Evidence-Based Reading: A Healthy Marketer's Guide to Knowledge Management

“Leaders are readers”

“Reading a book a week is the key to success”.

“I read over 100 books in a year to become the expert I am”.

“Books can change your life”

These are just a few joint statements amplified by hyper-popular mentors who project an image of ultimate professional success.

I agree 100% that reading makes you a better person. I have a passion for books. I’ve been reading a lot since I was a child and I love it!

Hardly a moment goes by without me reading something. Whether it’s books on marketing, personal development, the state of the world, historical novels, or bibliographies. I devour the pages.

Reading books is beneficial to our mental health throughout our lives:

• It stimulates the brain by connecting several areas simultaneously, such as vision, language, deciphering words, and symbolic representation.

• It develops memory and improves concentration•

• It organically enriches vocabulary.

• It develops the imagination.

• It improves empathy, particularly when reading fiction books involving different characters and personalities over and over again. You learn to put yourself in their shoes and understand them.

As a pharmaceutical marketing consultant, staying current with medical and marketing literature is a unique challenge. The intersection of scientific evidence and marketing strategy requires a rigorous reading and knowledge retention approach.

I didn’t read much; I read too much

Despite all the advantages of reading, I thought for a while that I was reading “too much.”

For years, as I read, I would underline the essential passages (all the time), make a few notes (often), and summarise (sometimes). I was happy to learn about all these new ideas and concepts then. The weeks went by. If the book encouraged me to introduce new practices, new ways of thinking, or new habits, I did so with enthusiasm—at first very effectively, then less and less so.

Eventually my knowledge ended up in a corner of my brain, and my notes in the back of a cupboard. Two months later, I barely remembered they existed.

Reading books takes time! And I began to think that mine was being wasted, as I watched all their teachings evaporate into oblivion.

Then, one day, as I was rereading one of my books (of which I couldn’t find a single note or memory), I got fed up with forgetting. And I questioned my whole learning process.

Basically, it was just the consequence of what I’d been taught at school about gathering and remembering information: read-spell-summarise-short-term memory…… and forget.

So I started by reading books (yes ☺) and taking training courses on the best ways to learn how to learn. Since then, I’ve developed a systematic, 4-step approach to all my reading.

Now, I can read and learn efficiently without wasting time or information, without forgetting, and without frustration.

I hope this approach will inspire you.

Step 1 — Create your book tracking system to assess your progress

Do you love reading books but are afraid you won’t remember the titles you’ve read?

I know the feeling. Unless I looked carefully at my library — a mixture of paper, digital, and audiobooks — I couldn’t remember all the books I’d read in the last 2 years.
I downloaded an application to track my reading to make up for this oversight.

I’ve opted for the free GoodReads application. Not only can I input the books I’ve already read but also the books I’m currently reading and the ones I want to read next. There’s even an option for setting reading targets and tracking your progress throughout the year.

Personally, I’ve set myself a target of 20 books by 2025. Seeing the progress bar move towards my goal is a great motivator to keep up the pace. I am already at 4 ;-).

Step 2 — Create your reading time and space

The sense of smell and hearing are great stimulants for the sense of sight.

Indeed, it has been shown that our concentration and memory are amplified by the multiplication of the senses that we put into action.

For my sense of smell, I opted for a spray containing 41 essential oils (100% natural, of course — no need to poison yourself). I spray a little just before reading. By repetition, my brain knows to switch to reading mode as soon as it picks up these very pleasant smells.

For your hearing, Baroque music works miracles. For example, Bach and Handel’s music is known to generate alpha waves. These waves have a frequency of between 8 and 12 Hz. They reduce stress, stimulate deep relaxation and increase creativity and efficiency.

If you have a music application such as Spotify, some playlists are built for this purpose. One of my favorites is called “Classical Music for Brain Power” or if I am a bit more energetic "Energizing Focus Mix".

