If you’re planning on starting an ecommerce business and need a push in the right direction, it’s always a good idea to get help from the experts. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, need some advice on marketing, or don’t have a clue how to dig into that business plan, there are some excellent reads guaranteed to provide insight into business practices that are proven and effective.
Here we’ve gathered some must-have books for the beginning eCommerce business owner that touch upon some of the most significant areas of business including marketing, analytics, branding, and general practices.
The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss is a classic we assure you will motivate you and open your eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. Ferriss is a serial entrepreneur whose books are known for their easy-to-understand, rapid learning techniques. His optimism regarding eCommerce is contagious, and you’re bound to find yourself motivated after reading. Consider The 4 Hour Work Week an appetizer, though, because there is a great deal to building a real business, and you will want to delve into many of the other books listed here to maintain your entrepreneurial groove.
Our next suggestion is The Startup Owner’s Manual: The Step-by-Step Guide for Building a Great Company by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf. Steve Blank, a startup expert, uses this book to unlock the main secrets and an easy-to-follow guide for building a highly successful business capable of scalability over time. In this text, the authors explain the deadly sins most often committed by small businesses and how to avoid them. They also detail the strategies founders need for getting, keeping, and growing a customer base. It is replete with detailed checklists for every step of the process, making it easy to use and highly accessible. Consider this your must-have prior to gearing up your business.
If you’re looking for a book that discusses the importance of branding, we like Lead With a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives that Captivate, Convince, and Inspire by Paul Smith, who explains how your backstory sets your store and your site apart from the many others that consumers will encounter on the web. Your story allows you to engage and inspire your customers on your About Page, and craft a message that adds value and appeal to your business brand in your business statement, your marketing materials, or in any other area you choose to use for this purpose. Lead With a Story will help you build, brand, and market your business in a truly unique and captivating way.
Another great marketing book is Growth Hacker Marketing by Ryan Holiday. Holiday, the director of marketing for American Apparel, explains the many ways in which marketing is changing. In his book, he explains the concepts of the new world of growth hacking and demonstrates how businesses will need to adapt to survive. While his message is simple, he provides a clear plan to make the concept a reality for eCommerce businesses of all kinds.
It’s impossible to talk about analytics without mentioning Brian Clifton’s book, Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics. This text is comprehensive, touching upon everything from the fundamentals of gaining insight using the data to pointers for applying them over time. If you enjoy that one, you might want to also look at his 2015 book release, Successful Analytics: Gain Business Insights by Managing Google Analytics, designed to assist data managers who need some information on key areas including internal measurement processes, tracking methodologies, and tips for best practices. Be sure to capitalize on his book before your competitors do.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap While Others Don’t, written by Jim Collins, wades through 5 years of research to find out why some companies transition from good or mediocre to great, while many others fail to do the same. This book contains the stories of some of the world’s most elite companies and examines the characteristics and qualities that propelled them to greatness. Entrepreneurial readers are sure to find their report interesting and surprising.
In addition to the excellent texts written here, eCommerce business owners should avail themselves of the many online resources and ebooks that provide timely information on a variety of topics, including marketing strategies, stories told by successful eCommerce businesses, up-and-coming online tools, and advertising strategies and tactics. Keeping up with eCommerce business best practices is critical to the overall success and sustainability of your startup.
What are some must-have reads you’ve encountered? We would love to hear your suggestions!
