Recommended business marketing books from Vicky Vaughan, Chartered Marketer, Worthing

A good number of books were read on my journey to becoming a Chartered Marketer. As you know by now, branding is much more than logo design and these books certainly prove that concept.

My Top Five favourite marketing books for 2012/2013 were:

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1. Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results This is a short book and a MUST READ for any business owner or manager who has a problem with unmotivated staff. If you hear the words: “That’s not my job” or “I’m too busy” or your staff are arriving late/leaving early – you know who you are – then FISH! will help you to motivate your team. It sends of a really bad signal to your customers and to the rest of the team if you do have unmotivated and unhelpful staff and it is bad branding! However glossy and brilliant your brochure design is, it won’t patch over the cracks of bad work attitudes which can stem from personal problems. This book gets to the bottom of it – at only £5.99, it’s far cheaper and more effective than giving your staff a pay rise! The author also recommends a a wonderful free document called “The Road to Self Renewal”. Click here to download – it is great for sharing with staff or friends who may have lost their way in life.

2. The New Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line
I love this concept and The Brand Surgery in in the process of introducing the Triple Bottom Line which looks at Planet and People as well as Profit. It makes sense if you look after your people (staff) because you increase productivity and decrease sick days which improves your bottom line. If you look after the planet, by introducing green energy management and waste management, you will save on landfill tax and energy bills which also improves your bottom line. This book is packed case studies showcasing the huge profits by all businesses that have introduced the Triple Bottom Line. The Kindleversion of this book is much less expensive than the paperback.

3. Here Comes Everybody: How Change Happens when People Come Together Is all about the power of online groups with excellent case studies which will have you thinking of creative ideas on how to use social media more effectively. The first story is about a lady who had her mobile phone stolen and then returned after the pressure of a huge online community gained momentum and the police, who originally were not interested, had no choice but the act. A book that makes you think differently about social media and also emphasises the importance of business transparency as the online public now have significant power.

4. The Hidden Persuaders A look at buyer behaviour with some interesting twists including a company that spent millions on market research and then launched a new product based on this research, and the product flopped! The author asks what is a business selling? Is a cosmetic company selling skincare or hope? The Brand Surgery is selling vision. With this in mind, do you know what your company is selling?

5. If Only We Knew What We Know: The Transfer of Internal Knowledge and Best Practice This is all about Knowledge Management and every business owner and manager should read it. Even if you are a small company now, it’s good to encourage this knowledge management concept with all new employees. The book explains the barriers of implementing such a scheme, and also describes the business types out there. For example, is your business a silo, a by-the-book or a bolt-it-on company? This book advises on how to adopt better practice throughout your entire organisation.

As I continue with my professional development (CPD) I shall be continuing to recommend the business and marketing books that really stand out.

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