Fans pick 100 books like Personal Branding for Dummies

By Susan Chritton,

Here are 100 books that Personal Branding for Dummies fans have personally recommended if you like Personal Branding for Dummies. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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

Ray Edwards Author Of How to Write Copy That Sells: The Step-By-Step System for More Sales, to More Customers, More Often

From my list on marketing your business or brand.

Why am I passionate about this?

I know it's kind of weird, but I have been fascinated by the world of direct-response marketing ever since I first saw the full-page ads in the "newspapers" my grandmother loved to read (The National Inquirer and the Weekly World News). Those ads fascinated me because, at first, I thought they were stories in the newspaper. That was my first exposure to the work of the brilliant Eugene Schwartz. I used to check our mail so I could grab all the "junk mail" that everyone else threw away because that's the only mail I wanted to read. That's why I became a direct-response copywriter.

Ray's book list on marketing your business or brand

Ray Edwards Why did Ray love this book?

The first time I read this book, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. This simple book about how to state your marketing message clearly in a way that makes people decide they must buy your product or service is revolutionary.

Lots of people talk about "telling stories" as a powerful form of communication and persuasion. But Don is the only person I know who does a great job giving you the practical, hands-on, how-to approach so that you can actually do this for yourself. This is a book I reread at least once a year.

By Donald Miller,

Why should I read it?

11 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 Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media

Andreas Ioannou Author Of Entrepreneur Makeover

From my list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a self-taught marketer. I have gained all my digital marketing knowledge by reading articles and watching videos online. I am the author of the digital marketing book, Entrepreneur Makeover. On my Entrepreneur Makeover website, I share digital marketing strategies through my articles that help people to promote their website/business for free or at a minimal cost. I have a passion for digital marketing because I realised how important digital marketing is in order to succeed in any kind of business. You can have a great website or product but if no one knows about it, this is something that will result in the failure of a business.

Andreas' book list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out

Andreas Ioannou Why did Andreas love this book?

Influencer is a useful book for anyone who wants to build a successful business as an influencer.

The author of the book, Brittany Hennessy, runs an influencer development platform, "Carbon August, " serving creators, performers, and entrepreneurs. 

In this book, the author explains how to increase your followers and how to keep them engaged. 

She also dispels common misconceptions about social media content creators using her insights about influencer marketing.

By Brittany Hennessy,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

“I highly advise anyone who has an interest in life online to get this book, sit down, and take notes because you're going to want to hear what Brittany has to say.”
 –Iskra Lawrence, Aerie Model and Instagram star (@iskra)
 
If you’ve ever scrolled through your Instagram feed and thought, I wear clothes, eat avocado toast and like sunsets, why can’t someone pay me to live my best life? this book is for you . . .
 
Every one of your favorite influencers started with zero followers and had to make a lot of mistakes to get where they are…


Book cover of Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World

Dario Sipos Author Of Digital Personal Branding: The Essential Guide to Online Personal Branding in the Digital Age

From my list on personal branding in a digitally connected world.

Why am I passionate about this?

When you have online influence, you have the ability to transform minds, behaviors, and outcomes. Dario Sipos is a Digital Marketing Strategist, Branding Expert, Keynote Public Speaker, Business Columnist, and author of the highly acclaimed books Digital Personal Branding and Digital Retail Marketing. Dario has spent significant time working all over the world in the digital field, helping clients and developing brands. He helps leaders influence positive outcomes in all directions, even under the most difficult, changing conditions. Dario will help you build your influence in all directions of your online presence.

Dario's book list on personal branding in a digitally connected world

Dario Sipos Why did Dario love this book?

One of the most crucial elements of my marketing journey was to understand the use of “hooks” that clever brands build into their products and messages. I found this book explains the most effective strategies to bring innovation to your business while scaling it to become an influential brand both online and offline. Because social media reshaped our world in a way that people have short attention spans, from the book I learned how to grab potential audiences’ attention by communicating effectively. The book is an excellent guide on succeeding with brand communication in our short attention span world, so highly recommended to everyone.

