You will never meet a successful businessperson who doesn’t read books. As we all know, books are our best friend. They always teach us valuable lessons.
We are here with a list that has something for everyone, whether you’re seeking productivity ideas, want to enhance your marketing and persuade your clients more successfully, or want to improve your hiring and become a more impactful manager. With that in mind, below is a list of the five books I recommend you read.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini What makes people say yes in the first place? Wouldn’t selling to clients be easier if you knew the answer to that question?
To help me attract new clients, keep my costs low, and keep my employees happy, I use Robert Cialdini’s 1984 masterwork to remind me of the finer elements of negotiating.
Dr. Robert Cialdini’s Influence is a modern classic that small business owners and marketers used for over 30 years. According to Cialdini, the book covers the six universal principles of persuasion, how to apply them to influence consumer behavior, and how to avoid being subconsciously persuaded. While you’re at it, pick up Cialdini’s follow-up book, Pre-Suasion, which delves into how you may prepare your audience to be more receptive to persuasion when the messages arrive.
1. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
Small enterprises fail in 80% of cases. One of the reasons for this is that being skilled at a craft is different from running a business. You might be one of the most skilled people in your field, but that doesn’t imply you can start and run a profitable business.
The E-Myth Revisited, created by Michael Gerber and first published in 1988, is an updated entrepreneurship guidebook that examines why so many small firms fail and offers advice on how to avoid a similar fate. Small business success, according to Gerber, necessitates a careful balance of three unique personalities:
- The technician (i.e., an expert)
- The entrepreneur (i.e., the big-picture thinker)
- The manager (i.e., the detail-oriented)
2. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a tried-and-true classic that has sold over 30 million copies since its 1936 publication, making it one of the best-selling books ever.
Carnegie, who was formerly a great salesperson, finally quit sales to pursue public speaking, and the counsel he gave in his seminars was put into this book. Please read it to discover how to persuade others to like you, persuade others that your thinking is correct, and change people without their hating you for it. What is one key takeaway from the book? If you want someone to change, don’t criticize them. When you criticize someone, they’re more inclined to think negatively of you and pay less attention to you.
3. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
Do you want to know what successful people did to get to where they are now? Tim Ferriss’ Tools of Titans, a book about productivity, might be just what you’re looking for.
The 673-page book includes interviews with over 100 successful people from various fields, giving personal productivity advice and other career insights. Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise are the three categories into which Tools of Titans are divided. Between interviews, Ferriss intersperses his tips, routines, and habits.
Learn what Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Popova, Reid Hoffman, the CEO of LinkedIn, and comedian Mike Birbiglia do to stay on top of their game. The book is described as a “toolkit for changing your life” by the author.
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The book by Stephen R. Covey is one of the top entrepreneur books of the decade, discussing what distinguishes business owners from others. The book discusses the seven behaviors that all successful entrepreneurs have, including putting first things first and synergizing, to name a few.
It is a motivating manual for every entrepreneur who aims to make it large, not simply a one-time read. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book should be read often during your business career.