6 Books You Must Read in 2013

February 19, 2013 By 1 Comment

Last year, I offered up 12 awesome books that I felt anyone in my industry should read (you still should!). This year I’m adding six additional books to my must read list. Those of you who are connected with me on Facebook or Twitter may already have seen me posting about several of these titles. So without further introduction, here are the 6 books you must read in 2013.

 

The Brand GapThe Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design
by Marty Neumeier

What is the difference between a trademark, logo, and symbol? Is your brand what you say it is, or what they say it is? “Brand management is the management of differences, not as they exist on data sheets, but as they exist in the minds of people.” Right on Marty. If you’re serious about going beyond “marketing/advertising speak” and actually getting into the nitty-gritty of results – you can’t miss this one. Although… maybe you don’t mind if your company’s product becomes a commodity?

 

To Sell Is HumanTo Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
by Daniel Pink

Chapter 3 (From Buyer Beware to Seller Beware) alone is worth reading several times over. Plus you’ll not only help increase sales but sound really smart at parties when you learn the importance of limiting asymmetrical information for today’s buyer. Pink shows that everyone is in sales and is trying to “move others to take specific action.” Despite the deep content of this book, Pink’s style allows for a relatively quick and easy read without limiting his insight.

 

 

Be Our GuestBe Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service
by The Disney Institute

Who else would you trust to deliver not just an exceptional customer experience – but also one infused with joy? Disney delivers the secret to their success in this newly revised and updated book. It also includes highlights of how other companies have incorporated the lessons learned from the Disney Institute over the years. Lots of real world examples to be inspired by.

 

 

Upside of IrrationalityThe Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home
by Dan Ariely

No other author has had a larger impact in how I understand “typical” human behavior than Dan Ariely. It also provides TONS of scientific evidence that proves the value of a brand (perfect for those engineering types who think everything your department does is a waste of resources). The next time you scratch your head and wonder why humans don’t seem to make logical decisions – open this book up and you’ll soon understand. This book is a true joy to read and will leave you with limitless ways to take action and improve your results.

Great by ChoiceGreat by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All
by Jim Collins

Wow. I’m still shocked at how this book hasn’t gained the same praise and awareness of Jim’s classic “Good to Great.” Each and every concept introduced in this book will be lessons you will want to keep at your fingertips for the rest of your professional career. Everyone talks about how the world is changing faster than ever before, and is unstable and unpredictable. Jim shows that with the right set of management tools, you can become (and remain) great.

 

 

Epic Change by Timothy ClarkEPIC Change: How to Lead Change in the Global Age
by Timothy Clark

“The basic role of any leader is to maintain competitive advantage, not the status quo – that means leading change.” This book may simply be the right book at the right time for me, but I think it much more. Timothy describes the challenges that leaders face when embarking on change in a way no one else has ever done. It is real and raw – but 1000% right. Most importantly, it shows how as a leader you can tap into different sources of energy to counter the added stress and work that change often requires (Here’s a sneak preview).

 

Now it’s your turn. Which books are at the top of your list this year? Have you read any of the above books? Even more amazing would be to hear how you borrowed something from a book recently and took action on it… Your turn to share!

Filed Under: Market Research, Marketing Psychology, Marketing Strategy Tagged With: , , ,

12 Books to Read for 2012 – Part 2

January 9, 2012 By 1 Comment

Continued from 12 Books to Read for 2012 Part 1

7. Steve Jobs - I’m not going to even try to pretend that Steve Jobs made for the best role model of a father, husband or – even at times – a CEO. However, this insightful look at the development of many of the hottest consumer products ever helps you to understand just how far passion can take you. The idea to put an artist front and center in the development team, to not be run by focus groups, and to add value through curation  are all part of Job’s legacy. You will not want this book to end after you get into it.

8. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – What if you knew that by performing two simple actions you could almost guarantee improved responses to your marketing materials? What if you could drastically increase your sales conversion rates by making a subtle change to your presentation? These seem like fairy tale statements. The promise of a magical silver bullet, right? This classic shows you how you can predictably and repeatedly persuade others to take a desired action. You must promise only to use these powers for good!

