There are a ton of books about marketing, but many are written by people who don’t actually know HOW to DO what they are writing about and others are outdated before they’re even published.
One sure way to cut through the fluff and get to the substance:
ONLY take advice from those who
actually know how to accomplish
what they are writing about
and NOT the legions of writers who talk the talk
but can’t walk the walk.As George Bernard Shaw wrote in 1903:
“He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.”
There ARE some who can do both and THOSE are the writers – or actually curators as most great books are compilations of wisdom across time – worth reading.
I am kicking off a series of posts of my favorite best marketing books because ALL small businesses and bloggers need to know as much about how to increase sales as possible – especially in this economy.
Don’t tune out because I dropped the “M” word!
Marketing is NOT Evil
It is necessary to assist us in finding products and services we need.
A comprehensive compilation of traditional marketing is a good place to start – and if the person writing that compilation has both a background in traditional sales over decades PLUS stays current with social media marketing THAT is the book to buy.
Contrary to what many think, books ending up on the New York Times Best Seller lists and things going viral online almost NEVER happens spontaneously.
I don’t care how wonderful your content is –
it will NOT go viral on its own!
Books become best sellers and content of all kinds goes viral because of hard work combined with calling on influencers you already have relationships with who are willing to support your work.
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY HARVEY MACKAY’s BOOKS
You should buy Harvey’s books because he knows how to make that happen and he writes clearly enough that you can implement what he recommends for yourself.
It is no accident that Harvey MacKay’s books consistently
end up on the New York Times Best Seller list.
He KNOWS how to make that happen and how to get others to work with him – at that is what YOU need to know, too.
BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS For Bloggers and Business Owners
Bloggers are writers and writers love to read. Even those of us who practically live online still read a lot of books.
Great marketing books are reference books
that are best kept close to your desk.
Small business owners may or may not be voracious readers, but they need to read books that are important to their success. If you know a blogger or business owner, consider books and other necessities as practical holiday gifts – or gifts any time.
Why READ Harvey MacKay’s latest sales book?
The primary reason is because you want to know How to Increase Your Sales. Joe Soto of the Social Media Marketing Services company One Social Media said about this book:
“I can NOT recommend a book more highly this year
in 2011 on business, on succeeding in sales,
on succeeding in business entrepreneurship”
I’ll let Joe Soto explain in just 2:17 minutes why this is a book worth reading and giving as a gift: Joe Soto’s YouTube video review of The MacKay MBA of Selling:
There are plenty of reviews of MacKay’s new book – just do a search for MacKay MBA book review. <<< Try that link to see how you like DuckDuckGo.
When you buy and recommend books this year I ask you to consider supporting small book sellers instead of automatically buying or acting as an affiliate for Amazon.
This is especially important in light of the extremely bad publicity Amazon is getting REPEATEDLY regarding their putting profits before lives.
Amazon endangers employee’s lives:
- Ambulances wait outside Amazon warehouse | Business – The News Tribune (Sep 25, 2011 … ALLENTOWN, Pa.)
- Inside Amazon‘s Very Hot Warehouse – NYTimes.com (Sep 19, 2011)
- Amazon has Ambulances Wait Outside Warehouse on Hot Days (Sep 20, 2011)
- Amazon Forced Employees To Work Brutal Hours In 100 Degree Warehouse Or Face Termination (Think Progress)
- Amazon workers’ nightmare shows what happens when jobs are scarce (LA Observed)
- When employees are disposable, high unemployment benefits the employers (UndertheMountainBunker)
Apparently learning nothing from the bad publicity over employees suffering from heat stroke, last month that same Amazon warehouse left their workers standing outside in sub-freezing temperatures because apparently identifying who pulled the fire alarm was more important than letting them die from exposure:
On Dec. 3, Cetronia Ambulance Corps transported six Amazon warehouse workers to the hospital to be treated for cold exposure following a fire alarm evacuation, said Larry Wiersch, CEO of the nonprofit ambulance service.
About 30 other people got into ambulances to warm up, he said.
“It was cold — 26 degrees — and it was windy,” Wiersch said.
“There were pregnant women, men and women in T-shirts and shorts, some with sleeveless shirts and shorts,” one complaint states.
“People were passing out and feeling ill left and right. … I am absolutely disgusted with this company’s practices and I do believe OSHA should visit this building and give them some sort of coaching on how to better handle the situation before there are more people suffering from hypothermia.”
These incidents make it painfully obvious that Amazon does not consider their employee’s lives when making business decisions. It is up to us to hold companies like this accountable for their actions.
You don’t have ambulances stand by – you FIX THE PROBLEM!
If we look the other way and continue to buy from Amazon and promote them as affiliates we are equally complicit and guilty of enabling them to intentionally endanger lives by negligent homicide or even criminal negligence.
The best way to get the attention of those who worship money
is this: Amazon Suffers Big Drop in IncomeKeep giving them your money and you are guilty, too!