By Brendan Kane,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hook Point as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World, by out of the box thinker Brendan Kane, breaks down the most effective strategies to generate new opportunities, innovate and scale your business, and create a compelling brand-both online and off-so you can thrive in the new micro-attention world in which we live.

A lot of people know who they are, what they do, and a few even know why they do it-but even when brands or individuals have clarity in these areas, they often struggle to grab a potential audience's attention for long enough to get them to learn…


Book cover of BrandingPays: The Five-Step System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand

Dario Sipos Author Of Digital Personal Branding: The Essential Guide to Online Personal Branding in the Digital Age

From my list on personal branding in a digitally connected world.

Why am I passionate about this?

When you have online influence, you have the ability to transform minds, behaviors, and outcomes. Dario Sipos is a Digital Marketing Strategist, Branding Expert, Keynote Public Speaker, Business Columnist, and author of the highly acclaimed books Digital Personal Branding and Digital Retail Marketing. Dario has spent significant time working all over the world in the digital field, helping clients and developing brands. He helps leaders influence positive outcomes in all directions, even under the most difficult, changing conditions. Dario will help you build your influence in all directions of your online presence.

Dario's book list on personal branding in a digitally connected world

Dario Sipos Why did Dario love this book?

The world is significantly more connected from the time that social media was invented. This book taught me that I need to evolve my personal brand with social media evolution. The book is a practical guide to strategic personal branding. Book teaches you to refocus your skills so you become the best candidate for any career or business opportunity. I highly recommend it to everyone.

By Karen Kang,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked BrandingPays as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Globalization and social media have made the world smaller, more connected and infinitely more competitive. The world has changed. Have you? If you don't have the package that will take you to the next level of your career, you need to reinvent your personal brand. BrandingPays(TM), a practical guide to strategic personal branding, will help you refocus your skills and experience so you are the best candidate for the job, career and business opportunities that you desire. Perfect for professionals, entrepreneurs and college students, the step-by-step BrandingPays methodology has been proven in Fortune 500 companies and leading business schools. Former…


Book cover of Be Your Own Brand: A Breakthrough Formula for Standing Out from the Crowd

Ganesh Vancheeswaran Author Of The Underage CEOs: Fascinating Stories of Young Indians Who Became CEOs in Their Twenties

From my list on the essentials of entrepreneurship.

Why am I passionate about this?

I left the corporate pigeonhole in 2015 and flew out into the Great Expanse. Ever since, I have been a catalyst for people’s self-expression across different media and formats. My work is a direct consequence of this motivation. I am a person branding coach, writer, editor & book coach and voiceover artist. I prefer depth over width, silence over noise, calm over chaos. My thinking is a blend of structure and free flow. My work is more than just work to me: it is a core part of my being. Being of a contemplative nature, I often ask myself big questions about value- creation, impact, empathy, collaboration, etc. I live in the Indian city of Bangalore (Bengaluru) with my family.

Ganesh's book list on the essentials of entrepreneurship

Ganesh Vancheeswaran Why did Ganesh love this book?

I am a person branding coach. I help people build their person (aka individual) brands. I know that the single most potent asset of every entrepreneur is their person brand. The more distinctive this is, and the more convincingly the person communicates it, the better for them and their business. Your person brand signals who you are, what you do, your core values, and why someone should work with you, instead of with someone else. David McNally and Karl Speak examine this concept threadbare and, in simple language, explain how you can build your brand as an individual.

By David McNally, Karl D. Speak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Be Your Own Brand as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this second edition of their classic book on personal brand, David McNally and Karl Speak show that developing a personal brand is not about constructing a contrived image. Rather, it is a process of discovering who you really are and what you aspire to be. The hallmark insight of this new edition is that the best way to establish a strong and memorable brand is to make a positive difference in the lives of others through making lasting impressions that build trusting relationships.

