The Top 5 Essential B2B Marketing Books

To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
DANIEL H. PINK

The author claims that his mission is to “reshape our work, transform our businesses and change our lives.” Author of several highly relevant books to marketers and entrepreneurs, in this book Pink draws on social science to demonstrate that selling is simply moving people towards an eventuality rather than an immediate action. He packages the famous elevator pitch into six techniques and offers easy-to-follow rules and frames for not only understanding another’s perspective, but projecting your message in an effective and persuasive manner.

When Digital Becomes Human: The Transformation of Customer Relationships
Steven Van Belleghem

Steven Van Belleghem is known for his customer-centric approach to marketing against the backdrop of a digital age. In this book, he studies the customer experience and how nurturing a human element in one’s marketing mix will ultimately bring success to the company and happiness to the customer. Van Belleghem cites a number of success stories from large organisations that revolve around today’s most relevant marketing and CRM topics.

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins:
How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate With Power & Impact
Annette Simmons

Just five years ago, content marketing was a fledgling division of the marketing family. Now, the modern marketing landscape has elevated storytelling as one of the most powerful techniques to build brands and sell products and services. It’s about being memorable. As a communications specialist with qualifications in Adult Education and Psychology, Simmons shares her techniques and tools on crafting captivating narratives that inspire and stir an emotional connection within the customer, and ensures you sound authentic.

Selling to Big Companies
Jill Konrath

Author and inspirational speaker, Konrath tackles the holy grail of selling to the large faceless corporates. This B2B title is full of straightforward talking about avoiding time-wasting pitches and quickly drills down to the tools needed to break through. She guides you through how to be fully prepared and what to say when you do gain a face-to-face with a decision maker and how to adapt yourself for success.

How to Write a Marketing Plan
John Westwood

This is a simple and straightforward guide that takes you step-by-step from auditing the value of the products to learning market research techniques, setting objectives and devising budgets. The following sections demonstrate how to write and present the plan and finally its implementation. It’s a great entry-level guide by veteran marketer Westwood and the latest edition has a new chapter on devising mini-plans and seizing new opportunities quickly. By the end of the book you’ll have a marketing plan in your hand.