mmended books and podcasts for Martech professionals

Professional development is important, particularly for those who work in fields that are dynamic like marketing and technology. Practitioners who work in these fields must stay abreast of the constant changes.

These are some marketing technologies professional development podcasts and books that I have found useful. This isn’t a complete list. It’s just based on what I have recently read and listened to.

Recommended Books

“Hello $FirstName” by Rasmus Riemersma and Frans Houlind

It’s a new book by European martech leaders Houlind & Riemersma, and it is much needed. Personalization is often a buzzword, but it’s not always defined. It’s also a strategy which is more complex than first appears.

Hello $FirstName is a guide that will help you develop your organizational readiness, identify personalization opportunities, acquire the necessary systems, and create a solid strategy. Anyone who wants to try this tactic should start here.

Max Fisher, ‘The Chaos Machine’: How Social Media has Rewired our Minds and World.

In my latest column on martech ethics, I gave a more detailed review of this book. Fisher chronicles what has happened in social media and the greater tech world over the last decade. He gives several examples of how the damage to society has been caused.

Most of us did not get into martech for evil purposes, but the work we do has consequences, some of which don’t become apparent until it’s too late. This book serves as a reminder that we don’t always deserve the nice things we receive and how to maintain them.

‘No Forms. No spam. No cold calls.’ By LataneConant

Conant, the CMO at 6sense, is the author of this excellent book on B2B marketing and account-based advertising.

Although there are references to 6sense products, much of the information can be applied regardless of whether or not a company is using that platform. This is a good text for anyone who wants to learn or brush up on modern B2B sales and marketing.

The Martech Handbook by Darrell Alfonso: How to Build a Technology Stack that Attracts and Retains Customers

If this book was available at the time, I would have included it in my list of tips for hosting a Martech intern. Alfonso has done a fantastic job of laying the foundations for B2B marketing technology management and B2C.

He places strategy, skills and system in a useful context. It is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in this field, and a good refresher for people already working in it.

Ben Smith, ‘Traffic’: Genius and Rivalry in the Billion Dollar Race to Go Viral.

Semafor’s Smith was a first-hand witness to a number of internet trends. This is especially true from his tenure as founding editor at BuzzFeed News, which has since closed. In “Traffic,” Smith begins in the 1990s, and then follows several notable people who helped shape the trends, platforms and tactics that have allowed people to become viral today.

Smith’s discussion of the evolution and importance of metrics like page views, unique visitors, etc., will be interesting to martech practitioners. The history that Smith chronicles is not only a media-focused book, but it also directly impacts martech. Smith’s final chapter explains that virality and gas are both destructive and energy-producing.

Recommended Podcasts

Vox Media’s ‘Land of the Giants”

This podcast is devoted to a specific tech sector or giant. So far, the podcast has covered Amazon, Alphabet Apple, Meta, Netflix and dating apps.

The episodes cover everything from the company founders to major product development, regulatory challenges, and the social impact of these platforms and companies.

It is important for Martech practitioners to understand the history and ambitions of these companies, as they can either have a significant influence on our work or exert considerable control over it.

Zoe Thomas hosts the ‘WSJ Tech News Briefing.

This podcast for general technology news releases new episodes every weekday. Most episodes are relevant to martech.

This podcast covers a variety of hot topics, including generative AI and the metaverse. This podcast is a great resource for practitioners who want to keep up with the latest developments in our field.

There are several podcasts on martech, marketing operations, and business technology.

• Jonathan Taylor and Phil Gamache present “Humans of Martech”.
• Juan Mendoza presents “Making Sense of Martech”.
• MO Pros offers “OpsCast”.
• The Stack from McGaw.io.

Workbooks

Some vendors offer relevant workbooks. CabinetM, for example, provides marketing technology stack management.

• Anita Brearton’s “Attack Your Stack”: A Guide for Building & Managing Your Technology Marketing Stack.
• Anita Brearton & Sheryl Schultz, “Merge your Stacks”: A Guide for Integrating and Optimising Marketing Technology Stacks After Mergers or Acquisitions.

These are great for hands-on learning.

Martechbase also provides many samples martech stacks that were created by members of the community. They can be a great resource for practitioners who are looking to build or enhance their stacks.

Keep up with everything martech

Marketing technology is always evolving. Marketing tactics, technology capabilities, regulations, and social trends are constantly evolving.

It’s important to always stay on top of these changes. Reading books and listening podcasts is a great way to do that.

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