Books in all forms will always have a special place in my heart; some can take you to a whole new world while others help elevate your current world. 

And in the PR world (yes I am aware that I've officially overused that word), experience is obviously a huge necessity; but learning from industry professionals can really take you to the next level!

So read on because media update's Saads Abrahams has a list of books to help elevate your public relations game!

1. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller

What is it about?

Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller aims to help businesses and their leaders speak about their brands in a way that potential customers will listen to. 

This is done "by teaching readers the seven universal story points all humans respond to." According to Miller, anyone who follows these points will be able to significantly enhance the way they interact with clients and expand their businesses.

Why you should read it

Anyone in PR knows that for any business to survive, you need to make sure that you build your brand. However, that is much easier said than done, and not everyone knows exactly how to do that — successfully, anyway.

By reading Building a StoryBrand, you can learn how to make your customer the protagonist of your brand story instead of it being your brand. This will help you change the way you create your brand messaging and become a better storyteller — helping you build your business by connecting with your customers. 

"People trust those who understand them, and they trust brands that understand them too."  — Donald Miller

Spin Sucks: Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age by Gini Dietrich

What is it about?

Written by PR thought leader who created the PESO model and PR blogger Gini Dietrich, Spin Sucks teaches brands to break away from "spinning" their brand messaging and to rather communicate:

  • openly

  • honestly

  • authentically, and 

  • responsibly. 

Dietrich believes that this is the best way for brands to earn the trust of stakeholders, customers and their communities — which we all know is a major objective of any PR pro.

Why you should read it

People nowadays, especially the younger generation, appreciate honesty and transparency from brands. 

This book will help you break away from any spinning and manipulating in your brand messaging and help you develop more positive relations for your brand.

"If you're able to create a holistic approach with all of your media efforts, you'll soon become a hub in a wheel of information. Your communications programmes will be an investment with a pretty significant return." — Gini Dietrich



The PR Paradox: How to Master the Art of PR as a Startup or Scale-up by Matias Rodsevich

What is it about?

Matias Rodsevich is a PR industry expert who has put together this book on all of the knowledge that he has gained in all his years in the field. 

This easy-to-read PR guidebook aims to help PRs think outside of the box and experiment with new approaches. It also "provides real-time solutions on how to achieve significant PR results that will boost business growth in a cost and time-effective manner."

Why you should read it

If you are interested in starting out in PR, this guidebook is essential to helping you get a leg-up in this intense industry. 

Some key tips from the book include:

  • PR strategies and media relations for brand building  

  • crisis communication, and 

  • an evaluation of PR tools.

"Communication has become easier, but there are now more voices in the crowd wanting to be heard." — Matias Rodsevich



What industry books are on your list? Let us know in the comment section below. 

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If you are interested in joining the field of PR, be sure to check out Everything you need to know about studying to become a PR pro.

*Image courtesy of Canva