Best Marketing Books

Book rating updated 9.05.2024

Unlock the secrets of successful marketing with our curated selection of the best marketing books of all time. Popular marketing strategy books recommended by Jeff Bezos, Ryan Holiday, Jay-Z, Timothy Ferriss, Andrew Huberman, Sam Parr, Andy Frisella and other famous people. Dominate your market!

  1. Building a StoryBrand

    4.7
    9 902 ratings
    Donald Miller
    Recommended by: Dave Ramsey
    It is how you will build clean, compelling brand messaging that will drive customer engagement. It is based on storytelling principles to help readers put their brand in a position where it acts like a guide helping heroes (customers) surmount their challenges. A step-by-step process of creating a "BrandScript" to clarify a message and create marketing materials that will resound.
  2. Blue Ocean Strategy

    4.6
    5 413 ratings
    W. Chan Kim, Renee Mauborgne
    In this groundbreaking work, authors show how the most successful companies find their customers. They argue that success doesn't come from battling competitors in "red oceans" of bloody competition, but from creating "blue oceans" of untapped new market spaces ripe for innovation. With persuasive examples and analytical rigour, they show how companies break out of the red ocean of bloody competition to create their own blue oceans, and thereby make the competition irrelevant. This book helps present a systematic plan that businesses can use to identify and seize these opportunities – fundamentally shifting how business is carried out.
  3. Hooked

    4.5
    8 728 ratings
    Nir Eyal
    Recommended by: Andrew Huberman
    Learn about how successful companies design products that people become obsessed with. This book lays out a four-step process that will keep your customers coming back without expensive advertising or intense marketing. It discusses the psychology behind why we get attached to certain products and how businesses can leverage that knowledge in making their offerings indispensable. It should be the ideal book for an entrepreneur, designer or anyone else interested in creating habits that foster customer loyalty and drive long-term success. Learn the secrets behind creating an irresistible product that keeps users coming back for more.
  4. Contagious

    4.6
    7 159 ratings
    Jonah Berger
    The science behind why certain ideas and products become viral. This book brings up factors that contribute to the shareable content from social currency and triggers to emotional resonance. Examples from life are backed up by research and teach how messages, stories, and products can be crafted in a way that people just have to share them with someone. Perfect for marketers, business owners and anyone who wants to get his or her ideas to stick, it gives extremely practical strategies to increase visibility and engagement in a noisy world. How to harness the power of word of mouth to help spread the word far and wide.
  5. This Is Marketing

    4.6
    4 778 ratings
    Seth Godin
    Seth Godin rewrites marketing as an act of service and empathy in "This Is Marketing." He elaborates that good marketing is not a measure of getting clicks or views but a way to create a bridge with people to solve their problem. Godin underlines understanding who your audience is, gaining its trust, and having a positive influence upon it. He advises marketing in the direction of the 'smallest viable market' and being generous on the first call. This book offers a refreshing perspective on how to make your work matter and how to truly serve your audience.
  6. Purple Cow

    4.5
    3 508 ratings
    Seth Godin
    Recommended by: Jay-Z
    Bestselling author Seth Godin brings forth the concept of the "Purple Cow" in a world full of advertisements and products, emphasizing the necessity to stand out with something so uniquely remarkable that it grabs the attention of one and all. This book on brand creation suggests that traditional forms of marketing are no longer feasible and that innovation is the key to success. By focusing on turning out products and services that are themselves worthy of note, a company can ensure that it captures the interest of its public. An absolute essential for anyone who wishes to stand out in a crowded market, this book gives concrete advice on how to become a Purple Cow in your industry.
  7. Growth Hacker Marketing

    4.3
    3 881 ratings
    Ryan Holiday
    Learn what growth hacking is: It's a cost-effective, data-driven way of marketing that tech startups use to grow quickly. The book simplifies into an easily adoptable action-oriented strategy to attract and retain customers without necessarily having a traditional marketing budget. Find out how to use A/B testing, social media, viral marketing, and analytics to better reach your audience. The book is perfect for entrepreneurs, marketers, and generally all those interested in an innovative way of promoting either a product or a service. The book is a blueprint on how to achieve growth thinking out of the traditional marketing playbook.
  8. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

    4.5
    3 455 ratings
    Al Ries, Jack Trout
    This classic marketing text outlines fundamental principles for successful brand positioning and marketing strategy. Ries and Trout present 22 "laws" that govern marketing effectiveness, illustrated with real-world examples from various industries. The book covers concepts such as category leadership, perception, focus, and the power of names. It emphasizes the importance of being first in a category and the challenges of competing against established market leaders.
  9. Ogilvy on Advertising

