Here’s the deal… The amount of money you make next year will come down to the amount of great marketing you run. As a real estate agent, you are in the marketing business – so if you’ve never read any marketing books, you better have some on your wishlist this year.
There are a lot of good books for success out there, but you do not have the time to read all of them. That’s what this blog is for. Out of the millions out there, I’ve selected the 14 best marketing books for real estate agents.
You just need to pick the one or two you need most right now, dive in, and put the strategies into action.
Let’s go.
What Are the Best Marketing Books?
The best marketing books provide a mix of timeless wisdom with relevant, actionable strategies, and real-world examples that can be applied directly to your real estate business. For high-level digital marketing strategy, you want something recent or updated, while some of the best books on consumer psychology and ad copy are just as relevant today as they were decades ago.
There is no one-definitive book that will cover everything you need, and that’s why I’ve broken this list into sections. These four sections each cover an important piece of the marketing puzzle.
- Fundamentals
- Psychology
- Digital Marketing
- Wholistic strategy
Pick a book from each of these lists. You’ll have a fully-rounded perspective on who your audience is, how to craft a compelling message, and build a great strategy into your real estate marketing plan.
Must-Read Digital Marketing Books
When it comes to digital marketing books, you’re looking at the entire digital landscape and tactics for real estate social media marketing. You’ll gain an understanding of how people interact with the digital world, where to find them, and how to reach them at scale.
- Break Through the Noise by Tim Staples
As a real estate agent especially, breaking through the noise is everything. Tim Staples shares the nine rules for creating viral video content – which is the content you need. Make one of your goals for this year to create at least a few truly viral videos.
- Marketing 5.0: Technology for Humanity by Philip Kotler
Discover how emerging technologies like AI and big data can transform your approach to marketing, all while maintaining a human touch. I highly recommend this book even if you’re not already leveraging AI in your business (which you should be).
- YouTube Secrets by Sean Cannell & Benji Travis
YouTube is more than a social media platform – it’s a search engine. That means it’s one of your most important channels for being found online AND getting people to know, like, and trust you. This book gives you practical advice on building a channel, creating engaging content, and reaching motivated buyers and sellers.
- Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing by Simon Kingsnorth
This guide simplifies complex topics like SEO, social media, and email campaigns, helping you craft an effective real estate marketing plan.
Psychology of Marketing & Influence
Understanding what motivates buyers and sellers is critical for crafting effective messages. These aren’t just good marketing books – they’re powerful lessons in the art of persuasion and influence that you can use in all aspects of your business.
- Influence by Robert Cialdini
You’ve probably already heard of this classic but I had to include it here. Cialdini wrote this book as a way to help people understand how marketing was influencing their decisions but it’s become the gold standard for marketers. He shares the 6 principles of persuasion that influence decision-making.
- The Language of Trust by Michael Maslansky
A must-read for navigating today’s skeptical audiences, this book teaches you how to communicate persuasively and authentically.
- This is Marketing by Seth Godin
If you know Tom Ferry, you know that he’s a huge fan of Seth Godin’s work. Seth focuses on the importance of serving over selling, helping you build a loyal audience and create a mindset for long-term success.
Traditional Marketing & Advertising Fundamentals
These are some of the best marketing books that focus on storytelling, grabbing attention, and crafting the words you use. Great copywriting is essential for effective ads, social posts, marketing content, web pages, and just about everything else you do. Each one of these is an absolute classic in the field.
- The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout
Tom has recommended this book countless times to thousands of people. These timeless principles of branding and positioning are essential for crafting a standout identity in real estate.
- Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz
Want to understand your audience's emotions and write property descriptions and marketing materials that will get them to take action? This is one of the best copywriting books of all time (no wonder why the price tag is so high).
- Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan
This hilarious book by veteran adman, Luke Sullivan will show you how to engage your audience with story. It shows you how to find the hero and the villain in any situation and pull buyers and sellers onto your side.
- Advertising by David Ogilvy
A foundational text from the “father of advertising,” this book provides proven strategies for crafting compelling messages.
Strategic & Holistic Marketing for Real Estate
Now let's tie it all together. These are some of the best marketing books, period, and will show you how to align your marketing efforts with your long-term and short-term goals. They’ll help you choose the right channels to focus on and build out a step-by-step real estate marketing plan.
- Mindset, Model, and Marketing! by Tom Ferry
Of course we couldn’t leave Tom’s marketing book off the list, could we?! If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of real estate-specific marketing, this is where to go. It’s some of the best marketing advice from real estate’s No. 1 coach, all packaged together. One of the best real estate books to buy immediately.
- Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller
Tom LOVES this book. This straightforward framework simplifies the process of creating marketing funnels that consistently generate leads. This, along with any of Donal Miller’s books, are a great place to start for any marketer, even if you have years of experience under your belt.
- Traction by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares
Learn how to identify and dominate the most effective marketing channels to drive sustainable business growth. This book will show you how to get your first win and then leverage it into bigger and bigger wins. An absolute must-read.
Knowledge is Essential to Business Growth
Think about it… In each of the books up above, the greatest marketing minds in the world distill their decades of experience and research into just a few hundred pages, and they’re available to you for less than $20. I’d say that’s an amazing deal.
Now, imagine if you had a real estate business expert directly advising you on each move you make. Pair that with advanced AI technology with the combined knowledge of hundreds of coaches, marketing experts, and Tom Ferry himself. That’s TomAI+.
These are just a few of the reasons why Tom Ferry coaching is the ultimate key to real estate success, proven by thousands of agents.
So, buy a book, schedule your consultation to learn about coaching, and let’s ramp up your business growth.