9. Browsers to Buyers - When I left Ohio to join Heartland Homes in 2007, the first thing that arrived at my new address was Browsers to Buyers. I had ordered it during my last week at my previous employer, and it spurred the creation of our online sales position shortly after. It is currently being updated by the author – but it still is your best entry into the online sales person role. Just do what it says and see an immediate impact. This year, my online concierge team of 2 will assist with over 170 sales.

10. Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant - Brands are not just symbols you can recognize or names that roll off your tongue. Brands, used properly, are a weapon that the competition has no easy answer for. This is perhaps the best book of 2011 that you have never heard of.

11. What’s the Secret: To Providing a World-Class Customer Experience – No one sets out from the beginning to provide bad customer service, but the reality is that most places end up doing just that. What’s wrong here? This insightful book is packed with real life examples and illustrations of how to recruit, train, and empower those who work with you to provide truly remarkable experiences. I don’t know of a home builder yet who does this right… yet. You could be the first with this book.

12. The Toyota Way – Yes, I know about the whole problem with car brakes in 2009/2010, but that still doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two about business from Toyota. Most of us know that “waste” is something that is no longer needed and disposed of, but this book taught me that waste also occurs when you over engineer a product beyond the value level that your prospect is able to perceive. This book is packed with similar insights and is NOT just for manufacturing companies.

That’s it. The 12 books you shouldn’t put off reading any longer. They’ll have a positive impact on your attitude, your outlook, and most importantly – your results and how you achieve them. Here’s to a great 2012.

PS – Let me know what book you would add to this list!

Click here to see the first six books that made the list.

12 books to read in 2012

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12 Books to Read for 2012 – Part 1

January 9, 2012 By 3 Comments

12 books to read in 2012

As the New Year began I had many people ask me for a book recommendation. Some were sales people, some were small business owners, and some were just close friends so my answered varied widely. It made me think about what books I would put on my “must read” list for anyone in real estate marketing, advertising, or sales.

So here they are – The first six books on my list of must read books for 2012. Some are old classics, and some are recent best-sellers. Just know that if you read them all then you will be a step ahead of your competitors! (You can click the title of any book to learn more about it!)

1. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing- This should be the first book anyone in marketing, branding, or advertising reads on the subject. Then you should read it a second time and make flash cards. Then you should memorize them. Yep, it’s that important. It is also a very quick and easy read.

2. Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose - What kind of person would offer new recruits $2,000 to quit before training classes were over? Or encourage his employees to help customers order a pizza at 2am? A successful entrepreneur and customer service and company culture visionary – Tony Hseih, the CEO of Zappos.com. In 2009, Zappos.com was sold to Amazon.com for $1.2 billion. His insights are all valuable – and applicable – to your business. They may run contrary to the way most companies are run, but that probably only serves to prove that he’s on to something BIG… and that there is more to business than making a quick buck.

3. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions - Have you ever met someone who told you that they think marketing is a waste of time and money? That humans are rational, and will always pick the best value for their money? We all have! That’s why you need to read this book in order to show them scientific research that proves the opposite is true. Humans are not just irrational from time to time – but consistently and predictably. This book changed my life.

4. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity- All the great ideas in the world won’t mean anything if you can’t execute them. This book gives a comprehensive solution for how to stay organized and affective in today’s high speed world. In as little as two days you can be up and running – but it will take a little longer to become a master at it. Besides the book, there are helpful start packets that make it easier.

5. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable - This instant classic from 2002 told the world that to be a successful marketer you could no longer wait for the product to be developed by someone else and then try to put advertising lipstick on their pig. Instead marketers needed to be involved in the development of the product from the start so that it would have something remarkable in it… something others in the company may dismiss or rule irrelevant because it is less efficient.

6. New Home Sales in a Nutshell – This fantastic 115 page book is packed with “hard-boiled advice, tried and true tips, sensible solutions and bold responses to every objection a potential homebuyer presents.” It is something that I have seen have an impact in the life of a sales person again and again in this business. Certainly not one to pass up!

Click here to read about the next six selections, and let me know what you think about the titles on the list – or what you think should have been added!

 

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