#13. Your 2021 Reading List
Sending You Love
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Hi!
First, I didn't want to start this newsletter with business as usual. Because for those of us in the US, it doesn't really feel like things are just "the usual."
I don't really have the words to say right now. And for me that means a need to be quieter and listen. Observe.
But this is an opportunity for us to support each other. Whether you're based in the US or internationally, we all have thoughts and feelings we're working through. With that in mind, Syed Ali and I decided to schedule a Clubhouse room last night where we talked about some of the challenges we're facing right now, both personally and professionally.
We also talked about brand accountability. And whether brands or marketers even have a place in public dialogue around sociopolitical issues.
If you missed last night, there will be other chances to join conversations like these. There's a signup list if you want to get notifications that we're meeting, so feel free to get on that list (link below).
When I first started this newsletter series as a whole, I had no idea what I really wanted to write about. I mean, I do a lot of writing, between all the social media accounts I manage, my website, other projects.
With all this content I put out, I fully understand why so many people think I'm a content marketer or copywriter. (I'm not -- exclusively focused on content, that is).
And honestly this past year with all of us stuck locked away, sales and marketing became more about good content and good writing than ever before. Suddenly the scales weren't tipped in the favor of those graced with delightful social skills and an ability to schmooze through the exhibition hall from booth to booth.
So I count myself fortunate that the foundation of my education was established on a need to produce really good writing. (Same as many of the other marketers I've connected with lately. So many of us have journalism backgrounds that I'm starting to think we need to form a professional association.)
Anyway, a common trait among the best writers is that they're also usually a great reader. Or at least a voracious one.
If you want to play basketball well, you play a lot of basketball.
And similarly, if you want to write well, you've got to read a lot.
And with that in mind, I thought we could kick off our year by building out your reading list for 2021!
What are the best books for you to tackle, beyond the usual ones we always hear mentioned in those listicle social media posts of the best marketing/business books? (Paging James Clear!)
I didn't want to rely on my own smarts for this, though.
Truth be told, I didn't get through a lot of complete books in 2020.
So instead I reached out to various executives and marketing leaders to ask them to give me the title of the best book they read in 2020 that they think you should read in 2021.
Here’s a roundup of their thoughts and insights to help you create a reading list for the new year.
Also make sure to follow all these incredible thought leaders!
(By the way, once again, I really recommend you read this on my website instead of as an email. I didn't include all the book recommendations I was given and the formatting isn't as good as on my site. As always, your choice, though!)
Read this complete post as a web page instead.
Suggestion from Harry Dry, Creator, MarketingExamples.com
Man’s Search for Meaning
By Victor Frankl
Why Harry Recommends It:
This book made me realise that love and life are so much more important than all this business, marketing, social media stuff. Made me realise I’m on the “success” treadmill: More followers. More subscribers. It means nothing.
Suggestion from Kerry-Ann Betton Stimpson, CMO, JMMB Group Jamaica; and Host of The Internal Marketing Podcast
So Good They Can't Ignore You (Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love)
By Cal Newport
Why Kerry-Ann Recommends It:
Most of us were told to 'follow our passion' when choosing a job/career that we'd love to do. This book debunks that. Ultimately, it shares that true career success (including work you love) is rooted in your investing significant time and energy to build rare and valuable skills (which he calls 'career capital') in a way that causes you to stand out in your field. Career capital allows you to be in high demand, giving you the flexibility to command a high 'price' for what you do, on your own terms and with the sweet satisfaction that comes with that.
Suggestion from Kristen LaFrance, Head of Resilient Retail, Shopify
Supermaker: Crafting Business on Your Own Terms
By Jaime Schmidt
Why Kristen Recommends It:
It's an open, raw, and honest exploration of her personal and professional growth with Schmidt's Naturals. A combination of powerful, tactical advice, and relatable stories that brings so much value to entrepreneurs.
Suggestion from Lacey Berrien, Head of Communications, Drift
The Most Fun We Ever Had
By Claire Lombardo
Why Lacey Recommends It:
It details four decades of a family, their sometimes complicated relationships and love for each other. As daughter of parents who have been married for forty years, it really resonated with me, and I’ve recommended it to anyone who asks me for a book!
Suggestion from Joe Martin, GM, VP of Marketing and Strategy, CloudApp
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Why Joe Recommends It:
Amidst the chaos of 2020 I only was able to muster the energy to read a few books outside of my normal goal of 1 a month. The most impactful for me was A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It was the perfect reminder at the end of the year to look back and be grateful for the many positives that did happen in my life vs. focusing completely on the negatives. Great way to go into 2021 with optimism and an attitude of gratitude.
Suggestion from Ross Simmonds, Founder & CEO, Foundation
AI Superpowers - China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order
By Kai-Fu Lee
Why Ross Recommends It:
It feels like every year over the last decade there's been articles written about Artificial Intelligence and how robots are going to steal our jobs. In reality, for most marketers -- Artificial Intelligence is more likely to simply augment our work as a whole rather than completely replace it. At the same time, the elements of our work that are likely to be replaced are worth understanding and this book provided an eye-opening perspective into where the technology was just a couple years ago and guidance around what scientists and experts in the field are creating. It's a futuristic yet realistic look at what our world could look like in the coming years and why GPT-3 is just the beginning.
Suggestion from Adam Hadi, VP of Marketing, Current; and Influencer Marketing Consultant
The Story of Us
By Tim Urban
Why Adam Recommends It:
Tim always does a great job explaining complex topics in a very digestible way. With the Story of Us, he gives excellent context to how we've arrived at the current political culture in the US.
Suggestion from Nehal Madhani, Founder & CEO, Alt Legal
Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All By Jim Collins
Why Nehal Recommends It:
It’s a great book on how companies and leaders can navigate uncertain times, and 2020 was exceptionally uncertain and chaotic, to say the least.
But wait, there's more!
Check out the FULL LIST of book recommendations from notable executives and marketing leaders. Click the button below to check it out!
Wishing you a very happy, healthy and peaceful week! Thanks for being here for another issue.
Next week I'll be sharing what some of our favorite social media pros had to say about being successful with social in 2021. Got any tips of your own? Share them with me via Twitter or LinkedIn!
Stay safe!
C
Bonus: Stuff That Caught My Eye This Week
The former head of marketing at Uber discovered something really scary about marketing ad spend. Are you the victim of digital ad fraud?
Technical SEO can be really tough to keep up with. Here's a quick write-up on what you need to know about website extensions and how they impact your site ranking.
A running mega-list of some of the best non-marketing newsletters available to keep you from drowning in only marketing-related content.
Alexa Heinrich, a leading voice on supporting accessibility in marketing, released a guide on how to be more mindful of accessibility on social media.
Someone said the ad below could be the best example of marketing copywriting they've seen in a while. What do you think? (Ad by @WearAtoms; post by Twitter user @palakzat)
This video making the rounds on social media cracked me up. It perfectly captures the problem with many podcasts.
Something else creating big buzz on social media - the unveiling of the rebranding by Burger King. It's got a really retro vibe to it, and they've simplified tremendously. Not sure I'm as in awe of it as every other marketer on Twitter, but what about you? Here's an article on Adweek with more details.
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