Great Business Books

I read a lot of business books. I’m always looking for suggestions on what to read, so I thought I’d provide my own, along with a bit about why I liked them.

Sabrina Risley turned me on to a great author: Bob Burg. Bob has written several business books, but the first one I read was The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea. The story is about a hard-working salesman, who feels like he’s spinning his wheels. He meets a mentor who teaches him the “Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.” My take-away from this book was that to be successful, we have to give (and give more than expected)…and then be open to receive. I often hesitate to read books like this, as I prefer “hard core” business books rather than “kumbaya” books. Bob’s book is kind of a combination of both. I can honestly say that this book has made a big impression on me and on how I now approach doing business.

Bob (and co-author John David Mann) published a follow-up book: Go-Givers Sell More. As with The Go-Giver, this was a great book with many fabulous lessons.

Another book by Bob that I found very informative is Endless Referrals. It’s all about turning casual contacts into great sales opportunities. One tip that I followed was to send a hand-written note as a follow-up to a meeting. Following Bob’s tips, I had a card printed, with my photo, tag line and contact info and I use a blue pen when sending my note. I also hand-write the address on the envelope and use a stamp, rather than a postage indicia. It’s all about making it personal—and every time I send a note, I get very good feedback from the recipient.

I heard Bob speak in person and he’s very dynamic. I can’t wait for his next book, It’s Not About You: A Little Story About What Matters Most in Business.

Another favorite author is Debra Fine. Her book, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep it Going, Build Rapport and Leave a Positive Impression, actually sat untouched on my bookcase for several years. I’d seen Debra speak at an event, and afterward, bought her book. But, as someone who attends several networking events a week, I didn’t think the book had anything to offer me. When I finally read it, I loved it! Her tips were incredibly valuable and I’ve re-read various chapters in the book several times.

Lida Citroën recently wrote Reputation 360: Creating power through personal branding. Businesses have brands, but individuals do, too, and this book is all about creating an outstanding personal brand. It’s important to make sure that your brand is what you want it to be. As you could probably imagine, I was especially intrigued by her writings about online reputation. This is a great book and I’ve been giving it out as gifts at networking events I attend.

Finally, I’m currently reading Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition, written by Michael Stelzner. I was initially interested in this book because Michael is also the founder of Social Media Examiner. I’m a big fan of the information his website and Facebook Page provides regarding social media. Launch is also about giving. I’ve been especially interested in the information on how to work with experts to help your business become successful.

As I said, I’m always reading…and always looking for more books to read. What suggestions do you have and why? If you’ve written a book, it’s OK to add a link to it in your comment.