It’s summertime, and hopefully you’re going to get away for a vacation and have the chance to catch up on your reading.
No matter how hectic your schedule gets – you can always find time to discover ways to make your company better.
You’ll also find that good books can motivate you, inspire you and spark creative ideas that lead to success. You don’t necessarily have to agree with everything you read, but reading opinions and discovering ideas from thought leaders could lead to a breakthrough in your business.
Here are 10 of our favorite small business books along with videos from the authors…
1. Purple Cow – Seth Godin
Seth Godin is often described as a “prolific writer.” And yes, he’s written a lot of books and blogs every day.
In his 2002 book Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable, Godin writes about cutting through all the noise in today’s world of constant media interruptions and seemingly endless choices. Godin says traditional advertising is no longer effective – especially for small businesses.
However, word of mouth is – and always has been – the most powerful kind of advertising you can have. He reminds us that being remarkable means doing something or creating something that people will want to make remarks about.
The message is simple – yet profound. If you don’t want to be ignored – do things that people can’t ignore.
Seth Godin has also released a manifesto for startups called The Bootstrappers Bible – which is free to download.
- Find Purple Cow on Amazon
- Check out Seth Godin’s Blog
Watch this TED Talk with Seth Godin
2. Start With Why – Simon Sinek
In Start With Why, Simon Sinek turns the way we think about business upside down. That’s because he believes most business are literally looking at things backwards.
Sinek says most companies first think about WHAT they are going to make, then HOW they will do it and often they completely ignore the WHY.
He argues that’s a huge mistake and repeats the mantra “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” throughout his book.
He calls the concept of starting with WHY the “Golden Circle” and even uses the biology of the brain to back up his beliefs.
Sinek gives many real-life examples of leaders and organizations that succeeded because they had a clearly defined WHY, and shows why other companies struggled without it.
You’ll find his ideas to be very inspiring. All of us want to have a sense of purpose in both our lives and work. This book encourages you to find something to believe in.
- Find Start With Why on Amazon
- Check out the Start With Why Blog
Watch this TED Talk with Simon Sinek
3. The New Rules of Marketing and PR – David Meerman Scott
David Meerman Scott is a respected online marketing expert who was one of the first to realize the power of businesses publishing their own content on the internet.
He says the web changed everything, and in The New Rules of Marketing and PR he explains that “earning attention” is a better method than paying tons of money to advertise in traditional media.
This book is now being used as part of the curriculum for Marketing programs at colleges around the country. It’s already considered a classic book on marketing. The fourth edition was published this year and includes concepts for using newer social media tools like Pinterest and Instagram for business.
Scott maintains that social media is something businesses cannot ignore and his book explains exactly why and how things have changed.
- Find The New Rules of Marketing and PR on Amazon
- Check out David Meerman Scott’s blog Web Ink Now
Watch David Meerman talk about Social Media ROI
4. Duct Tape Marketing – Jon Jantsch
This book is dubbed “the world’s most practical small business marketing guide.” It’s all about creating marketing that is affordable and efficient.
Other books by John Jantsch include The Referral Engine and The Commitment Engine – but Duct Tape Marketing is his most notable work. It will teach you how to create a marketing system, a plan to turn your marketing efforts into actual sales.
Jantsch’s book is a great tool because it’s not full of theories – instead it’s very actionable. You’ll know what you need to do next when you read this book.
He covers topics like identifying your ideal client, getting your entire team involved with marketing, creating a website that works, automating your marketing efforts and much more.
- Find Duct Tape Marketing on Amazon.com
- Check out the Duct Tape Marketing Blog
Watch an interview with John Janstch from Behind the Brand
5. Youtility – Jay Baer
Marketing and social media expert Jay Baer of Convince and Convert has some solid advice for small businesses that are trying to reach people.
Help and teach potential customers. Don’t just try to chase pageviews, Likes and Shares and Retweets.
“Sell something, and you make a customer. Help someone, and you make a customer for life.”
Baer makes the point that simply getting attention isn’t enough. Let’s be honest, most businesses are never going to be as entertaining as all the cute puppies, grumpy cats and adorable babies our Facebook friends are sharing.
In Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help Not Hype, Baer proposes that being helpful – specifically with customer communication and content you create – is an extremely effective way to build up your business. Even when you give away valuable information, you are building trust and loyalty while establishing your expertise.
- Find Youtility on Amazon
- Visit Convince and Convert
Watch Jay Baer Explain the concepts behind Youtility
6. Good to Great – Jim Collins
How can your business grow to become great? Jim Collins takes a look at that in his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t.
Collins has conducted extensive research on business sustainability and growth. He did so while working at Stanford University and then with his own consulting business in Colorado.
This book explores seven different characteristics that define “great” companies. They include humble yet driven leadership, building the right team first and having a culture of discipline.
Good to Great is a big-time best-selling business book with more than four-million copies sold. Collins has also written several other books such as Built to Last (co-authored with Jerry Porras) and Great By Choice (co-authored with Morten Hansen).
- Find Good to Great on Amazon
- Read articles by Jim Collins on his website
Watch Charlie Rose interview Jim Collins
7. Little Red Book of Selling – Jeffrey Gitomer
Jeffrey Gitomer has written nine books on the art of sales, but The Little Red Book of Selling – 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness is his award-winning best-seller.
It’s a short book that’s packed with insights for people who are in sales. And if you’re an entrepreneur – you’re in sales.
Gitomer takes a close look at the question “Why do people buy?” saying that’s much more important to understand than the question “How do I sell?” He explains that nobody likes being sold but people do like to buy.
This author has a very distinct, and conversational style. The book also uses comical illustrations to help drive home points.
Gitomer’s other books include The Sales Bible, The Little Black Book of Connections and The Little Gold Book of YES!
- Find The Little Red Book of Selling on Amazon
- Check out the Sales Training Channel
Watch a video from Jeffrey Gitomer’s YouTube Channel
8. The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
In The Lean Startup – Eric Ries takes a look at lean concepts used in manufacturing and how they can be used within startup companies. Ries is known not only for writing the book, but for starting a movement around lean startups.
We’ve all heard that the majority of startups fail. But Ries suggests that many of those failures are actually preventable.
A lean startup is all about learning from mistakes and adjusting quickly. Ries says that instead of wasting time on complicated and stringent business plans, entrepreneurs should always be testing and adapting their company’s vision. It’s about learning to focus on what does work and discarding what does not.
Many well-known companies are now using the business philosophies discussed in this book including Intuit and DropBox.
- Find The Lean Startup on Amazon
- Check out Eric Ries’ blog Startup Lessons Learned
Watch Eric Ries explain his concept of The Pivot
9. Delivering Happiness – Tony Hsieh
CEO Tony Hsieh is one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in America because of what he’s done with Zappos.com.
There was a time when buying shoes online sounded like a ridiculous idea. Why would you buy shoes you couldn’t try on first to see if they actually fit? But Hsieh took a risk when he jumped on board with Zappos and came up with the concept of offering free shipping both ways.
Zappos is known for taking good care of both its customers and its employees – but not just good – shockingly good. Lots of companies say they have good customer service and happy workers – Zappos takes it to the next level.
The insights found in Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose detail the corporate culture at Zappos as well as stories from Hsiehs life as an entrepreneur. That includes the worm farm he started as a kid.
- Find Delivering Happiness on Amazon
- Check out the Delivering Happiness Blog
Watch Tony Hsieh with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20
10. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us – Daniel Pink
If you’re a small business owner who has a team to manage – you’ll want to check out this eye-opening book.
You may be surprise to learn that money and rewards are not truly what motivate people.
Daniel Pink says what we’re all looking for is the opportunity to direct the course of our own lives. He believes the three most important factors in motivation are – autonomy, mastery and purpose.
Pink says most businesses are built around external motivators, “carrots and sticks,” or rewards and punishments. But according to his research – this can actually be counterproductive – especially when it comes to cognitive tasks rather than repetitive physical tasks.
Some of Pink’s other books include To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others and A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future.
- Find Drive on Amazon
- Check out Daniel Pink’s podcast Office Hours
Watch a TED Talk with Daniel Pink
What Are Your Favorite Small Business Books?
This is by no means a definitive list – just some of our favorites. What are the best reads on business you’ve come across?
Leave us a comment below and share!
