(Part 2) Best marketing & sales books according to redditors
We found 1,597 Reddit comments discussing the best marketing & sales books. We ranked the 583 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
The AdWeek Copywriting Handbook is widely regarded as one of the best resources on writing ad copy.
I'm a copywriter. And nobody can explain what I do better than Luke Sullivan. Every copywriter has at least two editions of his book on his desk. Start here.
http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Advertising/dp/0470190736
EDIT: I can't spell. that's probably not a good sign.
Is anyone familliar with Martin Lindström? He's in the field of branding and marketing and in his books he analyzes what makes people buy specific products and prefer specific brands.
In one of his books, Buyology (http://www.amazon.com/Buyology-Truth-Lies-About-Why/dp/0385523890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346762504&sr=8-1&keywords=buyology) he makes the point that horrific images on cigarette packs seems to actually have the opposite effect. I'd be really interested to find out what effect a cigarette package displaying ONLY horrific images would have on consumer consumption.
I got the book Everybody Writes.
In that book it says the About You Page isn't really about you but should instead focus on relaying who you are in relation to the visitor.
>All good content puts the reader first, and that's no different on your About Us page. In other words, About Us gives you a chance to talk about yourself, but always in the context of what you do for your customers. What burdens you help them shoulder, what problems you solve for them.
Here ya go: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00RW6WKAI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
yes, they do this in whole foods to make it smell like fresh bread and lots and lots of other places (why chain stores always smell the same).
If interested, you should read Buyology by Martin Lindstrom if you are interested in more of the subject of how marketers mess with your perceptions.
Here's the UK link
Thanks so much!
Hello My Name is Awesome is a great and relatively cheap book to start with firm naming. Too much to summarize, but the author does a pretty good job with some free materials at her website below.
http://eatmywords.com/tips/
Alexandria is great and helped me with my own rebranding. Not cheap to get her on the phone, but definitely check out her stuff!
Chris Fox has a book on relaunching novels that might be of help to you https://www.amazon.com/Relaunch-Your-Novel-Breathe-Backlist-ebook/dp/B071HVZD1G
The future direction of news and how it can be improved
Links in this section are RSS feeds
Jay Rosen is my favorite author on the subject:
Jeff Jarvis is nothing to shake a stick at either:
And finally, we can't forget Clay Shirky:
Presentation design and using visuals to increase group effectiveness.
Links in this section are to books
EDIT: formatting
You aren't following best practices of landing page design. You need a clear call to action and value proposition.
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/landing-page-examples-list
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/landing-page-design-infographic/
http://ww5.komen.org/
Your site does a very poor job of explaining your mission, who you are, or what you do. It seems like a scam. Look at the Komen example and replicate that.
In this case the value you provide to the 'customer' (your donors) is the good feeling they get when they donate. So you need to reinforce the story they tell themselves about donating to a worthy cause.
https://www.amazon.com/All-Marketers-are-Liars-Works/dp/1591845335
But I think you also need to niche down and tackle this in pieces. "Genetic research" and "anything genetic related" is too broad a topic. Pick one disease and focus on that.
https://www.amazon.com/Tribes-We-Need-You-Lead/dp/1591842336
This should be all the advice you need to get started, the rest is education and elbow grease.
First:
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Google-AdWords-Million/dp/1599184419
Second: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Google-AdWords-Brad-Geddes/dp/111881956X/ref=pd_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51qNA-w7TXL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR127%2C160_&refRID=067Y1BH3800X4A8QJ62N
Third: Take Over The World.
Itse kuuntelen kirjoja aina kun kävelen tai matkustan jonnekkin. Saa senkin ajan hyödynnettyä.
En tiä minkälaisia kirjoja tykkäät lukea, mutta itse tykkään markkinointi, yrittäjyys aiheista.
Rich dad poor dad on ihan ykkössuositus yrittäjyydestä ja "contagious", sekä "influence. Psychology of persuation" markkinoinnista.
https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1543626610
https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Things-Catch-Jonah-Berger/dp/1451686587
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28815.Influence
You NEED to read Predictive Revenue!
I had to build an entire sales process from start to finish for my startup. A friend introduced me to this book and it changed the way we looked at our sales team. It's fucking incredible.
http://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213
Not sure if the intent is for your client to drop your product slides into a larger presentation, or if you’re intending to build the complete presentation for your client...either way, you may find it useful to incorporate storytelling techniques to amp up viewer engagement. I’ve found the following books very good:
Resonate, by Nancy Duarte
Storynomics, by Robert McKee and Tom Gerace
Good luck!
I realize you didn't go to advertising school and probably didn't put together a portfolio, nor are you at a big name agency, so I figured I'll throw in a few reading suggestions to fire up your brain and help you build upon your base of knowledge so you can speak with greater authority on the subject.
Hey Whipple (http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Creating/dp/1118101332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369356964&sr=8-1&keywords=hey+whipple)
Advertising: Concept and Copy (http://www.amazon.com/Advertising-Concept-Third-George-Felton/dp/0393733866/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369357028&sr=1-3&keywords=the+advertising+concept+book)
Advertising Concept Book (http://www.amazon.com/Advertising-Concept-Book-Second-Barry/dp/0500290318/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369357028&sr=1-1&keywords=the+advertising+concept+book)
The Copy Book - This book is one of my favourites because it just deals with writing and it's big and glossy and wordy. (http://www.amazon.com/D-AD-The-Copy-Book/dp/3836528320/ref=pd_sim_b_11)
Also just look through annuals and always keep good writing and good ideas at the front of your mind. The
I've read a lot of business books in the past year. These include:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Think and Grow Rich
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Secrets of Closing the Sale
How to Master the Art of Selling
The E-Myth Revisited
The Compound Effect
The Slight Edge
The $100 Startup
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
I have 4HWW waiting to be read, in addition to about 15 other books that are sitting there, waiting to be read.