McNally and Speak take you through the process of identifying the key components of your brand,…


Book cover of Branded Interactions: Marketing Through Design in the Digital Age

Jamie Steane Author Of The Principles and Processes of Interactive Design

From my list on aspiring UX/UI designers in the digital age.

Why am I passionate about this?

I would like to consider myself an experienced and successful designer, researcher, and educator. I'm an Associate Professor in Communication Design and the Head of Education for the School of Design at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom, where I've taught and researched for the last twenty years so I'm super passionate about this subject and love explaining how design works. Before joining academia, I worked internationally as a designer and creative director for numerous prestigious design and media organizations, including Philips, Time-Warner, Windmill Lane Pictures, and WPP in the UK, Ireland, USA, and Southeast Asia. Working in these different businesses and locations gave me a broad perspective on the role and importance of design.

Jamie's book list on aspiring UX/UI designers in the digital age

Jamie Steane Why did Jamie love this book?

As a graphic designer who moved into UX/UI design, this book really appeals to me.

It is super smart, as it takes branding firmly into the digital age by integrating classic visual identity design with the latest thinking on building digital brand experiences. It represents what graphic design in the twenty-first century should be about…

The book is also beautifully laid out and illustrated with lots of infographics explaining the design process from start to finish, taking the reader from discovery, planning, and designing to delivering and distributing design to the marketplace. 

By Marco Spies, Katja Wenger,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Branded Interactions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Digital design plays a crucial role in how customers experience a brand. However, corporate websites and online shops are only part of interactive brand identity; complex user experiences closely interlink conception, design and technology, and integrate consistent prototyping and testing. The importance of mobile experience has grown exponentially in recent years, while interactive ads, chatbots and digital billboards are increasingly found in the real world. The interface is now the brand, and this changes the professional profile of designers.

This extensively updated edition of Branded Interactions is a practical handbook for professional digital designers and those just starting out. It…


Book cover of Founder Brand: Turn Your Story Into Your Competitive Advantage

Jeffrey Engle Author Of All the War They Want: Special Operations Techniques for Winning in Cyber Warfare, Business, and Life

From my list on introducing military tactics into your leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a veteran of the United States Army Special Operations Command, my time in the army will always guide my actions. When I began my career in cybersecurity and later took on the role of President and Chair of Conquest Cyber, I looked to my military experience for guidance. The lessons I learned from leaders were much like those I’ve learned through these books, and they are lessons that will benefit any leader, business owner, or founder. 

Jeffrey's book list on introducing military tactics into your leadership

Jeffrey Engle Why did Jeffrey love this book?

Becoming a founder is not for the faint of heart. It requires you to be bold, creative, and innovative—if you want to be successful, that is.

The thing that stands out about this book to me is that it takes the bold heart of a leader and transforms it into a brand. 

Dave guides you through marketing yourself and your brand—teaching key lessons for start-up success. His tactical approach serves as a guidebook or a battle plan to take both you and your company to the next level.

By Dave Gerhardt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Founder Brand as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

You're part of an elite group of builders, creators, and innovators who have accomplished something few can claim: you've founded a company. Now the challenge of standing out in the crowd begins-and how you differentiate yourself counts.


Building a brand and growing a business can be expensive and time-consuming. But you have a key advantage and secret strategy, one that will set you apart no matter your industry, product, or company size. You have a story, and it's one of your most valuable assets.

In Founder Brand, marketing expert Dave Gerhardt reveals how to build your brand by positioning yourself…


Book cover of Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People

Anne Bahr Thompson Author Of Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit

From my list on shifting the role business plays in society.

Why am I passionate about this?

I pivoted into brand consulting after working in banking, because I saw a need to align organizational behaviors and actions with purpose and values. So naturally, as a strategist my work has always informally included an element of coaching brands and people to have the courage and confidence to be their best, true selves. To have a broader societal vision and positive social impact. Since the Me-to-We continuum of Brand Citizenship emerged unsolicited in research, I also have been on a larger mission to help business balance how it earns a profit with how it serves individual people, betters society, and regenerates the planet.