Step 3 — Read with all your brain

In his book “Without Limits,” Jim Kwik introduces the “HEAR” method for facilitating learning using the whole brain.

This method involves four keys. You can use it when reading and when following a training course.

• The H = “Hold on distractions”: Stop whatever else you’re doing. Including your inner thoughts. Be present. If you’re taking a training course, pay attention to the words and the speaker’s body language and intonations. This information is just as important as the words.

• The E = “Empathy towards the author or speaker”: Imagine yourself in his/her shoes. Where does he/she come from? What were his/her motivations when he/she wrote this book or created this training course?

• The A = “Anticipating what the author or speaker is going to write or say next”: Emotion combined with information stimulates long-term memory. When you anticipate a story, you live it, you feel it. You are no longer a passive participant. You put yourself at the centre of your thinking.

• The R = “Review of notes or discussion with the speaker after the presentation”: Analyse, paraphrase the key points and ask yourself questions. Taking effective notes is the subject of the next point.

Step 4 — Take notes so that you can quickly recall the information

The way we take notes has an impact on whether or not we can recall information later.

First and foremost, note-taking is essential for learning because it puts us in an active learning state. It requires us to organize information and prioritize it according to our needs.

But beware, not all ways of taking notes are optimal. For example, taking notes that summarise in a linear fashion or transcribe a presentation’s content is not very effective. You end up with dozens of pages of text that are very difficult to memorize.

Similarly, research suggests that taking notes on a computer is less effective than taking notes by hand. If you’re a fan of digital technology, then it’s best to use a stylus rather than a keyboard and write on a note-taking application. Taking notes on a keyboard increases the risk of having linear notes without distinguishing between important and unimportant information.

One of my favorite methods when taking notes is to divide my page into two parts. I draw a vertical column 2/3 of the way down my page. In the larger column, I capture the information that is most relevant to me. In the smaller column, I write down my questions, my impressions, my thoughts, and any additional information I may be looking for. By doing this, I stimulate the two sides of my brain: the rational part and the creative part.

The next day, I reviewed my notes and added the information I’d missed.

For the high-tech reader: Another way to quench your thirst for knowledge

Although books are still considered the main source of learning, there are many ways of discovering new subjects. From online courses to video tutorials, conferences and podcasts, it’s all just a click away.

Personally, I supplement my traditional reading with audio books. I take advantage of my time in the car or on public transport to listen to stories. In the car, I avoid books that require me to process information: taking notes at the wheel isn’t exactly safe. So I opt for historical novels or detective stories.

For readers in a hurry: apps and websites specialising in book summaries

You don’t have time to read this super interesting book? Then opt for apps or websites that specialise in creating book summaries.

Most give an overview of the key points in each chapter so you can quickly decide whether the book is worth reading in its entirety. More importantly, you’ll already be able to capture the essence of the book and discover the most important ideas.

Here are a few applications I’ve had the opportunity to test:

• GetAbstract: more than 25,000 summarised titles, subscription from €25/month, available in French. Summaries are also available in audio format.

• Blinkist : about 5000 books summarised. Its concept is to give you the key ideas of a book in 15 minutes. Application only available in English for around €80/year.

• Mentorist app: summarises the best-selling books in the business, leadership and personal development categories. The application also provides tips on how to apply the knowledge gained from the summaries. You’ll find over 200 bestsellers in around 11 categories. Lifetime subscription is $49.

In a nutshell

As we have seen, reading intelligently and with maximum efficiency requires a systematic approach and commitment.

There are lots of resources to help you keep your reading system organised. Technology has given us wonderful tools for measuring our progress, taking notes and getting actively involved in the book we’re reading.

It is just as important to create an environment conducive to reading and to devote time to it to help our brain fully absorb the content.

Don’t forget to keep track of what you’ve read by following your books, summarising the material or retaining what you’ve learned through other media. Why not take this opportunity to challenge yourself further by getting in touch with people online who share your enthusiasm for learning