The $100 Startup is very inspiring, especially for people who have no chance at securing a "normal" job (I dropped out of college). The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is also very informative. But out of this list, by far, my two favorite books are The Compound Effect and The Slight Edge. #1 going to The Slight Edge. Read this book. Maybe it won't apply to everyone as much as it did to me, but it totally changed my attitude towards life.
Nah. You're going to need a good title to pitch in any case. Clarity about genre and tone should be near immediate, and it should avoid various traps ("The Rural Juror").
There's methodologies for this, and they're different from most writing processes. For one thing, competitive analysis and relative positioning are a big deal.
This book has an evaluation framework that helps guide decisions using rules other than "this feels good".
https://smile.amazon.com/Hello-My-Name-Awesome-Create/dp/1626561869
Get this book. Read the chapter on creative briefs.
Then, get this book. Read the whole thing. Twice.
Then get this book. Read the chapter "How to Get an Idea." Then read the chapter "How to Craft Copy."
Pick 5 brands. Not small unknown brands, but brands that have agencies do their ads. Make 3 ads for those brands.
You'll have to write 100 headlines to get 2 or 3 good ones. Once you get more experience, you'll be able to squeeze out the gold with less effort.
Way I see it, you have three options:
My personal preference is the third option, but the first is also a good one. I don't think you'll have much luck with the second.
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan
The Advertising Concept Book by Pete Barry
Those are two English books I have been exposed too when I was learning advertising as a sidetrack on design school. I'd say next to these search something good about storytelling commercially and how to think lateral.
Good luck and my best tip would be, fall in love with the to market product/service/person and have fun!
The Thank You Economy is a pretty good book detailing the "why" behind social media being a necessary component for business.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Thank-Economy-Gary-Vaynerchuk/dp/0061914185
Nancy Duarte's book also has an insightful breakdown of Jobs' original iPhone pitch.
This is a good starting point:
Perry Marshalls: Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords
Hal Varian: Quality Score & the Ad Auction
Take everything you read/learn online with a grain of salt. PPC is not black and white, not every practice works in every industry/budget/account. Try to learn the logic behind making intelligent decisions in PPC.
Serial Entrepreneur here. Some critiques since you asked for it.
Ogilvy on Advertising
Truth, Lies, and Advertising
Hey, Whipple
Bill Bernbach's Book
The Book of Gossage
It seems like you're interested in UX design but not entirely sure what it entails. The role of a UX designer varies between companies and has changed over time. You can think of UX designer as someone who is skilled in interaction design, creating wireframes & protypes, user research, information architecture, etc. A bunch of skills smashed into one job title. Some skills of a UI designer includes visual design, color, layout, typography, etc.
From what I've seen, what companies are looking for these days when they say what a UX designer is that they want someone who can do both UX & UI to define, maintain, and grow a product with Product Managers. Product Managers are driven by business goals, you are driven by user goals. A Product Designer is becoming a popular term for this type of job. It's hard to find a UX job where all you do is wireframes, user research, and information architecture (as least with the big companies).
First, you need to think like a designer. Time to start reading some material. I took a class on Design Thinking at my university, and it has really helped me put into words what designers do. Link to the course materials.
You can find a bunch of lists of UX design books out there on the web. I started out by reading The Design of Everyday Things, a classic. Other books on my shelf are Design is Storytelling and Value Proposition Design. Not related to design, but during one of my internships I was given Everybody Writes and I recommend it because, well, everybody writes.
After you have a better understanding of what UX design is, start thinking about what it means for you and what you want to focus in. If you ask a bunch of designers why they do UX, you will get different answers.
From there, you need to start practicing. You can look up examples of side projects you can do as a UX designer. The most important thing here is to get critique from other people, learn from it, and iterate on it.
One common side-project is to redesign an app like Yelp. One thing I personally don't like about these projects is that they are typically "blue-sky" redesigns, or designs without constraints. This is fine to do when you're starting out, but to think like a Product Designer, you need to think about the business goals, make assumptions on why it's the way it is, and create constraints for your re-design. What's the user problem? What are the business goals? What are some ways I can solve these problems? What assumptions am I making for these designs?
Lastly, I think all UX/Product designers need to have some visual fundamentals down. Typography, layout, color, etc.--visuals are a huge part of the experience (along with copy, but thankfully I've had the chance to work with great copywriters). To get you started, Thinking with Type is a great book. I'm constantly looking at designs on Dribbble and Medium - Muzli for design inspiration. See something you like? Steal it and make it work for you.
Look at design blogs from big companies like Facebook, Google, and Airbnb. Stay up to date on what's happening like Mailchimp's redesign. Look at works from famous agencies like Collins. Watch YouTube videos from channel like The Futur.
Notice that I never mentioned any tools in this post. You won't become a UX design by learning html or js, those are for front-end devs. It may be nice for you to know, but not critical. You won't become a UX designer because you learned how to use Sketch or Adobe XD. Tools are constantly changing and are easy to learn. It's everything I mentioned above that's hard.
EDIT: In all seriousness, here's a great book (thin and to the point) which provides a method of developing great names that are effective: Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick
I've used it (found it at the library) and it helped me name 2 brands.
Had this list together from a blog post I wrote a few months ago. Not sure what exactly you're looking for, but these are my favorite books and I'd recommend everybody read them all. There are other great books out there, but this is a pretty well rounded list that touches everything a company needs.
The Lean Startup https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898
Business Model Generation https://www.amazon.com/Business-Model-Generation-Visionaries-Challengers/dp/0470876417
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/1591847788
Talking to Humans https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Humans-Success-understanding-customers-ebook/dp/B00NSUEUL4
Predictable Revenue https://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213
To Sell is Human https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Human-Surprising-Moving-Others/dp/1594631905
Rework https://www.amazon.com/Rework-Jason-Fried/dp/0307463745