Anne's book list on shifting the role business plays in society

Anne Bahr Thompson Why did Anne love this book?

First published in 2001, Emotional Branding emphasized a new perspective for marketers and business leaders: the importance of human connections between corporations and people.

I believe an understanding of these connections has always been central to excellent brand strategy and now is critical for business to have positive social impact.

As Marc Gobé aptly states, emotional branding “is a culture and a way of living: a fundamental belief that people are the real force in commerce….” 

Filled with examples of the range of brand expression – from logos to packaging to experiences – Gobé, who I had the pleasure of knowing, inspires readers while also illustrating how many decisions about branding are actually about integrated business strategy and cultivating meaningful connections.

By Marc Gobe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Emotional Branding as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Emotional Branding is the best selling revolutionary business book that has created a movement in branding circles by shifting the focus from products to people. The “10 Commandments of Emotional Branding” have become a new benchmark for marketing and creative professionals, emotional branding has become a coined term by many top industry experts to express the new dynamic that exists now between brands and people. The emergence of social media, consumer empowerment and interaction were all clearly predicted in this book 10 years ago around the new concept of a consumer democracy. In this updated edition, Marc Gobé covers how…


Book cover of Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd

Alex Budak Author Of Becoming a Changemaker: An Actionable, Inclusive Guide to Leading Positive Change at Any Level

From my list on books for recent graduates.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. I put my heart and soul into creating and teaching the course Becoming a Changemaker which teaches students how to lead positive change, to go beyond themselves, and to live a life of impact. I spend countless hours meeting 1-1 with students throughout the semester, helping them think through big life decisions and encouraging them to create a life that they are proud of. I also know how to support students in making big decisions in a way that’s true to who they are, the person that they hope to become, and the impact they can make in the world.  

Alex's book list on books for recent graduates

Alex Budak Why did Alex love this book?

This is my surprise pick! It’s technically a book about marketing and branding strategy written by one of the leading experts in the field (a Harvard Professor). But it is absolutely filled with life lessons, large and small, about how you can stand out, question the status quo, and go your own way (even when the pressure to conform is strong). You’ll walk away with new insights on marketing and branding, but more importantly, you’ll get new insights about creating a life and career that you can be proud of.  

By Youngme Moon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Different as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and…


Book cover of Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth

Jason Falls Author Of Winfluence: Reframing Influencer Marketing to Ignite Your Brand

From my list on word of mouth marketing.

Why am I passionate about this?

Jason Falls is an award-winning marketing strategist, author of three books, and host of two marketing-related podcasts. He has been listed as one of the most influential voices in the world of social media and influencer marketing.

Jason's book list on word of mouth marketing

Jason Falls Why did Jason love this book?

It’s hard not to put Fizz on the list because there’s proof in the pudding. Ted Wright and his team at Fizz (the agency) are responsible for probably half of the top 10 gold-standard word-of-mouth case studies. Period. Almost every brand they work with winds up with an army of raving fans and a bottom line with more than a few more digits than before. If anyone can draw up a great WOM playbook, it’s Wright. So, the book has to be here.

By Ted Wright,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fizz as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

DRAMATICALLY IMPACT YOUR BOTTOM LINE WITH A POWERFUL WOMM CAMPAIGN

"Word of mouth marketing has always existed. We've just found a better and more efficient way to do it." -- Ted Wright

It may not be the oldest profession, but word of mouth is the oldest form of marketing. It's also the most effective. Now, however, it's being executed in ways thatare methodical, replicable, and consistent. In this groundbreaking guide, Ted Wright, WOMM pioneer and founder of the marketing firm Fizz, reveals everything you need to know to create, drive, measure, and leverage word of mouth for maximum impact on…


Book cover of Building a Storybrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
Book cover of Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media
Book cover of Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World

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