6 Great B2B Business, Marketing, and Strategy Books

It’s been proven that high income earners read more books than other demographics. According to Tom Corley’s Rich Habits, 88% of the wealthy read 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons, versus 2% of the poor. That being said, we can assume that reading more for business and educational reasons can correlate with earning a higher income and having a more successful business.

Below are some great business, marketing, and strategy books that can be extremely useful for those in the B2B industry.

Good to Great by Jim Collins

This is a classic business book that is based on a study of some of the greatest companies created by Collins’ team of researchers. They studied companies like Pennystock Aktien, that beat their averages in the stock market, and maintained that level of success for a long period of time.

This book is useful for B2B business owners and marketers because it allows you to identify the key areas where you can specifically improve and grow your business. For instance, the study found that CEOs of great companies were, as a majority, promoted from within, instead of an outside hire. This means that promoting from within can make for better companies and departments.

Current Cost: $15.99 on Kindle

To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink

Whether you want to sharpen your selling skills or learn what makes people want to buy, this book from well-known author and researcher Daniel H. Pink is an interesting look as to what actually makes the sale.

According to its Amazon description, Pink presents seemingly counter-intuitive findings, such as the fact that sometimes introverts make better sellers than extraverts. Even if you’re not a salesperson, reading To Sell Is Human can help you better understand what makes customers connect and buy from companies.

Current Cost: $8.35 on Kindle

The B2B Executive Playbook: The Ultimate Weapon for Achieving Sustainable, Predictable and Profitable Growth by Sean Geehan

This book has an almost perfect review score on Amazon.com, where reviews say it offers a good overview of how B2B is different from B2C, as well as specific strategies on how to best navigate the world of business relationships.

The book also focuses on the how, instead of the why, when it comes to targeting potential and current clients. Greehan emphasizes the importance of targeting your specific contact that you can build a relationship with, instead of the company they work for, as a whole.

Current Cost: $12.99 on Kindle

There is No B2B or B2C: It’s Human to Human: #H2H by Bryan Kramer

This book is a short read at only 68 pages, but it packs an important concept into its pages. Just like The B2B Executive Playbook, Kramer’s book emphasizes the point that human connection is crucial toward building relationships on a personal level and through digital mediums, such as your website and social media presence.

Kramer states that instead of separating different marketing and selling styles into B2B and B2C, we should instead be focusing on creating a dialogue that helps solve consumer needs.

Current Cost: $4.49 on Kindle

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Even though this book came out in 2011, its main principles still hold true today. The book asserts that there are two ways of thinking, according to its description: “System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical.”

By knowing more about these two ways of thinking, we can better predict how others will think, how to make decisions, and what strategies best align with customers’ needs and behaviors.

Current Cost: $9.99 on Kindle (cheaper on paperback)

B2B Social Media Book: Become a Marketing Superstar by Generating Leads with Blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Email, and More by Kipp Bodnar and Jeffrey L. Cohen

Bodnar and Cohen’s book has a long title, but it’s a great resource for B2B marketers who want to tailor their social media strategy specifically to their industry. However, what makes this book stand out from other books on marketing isn’t just its focus on B2B.

It also provides examples, case studies, and a 5-step methodology to change your strategy from “tired” old marketing tactics (like cold calling and unsolicited emails) to better digital platforms that can help get your target audience’s attention.

Current Cost: $13.99 on Kindle

While this is just a handful of the great business, marketing, and B2B strategy books out there, setting a goal to listen to an audiobook during your commute or read 30 minutes per day can make a significant impact on your business and your career.

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