I was having this conversation today and decided to make it into a blog post. These are three of the most impactful books I’ve read as a business owner.

They cover a broad topic area – from building business systems to branding and messaging to advanced marketing strategy. But they’ve each been very valuable for me and my businesses.

If you haven’t read any of these, I think you should check them out!

The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber.

For me, this book redefined what a business was and what a business could be.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have read it as early in my entrepreneurial life as I did!

This book taught me that there is a WORLD of difference between being a “technician” (a person that does a thing) and building a business that does that thing.

Just because you’re great at painting houses, doesn’t mean you’re going to be a great owner of a painting business!

Just because you’re a really good lawyer, doesn’t mean that you’re going to be able to build a great law firm.

It taught me that a business is supposed to serve its owner and support the owners’ desired lifestyle. Not a burden, a dead weight, or a constant source of stress and frustration.

Building a Story Brand, by Donald Miller

This book is a reminder that our CUSTOMERS should be the hero of the story our businesses are telling. You’ve heard me say that great marketing isn’t about YOU – it’s about how you’re going to make life better for your customers and clients.

It’s a reminder that confusion is often the biggest problem with our marketing. Effective marketing is simple, clear, and compelling.

Define the problem. Show your customers that you’re the right person to help them solve the problem. And paint a picture of how much better their life is going to be once their problem has been solved!

Above all… keep it simple. If you confuse, you lose.

NO BS Direct Marketing, by Dan Kennedy

This book served as my introduction to Dan Kennedy and the unique world which has sprung into existence around him. It’s an educational, amusing, and occasionally head-scratching place – but it’s never boring.

This book hammers home the message that we have to track our marketing investments. If you’re spending money on marketing, you need to be measuring the impact of that investment.

The formula is simple. Invest money into an ad campaign. Track your results – leads generated, referrals generated, customers won, whatever the case may be – and after a trial period, assess the return on investment you received.

If it was profitable, do it again. If not… stop flushing money down the toilet and re-invest into something that works better.

At times it’s a bit simplistic, but it’s an important message that every business owner should hear.