Delivering Happiness https://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-Purpose/dp/0446576220
/u/Arkelias (Chris Fox) actually has a book on this very subject called Relaunch Your Novel. Check it out. I decided that relaunching my old series ultimately wasn't for me since the return still wouldn't be worth the effort, but Chris goes through the process in some detail. Worth a read.
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley. Because writing is essential to any marketing strategy. Best book I've read in a while.
It's called "Building a Storybrand", my fault
https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329
I just finished Buy-ology: Truth and lies about why we buy by Martin Lindstrom over the weekend. Read it for a marketing course and really enjoyed it.
Not sure what I'll read next. I've got a few books piled up somewhere in my house though.
You need to make good fake work. No one should care at the jr/intern level that your book is all spec work.
The Creative Ham has a good build a book resource for you. http://www.thecreativeham.com/resources/portfoliolaunch/
Try to find a creative you like to judge the student work you're making. Even better if they work somewhere you'd like to end up.
Some other great resources to check out:
[Hey Whipple] (http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Advertising/dp/0470190736/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420589603&sr=8-2&keywords=hey+whipple+squeeze+this)
[Advertising Concept Book] (http://www.amazon.com/Advertising-Concept-Book-Second-Barry/dp/0500290318/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420589650&sr=8-1&keywords=advertising+concept+book)
> We’re literally trained to find logical flaws in others’ arguments
For what it's worth, I do this too. It's relatively easy, and a great way to shoot bad arguments down.
However, also recognize that most political arguments are rooted in belief and identity. These things are wholly emotional decisions, and far too many people take challenges as personal attacks. How you phrase what you want to say is just as important as what you're saying, and it's important to address the emotional aspect of the argument first, because if you don't, the other person will not listen. A lot of people don't like confronting their own beliefs, because those beliefs are the basis for their worldviews. It's hard, especially when they're wrong or hurtful.
I would suggest digging into sales tactics as a way to overcome this. "How to Master the Art of Selling" by Tom Hopkins is a great guide about overcoming communication hurdles, because ultimately you're selling yourself, and doing that requires a lot of nonverbal communication- something academia doesn't really teach well (from my experience). It's a lot of little things that seem silly at first glance, but applied correctly, it works.
For example: when discussing a sticky political debate, you can use the "feel felt found" method of redirection: "I feel you, and I felt that way for a long time, but when I found [supporting information], I learned [your point]." Acknowledge the feeling behind their position (ie what they're actually communicating), align with them (make it personal so they feel comfortable and actually listen), then redirect them to your chosen topic.
There's no perfect solution that works 100% of the time, but things like this can absolutely sway people. Once they trust you as a person, they're far more likely to value your points as knowledge, not just opinions.
Is it manipulative? That depends on your perspective and what you're selling. In this case it's "empathy and knowledge", so that's not so bad. If you were a Pickup Artist peddling "your dick", an appliance salesman hustling unnecessarily expensive accessories and warranties, or a televangelist guilting the gullible into donating to a charlatan? Absolutely. When I was in sales, I took the approach of "I am an expert and they're paying me for my time", but didn't try to sell people into stuff they didn't actually need because they'd just return it, because frankly... that was the only way I could justify it to myself. Regardless, though... it works, and it works for a reason. Most people don't pay attention to that level of conversation, and you can absolutely use that to your advantage when necessary.
Yeah, it's a pain in the ass to have to do this extra work, especially when dealing with issues like race, but the results are ultimately what matters. That said, don't coddle the assholes, don't get suckered into baited questions, and you are absolutely under no obligation to hold their hand or do all the emotional work for them. If you can reach them, all you have to do is plant a seed.
Here's a few more ideas for you:
Not a course but this book by Perry Marshall helped me out a lot when I wanted to learn more: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Google-AdWords-Million/dp/1599184419
I'd say it heavily depends on your industry. If your industry is cool with content marketing, I recommend these two books:
UnMarketing
Everybody Writes
Best,
Matt
For copy:
"Learn More" is a terrible call to action. It makes it seem like the customer has to do something else. "Record Now" or "Tell Your Story" -- something that gets them excited to record a podcast would be better here.
Your second header
> We'll walk you through our process
Again, puts the customer as someone that has to learn something from you. Not you doing something for your customer. Then you mention clearing up bottlenecks in their process? If they have a process, why do they also need your process?
The first bit of copy after the hero image needs a line break:
> Whether you’re just starting out or already or have a full-fledged show developed, we have services that will fit your need. (line break) We’ll clear up any bottlenecks in your process and help you get back to podcasting about what you love most!
right now, There's a few words just hanging off on another line by itself, and it looks odd, IMO.
Couple of design things I would personally change.
At the top of the page, you have your business typed out. Then again at the top of the footer, but then a small logo in the bottom of the footer? I'd pick one of the two and try to stay consistent in the places people would typically see your branding. I like the logo, and would probably (sizing allowing) use that.
Your second parallax background image is a girl on a weight bench. Not sure how that relates to podcasting, might consider changing that!
"Ready to get started?" Is a terrible thing to put above your contact form. It gives the reader way too easy of an out. People will naturally make excuses not to start something new, especially if they've never done it before. They don't need you asking them to think about reasons not to start. Maybe something like:
> The World Needs to Hear You!
For all of your call to action buttons, they're black with white text. So is the rest of your website. They don't stand out, and they should. In your section with two buttons (one says "Click here to Learn More" and one says "Get In Touch Now") one of these should be a pop of color (Get in Touch), and the other should be a more muted version of it. I'd probably change the text to be more indicative of what it's doing "Learn More about the Process". You could probably even make this just a text link, and then have a single bright call to action button.
