markets in his book. Although devoted to high technology, this book can be applied to any field of business with its given examples and solutions.
9. The Life of PT Barnum
You may think that "personal trademark" is the product of internal ego with high demands. However, the greatest master of self-promotion was Phineas Taylor Barnum (known American showman and businessman of 19th century). Being a true showman, for more than half a century, he has managed to create, raise, modify and enhance his social image. His competitors managed to defeat him at the expense of his own, inherent only to Barnum methods. This book is considered one of the most entertaining and informative books on marketing.
8. Selling the invisible
The biggest economic transformation of the last 50 years is the economic transition from production sector to the service sector in the US and Europe. According to the author Harry Beckwith, to gain the success of such a transition the owner or a manager of a business must have strong diplomatic skills to develop relationships with cooperating companies.
A valuable quote from the book: "That is, marketing is not the image of the behavior and the way of thinking. It begins with the understanding of the unique nature and characteristics of the specific service, and at the same time, the evaluation of costumers’ fears, their limited time, and sometimes illogical way of the driving behavior and needs. "
7. Influence
From the first line to the last the book by Robert Cialdini tells the reader about different ways of getting the answer "yes" from a costumer. As a result of intensive practical observations, Cialdini reviews a profound influence of words and actions on customers, employees and even competitors.
6. Positioning
20 years ago, since the publication to the present day, the classic work by Al Ries and Jack Trout considers the highlights of product positioning on the background of a wide range of goals and actions of various individuals and companies. Despite the fact that some practical tips are a little dated, the book is basic, essential and must-read.
5. Buyology
Explaining marketing through neurosurgery, Martin Lindstrom considers the effect of various mental forces on our thoughts and actions. Most importantly, Martin Lindstrom tells about how to calculate these (market) pulses and how to use them in a marketing campaign.
4. Permission marketing
For decades marketing experts have considered marketing as delivering a brand to a consumer. Seth Godin destroys this concept and shows that today people have so many choices that can choose and use the desired brand themselves.
3. Guerrilla Marketing
30 years ago Jay Conrad Levinson took marketing from large corporations and handed it to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The book tells that if you are talented and creative, you don’t have necessarily to spend a lot of money to become noticeable in the market.
2. Long Tail
If the 20th century was the century of domination of hit products , then the 21st century will give advantage to niche products, that is, markets / segments of production having the potential sale, but without the fact of such sale (unused). According to a startling list of author Chris Anderson, this will happen as a result of improving sales skills through the Internet.
1. Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
As a result, marketing is understanding of groups of people and their way of thinking. For decades, technologies have been changing, but the human factor remains the same forever. Therefore, it is not surprising that a work written in 1841 by Charles MacKay about the nature of groupthink, remains relevant to the present day. After reading this book, you will never be surprised by the reason of the Great Recession in 2008-2010.