Today on Branding Strategy Insider, we’re sharing ten of the most beneficial books for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). These titles hold significance due to their ability to help shape and guide how marketing leaders approach their role, from fundamental marketing principles to innovative growth strategies.

We think you will find that each offers a great deal of actionable insights and is well worth your time.

  1. Chief Marketing Officers At Work
    Josh Steimle offers 29 exclusive, in-depth interviews with chief marketing officers like Jeff Jones of Target, Linda Boff of GE, Brian Kenny of the Harvard Business School, Trish Mueller of The Home Depot, and Seth Farbman of Spotify. This book helps C-level executives and others who interface and collaborate with marketing departments to understand how marketing drives growth at both startup and enterprise levels and how marketing has moved from art to science.
  2. Invisible Selling Machine
    This book explores the concept of creating automated marketing systems that work seamlessly in the background. Ryan Deiss guides CMOs on building effective marketing funnels and leveraging automation for sustainable growth.
  3. Hacking Growth: How Today’s Fastest-Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success
    Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown delve into the principles of growth hacking, providing actionable strategies for achieving rapid and sustainable growth. CMOs can learn how to experiment, iterate, and optimize marketing strategies for maximum impact.
  4. Contagious: How To Build Word Of Mouth In The Digital Age
    Jonah Berger explores the science behind why certain ideas and products go viral. CMOs can gain insights into creating contagious content and campaigns that capture the attention of their target audience.
  5. Building A StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
    Donald Miller introduces a framework for crafting clear and compelling brand messages. CMOs can learn how to create a narrative that resonates with customers, making their brand more memorable and persuasive.
  6. The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation To Create Radically Successful Businesses
    While not exclusively focused on marketing, Eric Ries’ book introduces the concept of lean thinking and rapid experimentation. CMOs can apply these principles to marketing strategies, ensuring agility and responsiveness in a rapidly changing landscape.
  7. The CMO Manifesto
    The CMO Manifesto – A 100-Day Action Plan for Marketing Change Agents by John Ellett is the essential guidebook for marketing executives who have been chartered to disrupt the status quo and become leaders of positive change at their companies.
  8. The Next CMO: A Guide to Operational Marketing Excellence
    The world is changing, and so is the marketing profession. CMOs and the next generation of marketing leaders need to read this book by Peter Mahoney to develop a strategy for ensuring operational excellence to achieve their goals.
  9. CMO To CRO: The Revenue Takeover By The Next Generation Executive
    Mike Geller, Brandi Starr, and Rolly Keenan shows CMOs how to reach their potential and stand out as more than a marketing professional. In CMO to CRO, the focus is how to bring revenue to the forefront and make every team’s number one objective a seamless customer experience.
  10. Blue Ocean Strategy: How To Create Uncontested Market Space And Make Competition Irrelevant
    W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne introduce the concept of “Blue Ocean Strategy,” encouraging CMOs to explore untapped market spaces. The book provides a framework for creating innovative marketing approaches that set a company apart from the competition.

At The Blake Project, we are helping CMOs from around the world, in all stages of development, define and articulate what makes them competitive and valuable. We help accelerate growth through strategy workshops and extended engagements. Please email us to learn how we can help you compete differently.

Join 20,000 Marketers Who Have Taken A Transformative Journey To A Bigger Future In Mark Ritson’s Mini MBAs In Marketing And Brand Management Courses.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education

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