These are all IMO. Have you ever read "Building a Story Brand"? This website could use a little bit more focus on making your customer the hero of the story. Especially given the medium is all about them, anyway.
You should also check out Truth, Lies, and Advertising.
http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Lies-Advertising-Planning-Magazine/dp/0471189626
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
http://www.amazon.com/Jab-Right-Hook-Story-Social-ebook/dp/B00BATNNZY
Here are a few of my favorites (btw these are not affiliate links, I just thought it would be useful to share the direct links):
On content writing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118905555/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
On data driven marketing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470504544/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (a little dry but SUPER useful info)
and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119257239/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Good luck!
One of the best things I heard when going to college for advertising was to think "What is the one thing that will get the audience you want to buy your product? Make that the focus." You're not going to come to that conclusion without researching. Find out the purpose of the product, the objective of the ad, the benefits the product has, the point of difference it has against competitors, the tone of the brand, the target audience, the target concern of that audience and then use all of that to solve a barrier that the audience or brand has. And if you really want to get creative read some of the many amazing advertising books out there when you are out of ideas. Good luck!
https://buffer.com/library/social-proof
You might want to read a few Marketing books if you're going to start a business. (https://www.amazon.com/22-Immutable-Laws-Marketing-Violate/dp/0887306667, https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Things-Catch-Jonah-Berger/dp/1451686587/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A83W2B73QMKMTAK2D36K)
@tiagopinto: i'm not from Seedcamp, but as a technical guy, I found this book as a great intro to customer development: http://www.amazon.com/The-Entrepreneurs-Guide-Customer-Development/dp/0982743602
That highlights great ways of thinking on your business like the ones advocated by Steve Blank. I'm sure Seedcamp will also have other great suggestions
I had severe 'chronic' carpal tunnel (also supposedly caused by a pinched nerve) for 5 years. No treatments worked, all my doctors were out of ideas and unaware that a cure even existed. Then I read this book and was completely and permanently cured in less than a month. It proposes a novel theory of chronic pain and how to cure it that worked for me and many others. I don't know if sciatic nerve pain is one of the things it can cure, but it sounds like it may be.
Not specifically for advice on media start ups, but Gary Vaynerchuk's books deal with social media marketing, and I think are critical for any up-and-coming business, but especially if you're in the digital media industry and want to engage with folks directly in this way.
[The Thank You Economy] (https://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Economy-Gary-Vaynerchuk/dp/0061914185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510421556&sr=8-1&keywords=the+thank+you+economy&dpID=41L836nMSGL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch)
[Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook] (https://www.amazon.com/Jab-Right-Hook-Story-Social/dp/006227306X)
Well, it just so happens that I have a list prepared to tweet out—figured I'd share here as well :)
How to Win Friends & influence People
Never Eat Alone
The E-Myth Revisited
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
Tribes
Linchpin
A Whole New Mind
The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing
The millionaire Next Door
Cashflow Quadrant
Why We Want you to be Rich
Drive
Rework
The 4 Hour Work Week
Entreleadership
Thou Shalt Prosper
Driven
How to Get Ideas
The Go-Giver
I would get two books in particular. I actually just read them and I quite like them:
this first and then this one
Tom Hopkins - How to Master the art of selling was great
no affiliate link: http://www.amazon.com/How-Master-Art-Selling-Hopkins/dp/0446692743/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319257923&sr=8-1
How to Master the Art of Selling/Tom Hopkins
It gives you a pretty good idea on the basics.
I also liked his book [The Thank You Economy] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Thank-Economy-Gary-Vaynerchuk/dp/0061914185), not sure if it overlaps this one, if anyone's read both please chime in.
Pretty good campaigns can be found here:
https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Things-Catch-Jonah-Berger/dp/1451686587
Also you can follow ‘Brilliant ads’ page on Linkedin 😊
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brilliantads/
http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Lies-Advertising-Account-Planning/dp/0471189626
a classic overview of account planning by one of the greats
---
http://herd.typepad.com/files/bentleyearlsadmap.pdf
a paper that takes a slightly different approach from 'tipping point'
Truth Lies and Advertising by Jon Steel
Madison Valley by Leif Abraham
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Otherwise you should set up an RSS feed with an app like Newsify that includes sites like Adweek, Ad Age, copyranter, KISSmetrics, etc. The industry is constantly evolving and it's worth it to keep up on what's going on now.
Hey Friend,
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Fellow musician and programmer here. Use my hands a lot, was experiencing painful RSI symptoms. Be open minded but I do recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FA5SJS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
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You'd be surprised at how much pain your own mind is inflicting on yourself right now. My hands feel amazing now. Good luck.
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My pleasure!
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All that is awesome! Your response means you're doing everything right as far as I can tell.
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Maybe illustration doesn't have "trade shows" but maybe there are more art shows to get involved in? Even if it's just volunteering to help work the event if there's no room to post your art.
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Competitions can be expensive but I think personally that the ROI would probably be way worth it. Don't quote me, but I'd be willing to bet that you could probably write off the entrance fee as a business expense on your taxes, which makes it "free" :D
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For art hanging, if after 6 months to a year I would move it to another place. Oh! Afterthought! You could potentially have the opportunity to hang your art at one of these new businesses, maybe they'll even want to purchase it themselves if they're still settling in.
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I'm not familiar with MailChimp but it should be like any other mass mailer. Do you have the automation set up for different types of outcomes? For example, if the person doesn't open the email it sends a follow up message. You can get really intense with these and following up is important. I would also make the emails seem as personalized as possible.
