My Book List | Personal - Business

Sadly, when I look at my bookshelf, I don't see tons of books that I've read, but many books that I've purchased and never read. Does anyone else feel that way or am I the only one? :)

To add to the irony, I have recently checked out a few books from the library. I like books, if you can't tell. Or maybe it's just the information books bring. 

I have been amazed lately at a few books I've been reading. One of them is called Permission Marketing, by Seth Godin. GREAT book on marketing. 

You see, whenever I started this 'business' over a year ago, I never really thought I'd be starting a business. If you have read the "About Me" section on my website, you will see that I wasn't trying to start a business - you could say that it fell on my lap. In Dallas I know tons of people and they know and trust me, so I constantly was having clients. It was a lot of fun!

In contrast, here in Phoenix it's been a little more difficult. I don't know anyone - except a few friends that are apart of the internship we're going through. So, I have found myself starting over, in a sense, trying to figure out how to stand out - how to show that you can trust me and what I have to offer. It's been making me reevaluate why I am a photographer and what my goals are in this industry. 

The book is great as it has brought some new perspectives on marketing - things I've never thought about. Maybe I'm just an extreme novice, but it's been very helpful to me in how I think "Marketing". Check it out if you haven't read it.

Another book I have checked out but haven't touched yet is Personality Not Included by Rohit Bhargava. It looks really good, but haven't really dove into it yet. I plan to after I finish Permission Marketing. If anyone has read this and has any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them.

And the other book that I have been reading slowly is Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days by Jay Conrad Levinson and Al Lautenslager. It has been a very good book (I have read other Guerrilla Marketing books) and has opened my eyes to new concepts and how I should be thinking. 

As you've noticed, these are all Marketing books which I have been thoroughly enjoying. I think it's good to always be reading, inputting new concepts and ideas into your mind to wrestle with. As I commented in a previous post, you should always be wanting to upgrade your skills in your industry. And mine being photography, I not only need to be upgrading my skills of taking pictures, I need to upgrade my business skills and ability to market myself.

So, that is my current book list; it will probably change soon, but for now, that's what I'm reading.

Have you found any useful books in your industry or in the photography industry? I'd love to hear them!