Mathias MaulMarketing at the Interface

If you want to get into the personal coaching business but don’t want to (or cannot) hire someone who assists you in marketing, here is a bunch of books that I warmly recommend to anyone starting, or optimizing his business. (Assuming you’ve already read the authoritative works of your preferred coaching/therapy methodologies.)

• Seth Godin: Purple Cow. Transform your Business by Being Remarkable. (aff) A modern classic, and probably the only book on marketing you’ll ever need. Except for Seth Godin’s other books, of course.

• Guy Kawasaki: The Art of the Start. (aff) The other only book on marketing (and starting a business) you’ll ever need.

• Richard Dawkins: Unweaving the Rainbow. (aff) Like any book by Richard Dawkins, this is a perfect companion for anyone preferring healthy skepticism to blind superstition. Chapters six and seven read like a survival guide for the often dogma-burdened field of personal coaching, therapy and training and helps to keep a clear mind when confronted with outrageous claims.

• William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White: The Elements of Style. (aff) All you need to know about writing short and long copy in style. A wake-up call for native and non-native speakers of English (like myself).

Note that none of those books is really specific to the field of personal coaching, training or therapy. That is because, frankly, I haven’t yet found one that amazed me as those listed did. E-Mail me if you have a suggestion.