I encourage all people of conscience to switch to other affiliate programs and buy from other book sellers. There are many and I am personally supporting Bigger Books because they are on ShareASale and have every book I’ve searched for so far.
If you don’t care about the Amazon employees, at least care about you, your friends and your family because what we allow to happen to anyone CAN and DOES happen to us eventually. As Joan Baez sings, “There but for fortune, go YOU or I…”
Disclosure: I received a pre-publication review copy of Harvey MacKays’ book The MBA of Selling in the Real World. I receive many review books and sometimes specifically ask for them. I did not receive any payment beyond the free book – and if you know me you already know I write my truth regardless. The one link to Bigger Books IS an affiliate link provided in case anyone wishes to support my efforts. No other links in this post are affiliate links and I am not compensated in any other way for the contents of this post.
Gail Gardner
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I’ve been in traditional direct marketing for many years and have a solid understanding of what works in direct mail, print and direct response TV. Using social media to build traffic and develop sales is new to me and I look forward to reading Harvey MacKay’s book – thanks for the tip.
Geoff would love you to read ..Traditional anniversary gifts
Marketing books are all over the net and bookshops but sometime what was written on it doesn’t work. Just remember that on online business our targeted clients must get relevant things on our business website thus we must provide them what they need. Also, I prefer watching video than reading a book so I liked the video you put into the article.
Nice book… Thanks for giving this book…I am planning to buy this book… Sure…
If you have a internet. so you know about the power of internet. Only follow those who are successful and write a book.Also you compare the results of that person you admire.Real life and written books are true so follow the steps those who are achieve something.
Very true indeed. With so many marketing books on the market how do we sort out the liars or the proven strategy for marketing. This book will definitely be on my shopping list this Christmas! Thanks.
This post reminds me of the fact that those who sell products teaching how to make money on the net are the only ones who make money on the net. Which happens in many other fields anyway.
As for Amazon, well, given how much money they pay to affiliates, probably they have learned the tricks of the business from Google, you need a good amount of sales, which are related to traffic, so that if you can earn money with Amazon you’re surely in a position where you can earn five times directly having an agreement either with a publishing house or the author.
Just like Adsense, when you’re big enough that you start earning well it’s time to directly sell your ads and make real money instead of pennies. Reason why no successful blogger uses Adsense or Amazon.
Very interesting post.
The question is How we apply the offline strategies in the online environment and what are their rate of success.
Sound very promising, the only question is: will ofline strategy work in the online world???
I’ll be sure to check out that book.
Thanks Gail!
About the Amazon part, I read some of the articles… the situation is horrible. I always loved Amazon for being cheap, fast, reliable.
But that is from the customer side.
Why doesn’t OSHA visit them? I am sure that the cases that keep them “so busy” are not all as bad as Amazon.
I am relying on Amazon too much right now to let them go. But I will look for ways to rely less on Amazon.
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This is so true. There’s nothing more frustrating than reading a book written by someone who teaches you about online marketing when you know that exact book is the online marketing they’re talking about! That is an example of a “defect” message. Thanks for the recommendation and this interesting blog post.
Very interesting book… Learn from someone who already Learned something… In this kind of business this is the best and I think the most reliable way on making money… that what I think.. tnx for sharing got some few tricks on my sleeves now.. gudnyt..
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You are right indeed I am impressed! “He who can, does and He who cannot, teaches.”!
Thanks for recommending some good books i will try read some of these books!
“He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.” – This saying makes sense to me. I’ve read so many books, ebooks or posts from people who are trying to help others. However, they find it hard to follow what they actually preach.
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A little research goes a long way. With the internet, there are more gurus popping up by the minute. It is sometimes difficult to tell if they know what they are talking about. Fortunately, you can use the google to research them before you make a purchase.
i believe a good advice whatever it may be aimed at is only useful when the person giving it is either talking of experiance or is something that works out well for him.
Gail,
As you said, marketing is not evil… at least I hope not!!!
There is nothing wrong with trying to make recommendations, specifically if you do it the way you should. By promoting products you actually use and enjoy.
The funny thing is, that when you approach marketing in an ethical manner you not only are being better…you also do better, because you are not trying to pass off sleazy snake oil, but just good stuff that works. When you promote good stuff…it helps to sell itself. You are not so much “convincing” as “informing” an important distinction.
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It’s great that you’re beginning a reading list of books. Don’t forget to add any of Seth Godin’s books to the list. My favorite is Tribes.
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Hi Richard,
That is what I refer to in other posts as “the blind leading the blind”. Every new marketer runs into the “get rich quick gurus” and following their advice starts hawking the latest get rich quick nonsense. They are a huge reason why so few actually manage to make money online.
There are many very popular speakers and authors who don’t actually know how to DO what they write or speak about! That is so common but few realize who knows what they’re doing and who doesn’t.
You are wiser than most in that you look for proof; just remember that more than one “guru” has been outed for photo shopping their proof.
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