12 Books That Will Help You Develop Your E-commerce Strategy
There’s something to be said about learning from your own mistakes, but when it comes to your e-commerce business, it’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes. One of the best ways to avoid detrimental e-commerce mishaps is by taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge within the world of books. Business owners across the globe have authored titles geared towards helping entrepreneurs like you, serving as your personal mentor in the e-commerce strategy within the pages of a book.
As the CMO at BookScouter, an e-commerce project related to textbooks and used books, Barbara Hartman highly recommends these books as essential reads for e-commerce business owners. These books are selected based on their profound insights into business strategies, marketing innovation, and sales optimization. Each book is chosen for its potential to help you enhance an e-commerce strategy and grow your market share.
1. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
by Peter Thiel
Renowned entrepreneur and investor shares his secrets in Zero to One, weaving together tales of business and tips for success. This book is geared towards the complicated world of startups, but is a solid read for any modern e-commerce business owner.
2. The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business
by Josh Kaufman
The Personal MBA is a book intended to dispel the myth that you need a business degree to own a successful business. It’s especially helpful for e-commerce beginners, as it delves into knowledge taught by business schools without the price tag of tuition.
3. Launch: An Internet Millionaire’s Secret Formula To Sell Almost Anything Online, Build A Business You Love, And Live The Life Of Your Dreams
by Jeff Walker
Though numerous business books are on the market, we love Launch because it fits the modern e-commerce entrepreneur. Author Jeff Walker tailors his approach to a technology-driven industry, making it a perfect fit for today’s business owners.
4. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber
Plenty of myths and old wives’ tales surround launching small businesses, and the Internet age has circulated plenty of misinformation. In The E-Myth Revisited, author Michael E. Gerber helps you discern the difference between fact and fiction to launch your successful business.
5. YouTube Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Following and Making Money as a Video Influencer
by Sean Cannell & Benji Travis
The rise of social media has given way to a new kind of entrepreneur: the influencer. Part celebrity and part business owner, becoming a video influencer can be very lucrative in the e-commerce strategy. In YouTube Secrets, fellow YouTubers Sean Cannell and Benji Travis share their expert tips and interviews with over two hundred top creators to give you the inside scoop on how to find success as a video influencer.
6. Starting a Business QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Launching a Successful Small Business, Turning Your Vision into Reality, and Achieving Your Entrepreneurial Dream
by Ken Colwell, PhD, MBA
Author Ken Colwell’s Starting a Business QuickStart Guide is a crash course in entrepreneurship. Though its buzzword-laden text often has the feel of a LinkedIn post, the book puts complicated ideas into simple terms and is a great starting point for any hopeful e-commerce business owner.
7. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
by Donald Miller
In the 2017 book Building a StoryBrand, author Donald Miller touches on one of the most important aspects of modern business ownership: a strong brand story. In a world where consumers care just as much about who they’re buying from as they do what they’re buying, this book is a must-read.
8. Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business
by Donald Miller & Dr. J.J. Peterson
Marketing Made Simple is Donald Miller’s spiritual successor to Building a StoryBrand. In this 2020 book, Donald Miller pairs up with Dr. J.J. Peterson. He builds on the principles established in Building a StoryBrand to serve as a comprehensive checklist, making it an excellent read for enhancing your e-commerce marketing strategies.
9. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
by Simon Sinek
Business owners need to be leaders to succeed, which is just as true in the e-commerce industry. Simon Sinek’s Start With Why is a bestseller that tackles this idea, providing a framework for the ideals that make a great leader and how to apply them to your everyday operations.
10. The 1-Page Marketing Plan
by Allan Dib
Though its name is a bit misleading, Allan Dib’s The 1-Page Marketing Plan is a 240-page deep dive into essential marketing tactics, avoiding mistakes, and how to create an airtight marketing plan for your business.
11. $100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff
by Alex Hormozi
Since the dawn of commerce, lead generation has been a struggle for every business owner. This is exactly what $100M Leads by Alex Hormozi sets out to address. When paired with e-commerce lead generation tactics, the $100M Leads information can help your online business find its audience and keep them coming back for more.
12. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!
by Al Ries & Jack Trout
For an e-commerce strategy, marketing is more critical than a brick-and-mortar business because you can’t rely on word-of-mouth or potential customers strolling by your store. For this reason, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is an essential guidebook. Though the novel is a bit older, its content is still invaluable and can be perfectly integrated with modern e-commerce marketing strategies.