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If you like to read about sales stuff I would love to recommend this great read to you!
Tom Hopkins is killer. He's smart and has sold a ton of different things and is an authority on selling. (He once sold 365 houses in a year)
I don't think you should be worried at all about asking your freelancing friends questions as long as you don't ask in a way that makes it seem like you're asking for their clients. You're new-ish at this, everyone needs a little help now and again :)
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I think your last thought about reaching out is a good idea! With your own personal flair you can be like:
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Read this book https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540049636&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=story+brand&dpPl=1&dpID=41gwu0NcCrL&ref=plSrch
It goes into creating a story around a brand. If your website is just like every other site then there's no reason to buy from you. Focus on what makes you unique and your customer experience.
If you're selling on your website get your tracking system in place. Callrail.com for call tracking, Analytic goals and Google ads. It's much harder to setup that you would think and I think finding a good developer that is familiar with all the setup is important.
Have all your accounts setup under your name and add the developer as a manager (not admin). There is absolutely nothing worse that a developer relationship going sour and they're holding all the cards.
Check upworks.com for a designer. Look overseas to find good deals, ask for references and portfolios. Be specific on what you want so there's no feature creep on your website that ends up costing you more.
Don't pay your developer upfront except for a deposit. Final payment should be given when everything is completed.
Here at the links to the books I have recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Selling-Zig-Ziglar-2012-06-03/dp/B01F81PFOG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488290235&sr=8-2&keywords=zig+ziglar+art+of+selling
https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Selling-Increase-Thought-Possible/dp/0785288066/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1488290247&sr=8-5&keywords=brian+tracy
https://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488290267&sr=8-1&keywords=predictive+revenue
This is highly recommended for anyone in Saas sales.
especially in a BDR or management role.
https://www.amazon.com/SPIN-Selling-Neil-Rackham/dp/0070511136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488290305&sr=8-1&keywords=spin+selling
Here is a solid list from PeopleScience. It is a pretty good site. Also, behaviroalscientist.org is a good place to find information.
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For marketing, I would recommend Neuromarketing by Patrick Renvoise and Christophe Morin.
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Any book by Jonah Berger is a good read, but I am bit bias based on school affiliation. Contagious and Invisible Influence are my personal favorites by him.
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Let me know if you have any questions.
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Best of luck with the study!
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The book "building a storybrand" really helped me when I was thinking of my brand and where I wanted to take my stream. I highly recommend this book. https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329
Doesn't really matter that you're not a student. Book is all that matters to agencies, aside from cultural fit. You really need to study some award books and archives and learn what makes copy good, then make a book of spec (fake) ads. Pick 5 brands in various categories and go. I highly recommend this book to help you get started concepting.
Read the book Contagious https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Things-Catch-Jonah-Berger/dp/1451686587
This site has some good ads to swipe, with explanations for some of them:
http://swiped.co/
To start off, these books should help to get the basics down pat:
5.https://www.amazon.com/Online-Copywriters-Handbook-Everything-Electronic/dp/0658020994
If you want to go deeper, and become an expert copywriter follow what the late great Gary Halbert says here --> https://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/newsletters/zfkj_hands_on_experience.htm
All the best on the journey.
You need two things. The actual business knowledge, so read some technical books on the different facets of business. law, accounting, management, sales, automation, etc. Then how to think like an entrepreneur. A lot of the other book suggestions here could be boiled down to a one page summary and the rest is a lot of hot air. If you want to think like an entrepreneur, I'd suggest "Crush it" or "Thank you economy". Still lots of hot air, but he talks about the mindset, which is the definite key to being a successful entrepreneur.
Read Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This front to back.
Then, from there, it depends what you're going to be doing. I'm a copywriter so I read a lot of books tailored to that.
If you're not going in the creative side, there are still plenty of other books - and I think Whipple applies to all.
Yeah that's the one. At least I think so, they don't mention the title.
https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Things-Catch-Jonah-Berger/dp/1451686587 for anyone else reading this.
If I might recommend a book, Seth Godin's All Marketers are Liars might be an interesting read (and any of his other books if you like that one). People hate having their time wasted, or pushy salespeople, but there's also a right way to do it.
You're probably right about finding an existing consultancy being a better route, depending on the person at least. Find one that doesn't skim too much off the top; their service of getting you in touch with clients is valuable, but not ridiculously so.
Did you just downvote yourself? Haha, but mine is this. I love this man, here is his latest book which I highly recommend.
This isn't exactly what you're going for, but gives great insight to advertising. We read in it my account planning class. Loved it and it reads like a book. Very interesting. You can "take a peek inside" or buy here
Networking is a long game. It sounds like you're doing a lot of things right.
You may want to look at Gary Vaynerchuk's books for some ideas. I'd start with Jab Jab Jab Right Hook.
You may want to do some niche development, not just in your town but in the surrounding areas as well.
Edit: spelling
A few recommendations:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601630328/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Ca$hvertising)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887306667/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (the 22 immutable laws of marketing)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591845335/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Seth Godin)
There's too many to name. There's not really a lot that pack so much punch that they're more important than getting your hands dirty and doing.
And I have these in my list on amazon. Would love to get some opinions on them:
 
