6 New B2B Marketing Books to Prep You for 2022
2022 is nearly upon us. You’ve undoubtedly already been meeting with your C-Suite counterparts to scrutinize next year’s budget and strategic priorities, gearing up for whatever surprises may come their way—good or bad.
Now, you know me. I love me my historical books (especially those that are Ben Franklin-related), and tend to find many business books droll and packed with jargon. However, I do have a shortlist of some great, thought-provoking marketing books that have come out recently and are a good idea to add to your reading list before Q4 ends. Check them out below!
Renegade Marketing: 12 Steps to Building Unbeatable B2B Brands by Drew Neisser
Of course, I’m shamelessly recommending my own book but not without good cause. After interviewing over 450 CMOs, conducting research among 200+ CMOs who identified major issues in B2B marketing, and practicing what I preach for more than 3 decades, I can guarantee anyone in business will get smack-you-in-the-face insights and put-to-use-today ideas from this fun-to-read book.
Available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook starting October 5th.
Positioning for Advantage: Techniques and Strategies to Grow Brand Value by Kimberly A. Whitler
This is sure to become the textbook for not just understanding the power of a great brand but also how to build one yourself. Whitler brings an academic rigor to the book befitting her “day job” as Senior Associate Professor at the Darden School of Business. Rich with real-world examples and practical worksheets, there is no way you can read this and not become a smarter marketer.
How to Not to Suck at Marketing by Jeff Perkins
After reading this book, I can guarantee four things: First, you’ll have at least 10 new items on your marketing to-do list. Second, you’ll want to connect with Jeff on LinkedIn to draft on some of his amazing karma. Third, you’ll understand why Perkins is one of the few CMOs who rose to the CEO position. Fourth, you’ll have fun reading Jeff’s adventures as a marketeer and how he rallied the Atlanta business community.
CMO to CRO: The Revenue Takeover by Mike Geller, Rolly Keenan and Brandi Starr
The problem this book identifies is indisputable—many B2B organizations don’t operate in the best interest of their customers. The solution they recommend is debatable—create a new type of CRO role that oversees marketing, sales, customer service, and customer success. What is less debatable is the trend towards RevOps (revenue operations) that bring all the data together for one source of truth. For more on this book, see our recent live streaming show.
The Experience Maker: How to Create Remarkable Experiences… by Dan Gingiss
Want to have a remarkable brand that customers want to talk about? Then you need to create remarkable experiences, which is much easier said than done… unless you read Dan’s new book. Crammed with real-world examples, the book offers a memorable acronym for future experience makers: WISER. As in witty, immersive, shareable, extraordinary, and responsive. There’s magic in the details, like how Sipsmith upped Dan’s expectations for G&Ts, so drink this one in.
I'll Be Back by Shep Hyken
Customer service and experience expert Shep Hyken maintains that delivering an amazing customer service experience that keeps customers coming back for more is everyone’s job. Customer service is not a department. It’s not just for people on the front lines. It’s the responsibility of everyone in the organization, from the CEO or owner of a business to the most recently hired employee. It’s the result of a customer-focused philosophy that must be baked into the culture. And it is what separates you from your competition.
Any must-read marketing books that I missed? Send them my way.
Cheers!
Drew