We asked our Sales team what books they read to sharpen their skills, and, holy cow, did they deliver.
Our team shared 15 amazing books that they’ve used to improve their communication, break through noise, coach buyers through their journey, and improve their earning potential.
You might not be able to get through all of these in 2024 (because we know 15 is a lot) but get started on your reading goals with one or two of these fantastic sales books. My biggest takeaway here: find what works for you and become the best at it. There are a lot of similarities in these methodologies, but how you carve out your niche inside of these methods will define your personal and professional success.
SPIN Selling by Niel Rackham
Traditional sales methods don’t work well in B2B probably because they were designed for smaller consumer sales. That’s why Niel Rackman wrote SPIN Selling. Based on real-world case studies and research, the SPIN strategy helps sales reps achieve outstanding sales performance with every deal.
The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson
Sales personalities can be boiled down to five basic types, but only one delivers consistently high performance: The Challenger. Challengers stand out from other sales reps because they focus on specific customer pain points and push back on customers when objections arise. The Challenger Sale goes into what makes a rep a Challenger, how to identify them in your own organization, and how to transform every rep into a top performer.
Selling Is Hard. Buying Is Harder.: How Buyer Enablement Drives Digital Sales and Shortens the Sales Cycle by Garin Hess
The buying process has become too confusing. Buyer enablement is the only way forward, and Garin Hess is the master. He even coined the term Buyer Enablement calling it the practice of equipping champions and shortening deals. Selling is Hard. Buying is Harder. goes into the nuts and bolts of finding or creating champions, giving them the proper tools to sell for you, and then getting out of the way so they can make the sale for you. Don’t leave your buyers feeling lost; become their guide through the sales cycle.
Selling With: The art of selling with champions to shape internal buying conversations & close enterprise deals by Nate Nasralla
This book goes hand in hand with Selling is Hard. Buying is Harder. Modern day selling is all about buyer enablement. With over 90% of B2B buying happening behind closed doors, you have to find a way to sell without being in the room. Selling With tells you how to create messaging your champion can use to sell for you when it matters most.
Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal by Oren Klaff
There’s a science to crafting a perfect pitch. In Pitch Anything, Oren Klaff shares his tried and tested formula for delivering a great pitch every time. Become a pitching master with the latest research in neuroeconomics and the STRONG pitching method. Stop using outdated methods and start using tactics that work.
The Jolt Effect by Matthew Dixson and Ted McKenna
Most deals aren’t lost to a competitor; they’re lost to indecision. When meetings end with “I need to think about it,” it might feel like you need to double down on selling tactics, but that can do more harm than good. The Jolt Effect uses actual analysis and research to bust the myths around high-performing sales reps. Learn how to change “I don’t know…” to an emphatic “Yes!”
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
First published in 1937, this sales classic is still talked about for a reason. Using the original titans of industry like Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford as examples, Napoleon Hill will teach you the secrets that lead to lasting success. Think and Grow Rich philosophy can help you change your perspective and achieve goals both personally and professionally.
Sales Differentiation by Lee B. Salz
Lowering your price is a common tactic to close a deal, but do you really need to? Sales Differentiation argues that a combination of what you sell and how you sell it leads to better margins. Packed full of 19 simple techniques that can be implemented at any organization, you’ll learn how to leverage your differentiators, strategies to engage buyers, and turn objections into differentiation opportunities.
How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated for the Next Generation of Leaders by Doug Carnegie
Another classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, is a must read for any sales rep. Published during the Great Depression, this book breaks down time-test advice for climbing the ladder of success in tough times and good. Learn how to communicate effectively, become a better leader, and get people to like you in any situation.
How To Be A GREAT Salesperson…By Monday Morning!: If You Want to Increase Your Sales Read This Book. It is That Simple by David R Cook
Whether you’re a seasoned sales rep or just getting started out, this book is for you. How to Be a Great Salesperson has the strategies you need to close more deals, no matter your industry, company size, or skill level. Crammed full of solid techniques, you’ll discover how to use open-ended questions to your advantage, when to stop selling and start closing, and how to create urgency for every customer.
The Introvert’s Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone by Matthew Pollard
Most people think you have to be extroverted to be an effective sales rep, but the opposite can also be true. While extroverts might feel at home in the sales world, introverts’ quiet nature can actually be a superpower when it comes to selling. Don’t be shy when it comes to building the sales skills you need to be successful. Instead, use your subdued personality to win big.
B2B Is Really P2P: How to Win With High Touch in a High Tech World by Frank Somma
While it’s called business-to-business sales (or B2B), at the end of the day, you’re still selling to another person. Drawn from many of his own experiences, Frank Somma shares how it’s the little things that build rapport. With a focus on the way we interact as humans, B2B is Really P2P describes how to use body language and microexpressions to build relationships an trust with your clientele. Create connections that lead to bigger sales.
Gap Selling: Getting the Customer to Yes: How Problem-Centric Selling Increases Sales by Changing Everything You Know About Relationships, Overcoming Objections, Closing and Price by Keenan
Are your go-to tactics creating problems? Many traditional strategies used by sales are actually to blame for long sales cycles, prospects ghosting you, and last-minute feature requests. Take back control with Gap Selling. This groundbreaking book questions the old way of doing things and proposes a better way. Increase your selling IQ and let go of hurtful, outdated beliefs.
Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling by Jeb Blount
You can’t close on pipeline that doesn’t exist. The art of prospecting can be easily overlooked, but it is an incredibly powerful tool for keeping that pipeline filled. Covering topics like the 30-Day Rule, the Law of Replacement, and the Law of Familiarity, Jeb Blount filled this book with tips and strategies that will fill your pipeline and keep it full. Say goodbye to sales slumps and empty pipeline with Fanatical Prospecting.
Secrets of a Master Closer: A Simpler, Easier, And Faster Way To Sell Anything To Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere by Mike Kaplan
This book has the only method of closing you’ll ever need. By following the specific laws, steps, and stages outlined in this book, you’ll be able to sell without relying on annoying sales tactics. Learn how to keep pipeline full, build a loyal customer base, and approach every new opportunity with Secrets of a Master Closer.