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
 
Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More
by Robert Bly
 
Words that Sell
by Richard Bayan
 
Tested Advertising Methods
by Caples and Hahn
 
Writing That Works
by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson
 
Confessions of an Advertising Man
by David Ogilvy
 
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
by Al Ries and Jack Trout
 
The Robert Collier Letter Book
by Robert Collier
 
Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose
by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee
 
Letting Go of the Words
by Janice (Ginny) Redish
 
Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers
by Harold Evans
 
Can I Change Your Mind?: The Craft and Art of Persuasive Writing
by Lindsay Camp
 
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
by Roy Peter Clark
 
Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy
by Roger Horberry and Gyles Lingwood
 
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads
by Luke Sullivan
 
WRITE IN STEPS: The super simple book writing method
by Ian Stables
 
On Writing Well
by William Zinsser
 
The Wealthy Freelancer
by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage and Ed Gandia
 
Write Everything Right!
by Denny Hatch
 
The Secret of Selling Anything
by Harry Browne
 
The Marketing Gurus: Lessons from the Best Marketing Books of All Time
by Chris Murray
 
On Writing
by Stephen King
 
Writing for the Web
by Lynda Felder
 
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
by Ann Handley
 
This book will teach you how to write better
by Neville Medhora
If you are really interested in learning to code, go checkout onemonth.com or codeschool.org.
That said, the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur in any new market is finding a problem/or pain point that customers are willing to pay you for. Focus on trying to solve a really big pain point!
Once you find a compelling pain point and have customers who are willing to pre-order, sign a letter of intent, or a purchase order. Take your company vision and start selling that vision and your early traction to people who can build your product.
So much of being successful in this game is being able to 1. solve a real problem, 2. inspire others (sell) to join you.
With regards to your major etc. I'd suggest going to work for a startup for a little while. Even for free as an intern. Find a company that you think has great leadership that you can learn from.
Go work there and hustle your face off. Create as much value as you can. This experience will help you learn what you really want to do and you'll find out what skills you need to build your own company and what skills you need in others.
It will also help you find other oportunities outside of the tech field. There are TONS of opportunities outside of "tech".
My favorite example of this is a company in Santa Barbara that came out of UCSB's life science lab called Apeel Sciences. It is science-based and technical but it's not a software company or app and it is going to literally change world.
There are some pretty big problems out there that need to be solved. Find an area you are passionate about, and go solve something really hard.
Books for you to checkout:
Traction By Justin Mares Great book on marketing
The Entrepreneurs Guide To Customer Development This will give you the low down on market validation, how to search for a problem to solve.
Hope this helps:)
My favorites are:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Online-Customer-Service-Guide/dp/0470637706
https://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Economy-Gary-Vaynerchuk/dp/0061914185
and Jeff Toister's books https://www.toistersolutions.com/books
I'd be happy to send you a copy of The Ultimate Customer Service Guide and one of Jeff's books.
>If one cover was better than another you wouldn’t see books constantly rereleased with new covers.
There's lots to unpick here, but I'd suggest you read Chris Fox's Relaunch Your Novel to get a bit more knowledge of this point.
Covers absolutely matter, it's why everyone from the big five to top-selling indies invest in them. Data-driven authors like Fox, Cooper, and Anderle invest in them heavily because they matter so significantly. Part of it is branding, sure, but it's also making your product compelling.
A few people aren't influenced by covers, but they're a minority. Reader decisions for things like KU next-to-read are done based on a thumbnail when their kindle suggests their next book.
I've got data based on my own publishing journey to back this up. I changed covers on a series and watched sales tank, and reswitched covers and they picked back up. Blurb + price + reviews were all the same, so if it's not covers selling books, is it sorcery? :)
I love this book for a naming process: https://www.amazon.com/Hello-My-Name-Awesome-Create/dp/1626561869
For Zeda Labs, it took me forever. I've cycled through a dozen names over the years, never feeling like one was truely, 'me.' For clients, I could come up with something in 30-40 hours usually, but for my own thing it took FOREVER. I kept at it though.
How the name came about is one of my friends posted this on instagram and the meaning aligned with our values, was easy to spell and pronounce, so thus Zeda Labs was born.
I would also recommend the Advertising Concept Book
would say you find information regarding that topic in Martin Linstroms book Buyology
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385523890
I have a few questions for you. Do you want to be a creative or an account exec? Are you based in the UK or US? Remember all my advice is based on being in the UK.
You only need to make a portfolio if you want to be a creative, account people don't need to do this. Creatives work in pairs, so you'll need to get a partner too, either an art director or copywriter. Although these days it's common for both creatives to do a bit of each job.
But in answer to you question, yes, you do random stuff. Think of a brand and write some ads for them. Do about 6 to 8 campaigns, put them in a portfolio and then ask some creatives in agencies to have a look and crit your work.
Money, it's not great, especially if you've gone to Oxbridge and all your mates are starting on 50k. Generally account execs and creatives will start on about £22k-£24k.
How long does it take to work your way? That depends largely on your performance. If you're a creative who makes an ad like Sony Balls then you can expect to be on 6 figures fairly quickly. However, most creatives have a fairly steady climb. In "Hey Whipple, Squeeze This", Luke Sullivan says that creatives get under-paid for the first half of their career and over-paid for the second half.
Promotions. Creatives don't really get promoted officially until they become creative directors, getting a pay rise is roughly the equivalent of getting a promotion. There's a more rigid structure for account people and they seem to get promoted fairly regularly, once every few years but they are performance based, if your clients like you the agency will like you.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
I can't believe I'm the first to suggest this:
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Advertising
Also, fuck you.
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This is pretty much required reading. As is Ogilvy on Advertising, in my opinion. Sort of old school versus new school insight. Both are advertising legends, and Luke Sullivan is/was a copywriter, so I found his stuff to be particularly helpful. There's a ton of stuff out there to read, but these two are a good place to start.
Sure, the new iWork suite has removed quite a few features that was otherwise available in the old version. But it might only be temporarily.
The new version is rewritten to revisit and enhance the suite of tools going forward, but it has made it necessary for Apple to not include all features at first launch. That's why the old version was not overwritten when the new version first launched and presented as an update in the App Store.
Much wanted features like Apple Script support was only recently reintroduced, and details like the one you mention here might also come in a later update.
