With last Saturday marking the official start of summer, it is time to share some of my book recommendations for the new season. I picked my love of reading back up in 2017 and have found it to be a great way to relax, learn and grow. I am currently 17 books into my goal of completing 36 for 2020.
So, here are my 10 book recommendations for the summer of 2020 (listed alphabetically by author’s last name):
1. Find Your Yellow Tux by Jesse Cole (2017) – One of my all-time favorite people in #sportsbiz, Savannah Banana’s owner Jesse Cole explains how to be successful by thinking and doing things differently. (https://amzn.to/312niwi)
2. Brands Win Championships by Jeremy Darlow (2015) – The authority in the college sports marketing/branding, Jeremy Darlow, teaches how to turn your program into a powerhouse brand. (https://amzn.to/2Ngh83w)
3. The Darlow Rules: 75 Rules to Becoming an Elite Marketer by Jeremy Darlow (2020) – Darlow is back with his latest book to help you build the ultimate brand marketing plan through his 75 easy-to-digest marketing rules. (https://amzn.to/2YeIai2)
4. Keep Chopping Wood by Kevin DeShazo (2020) – I was fortunate to serve on the launch team for this new book by consultant, speaker and author Kevin DeShazo. This quick read, parable-style book reinforces the idea of “trusting the process” and putting the work in today to reap the benefits of success later. (https://amzn.to/2YPfbRe)
5. Purple Cow by Seth Godin (2003) – My book of choice by marketing guru Seth Godin tells us to make products/services worth marketing while becoming “remarkable”. (https://amzn.to/2Yi64sZ) I also read Seth’s daily blog, which you can find here: (https://seths.blog/)
6. The Power of Moments by Dan & Chip Heath (2017) – Brothers Dan and Chip Heath deliver a “powerful” read urging us to create more memorable moments which will lead to a more meaningful life. This book was gifted to all full-time employees by my employer, the University of Evansville, earlier this year. (https://amzn.to/3eiTD5H)
7. The 360-Degree Leader by John Maxwell (2011) – My favorite of the 2019 NACDA keynote speaker’s books (he has written nearly 100 of them) helps us realize the influence one can have from anywhere in an organization by leading up to bosses, across to peers and down to those “beneath” you on the organizational chart. (https://amzn.to/2NannG6)
8. Start With Why by Simon Sinek (2011) – Inspired by his now-famous TED Talk, Sinek explains how starting with why you do something instead of what or how you do it can lead to extraordinary success while differentiating yourself from competitors. (https://amzn.to/3eiTTSd)
9. Ice to the Eskimos by Jon Spoelstra (1997) – This is hands down my all-time favorite marketing book and the one I would recommend above all the others. Written by former NBA executive, Jon Spoelstra, he essentially shows the reader how to market a product that “no one wants” through his experience with the Blazers and Nets. (https://amzn.to/30YkNuY)
10. Marketing Outrageously by Jon Spoelstra (2011) – The sort of “companion book” to Ice to the Eskimos doubles down on marketing and promotional ideas that grab the attention of your fans/customers. (https://amzn.to/2NjUwz3)
As for me, this is what I’ll be diving in to over the next few months (again listed alphabetically by author’s last name):
1. High-Performance Habits by Brandon Burchard (2017)
2. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
3. The One to One Future by Don Peppers & Martha Rogers (1993)
4. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries & Jack Trout (2001)
5. Marketing Rebellion by Mark Schaefer (2019)
6. The Age of Influence by Neal Schaffer (2020)
7. The Secret Lives of Sports Fans: The Science of Sports Obsession by Eric Simons (2013)
8. The Art of Possibility by Rosamund & Benjamin Zander (2002)
If you have any additional books you would like to recommend to the #P5M community, please leave them in the comments below. If you would like more information on any of these books or have read them and want to discuss, my DMs are open on Twitter (@Scott_Peace). Happy reading, everyone!
- Scott Peace (@Scott_Peace)
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