Internet Marketing Resources
The business landscape is changing. This list of resources is shaping the current environment. Take a few minutes to peruse the list. If you see gaps, or have suggestions, let us know here.
Reading List
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century
Thomas Friedman's explanation of the changing environment of the global economy first opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of virtualization, outsourcing, and efficiency in the "new" business environment.
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
Michael Gerber's book about business creation is a crash course in starting your own business (and making it successful). Many of the principals in this book establish the foundation and structure for organizations. The key to his theory is what I call the build your business like it is a franchise model.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Obviously, Stephen Covey's magnum opus belongs in any business canon. I listen to this unabridged audio book every year--you have to "sharpen the saw."
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
This is a marketing major in less than 500 pages. Probably the best review of marketing that I have ever seen.
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Timothy Ferris's explanation of leveraging the new economy to grow a successful business (through loopholes). Whether you want to work four hours per week, or you just want to enter into the new, flat world, this is a must read. The section on outsource resources is an especially excellent listing.
Getting Real The Smarter, Faster, Easier Way to Build a Successful Web Application 37 signals wrote this how-to guide for software development, but many of the theories covered in this book can be applied to any business. They cover the business model they used to build Basecamp - a project management software that Eluminare uses - so the book is chock full of practical information. Read it online for free.
Seth Godin - So good he gets his own section.
Small Is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas
This book was was critical to the sea change in my thinking. Basically, Small is the New Big set the foundation for looking at how small businesses such as Eluminare could think about the business world through a new lens.
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Purple Cow and The Dip work very well in tandem. In Purple Cow, the importance of creating something remarkable is the cornerstone of success. In The Dip, you product and service must be "the best in the world." By virtue of being remarkable one tends usually to be the best in the world. Don't pleasure this gross oversimplification, check out the book.
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
See above.
Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Sync?
Godin's latest treatment of the paradigm change in marketing. Is your business using whip cream and sprinkles to sell meatballs? How many businesses do you know that use old means to sell new products?
