My favorite books on creating a standout message for your marketing & sales

Why am I passionate about this?

Michelle Mazur is a messaging expert who works with brilliant business owners who are shaking things up but having trouble talking about it. She combines the tools of successful social movements with the qualitative research skills she earned in her Communication Ph.D. to help them craft their powerful, captivating message. She lives in Seattle, WA with her adoring husband, three obsessive felines, and a huge collection of Duran Duran memorabilia. 


I wrote...

3 Word Rebellion: Create a One-of-a-Kind Message that Grows Your Business into a Movement

By Michelle A. Mazur,

Book cover of 3 Word Rebellion: Create a One-of-a-Kind Message that Grows Your Business into a Movement

What is my book about?

What do Start with Why, The 5-Second Rule, Black Lives Matter, and #Metoo have in common? Each possesses an uncopyable message that communicates the change these entrepreneurs and social movements want to create. You already have a one-of-a-kind message inside of you that will not only spread like wildfire but will also change minds and incite action. I wrote this book because I know how hard and how essential messaging is to business. In this book, I walk you through the exact process I use with clients to create a message and the supporting messages that grab attention, get you known for your work and lead people to work with your business.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Michelle A. Mazur Why did I love this book?

My go-to book that helps me decide if a message will fly or flop. The Heath Brothers outline the key ingredients to make a message memorable. SUCCES – “a Simple Unexpected Concrete Credentialed Emotional Story.” If your message is not resonating the way you expected, use this book to troubleshoot what may be off.

By Chip Heath, Dan Heath,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Made to Stick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Why does fake news stick while the truth goes missing?

Why do disproved urban legends persist? How do you keep letting newspapers and clickbait sites lure you in with their headlines? And why do you remember complicated stories but not complicated facts?

Over ten years of study, Chip and Dan Heath have discovered how we latch on to information hooks. Packed full of case histories and incredible anecdotes, it shows:

- how an Australian scientist convinced the world he'd discovered the cause of stomach ulcers by drinking a glass filled with bacteria

- how a gifted sports reporter got people…


Book cover of Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible

Michelle A. Mazur Why did I love this book?

Most business owners have a difficult time translating their ideas into words. Without the right words, it’s impossible to get buy-in for your big ideas. The Red Thread is a simple method to make a compelling argument for why your idea matters and why people should care. If you’re looking to get clarity around an idea and make it irresistible for others, this book is a great place to start.

By Tamsen Webster,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Find Your Red Thread as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Make your idea irresistible.

You have a terrific idea. It’s so powerful that it could change a life, a market, or even the world. There’s just one problem: others don’t see its power—yet. If you truly value the possibility of your idea, then you’re ready to find your Red Thread—the throughline that connects your idea to your audience’s hearts and minds.

The best part is, the Red Thread already exists. It’s the connection that makes the invisible link between your audience’s problem and your solution tangible—and actionable. With the Red Thread, you’ll inspire audiences to act and get the outcome…


Book cover of Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling

Michelle A. Mazur Why did I love this book?

Stories develop an emotional connection between you and your right fit customer. There’s no better book on how to find and craft a story that engages and persuades than this book. Dicks takes you through his process for finding stories, the small moment stories that happen every day. Then shows you how to craft those stories so they leave an impression in the hearts and minds of your audience. Pay special attention to the 5-second transformation because just that tip will change how you tell stories.

By Matthew Dicks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Storyworthy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A five-time Moth GrandSLAM winner and bestselling novelist shows how to tell a great story — and why doing so matters.

Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, at a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In this compelling book, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small). He shows that anyone…


Book cover of Building a Storybrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen

Michelle A. Mazur Why did I love this book?

My favorite piece of messaging advice comes from this book: you are not the hero of your business’s story – your customer is. In business, it’s far too easy to center yourself and create a message that’s all about you. This book reminds you that you are the guide for clients and your message should be centered on them. 

By Donald Miller,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Building a Storybrand as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

More than half-a-million business leaders have discovered the power of the StoryBrand Framework, created by New York Times bestselling author and marketing expert Donald Miller. And they are making millions.

If you use the wrong words to talk about your product, nobody will buy it. Marketers and business owners struggle to effectively connect with their customers, costing them and their companies millions in lost revenue.

In a world filled with constant, on-demand distractions, it has become near-impossible for business owners to effectively cut through the noise to reach their customers, something Donald Miller knows first-hand. In this book, he shares…


Book cover of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

Michelle A. Mazur Why did I love this book?

A book on cults might seem like an odd choice for a list about creating a standout message. This book reminds us of the power of our words, and how what we say shapes reality and influences other people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. I especially love the focus on everyday commercial cults (e.g., Soul Cycle) use of language to create an ardent fan base of loyal customers.

By Amanda Montell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Cultish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.

What makes "cults" so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we're looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join-and more importantly, stay in-extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell's…


You might also like...

The Truth About Unringing Phones

By Lara Lillibridge,

Book cover of The Truth About Unringing Phones

Lara Lillibridge

New book alert!

What is my book about?

When Lara was four years old, her father moved from Rochester, New York, to Anchorage, Alaska, a distance of over 4,000 miles. She spent her childhood chasing after him, flying a quarter of the way around the world to tug at the hem of his jacket.

Now that he is in his eighties, she contemplates her obligation to an absentee father. The Truth About Unringing Phones is an exploration of responsibility and culpability told in experimental and fragmented essays.

The Truth About Unringing Phones

By Lara Lillibridge,

What is this book about?

When Lara was four years old, her father moved from Rochester, New York, to Anchorage, Alaska, a distance of over 4,000 miles. She spent her childhood chasing after him, flying a quarter of the way around the world to tug at the hem of his jacket. Now that he is in his eighties, she contemplates her obligation to an absentee father.




The Truth About Unringing Phones: Essays on Yearning is an exploration of responsibility and culpability told in experimental and fragmented essays.


5 book lists we think you will like!

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