Dustin’s Book Recommendations for January, 2018
I recently noticed that I talk about books quite a bit. I also noticed that my clients, family and peers often ask me for book recommendations. For this reason, I made the decision to start writing monthly book recommendation posts on Consonant Marketing’s website. I do not have a detailed strategy for these posts because most conversations I have about books happen organically. In like manner, I am taking an organic approach to these posts because I believe it will produce the best recommendations.
Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude – Jeffrey Gitomer
Jeffrey Gitomer is the first sales trainer that ever inspired me. Back when I was a B2B account manager at MacSpecialist in Chicago, my bosses sent me to quite a few seminars and networking events. I loathed going to these events. I was young, I felt uncomfortable and I thought it was cheesy. Regardless, it was my job and I did not have a choice. Then one day they sent me to a Jeffrey Gitomer event. Spending 2 hours in the presence of Gitomer changed my life. I left the event energized and even bought one of his books. I have been reading his books ever since.
Now, I am incredibly thankful for being “forced” to go to those events. Gitomer introduced me to the power of positive mindset. He keeps things real and offers a plethora of helpful tips to maintain a positive attitude. I honestly recommend buying this guy’s entire catalog but if I had to pick one book, Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude wins. Whether you read the book or listen to the audiobook which he reads himself, your attitude will improve.
Getting Things Done – David Allen
If you implement even half of David Allen’s GTD system into your life, you will become twice as productive as you were before you read his book. Allen’s system is so effective that software developers such as; Omni Group, Wunderlist and others modeled their Apps after it. Although the audiobook is great, I recommend reading this one to get the most out of it.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
With over 32 million copies sold, Rich Dad, Poor Dad is one of the most popular business books in the history of business. Kiyosaki’s book was first published in 1997 and is completely relevant today. The gist: The rich invest in assets that produce income, the middle class and many small business owners invest in jobs and expenses. This book is must-read.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Dr. Robert Cialdini
I bought this book early in my sales career because I was honestly interested in the psychology behind persuasion. I always considered myself to be an honest salesperson who believed in the products and services I sold but I hated being called a “salesperson” because I never heard anything positive about salespeople before. Initially, I honestly thought this book would teach me why salespeople were viewed as “shady” or explain how they “sold” people.
In other words, I initially read Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion because I wanted to know when I was “being sold” and I wanted to avoid acting like a salesperson. The book was not at all what I expected. It turned out to be incredibly helpful. I ended up using it to sharpen my customer service skills. If you learn one thing from this book, learn the power of the word “because.”
Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter – Scott Adams
Scott Adams is the creator of the Dilbert comic strip. I was never really a fan of comic strips and I had no idea who this guy was until I started seeing his name associated with persuasion online. Win Bigly teaches readers persuasion techniques that were used in the 2016 election. Adams uses a non-partisan approach in this book. He dissects the way Trump communicates and explains why it is so effective. This book is must-read for all entrepreneurs regardless of political preference. This is a book about persuasion and Adams does a great job educating his readers without taking a side politically.
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Alright. My first book recommendations post is published! If you have already read one or more of these books, let me know your thoughts on Twitter or LinkedIn. If you decide to read one of these books based on my recommendation, let what you thought after you are finished. I would love to read your feedback. To receive monthly recommendations in your inbox, subscribe to our mailing list and we will email them to you. Thanks for reading!
Dustin Templeton is a digital marketing veteran and SMB consultant who works with business owners and entrepreneurs to maximize productivity and grow sales from the internet. Read his full bio here.