Gain from the expertise of others. The business books in this section are all ones I own. I read every night at the end of the day, and then work to apply what I have learned into my businesses. Click on the images to be taken to Amazon to order the books.
Business Success
Riches in Niches: How to Make it Big in a Small Market by Susan Friedmann, CSP
Certified Speaking Professional Susan Friedmann describes how to position yourself as an expert in a niche, a surefire way to success. She shares proven techniques to make the best use of your expertise while yielding maximum profit. Susan is a master of small markets and shares her knowledge in an easy to read book. Susan is also an expert about how to maximize your experience when you exhibit at a trade show, which is what I heard her discuss at a National Speakers Association conference. Get more information at http://www.richesinniches.com.
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Even Successful People Become Even More Successful! by Marshall Goldsmith
Marshall Goldsmith is an expert at helping global leaders overcome their sometimes unconscious annoying habits and attain a higher level of success. He is a dynamic presenter who got us on our feet interacting with peers at a National Speakers Association conference in New York City. Marshall consults with top business leaders to look at the common problems they face, and then he coaches them on how to overcome common negative habits. Marshall identified 20 negative habits and covers how to change these habits and why they create problems. Check him out at http://www.marshallgoldsmith.com
Marketing
As a small-business owner or solopreneur, you wear many hats—perhaps the most important of which is marketer. But these days, with so many new ways to reach customers and clients and only so much time in the day, it’s hard to know where to start. Should you be using social media? Email? Blogs? Video? SEO? Small-business marketing doesn’t have to be a mystery. It’s just a series of simple decisions (and the action steps to implement those decisions) that will help you regain the clarity, confidence, and control you need to succeed. Do It! Marketing is a quick read and an encouraging kick in the pants that will reignite your marketing mojo. The underlying premise is that “only action creates results.” Packed with do-this-now ideas to attract, engage, and win more customers and clients, this no-nonsense book reveals how to: • Avoid blah, blah, blah marketing
• Use magnetic marketing strategies that pull—not push—qualified decision-makers into your world
• Get noticed
• Position yourself as an expert
• Become the obvious choice in your market
• Do social media right
• Zero in on your customers’ pain/gain factors
• Learn to speak their language
• Get a steady stream of referrals
• Identify and focus on high-payoff activities
• Cultivate and leverage enthusiastic advocates
• And more
Energetic, inspiring, and filled with concrete strategies, tactics, templates, and tools, Do It! Marketing shows you how to stop “marketing by accident” and start outsmarting, out-positioning, and out-executing the competition.
Presentation Skills
Beyond Bullet Points by Cliff Atkinson
This book literally changed forever the way I design PowerPoint slides. Cliff’s mantra is to stop using bullet points and start using visuals to unlock the story buried in your presentation. He is a communications expert who guides you through the framework of storytelling combined with visuals. He also provides advanced tips and resources that are useful for anyone who presents with PowerPoint. I devoured this book.
Social Media
Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time, Joel Comm
Joel is both a gifted author and presenter. I heard him speak at a National Speakers Association meeting a few years back. In this book, which I have flagged and underlined, he discusses the use of Twitter as a business tool. He shows you how to leverage the power of Twitter to reach new markets and increase sales. He explains what Twitter is (and it’s not about what you ate for lunch), how to jump into conversations and develop a following, how to build your brand, and how to drive traffic to your website. Learn more at http://www.joelcomm.com.
Getting’ Geeky with Twitter: Build Your Business and Manage Your Brand with Today’s Hottest Social Media Tool by Gina Schreck
Twitter has changed the way we communicate. In business you’d better be able to engage and captivate in 140 characters or you and your five-page glossy brochure will be run over by a little blue bird. Gina is a master at forward thinking. I’ve met Gina and been enriched by her knowledge. In this book, she shows you why you should be using a strategy with Twitter, and how to locate the resources that will help you get the most from Twitter. Gina produces a helpful how to video channel. Check her out at www.GettinGeeky.com.
The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising by Perry Marshall and Thomas Meloche
Perry Marshall is the world’s most quoted consultant on Pay per Click Advertising. Thomas Meloche has more than 25 years of experience starting, building, and selling commercial software products and software companies. They’ve teamed up to show how to connect with the ever growing numbers of people on Facebook – how to reach them, convert them, and keep them your fan, friend, and customer for life. They break down the steps of Facebook advertising and how you how to dramatically gain on your investment. Find out more at http://www.perrymarshall.com.
World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers That Get Millions to Spread Your ideas and Share Your Stories by David Meerman Scott
The author describes how to harness the power of social media to drive eager buyers to your doorstep, for free. The book is illustrated with lots of examples of how companies used social media to gain attention. Get more information about the author at www.davidmeermanscott.com
Website Design
Don’t Make Me Think: A common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug
This is a book for people who design websites – their own as well as others. It is definitely for the small business owner who creates a site. Krug provides easy to follow principles of how to create and evaluate website usability. It is not technical or difficult to follow. My only complaint is that I wanted more of it and was disappointed when I got to the end.