Until then, consider using the old Keynote(it still works on Mavericks) if you can't do without this feature. Personally I do not fancy these "bullet reveals" during presentations and would encourage you to try out some new styles of presentation to keep an interest in the lecture. The best lectures are usually built on a solid written and rehearsed and slides that are build to enhance it even further.
Some book recommendations to that end:
I am still learning the promotion end myself. For starters I am trying to build a collection of listeners who become advocates. That means getting them involved. Asking their opinions. Shouting them out. Thanking them for listening. I try to use social media to create content for people - not just to ask them to listen. I primarily use Facebook, my show has it's own page, and Twitter.
Facebook is more intimate. I ask people their thoughts on the different shows and films that are out there. I engage them, etc. I use Twitter to try to build relationships with fellow podcasters and potential fans. I like to comment on and promote other peoples' shows -- stuff like that. You really have to give a lot, and you have to be genuine. People know if you're a snake trying to just promote yourself.
There is a book called, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook amazon link it was totally worth the time to read. It explains a lot of the mistakes that people make with social media.
As for the tech-side of things --- Adobe Audition. It sucks because it isn't cheap, but it is incredible and super intuitive. I actually pay monthly for it, but will just buy it straight out soon.
When I was on a Mac I used Garage Band, and then on PC I used Audacity. Audacity isn't bad at all - but I decided to just make the move early to Audition.
THANKS for the compliment BTW. Hope you enjoyed the show.
Not letting me look at the page :/ However, if there is a piece of advice I can give, I would consider changing the name. When branding names that are spelled wrong, "like using a K instead of a c, and missing an e" is an seo an SERP nightmare. You said this is just an example, but just giving you a heads up if you did decide to go with that name. Imagine customers trying to find you with such odd spelling? Not to mention, you are doing that because "creative marketing solutions" is already taken. That's not a good way to stand out. For anyone interested Hello My Name is Awesome is a great guide book that is light and really helps out a lot. I know this may have nothing to do with your situation, and your URL may be a placeholder, but this will hopefully be a word to the wise for anyone who comes across it. When you fix your website let me know and I will look it over for you.
It's a pretty simple yet tricky thing to do. I found Predictable Revenue (a book) to be a solid summary of how to go about this problem:
http://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213
Yes, it's hard, but the most valuable thing I've ever learned. I took this course: http://kopywritingkourse.com/
My tips: take that course and read this: http://www.amazon.com/The-Adweek-Copywriting-Handbook-Advertising/dp/0470051248
2nd thought. It's purely from a persuasion/copywriting perspective. I read this book a few years ago and one of the steps before writing is to imagine what opposition the reader could have before buying your product (or accepting your conclusion) and address it in the main text in descending order from most to least important.
For you I'd guess it's #1 establishing you are not a troll and not racist #2 establishing the facts that you proclaim are actually true
Check out Alexandra Watkin's stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Hello-My-Name-Is-Awesome/dp/1626561869
Also, I'm selling justlearn.co
It doesn't work. If anything it adds to the pleasure. (https://www.amazon.com/Buyology-Truth-Lies-About-Why/dp/0385523890)
Hey OP, Dale Carnegie wrote "How to win friends and influence people" http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671723650
Napoleon Hill wrote "Think and Grow Rich" - among others: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill#Bibliography
It's always good to learn more about how our brains work, and how humans make decisions.
Here's some recommendations:
Use these names as jumping off points for your research:
Not too well versed in Marketing myself - I've recently been reading All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin to brush up on it. Maybe start there or other recommended reading!
I don't usually buy ebooks from Amazon.
I've tried the uk link (have an account there), but it says "This title is not currently available for purchase".
Do you need to have a Kindle or something?
The best practice is absolutely to do it. Industry association conferences can be a good way to get some practice.
To answer the question, I really like Resonate by Nancy Duarte for speaking engagements and How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes for one-on-one communications.
Predictable Revenue, by Aaron Ross is a good, quick read. He's originally from Salesforce.com and outlines several effective, new strategies, such as "Cold Calling 2.0."
Here
https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329
i certainly will
This reminds of a very famous book about, how people that give free information usually win more business than people trying hard to win business
Have you read Everybody Writes by Ann Handley? That might be a good book to read before you make any further decisions.
NOT affiliate link (LOL)
https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Writes-Go-Creating-Ridiculously/dp/1118905555
Marketing in itself is a skill. It takes time to learn how to market efficiently and effectively. Of course I'll provide you with some tips to help you.
First off, NETWORK! Talk with people and tell them what you do. Start with friends and family. Those friends and family will hopefully tell their friends and family, and then so on and so forth. Get your name just out there.
Social media is a great way to market and get your brand recognized. Run accounts under your brand name and post frequently. With it a blog always works great. Talk about your life, stuff you've learned, stuff your learning, a "How-to" post, it doesn't matter blog.
To go more on the active side of marketing, the best way is to CONTACT DIRECTLY. Create a list of businesses that represent you and ones that you would want to provide your services for. Get contact info with each business, a spreadsheet would work nicely here, including their email, phone number, address etc. The best way I would say is to email them. Talk about your services and maybe offer a discount if they do decide to work with you and use your services. Don't pester them, but contact them again if they don't answer. Just DON'T over do it.
A little tidbit, you're not selling "Web Design services" pur se, but rather you're selling the consumer a new business out reach and marketing approach. You're selling them a chance to grow their business, and if they pay you, they will profit.
Marketing again is a skill, and one that's good to learn. I'd advice learning how to market. Whether it be through a class, a book, or online resources.
I hope this helps! :)
I recommend you a book for choosing a name: http://www.amazon.com/Hello-My-Name-Is-Awesome/dp/1626561869
it is fun to read an gives you a general framework about the process that you need to follow to find a good name. Hope it helps :)
Yep. In fact, I feel like I should quit recommending that book to people, in case they turn out to be competitors!
Seriously though, it's a great book, and the Customer Development Methodology stuff is gold. Until I read that book I had NO idea how to work that aspect of a startup. To have a concrete plan for achieving product/market fit was totally eye-opening (and mind-blowing) for me.
Hmmm... This also reminds me that I've been wanting to get a copy of The Entrepreneurs Guide to Customer Development.
Learn to write copy. Print money. But be ethical. Book
Never do your own cover. They aren't that expensive ($150 is common). The reviews on your Amazon page are encouraging, and those 4 and 5 star blurbs like "This book really sucked me in and became a real page turner" mean a great deal more than what your friends say/think. You won't get anyone you know to actually read and review the thing because they don't share your interests enough to be your ideal reader. Don't worry about it. Statistically, your ideal readership is a very exclusive club scattered all around the world.
