For The Marketer's Book Shelf: Part 1
Marketing is fast evolving but we need to blend new technologies with tried and tested strategies put down by the gurus. It’s essential to keep yourself updated about current trends, classic martech strategies and learn new skills. Do you have the right books on your shelf? The business world has reached a pivotal point where […]
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Marketing is fast evolving but we need to blend new technologies with tried and tested strategies put down by the gurus. It’s essential to keep yourself updated about current trends, classic martech strategies and learn new skills. Do you have the right books on your shelf?
The business world has reached a pivotal point where advancing technology is allowing organisations to seamlessly merge the physical and digital realms. Adding new digital marketing tools and executing innovative ad campaigns are every marketer’s priorities, and they know that nothing is seemingly impossible anymore.
However, marketing challenges are universal; some take the time to pen them down. Learning from personal experiences, case studies, and anecdotes can give readers a different perspective on problem-solving and achieving better, more effective marketing and business outcomes. Moreover, books can offer philosophical and leadership approaches that help one beyond the borders of marketing.
We asked C-suite executives what they were reading and if they could recommend a must-read book. We have also added recently published books that deserve a shout-out.
Read on to find out.
Dare To Lead
Author: Brené Brown
Published in 2018
Recommended By: Umesh Agarwal, Regional Project Manager, Axiom Telecom
Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts is for everyone ready to choose courage over comfort to make a difference and be a better leader. Brown spent two decades researching the emotions that give meaning to our lives. With in-depth research, she found that leaders in organisations ranging from SMEs, start-ups, and non-profits to Fortune 50 companies ponder the same questions — How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? How do you add courage in your culture?
Brené writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that courage can be taught, developed and measured. Courage is a collection of four skill sets supported by twenty-eight behaviours. All it requires is a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations and showing up with our whole hearts. Easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is not easy. Is it worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and work. It’s why we’re here.”
80/20 Sales and Marketing
Author: Perry Marshall
Published in 2013
Recommended By: Commercial and Marketing Head, Etisalat
80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More talks about an 80/20 software tool. Marketers uncover how to slash time-wasters; advertise to hyper-responsive buyers and avoid tire-kickers; gain coveted positions on search engines and differentiate themselves from competitors and gain esteem in their marketplace. Supported by online tools from the marketing consultant, Marshall discusses the 80/20 tool that can help discover invisible money, and a Marketing DNA Test, a personal assessment that zeroes in on one’s natural selling assets.
Finding Gold Dust
Author: Gavin Scott
Published in 2020
Recommended By: Christopher Brooks, CX Consultant, Lexden CX
Finding Gold Dust: How to Create Exceptional Customer Experiences is a collection of stories from the author’s life and his time working in customer service. Each contains a valuable lesson you can apply to your customer interactions today to add value to every conversation. There is ‘Gold Dust’ in every conversation you have with a customer, as long as you know where to look, and Gavin shares his knowledge and inks easy steps to drive more successful customer interactions. The book offers actionable insights on how to help one retain customers and increase the amount of time your customers spend with you.
NEW ON THE RADAR
Marketing Artificial Intelligence
Author: Paul Roetzer, Mike Kaput
Published in 2022
As data exponentially increases, marketers’ ability to filter through the noise and turn information into actionable intelligence remains limited. Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business draws on years of research and dozens of interviews with AI marketers, executives, engineers, and entrepreneurs to show marketers how to embrace AI and make it their competitive advantage. Roetzer and Kaput present the current potential of AI and a glimpse into a near future where marketers and machines work seamlessly to run personalised campaigns of unprecedented complexity with simplicity.
Future Skills
Author: Bernard Marr
Published in 2022
How can one stay afloat in an ocean of constant change and technological revolution? Future Skills: The 20 Skills and Competencies Everyone Needs to Succeed in a Digital World discusses how one can prepare for the digital future of work. It lays out skills in the highest demand, why they’ll command a premium price, and how to develop them. Marr includes strategies for improving human-centred skills, insight into digital skills, like data literacy and cyber-threat awareness, and approaches to make one an indispensable component of future firms.
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