I wrote an article recently for Business Insider on the essential books to read if you want to grow your business. You can check out the full article there, but here they are just listed out. Also? For best results, read them in this order.
‘The E-Myth Revisited’ by Michael Gerber
This is the perfect book to start with, because it gives a framework to help you think about what your role should be in your business. Often, the only “entrepreneurial moment” we each have is the single second in which we decide to start a business. The rest of the time we’re operating as “Managers” or “Technicians”, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it may explain why your business isn’t currently growing.
‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek
This book helped me define what truly motivated me and what I wanted to accomplish in this world: helping small business owners live a more fulfilled life. This book will help you dig deeper into your own ‘Why’ and will serve up motivation to fuel your fire for the long run.
‘Positioning’ by Al Ries & Jack Trout
This book explains how people are inundated with messages on a regular basis and how to set up your company’s message to stand out. While the many examples are somewhat outdated at this point (the book was written in the early 1970s), the message is clear.
‘Building a Storybrand’ by Donald Miller
This book explains how classic story arcs are a simple way to get people to relate to your brand story. Offering a step-by-step approach to write your own, you’ll finally learn how to tell customers how you can help them in a way that makes them (not your company) the hero of the story.
‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’ by Robert Cialdini
The authors dive into the elements that make us trust people and want to buy what they’re selling, even if they’re not selling anything. You’ll learn about the six “weapons of influence” and how to use them in your business: reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity.
‘Creating Customer Evangelists’ by Jackie Huba & Ben McConnell
This is a really practical look at how you, as a small business owner, can reward your best clients and give them a proverbial microphone to sing your praises. This concept leverages “word of mouth” for all its worth with many great examples and (bonus!) the primary example used throughout the book is how Lady Gaga did this to increase her profile in the early years of her career.
What do you think of this lineup? Have you read these? Are there any books you’d add?