Highly recommended books:  

 Bob Stone - Successful Direct Marketing Methods.
The classic source of information on the direct marketing industry.  Includes practical tips and information on all phases of direct marketing, from creative to management and evaluation of a campaign.

 

Don Libey - Libey on change: Super forces and Social forces in the Marketing Future.
This book is for CEO's and senior managers of companies who have little time to think about economic, political, social and technological influences on their businesses.  This book will make you think about forces that you may not have thought about in relation to your company.

 

Philip Kotler - Principles of Marketing
A comprehensive introduction to modern marketing that shows students how to apply the basic concepts and practices used in many settings and situations.

 

Ed Burnett - Complete Direct Mail List Handbook: Everything You Need to Know About Lists and How to Use them for Greater Profit.
Tricks-of-the-trade in list development.  These helpful tips provide a thorough analysis of every criterion which differentiates one list from another, or one segment of a given list from another.

 

Jim Kobs - Profitable Direct Marketing.
How to benefit from the effective and enduring technique of direct marketing, including how to start and improve direct marketing business.

 

Herschell Gordon Lewis - Sales Letters that Sizzle.
This book gives you every tested and proven rule, tool, guideline, trick of the trade for writing sales letter.  With many examples of letters that work and don't work and why.

 

Herschell Gordon Lewis and Carol Nelson - Worlds Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letter.
Thoughtful commentary and more than 100 fully illustrated examples revealing the 'tricks' of direct mailing.

 

JoAnna Brandi - Winning at Customer Retention.
101 ways to keep 'em happy, keep 'em loyal and keep 'em comming back!