There are only a few practices known to improve the quality of your life (and selling prowess) other than reading. As Garrison Keillor once said, “a book is a gift you can open time and again”.
Research shows that reading adds value to life by instilling confidence, empathy, decision-making and overall satisfaction. Reading has incredible stress-relieving powers. According to a study conducted a few years ago, it was found that 6 minutes of reading every day can reduce your stress levels by 68%.
Books are life mentors. They give you access to some of the greatest minds in history. Apart from that, reading the right kind of books can fetch you a higher income and success in your career as well.
Sales books are not only a great source of inspiration and motivation but they give you the much-needed break to reflect and rejuvenate amid your demanding schedule.
No matter who you are and what phase of your career you are in at the moment, there is always something you can take away from a well-written and thought-provoking read.
Are you all set to start reading? If you don’t know where to begin, we have compiled a list of 20 must-read sales books. Happy reading!
20 best sales books of All Time
- Gap Selling
Author: Keenan
Gap selling is a powerful book that seeks to shred age-old sales beliefs such as’ people only buy from people they like’ and ‘price is the key factor why salespeople lose a sale.’ The book will give you a fresh perspective on what real success looks like in sales.
- New Sales. Simplified.
Author: Mike Weinberg
Ramping up a new business is easier said than done. In this book, you will gain practical insights to usher in new business and capture new sales. Mike Weinberg shares his proven formula for prospecting, developing and closing deals.
- Sell with a Story
Author: Paul Smith
Storytelling is a powerful sales tool. Through storytelling, salespeople explain products and services in ways that resonate with their audience. If you want to become an effective communicator and transform your sales results, ‘Sell with a Story’ is for you.
- The Challenger Sale
Authors: Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson
This sales book is based on an extensive study conducted by the authors on thousands of reps across industries. Much to their surprise, they discovered that classic relationship building may be detrimental to the overall sales process. Read the book to know all about it.
- High-Profit Prospecting
Author: Mark Hunter
In this book, sales expert Mark Hunter debunks prospecting myths and combines new strategies with old proven tactics (that unfortunately many have given up), to help salespeople find relevant leads and take control of their pipeline of prospects.
- Agile Selling
Author: Jill Konrath
Agility is a necessary skill in sales, especially in today’s digitized world where well-informed buyers complete 60-70 percent of the sales process on their own. In this sales book, Konrath shares powerful strategies for salespeople to cope with changes and succeed in an evolving sales environment.
- SPIN Selling
Author: Neil Rackham
SPIN Selling is a must-read for anyone involved in selling. This sales book is the result of an exhaustive 12-year, $1 million research conducted by the Huthwaite Corporation. This path-breaking resource outlines the simple and practical techniques of SPIN (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff). The book is packed with real-life examples, engaging graphics and informative case studies.
- 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling
Author: Jeffrey Gitomer
There are laws that define every discipline be it physics, economics or mathematics. If certain conditions are present, laws will apply. It’s as simple as that. Written by Jeffrey Gitomer, this sales book covers the universal laws of selling. These laws are invisible but they are truly undeniable and unbreakable.
- The Little Red Book of Selling
Author: Jeffrey Gitomer
This book is a classic that will help you get better at selling. If you are concerned about how to sell, the author says that you could be missing out on an important aspect in selling which is – “Why do people buy?.” It is a must-read for anyone involved in selling.
- Sales Truth
Author: Mike Weinberg
This sales book debunks the myths of the miracle solutions offered by self-proclaimed sales experts. It will point you in the right direction to adopt proven strategies that yield results. Sales Truth is a wake-up call for salespeople to steer away from the noise from self-titled experts and to start focusing on winning more new sales.
- Integrity Selling for the 21st Century: How to Sell the Way People Want to Buy?
Author: Ron Willingham
Integrity Selling is a popular method that’s been around for many decades and is implemented by over 2000 global companies. If you have tried every tactic under the sun and if you are wondering whether selling could be more than just convincing people into buying, then ‘Integrity Selling for the 21st Century’ is the book for you.
- The Science of Selling
Author David Hoffeld
This sales book talks about how you can effectively guide a buyer through the purchase process. It breaks down the science behind the choices people make, the things they buy and the trust they instil in sellers.
- Exactly What to Say
Author: Phil Jones
In sales, it all boils down to what you say. Oftentimes a customer is torn between choosing you and another seller, and it’s what you say that makes the difference. You must know what exactly to say and when to say it. This sales book offers practical knowledge to grow your confidence in conversations.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
Author: Dale Carnegie
With over 30 million copies sold, this book by Dale Carnegie is a timeless bestseller filled with valuable insights that have helped thousands gain success in their careers and personal lives. The book covers topics that are important to salespeople such as how to handle, lead and win people over.
- To Sell is Human
Author Daniel H. Pink
This sales book will give you a fresh take on the art and science of selling that will equip you to be more successful in sales. In this book, the author reinstates the fact that as humans we are all involved in selling, at some point or the other.
- Zig Ziglar’s Secrets of Closing the Sale
Author: Zig Ziglar
Ziglar has compiled tons of real-life stories along with tried and tested methods into this classic sales book. The book will give you the strategies you need to be successful at persuading people. The author shares powerful tips on how to handle challenging prospects and close sales.
- Go For No
Authors: Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz
This is a cleverly written dialogue between two authors. A quick read at 80 pages, ‘Go for No’ offers you important lessons required for sales success.
- Sales Differentiation
Author: Lee Salz
Written by Lee Salz, this book covers two hot topics in sales namely pricing and negotiation. The author offers you 19 proven strategies that will help you win deals at the price you want.
- Stories that Stick
Author: Kindra Hall
Storytelling is a highly effective sales method. Hall tells you how to use the power of storytelling to both lead and sell.
- Conversations That Sell
Author: Nancy Bleeke
Clients are looking for more than a mere consultation or a discussion. Instead, they want powerful, resourceful and effective conversations that can solve their problems. Nancy Bleeke shows you how to make every conversation count.
Final thoughts
These books, without a doubt, will mould your sales skills, develop your leadership capabilities and provide you with solutions and insights to mentor your team.
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