When talking about good habit formation and self-improvement, “read more” comes up pretty often. It’s become so beaten and cliche an advice, that people seem to have grown immune to it. Yes, reading takes time and requires extended attention span – two things everybody’s short on. Still, if you consider yourself to be a growth-oriented professional, there’s no way around grabbing a good ol’ book if you want to expand your horizons. Stay with me for a selection of some of the best sales books to boost your business agility.
I decided to ask around the office for recommendations and got some nice feedback on top of my personal favorites. The titles have been divided into four broad groups. I kept the descriptions brief so you can devote more time to reading the actual books instead of the post. Let’s go!
The psychology of sales
Robert B. CialdiniInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion
The title is pretty self-explanatory. The book will help you understand why people say ‘yes’ and how to elicit the answer from them. Cialdini’s expertise is applicable in all walks of life and will definitely put you on the path to success.
Robert B. Cialdini Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade
Another excellent book on persuasion by the social psychologist. The focus here is not as much on the message, but on timing. There appears to be a moment right before you deliver the message, when the recipient is most prone to being pre-suaded.
Daniel H. Pink To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
#1 NYT, WSJ, and WaPo bestseller focused on the prevalence of sales in our lives. Everyone’s trying to sell something on the daily. The book covers the art and science of selling and eliciting action in others. It contains plenty of practical advice that’s sure to change the way you operate.
Developing sales and a sales team
Aaron Ross Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com
The title makes a big promise… and the book delivers! Learn how your sales team can generate lots of quality leads and predictable revenue with no cold calls involved.
Aaron Ross From Impossible to Inevitable: How Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue
A guidebook to hyper-growth with examples coming from those who’ve made it. Beat the plateau and get off the peaks and valleys course. This book tells you exactly what to do in order to increase your revenue and get on with the big boys.
Mark Roberge The Sales Acceleration Formula: Using Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to go from $0 to $100 Million
The author of the book knows what he’s talking about – he’s done it himself. Now, he wants to share the winning formula with you. The book takes up a scientific, data-driven approach to sales, doing away with the idea it’s an art form.
How to pitch a product
Geoffrey A. Moore Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers
Selling high-tech products to Average Joes is challenging. The book provides tips on how to spread your wings and bring cutting-edge technology to broader markets.
Oren Klaff Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal
The author offers his original formula for delivering a successful pitch, applicable in a multitude of situations. The book offers a scientific approach to sales, based on the workings of the human brain. You may be that one great pitch away from pushing your career to that next stage…
Matthew Dixon The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation
The author’s central claim is that making sales is about challenging your customers. Actions of the best sales reps were at the heart of Dixon’s interest. His study revealed a set of qualities that top performers have, which are luckily attainable to any rep.
How to win a client
Steli Efti Product Demos That Sell: How to Deliver Winning SaaS Demos
Here’s everything you need to know in order to maximize your chances to sell your SaaS. The book provides a foolproof blueprint for delivering stellar software presentations. Enough said.
Zig Ziglar Zig Ziglar’s Secrets of Closing the Sale
So, you’re trying to sell stuff, huh? Get this book to learn proven ways to make your audience say ‘yes!’. Closings, questions, and other tips you can put into practice right away.
Final word
Seriously, do yourself a favor and dig in into some of these top sales books. I don’t want to hear any of that “but I’m too busy to read!” crap. Stop scrolling your Facebook feed pointlessly, turn off the TV, and focus on growing as a professional.
At the end of the day, we’re all salesmen, only the products differ. Start by creating one-hour slot each day to sit down and read. Even if you’re not a bookworm, I’m sure you’ll start appreciating the activity as your expertise expands.
Let me know if you’re already familiar with any of these books on sales, or which ones you’re planning to read first.
