Best Marketing & Business Books Making the Short List

This is for you if you want to maximize conversions, revenues, and valuation

📰 Featured Post

When new marketing opportunities open up, early adopters make the greatest profit. However, when returns plummet due to market forces, it’s the innovators who continue to reap positive return on ad spend. Find out the secrets to success in this post “Early Adopters Crush It,” and why it’s reminiscent of the “Groundhog Day” movie.  

Some of my favorite curated things:

💡 Improve Conversions

I actually started this newsletter back in March 2022, so when I looked back, I found a gem that I want to share again by marketer John Limbocker. John compiled a list of over 50 ways to INCREASE CONVERSIONS. Something everyone wants to do always.

Some of these tips are crazy simple. Others might cause you to re-visit your “big idea,” bundle of products and services, and/or pricing. One example: the Money Shot. John recommends creating an image, photo or otherwise, that represents the products and/or services you offer.

John even does a 55-minute video to walk you through every one of these options. You’ll need it to decode what he means by BAP, CPB and WSGAT, but you’ll appreciate these expressions. It’s well worth the time to glean even one new idea that could improve results.

Find John’s video and grab the list, “Top 50 Conversion Maximizers” here. Psst…I used one of the techniques in my headline above.

💡 Let Testimonials Sell For You

When you get tired of beating your own drum to promote your services, do what Josh Spector did. Let a testimonial do the work. Promote a podcast episode this way…Or courses and products like this…There’s another big benefit to this. As Costco CEO Craig Jelinek said in a CNBC interview with Jim Cramer about why they don’t advertise,  but count on word of mouth “because you can’t buy the credibility your customers give.”

You might notice that I wrote a couple of those testimonials. I think it’s important to show appreciation. I was surprised and delighted that Josh shared them with his audience. LinkedIn trainers will suggest giving kudos, meaningful comments, and testimonials as terrific ways to develop relationships and get more exposure.

💡 10x Valuation? Uh-huh.

My friend and M&A expert Marty Fahncke wrote a piece well worth consideration about the value of creating a subscription model. Whether you are a solopreneur, or a large company, customers who subscribe to services not only create a reliable revenue stream, but also adds significant asset benefits to the entire business by increasing valuation. What would a 10x valuation mean for your business?

💡 Top Marketing and Business Books

Marketing and business experts share incredible, valuable insights in their books and publications. I’ve curated this short list of some of my favorites, but there are more to come. FYI, the links to the books are Amazon affiliate (ad) links.*

📗Matthew Dicks’ “Storyworthy” makes sure you will never be short of ideas for what to write. Your story must reflect change over time. Matthew developed a daily ritual to record a few notes, his “story of the day,” that evolved so now he sees stories everywhere. I enjoyed this book so much, that I created a template for that daily ritual. It works!

📗 “We were not born with an understanding of media etiquette, pitching ideas, or how to stay cool in the face of surprises,” according to the author of “Media Darling,” Joanne McCall.

📗Of course, James Clear’s Atomic Habits makes the list for business productivity. “Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound.” Bundling or “stacking” habits is such an innovative way to engage new routines. If you haven’t read it yet, start there.

📗”Don’t just say what works; tell them why it works and what led you to this moment. Be as specific as possible. Don’t say solution — tell me what your product does . Don’t say a lot — tell me how many.” This is a taste of Ann Handley’s “Everybody Writes,” one of the best books on copywriting anywhere.

📗”Here’s the mantra I use to curb my own media consumption: “Create before you consume. Meaning, it’s imperative that I create the life (and work) of my dreams before I unconsciously and habitually consume the creations of others,” writes Marie Forleo in “Everything Is Figureoutable.”

📗Kyle Gray created a system to grow traffic by 10% month over month that he shares in “The Story Engine.” He includes a ton of additional resources, such as wonderfully useful templates.

📗Sean D’Ourz muses in “The Brain Audit: Why Customers Buy (And Why They Don’t)” about our customers’ plight. “Your customer is juggling several problems all at once. If you don’t elevate your problem, your customer will never notice your product or service.” (Callback to John Limbocker here – his term BAP, Big A*# Problem.)

📗”It is critical that you measure execution. We have found that if you execute a minimum of 85% of the actions due in your weekly plan each week, you are very likely to hit your goal at the end of the 12 weeks.” This is what Brian Moran teaches us in the 12 Week Year.

📗Studies have shown that nearly 20 percent of all purchases are a result of word of mouth. Jay Baer covers how to generate more word of mouth for your business in “Talk Triggers.”

📗”People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” Posed by Simon Sinek in “Start With Why,” this question is a core pillar for any company to answer, put in branding guidelines, share with employees, clients, prospects, vendors, and colleagues.

📗 Claudia Gere offers really good ideas and examples in “Name Your Book: 94 Non-fiction Title Tips” that can also apply to naming products or processes.

📗Author of “The Boron Letters,” famed copywriter Gary Halbert offers tons of wisdom on life and business as well as writing. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“Try things at least twice.”

“Everyone wants to climb the mountain, but the big difference between those at the top and those still on the bottom is simply a matter of showing up tomorrow to give it just one more shot.”

“Money, in my opinion, especially big money, is most often a by-product of enthusiasm.”

Free Tool

AI Carousel generator: Both Kim Doyal and Denise Wakeman rave about how easy this tool is to easily create quality carousel and reel content surprisingly fast.

What I’m Working On

Coming soon, a list of lead magnet ideas, many of which can be micro-products.

Next Month

I’ve published Best Free Courses, Best LinkedIn Experts, Best Newsletters, Best Podcasts and Best Marketing and Business Books. Next up: Best Blogs for marketing and business.

Road Trip: New Mexico

If you get the chance to travel to these badlands near Grant, N.M., you’ll see traces of Native American and Spanish explorers near lava flows and ice caves. It’s a stunning vista from the ruins.

Simple Make-Ahead Pasta Salad Recipe

Pasta, imitation crab (or the real thing), a little Italian dressing, and seasonings. Easy, fast, and portable.

Let’s Connect! (On Medium for books, course, newsletter, products, and socials).

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*Affiliate disclosure: From time to time, I may recommend something I use, or that I have used with a client or someone I respect has used. I’ll let you know with affiliate link notice. I’m also a member of the Medium Partner Program. I may get a credit or a small spiff, but you will never pay more because I get a reward. Sometimes we both get rewards!