Search engine marketing, search engine optimization, blogs, interactive Web sites, podcasts, videocasts, online press releases, social networks ... the landscape of marketing has changed dramatically in only a few years. And guess what? It's going to change more, and it's going to change faster. As a business leader, you're probably wondering how to keep up with it all, let alone leverage new technologies to take your business to the next level.
I've been doing a lot of high altitude reading on the new world of marketing lately. Here are a few books to give you perspective, understanding, and challenge your imagination.
The New Rules of Marketing and PR, by David Meerman Scott discusses how marketing has changed, why it is changing, how business can adapt, and why it must. David starts with the big picture, laying out the general principles. He then turns his attention to the details, providing us with real world examples of how to turn these new principles into profitable action. Easy to read, highly informative, and loaded with common sense. Learn more about the author at his blog,
Web Ink Now.
Wikinomics, By Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams will appeal especially to those working in and involved with large organizations, where new methods of collaboration, fueled by rapidly developing interactive Web techniques, are turning old organizational structures on their head. Lots of companies continue to operate and innovate in secrecy. The authors provide many compelling examples of why such an approach could lead to disaster. The authors go way beyond marketing, but the implications for marketing strategy are enormous. Learn more at the
Wikinomics blog and the blog of co-author
Anthony D. Williams.
Word of Mouth Marketing, by Andy Sernovitz, explores how to use new technologies to create customer interest and involvement. And oh, yeah - sales. Although it's been overlooked in recent years, there's no question that
word of mouth marketing works - it always has. The book is full of practical tips that any size business can put into practice quickly and most often, at little or no cost. To learn more, visit Andy's darned funny and darned helpful
blog.
Put the three of these together, and you'll be in good shape to take advantage of new marketing opportunities. I get the feeling that a lot more is being written than read within the business community, so here's a chance to get an edge.
What have you read lately to get a grip on marketing?
