Internet Marketing & Business Books

Internet Marketing Resources - Books - Search Engines - Analytics - E-mail marketing

Books

I always try to "sharpen the saw" as much as possible, got any recommendations? Let me know.

• Survival is not enough (Seth Godin) - A great book, some day when I am employing a team of people, I will refer to this book to provide insight on how to build a team not afraid to try new things. This book is a definite top of the list.


• The tipping point - My #1 so far - This is the numero uno thus far. Not really a marketing book, more about understanding how phenomenons catch on, and proliferate. There are so many examples, I can't list them here, if you get this book, you will like it, it will also make you think in new ways.


• The engaged customer - a more entry level e-mail marketing book, but it is good. I often refer to it before starting an e-mail marketing strategy, as it really helped me remember the basics, and theorize/visualize the possibilities.


• World Wide Web Marketing (Jim Sterne) - Jim sterne is to web analytics what James Brown is to soul music. Enough said! This book is also entry level, but there are a few things in there that really made me think in new ways. These few things have helped me solve some rather large problems. Check it out.


• Good to Great - What is the difference between a company that lasts and one that doesn't? The one theme that recurs throughout this book is "getting the right people on the bus." What I took from this, and what I think the author was trying to get across, is that you may not know exactly where everyone belongs in an organization, you may not even know where the organization will be years down the road, but if you get the right people, with the right mind and proper work ethic, you'll be able to adapt to the curveballs business throws your way. Another big theme...
  YOU CAN'T TEACH A PERSON WORK ETHIC, BUT A PERSON WITH A STRONG WORK ETHIC WILL WORK HARD ON WHATEVER TASK YOU PLACE BEFORE THEM.


• Whoever makes the most mistakes wins (Ralph Keyes) - An interesting book that deals with the way people view success and failure. What I got out of the book is that we should see failure as a precursor to innovation. Its rare that anything invented was done right the first time. Its amazing to think that Sony failed at developing automated rice cookers, and turned that "failure" into a very successful electronics company. A quote I took from the book is that "Those that take bold chances don't see failure as the opposite of success, they believe that complacency is." A pretty powerful quote!!
• Leadership (Rudy Giuliani) - I have to be honest, I didn't read this book to learn much about leadership, but I was just interested in Giuliani and what he did in NYC before and after the attacks. After reading the book, I think his leadership style is a bit rigid, which turns a lot of people off, and it did. He's the kind of person that really seems to have his employee's back, and it is always nice working for someone like that. If you're looking for a book on becoming a political leader, or a leader of a fortune 500 this may be a great book for you, but for the average guy/girl it won't be the kind of book that you read, and run out to change your style the next day. With that said, if you are a Giuliani fan, or are just interested, then get the book, you'll enjoy it.
• Persuasive Business Proposals - Very few of us look forward to writing proposals, it is a fact. While the book is not a top of my list recommendation, it was VERY helpful in getting me to look at proposal writing in a different light. A good part of the book was focused on proposal writing for insanely large projects, which I am never involved with. What this book did VERY well was hammer home how to get clues from the key decision makers as to what motivates them, and then how to write a proposal based on those clues, while not a blockbuster concept, it is often overlooked. I will definitely read through my notes in this book prior to writing any proposals, I think you may want to too.
• The Ultimate Sales Letter - It pains me to even write this review, this book was a huge disappointment. Instead of how to write sales letters, it dealt more with doing direct mail kits, and getting your direct mail kits opened. If you are looking for a book to help you write to potential customers on a one-to-one basis (as compared to a one to many) this is NOT the book for you.
• How digital is your business? - I bought this audiobook for next to nothing, it was very strategic, which are the types of books I like to read. It dealt with a slew of issues of using technology (mainly the Internet) to innovate and change processes.
  Throughout the book, the author refers to bits and atoms, bits are those mind-numbing, low value, low quality tasks we have to do, whereas atoms, are the larger more important, high-value, tasks we perform in our daily working lives. He proposes using technology to automate the bits, which should allow you to spend more time on the atoms. Not a blockbuster ideology, but he uses great examples everything from dell and ebay to a concrete company. He goes in depth as to how the use of technology has significantly helped the company.
  
  There are some other great points that I forget, I'm listening to it again so I can update my database, when I do, I'll update my description.
• The 10 second Internet Manager - This audiobook sucks. I only paid 4 bucks for it, so I guess I get what I deserve.
  This is a boastful book, by a guy with a big ego. Listening to this audiobook was insightful because it helped me see how the bubble burst. This guys talked a lot but didn't really say much.
  He talked a lot about where he's currently working and where he has worked. Most points in the book were no brainers, and the audiobook was all over the place, everything from sending an e-mail to how to handle yourself when getting venture capital (that applicable to 1% of the business audience.). YUCK!!!
• Starving to Death on $200 million - The short absurd life of the Industry Standard Many of you remember reading the standard cover to cover well this book chronicles the rise and fall of the industry standard. It was a good read. It was kind of nostalgic to remember the boom days, and how I got to experience so many great things along the way.
  I think anyone who remembers reading the standard cover to cover will enjoy this recount of the life of the standard.
  The moral? I don't know...



I am currently reading Business @ the speed of thought, Bill Gates' book. Look for the review, eventually.