    4.6
    2 394 ratings
    David Ogilvy
    Recommended by: Sam Parr
    Learn the wisdom of one of the true pioneers in advertising. All the treasures from decades of wisdom on advertising are condensed into this book that offers timeless insights in how successful campaigns are built, how good copy is written, and which strategies sell. An article that spans from print ads to television commercials, and covering the basics of persuasive advertising underpinned by real-world examples and psychology behind consumer decisions. Ideal for marketers, advertisers or anyone interested in the art and science of advertising, this book offers workable advice and principles, equally befitting the digital age, while underscoring creativity, ethical advertising, and the need for strong branding.
  10. Marketing Made Simple

    4.7
    2 131 ratings
    Donald Miller
    Although it's not Donald Miller's book, this results-driven, no-nonsense guide to creating a marketing plan that really delivers business results is still relevant today in the age of digital marketing. It cuts through to the core of the elements of an effective marketing strategy: from defining a target audience to creating a persuasive message and channel selection that will reach your customers. Full of case studies and examples from successful businesses of all sizes.
  11. All Marketers are Liars

    4.5
    1 638 ratings
    Seth Godin
    Recommended by: Andy Frisella
    In this fascinating book, Seth Godin explores the powerful role of storytelling in marketing. He posits that great marketers do not just share facts but tell a story in such a way that it resonates with the worldviews of the audience. These are not lies, but real-life stories people choose to believe – a connection with the brand in a way inconceivable. Godin stresses how honesty and consistency are of the essence in these stories, how they have the power of keeping a relationship – making it healthy and strong. This is a book that gives a different perspective on marketing, calling on its readers to be storytellers in order to inspire and capture audiences.
  12. Influencer

    4.5
    1 735 ratings
    Brittany Hennessy
    YouTube influencer Brittany Hennessy gives us a practical and motivating playbook to get behind the driver's wheel in taking control of our digital presence and finding authority on social media. She tells the tale of building an audience of millions by learning about personal branding, creating content, pushing through self-doubt, and making money through strategies like affiliate marketing. This book is a valuable resource for aspiring influencers and business owners looking to leverage social media to grow their brand. Hennessy also provides insights into the challenges and rewards of turning your passion into a successful career as an influencer.
  13. Positioning

    4.4
    1 476 ratings
    Al Ries, Jack Trout
    A seminal work that first introduced the idea of product/brand positioning. Success is based on one's ability to stake out a unique position in the mind of the customer, based on its needs and perceptions in relation to its competitors. Includes strategies for staking and defending a powerful market position with compelling value propositions. Must-read for every marketer, advertiser, and business strategist.
  14. The Brand Gap

    4.5
    1 430 ratings
    Marty Neumeier
    Marty Nejson Neumeier describes an influential piece of work to define "the brand gap" as the distance between business strategy and customer experience. A practical framework of how companies can fill this gulf and create iconic brands that will change culture, the book investigates in great details how great companies will express purposes through design, culture, and innovation. Neumeier's engaging, conversational style makes a really good case for the strategic importance of branding within the modern business landscape; it gives leaders actionable guidance in how to differentiate their offerings and build the kind of customer loyalty that lasts for a long time.
  15. Marketing 4.0

    4.5
    1 328 ratings
    Philip Kotler
    In this study of information, the transition from traditional marketing to digital marketing is discussed on the grounds of unveiling changes that the digital trend has brought about in consumer behaviour. This book discusses the dynamics between the interaction that is online and offline. It focuses on the importance of having a cohesive approach toward reaching divergent audiences of today. The book recommends new strategies for better involvement of consumers by the use of technology and data analysis. This way, businesses are able to construct firm relationships with their customers, and hence drive growth and prosperity in the marketplace full of dynamism.
  16. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

    4.6
    1 256 ratings
    Al Ries, Laura Ries
    Now, two of the most respected branding consultants present the wisdom of a branding book that's the bible for Fortune 500 companies. From the power of focus to the role of leadership, real-world examples light up the immutable laws leading brand success. In the brand strategy and positioning readers, the book clearly illustrates, with clarity and conviction, what equips them to build insights that would help navigate a competitive marketplace and iconic, category-defining brands.
  17. Buyology

    4.4
    1 087 ratings
    Martin Lindstrom
    In Buyology, Martin Lindstrom explores the reasons behind our purchases on a fascinating foray into the world behind what drives us to buy what we do. With pioneering research on neuroscience, Martin Lindstrom brings out the truth about how our purchasing decisions are driven by largely unconscious thoughts and feelings rather than by logical reasoning. The book proves the effectiveness of ads, brands, and products to state that our choice is not as independent as we tend to consider it. It takes us behind the curtain on how hidden forces shape our shopping behaviors with a view of the power of marketing and the future of buying.
  18. How Brands Grow