In the long run, if you are looking to make a career out of this, it's almost time to invest in a real editor. Read this book and do what it says. The generally accepted magic number is 3 books, but you can wait until 4 or 5 if you're patient and secure in your day job.
Read Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross: https://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213
This will be your bible, all successful b2b tech sales organizations use many components of this book.
Social media is absolutely NOT dead in the least! It's not over saturated. The problem is most people use it wrong. Big brands tend to have teams of people to work on their social media, therefore they're often better at it. Check out Jab Jab Jab Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk!
Also a great podcast is Marketing Smarts on Itunes.
I’ve read a lot of B2B marketing books and this is a new one that stands out: Building a StoryBrand
After taking a very quick breeze through your landing page overall I'd say simple and to the point which is great. I would say however I feel your landing page needs more of a kick. I feel you need something that grabs the users attention and says, "you need me now, and without me your f*c**d"
I'd recommend this book called building a story brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329
Good luck! Feel free to message me if you want to talk shop.
If you want to validate this idea, try Google AdWords. If you don't know how to use it well I would highly recommend this book.
Any traffic you're not converting now is kind of meaningless. If you posted the page out on your Facebook for example you might get a few people checking it out but they are not your customers. Maybe they were there to check out the upside down santa girl not your product.
Google AdWords let's you almost instantly turn on / off a stream of qualified leads. People searching for "how to start a pub crawl business" or similar. Get this traffic coming in, see how much you're paying for a conversion (email signups). 30 conversions from AdWords is statistically significant enough to draw conclusions. Then crunch the numbers and see if they make sense. Hopefully this will only cost you about $100-$200, and if it works you have the emails of interested people already.
Brainfluence by Roger Dooley gives you some practical insights into what is a very interesting and exciting aspect of marketing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1118113365?pc_redir=1407908411&robot_redir=1
All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1591845335?pc_redir=1408028870&robot_redir=1
Also, subscribe to Hubspot's newsletter for almost everything you need to know about digital marketing.
Perry Marshall might rub people the wrong way with his insanely long form sales copy but he's been an amazing resource for me and my learning. He sells courses online that are worth the 200$ if you're really wanting to study yourself.
In my opinion, start with a joint book that's regularly updated, see if you like Perry's teaching style and then maybe go for a course. His website really is a good lesson in long form sales copy. (Which in his niche works well, especially for people in your mindset)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1599184419/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Sorry for the mobile link, but Googling or Amazoning Perry Marshall will get you what you're looking for.
LEARN, LEARN, LEARN, and keep learning. Afunnyfunnyman is right about the books. This is also a solid read The Entrepreneur's Guide to Customer Development(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982743602/). OnStartups.com is a great resource. I have mixed feelings on SCORE as my local area didn't offer the potential.
BY far the best means to finding excellent resources is Meetup groups. Search your local area and go to as many as you can(Unfortunately, many have alcohol and meet at bars because we, in startups, love us a cold beer). Search for startups, entrepreneurs, etc.
Most importantly go into your startup with this in mind... You know NOTHING about what you are about to take on. Listen and ask questions. Find a startup to go intern with to learn about business. I am 12+ years since I graduated high school and I am still learning about startups everyday. My ego and assumed knowledge use to be my biggest crutch. After I got my ass kicked in the real world and swallowed my pride, did I start to become successful.
What are are you in? If I know some people/organizations in your area, I will get you in touch with them. Also, feel free to ask me any specific questions you may have.
Awesome, thanks for sharing.
I'd love to read it, but I can't seem to view this on my android phone from The Netherlands (tried your suggested link http://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B00RW6WKAI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0).
I've installed the App and pressed 'Buy now with 1-Click', but nothing happens.
:(
Everything I did for my coffee shop had to be free or very very cheap. They were very emotionally supportive but not all that financially supportive. Mostly I did stuff like offering free drinks on Twitter and Facebook to anyone who could recite Ice Ice Baby by heart or who brought in a baby Jesus stolen from a manger scene. I made funny signs encouraging people to sit together. Just tried to be creative and make myself laugh.
As far as breaking into the industry, I would say the best thing you can do is make interesting stuff. If you have an idea for a blog, do it. I have a copywriter friend who has a blog of pictures of people first thing in the morning. So simple but also kind of brilliant. Creative directors love stuff like that. One of the coolest things about this industry is that it really does not matter how much experience or training you have. If you can demonstrate an ability to consistently have good ideas and carry them out, you will absolutely get a job.
If I was just starting out (and not married) I would apply for WK12 through Wieden+Kennedy. People who get accepted don't have to apply for jobs ever again, jobs apply for them. I would also recommend reading up on the industry, Hey Whipple Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan is the classic place to start. And The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezzi is excellent and a little more up to date.
I'm going to PM you a link to my personal portfolio, which I made specifically to get my current job. I'd never done anything like this before and had zero training/experience. I really just pulled it all out of my ass in about a week and a half but I've gotten really positive feedback about it. I hope this helps. Keep me updated, if you feel like it. And please feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FA5SJS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Fixed my tendinitis.
Don't believe the idiots saying "lul u tink taht ur mind cauze pain xDDd dummy... lern scienece idiot!!!!"
Dr. John Sarno caused quite a ruckus back in 1990 when he suggested that back pain is all in the head. In his bestselling book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, he claimed that backaches, slipped discs, headaches, and other chronic pains are due to suppressed anger, and that once the cause of the anger is addressed, the pain will vanish. Relieved Amazon.com readers call this book "liberating" and say "it sounds too good to be true, but it is true." Sarno has returned with The Mindbody Prescription, in which he explains how emotions including guilt, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem can stimulate the brain to manufacture physical symptoms including fibromyalgia, repetitive strain injuries, migraine headaches, hay fever, colitis, ulcers, and even acne. If these psychosomatic problems all sound a little Freudian, what with the repression of emotions in the unconscious, it's because Sarno unapologetically borrows from Freud for the basis of his theory and cites childhood trauma as a major source of emotional problems. He also says that his program is a "talking cure" of sorts, since patients must be convinced their pain is rooted in their emotions before healing can begin.