Recently, more and more people have been asking what books an online marketing agency team would recommend to those who want to improve their online marketing skills. So, we’ve put together a selection of our favourite marketing books! These provide a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for the whole Chiro team in their day-to-day work. Join us and let us guide you through the world of marketing books!
Books through the lens of an online marketing agency
Robert Cialdini: Influence
Robert Cialdini’s book gives you an insight into the art of persuasion. And not just in theory: the author writes about influencing for collaboration at a practical level. He backs up his claims with scientific facts and research, which makes the book credible. Reading “The Influence”, one can see that Cialdini’s experience in the field is not only theoretical, as he himself has been a trader. Yet he backs everything up with scientific facts and research, making the reading even more credible.
Roger Dooley: Brainfluence
Dooley’s book takes you into the field of neuromarketing and gives you practical advice on how to influence your customers’ decisions. This book is full of concrete marketing case studies that can help you in your day-to-day work. The only downside is that it is not a modern copy, so it gives more offline examples. However you can easily adapt these to the online space, your own territory and interface.
Peter Serfőző: Branding and visual response
Péter Serfőző’s book covers the basics of branding and visual communication. Although recommended primarily for graphic designers and designers, it is also a very useful read for marketers. He builds the science of branding from the ground up: in a practical way, with excellent questions and examples, he guides you through how to invent your own brand. At Chiro we often use the methodology Peter outlines when we are developing a marketing strategy for a client.
If you’re interested in more on the topic, Peter was recently a guest on our Marketing MSc podcast. During the show he takes listeners through the maze of brandsprint, the maze of creating a barnd indentity.
Seth Godin: All Marketers are Liars
“It’s not enough to tell the facts, people want the story” – is the book’s motto. We have to agree. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in marketing. People don’t buy what they need, they buy what they want. And Godin’s book shows you step by step how to use this technique in marketing and how to make consumers want your product. While this book gives more practical advice, Carmine Gallo’s Storytelling is more of a guide and inspiration if you want to take your storytelling to a professional level.
Peter Frans Anthonissen: Crisis Communication
We wish you never have to use the knowledge in this book. Alas, as a marketer, let alone as a manager of an online marketing agency, it is important to have up-to-date knowledge of crisis communication. When the crisis hits, your mind becomes narrowed and panic sets in. This means that you are likely to make mistakes in communication tasks and decisions that are otherwise easy. The book published by HVG teaches you not to act on instinct, like a gut feeling, but consciously, according to the rules of crisis communication.
Les Binet & Sarah Carter: How not to plan? 66 ways to screw it up
A readable, brutally practical book that introduces you to the ins and outs of planning a marketing strategy. It includes checklists, case studies, research, but also touches on the topics of objectives. These include product portfolio, communication tools and even budget. Along the way, you’ll learn what the most common mistakes are and how to avoid them.
+1 Edward de Bono: How to Have Creative Ideas
Edward de Bono’s book is actually a workbook to help you develop your creativity. It contains 62 games, which you can increase to an infinite number by swapping items. Playful though it may be, this book will get you serious results. If you feel like you’re just not getting the ideas, or your brain isn’t moving as it should, the minute-long exercises will help you break through the creative block. And if you work for an online marketing agency or want to work for one in the future, I highly recommend it.
Looking to work for an online marketing agency? Improve yourself!
Reading and self-improvement are useful companions in both your personal life and your career. It has many benefits beyond professional advancement. But what are they?
In general, reading reduces stress and increases empathy. It can also slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia! Some studies show that reading activates areas of the brain, keeping the brain moving. And for marketing professionals, it gives you one of the most important skills: the more you read, the more effectively you’ll be able to communicate. Because reading expands your vocabulary.
It also improves memory and creativity. If you read a longer story, you’ll have to memorise more of it, which will increase new brain pathways and strengthen old ones, improving short-term memory and creativity. In fact, reading is one of the most effective ways to improve creativity. Moreover, the more you turn the pages and get inspired, the easier it will be to solve new problems.
Reading is golden
Fortunately, you can develop not only creativity but also writing skills – perhaps one of the most important in the profession – by reading The more books you leaf through, the more styles and techniques you’ll learn, all of which will shape your own writing. This will help you write more effective and efficient blogs, ad copy and proposals. You will even benefit from this skill when writing job descriptions.
We hope that you will find the books listed above a source of inspiration and that you will find them useful. And if you need help with your marketing, don’t hesitate to contact us! Everyone at Chiro Marketing will be working to help you achieve your goals; contact us with confidence and ask us for help today!
In the 29th episode of the Marketing MSc Podcast, Noémi Matykó, CEO of Chiro Marketing, talks more about the books, adding her own experiences, so if you want to go deeper into the topic, listen to the show on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts!