    4.5
    886 ratings
    Byron Sharp
    Marketing scientist Byron Sharp is against common thinking in the branding theory and provides evidence to offer principles that ground research. Sharp develops basic rules for how customers actually select and use brands with an approach that is data-driven. It bestows marketers with a pragmatic framework of how to grow brands that can compete favorably even in tough markets.
  19. Data-Driven Marketing

    4.4
    286 ratings
    Mark Jeffery
    Recommended by: Jeff Bezos
    Mark Jeffery opens up the world of data-driven marketing in his insightful new book. He compellingly argues the case for businesses to avail the opportunity presented by data to make well-informed marketing decisions. This book outlines, with concrete examples and clear strategies, the way to measure marketing impact on revenue and how to use data to drive more effective marketing campaigns. This is a 'must read' for those intending to gain leverage through data for competitive advantage and thereby good returns on their marketing investments.
  20. Designing Brand Identity

    4.4
    100 ratings
    Alina Wheeler, Rob Meyerson
    Recommended by: David Friedberg
    Every organization wants to have an identity—helping it stand out and be distinct from the competition. Wheeler and Meyerson forge a theory of "branding" that offers a framework of the brand-building process itself with identification of specific methodologies through which compelling brand images can be imagined and created. Focuses on the process through which truly revolutionary discoveries are made.
  21. Marketing to Gen Z

    4.8
    98 ratings
    Jeff Fromm, Angie Read
    This is an extensive analysis of the differences in the characteristics, values, and behavior of those born between 1995 and 2010, according to which marketers should engage them. The paper is majorly based on primary research and case studies to provide insights into the media behaviors of Generation Z, their purchasing preferences, and social-political views. Offer strategies toward the making of real, purpose-driven marketing campaigns that resonate with a desire in Generation Z for diversity, social responsibility, and digital-first experiences.

FAQ

  • What are the best Marketing books ever written?

    These are the top 10 best books about marketing of all time and for this year (2024) sorted by rating:

    1. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
    2. Influence by Robert Cialdini.
    3. This is Marketing by Seth Godin.
    4. Contagious by Jonah Berger.
    5. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne.
    6. Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath.
    7. Marketing Management by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller.
    8. Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller.
    9. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
    10. The Long Tail by Chris Anderson.
  • What are the most popular authors of marketing books?

    Here are authors of good books about marketing:

    • Seth Godin - Innovative marketing, branding.
    • Philip Kotler - Marketing theory, principles.
    • Gary Vaynerchuk - Digital marketing, social media.
    • Al Ries and Jack Trout - Positioning, marketing warfare.
    • Simon Sinek - Start with Why, leadership in marketing.
  • What marketing books do famous people recommend?

    These are the top 7 most recommended books about about marketing and advertising from famous people:

    1. "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin - recommended by Malcolm Gladwell (journalist)
    2. "Influence" by Robert Cialdini - recommended by Warren Buffett (investor)
    3. "Permission Marketing" by Seth Godin - recommended by Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder)
    4. "All Marketers Are Liars" by Seth Godin - recommended by Guy Kawasaki (venture capitalist)
    5. "Contagious" by Jonah Berger - recommended by Tony Hsieh (former Zappos CEO)
    6. "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al Ries and Jack Trout - recommended by Marc Andreessen (Netscape co-founder)
    7. "Building a StoryBrand" by Donald Miller - recommended by Dave Ramsey (finance expert).
  • What are some good books about marketing strategy?

    A reading list for understanding marketing strategy:

    • "Blue Ocean Strategy" by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
    • "Positioning" by Al Ries and Jack Trout
    • "This Is Marketing" by Seth Godin
    • "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey Moore
    • "Contagious" by Jonah Berger
    • "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al Ries and Jack Trout
    • "Influence" by Robert Cialdini.
  • What are the best books for marketing professionals?

    Good books for advanced marketers:

    • "Permission Marketing" by Seth Godin
    • "Marketing Management" by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller
    • "Hooked" by Nir Eyal
    • "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook" by Gary Vaynerchuk
    • "Growth Hacker Marketing" by Ryan Holiday
    • "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries
    • "Made to Stick" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
    • "Building a StoryBrand" by Donald Miller.

List of top rated Marketing books everyone should read. Best sellers only!