Running a business is hard work; finding out the best book on running a business can help you out in so many ways.
Not only can you up-skill yourself, but the best books give you inspiration for your business.
The problem is, there is seemingly endless supply of business books out there, and all claim to be able to help; where should you start?
In this article, I’ll give an honest opinion of the best business books about running a business.
To give you the most targeted information, we have looked at various aspects of running a business and our choice of a book which can help. Those aspects we have chosen are:
- Marketing
- Sales
- Knowing your target market
- Leadership
- Local business owners
Best book for marketing
Seth Godin: This Is Marketing
- Audible Audiobook
- Seth Godin (Author) – Seth Godin (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 11/13/2018 (Publication Date) – Penguin Audio (Publisher)
Seth Godin’s This Is Marketing is, in my view, the best marketing book on the market.
While this book offers some of the ‘how-to’ in regards to marketing, the book’s real lesson is offering some information on the ‘why’ when it comes to marketing.
And that is what makes this different to so many other marketing books.
The thing about so many of these marketing books is that they recycle the same advice with a slightly different twist that you can only see if you’re squinting.
However, this is the only book I have ever read that changed my entire perspective on marketing.
I still have this book on Audible and listen to parts of it every month, and I learn something new from it. Every time. Without doubt.
You can see the latest prices on Amazon here, or see our five-minute book summary.
Best book for sales
Chet Holmes: The Ultimate Sales Machine
- Audible Audiobook
- Chet Holmes (Author) – Amanda Holmes, George Newbern (Narrators)
- English (Publication Language)
- 11/21/2008 (Publication Date) – Blackstone Audio, Inc. (Publisher)
The Ultimate Sales Machine is a perfect book if you’re looking to build (or improve) a sales team, or even if you’re looking to improve your sales techniques.
The Ultimate Sales Machine doesn’t give you some sleazy sales tricks that work in the short-term, instead, aiming for long-term strategies that set you up to make more profits long-term.
In fact, the book offers twelve key strategies that will make you more profits if you follow them.
This book is all about creating a base for your sales that generates increased profits. So often, we read books that focus on new advanced techniques to improve sales, but we haven’t nailed the basics; the reason is, there is so much more content based on the advanced tactics.
It’s kinda like all the weight loss blogs out there; If all a weight loss blog talked about was the few strategies that lead to the most substantial result, all they would say is “eat better and exercise more”. So to keep up with their content needs, they spend most of their time talking about the little things that don’t move the needle.
The Ultimate Sales Machine makes sure you can pinpoint the 20% of action that leads to over 80% of your results.
You can buy the book on Amazon here, or read our book summary.
Best book on knowing your target market
Adele Revella: Buyer Personas
- Audible Audiobook
- Adele Revella (Author) – Pam Ward (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 11/12/2019 (Publication Date) – Gildan Media (Publisher)
As you’re probably aware, every successful business has a deep understanding of their target market.
In fact, really nailing your target market and working to serve them can cover up a lot of mistakes you make in the future.
In Buyer Personas, you can learn how to build a list of all your ideal customers, and then alter your products, messaging and advertising to fit your personas’ needs.
This is done through research, interviews, and some good old-fashioned number crunching.
Actually, in regards to those interviews, this book is worth the price just for the chapters on interviewing–Revella gives away the secrets to getting people to dig deep and give you the good stuff.
If your business is a bit hazy on the type of person that they’re targeting, then Buyer Personas is definitely the book you need.
There are three things that you need to learn to have a successful business: why your target market buys; how they buy; and what criteria they apply when deciding. These questions, plus a few more on why they DON’T buy, are the core of Revella’s book.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can buy the book on Amazon, or read our summary.
Best leadership book
Brene Brown: Dare to lead
- Audible Audiobook
- Brené Brown (Author) – Brené Brown (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 332 Pages – 10/09/2018 (Publication Date) – Random House Audio (Publisher)
If you have ever looked at books about leadership, you’ve probably come across Dare To Lead, and, for good reason.
The New York Times bestseller is the quintessential book on leadership and one that is a must-read. Similar to the other titles on this list, if you’re only going to choose one book about leadership to read, read Dare To Lead.
If you are a leader or looking to become one, this book will speak to you on an emotional level, particularly her chapter on “Armored Leadership.” The chapter almost becomes a checklist of things you do (and need to do).
Brown gives leaders the freedom to stop pretending to have the right answers; instead of being curious and asking the right questions.
In Dare To Lead, you can get enough information and actionable steps to instantly change your leadership style.
Actually, an Amazon reviewer probably summed it up best: “In fact, this book could really be sub-titled, “How to be a better human being and apply your new ‘muscles’ to the business of leadership.””
If you want to know more about the book, you can read our summary or check it out on Amazon.
The best book for local business owners
Perry Marshall: The Ultimate Guide To Business Marketing
- Marshall, Perry (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 220 Pages – 02/09/2016 (Publication Date) – Entrepreneur Press (Publisher)
Of all the books mentioned in this post, Perry Marshall’s Ultimate Guide To Business Marketing is easily the least well-known, but don’t let that fool you.
If you’re running a business and your technical know-how isn’t really a know-how, then this book is a must-read.
There are a lot of basic marketing and tech principles covered here and if you’re a local business owner, you’ll find amazing value.
For instance, I know that many local business owners struggle with SEO. Well, this book gives you the basics on how to get started and know enough to get by.
You’ll also learn how to use Social Media, lead generation, pay-per-click ads, and most importantly, how to nail your landing pages.
What I will say, is don’t expect to read this book and become an expert in any one part of your business, however, you’ll have a solid foundation in many aspects.
The Ultimate Guide To Local Business Marketing gives readers the advantages that local businesses have over the big guys and advice on how to use it to your advantage.
I recommend every local business owner I know reads the book, and I do the same to you.
Read our summary of the book or learn more about it by checking Amazon.
Final thoughts
While this isn’t a list of every good business book, but, these books should be the first ones that you start with.
