Sometimes we get caught thinking natural intuition is enough.

It’s especially true if you’ve been in the digital marketing world as long as I have. Think about it: your speaking platform is established, you have successes under your belt, and you call into thinking, “I’ve done this before—so I’ll stick with what’s always worked.”

And sure, consistent strategies are key…but what about the ideas and momentum behind those strategies? What do you really know about how your audience’s mind works, and what makes them take that crucial leap? That’s where the digital marketing gurus come in. With powerful marketing insights that really pack a punch, the right digital marketing books can make all the difference. But if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, I’ll let the two books below do some of the talking for me:

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini

Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his career researching the power of influence, and it shows. This classic book sells itself by explaining the psychology of why people say “yes”—and how to make that happen.

What’s most powerful about this book, though, is the way the author breaks down the driving force of influence into six main principles, or “weapons” of influence: reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. Each of these principles factors into every decision we make—whether we’re aware of them or not.

The magic happens when we make ourselves aware of them, and when we work to harness them in marketing. Using these six principles to design compelling content, the perfect pitch, or a creative social media post earns more “yeses” than we’d get otherwise, making this book a powerful tool on any marketer’s bookshelf.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, by Al Ries and Jack Trout

This book was first published back in 1981, but it’s stood the test of time for good reason: it’s still relevant, even today. The world is saturated with competitors—your competitors. It’s also full of millions of people, some of them members of your target audience, who are intensely skeptical of everything because they’re bombarded by the media. (Interesting that Ries and Trout were first writing about this before social media took over the world!)  

The lessons this book offers are deep and insightful, and they cut into the issues every business faces: how do you stand out in a crowded marketplace? In the battle for attention, how do you position yourself to win? 

Whether you’re just trying to break through the competition or you’ve spent years carving out a niche, Positioning offers strategies for finding footholds in your customers’ minds. And trust me, they’re the kinds of strategies you’ll want to come back to, time and time again, because they’re essential enough to work.

Both of these books are timeless and relevant, and they’re exactly what every marketer needs in order to build and maintain a position in the digital marketing world. Trust me, I go back to them over and over, and I find new insights all the time. (Sometimes, I’ll curl up with a classic favorite over my morning coffee, just to refresh my mind!)

Don’t forget to grab one more digital marketing book (don’t worry, this one’s free!) on your way out: my business niche ebook! When the time comes to put the strategies above to good use, you’ll find everything you need—and more—inside.  

Lara Schmoisman, CEO & Founder of The Darl and Marketing Simplificado