The top books never leave their place. For instance, if you observe the top 30 non-fiction categories at crosswords, Paolo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” happens to be the numero uno. Atomic Habits, Ikigai, and Psychology of Money are neighbours.

Scan a little more and you will still find familiar titles, and authors. Visit back after a week or a month and the picture remains the same.

There are a couple of lessons for us here:

1. Best Sellers is a word-of-mouth game. I have lost count of how often I must have received suggestions from friends and colleagues to read “The Alchemist”.

Word of mouth is an exponential chain reaction. It is a 0 budget marketing game.

2. In the world of books, the contenders (new books) are often differentiated offerings. They promise to offer a different perspective, sometimes a contrarian view or a bold take on the existing wisdom. Sometimes their bright and unconventional covers fight for your attention. It leads to impulsive buys too. This is a high-budget marketing game.

Our lives are no different. Early in our careers, we strive to make our resumes stand out. Much later, referrals work like magic.

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