Marketing your small business is all about identifying the best strategies for getting the word out about the value and quality of your products or services. But finding how to effectively connect your company’s message with customers and potential customers can be tricky. 

What you want is what every business wants – a strategy to reach and engage with the right audience and tactics that promote your business and provides you with consistent steps to fortify relationships and your company’s reputation. 

And since marketing is never a one-size fits endeavor -- deciding what will work for your business can take some brainstorming. Bottom line, every company is looking to get it right.

That’s why so much is published on the subject by entrepreneurs, business leaders and marketers eager to share their stories on what worked, and things that didn’t. 

Here are a few of the top books on small business marketing, tackling everything from networking and direct mail to navigating social media. Find what you need to discover new ways to successfully market your company.

This is Marketing

By Seth Godin

Popular in business circles and bestseller lists, Godin is known for inspiring leaders and entrepreneurs around the world, through his books, blogs, lectures, etc. He’s packed a ton of advice and wisdom in this one too. In This is Marketing, Godin explains the need to “reframe” the way you present and promote your business and products to better connect with your potential customers.

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users

By Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick

This book is a good guide and how-to overview of social media marketing, with practical tips and insights from two of the most successful and experienced in the corporate world. The former Apple exec Kawasaki is considered among the pioneers of business blogging, tweeting and more, and Fitzpatrick is an expert on social media for small businesses, and has built and manages more than 1.5 million followers across platforms for her own brand.

The 1-Page Marketing Plan
Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand out From the Crowd

By Allan Dib

You’ll find plenty of marketing strategies aimed at small businesses vs. companies with big budgets. The author guides you through building a marketing plan, giving a step-by-step on how to put your strategies on just one page. The book covers a variety of tactics aimed at getting new customers and promoting your company, from closing sales “without being pushy, needy or obnoxious” to the “secrets” of using response marketing.

Crushing It!
How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too

By Gary Vaynerchuk

Crushing It! offers great practical advice and even some theory about social media marketing. The New York Times bestselling author draws from the experiences of dozens of influencers and entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses and thriving brands. He includes his Crush It! principles along with new tips on marketing your small business on social media, from Instagram and YouTube to podcast platforms like Spotify and iTunes.

Knock-Out Networking

More Prospects - More Referrals - More Business 

by Michael Goldberg

Goldberg calls networking an underused marketing strategy, a low-cost proven tool that many business owners overlook. Knock-Out Networking provides practical advice on all aspects of networking, including making contacts, developing a target market, generating referrals to build your customer base, and most importantly, creating key relationships. If done successfully, Goldberg says, networking can take your business to the next level.

Beyond Your Logo: 7 Brand Ideas That Matter Most For Small Business Success

by Elaine Fogel

This book explains why every small business needs to pay attention to their “brand reputation,” which is determined by your customers’ experiences. That means, writes Fogel, that your brand “emanates from the mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors of anyone and everyone involved in it.” Her ideas are divided into easy-to-read chapters, including the last and most in-depth last chapter that outlines how to develop your marketing and branding plan.