10 sales books to take your team to the next level

What books should you recommend to your salespeople when they want to study the art and science of sales? Here are ten of the greats.

Sales books. Just look on Amazon, there are thousands of them out there. How do you know if they’re any good? Here are ten of my favourites, each one packed full of value. If you’re looking for books to recommend to your sales team, you can do no better than these. Or can you? Let me know your recommendations in the comments!

NOTE — These books are terrific, but simply reading them is not enough. You must apply the principles you learn in them if you are going to get anything out of the process.

OK, here we go…

1 — Daniel Pink — To Sell Is Human

This was a massive best-seller when it came out, with good reason. It puts a radical, modern twist on the traditional sales book. If you’re looking for insights on how to clarify your message and be more persuasive, To Sell Is Human has it all.

2 — Jacco van Der Kooij — Blueprint for a SaaS Sales Organisation

Jacco is a friend of Sales Confidence and spoke at SaaSGrowth in 2018, so it would be hard not to include his book. Luckily, it’s really great! For people new to SaaS sales, it’s an excellent explainer, while experienced salespeople are sure to find some nuggets they can use.

3 — Zig Ziglar — Secrets of Closing the Sale

A classic of the genre from one of the all-time superstar sales trainers, there had to be at least one Zig on the list. This book is full of practical tips, including 100 closing techniques and 700 questions you can ask your prospects to get them talking.

4 — Simon Sinek — Start With Why

Yes, I know everyone recommends this one and you’ve seen the TED Talk and probably read it already. Twice. But, if you haven’t, do it! Start With Why is the one that explains how the best of the best aren’t selling products, they’re on a mission. When you can bring that mission to life with your prospects, you can win.

5 — Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson — The Challenger Sale

Many organisations got so much from this book, they based their entire sales operation around it. What about you? The Challenger Sales shows you that to be a success, you can’t be your prospect’s friend, you have to be a teacher. When you teach, tailor and take control, you can stand out from the herd.

6 — Bob Burg — Endless Referrals

Referrals are the best way to do business. In this excellent book, Bob Burg shows you how to build a referral machine in your organisation, making every customer your best salesperson. It’s something we often forget to focus on, but referrals can be the fuel that drives the business.

7 — James Kouzes and others — Stop Selling and Start Leading

If you’ve got people in your team with aspirations for leadership, get them to read this book. It will show them how successful leaders behave and the attributes they possess. It explains the change of mindset that becoming a leader demands really well.

8 — Brian Tracy — The Psychology of Selling

Another one of those superstar sales gurus, I had to have a Brian Tracy book on the list. This one is all about the psychological principles that you and your prospects go through during the sales process. When you know what buttons to push, you can turbocharge your revenue.

9 — Richard Bayan — Words That Sell

Words matter in sales. The right words can be the difference between winning and losing. Whether it’s copywriting, composing a personalised email or just on the phone, this book can help you find the words you need.

10 — Daniel Disney — The Million Pound LinkedIn Message

Another friend of Sales Confidence and a former event speaker, Daniel Disney is the master of social selling. In this book, he shares his LinkedIn secrets, including how he generated 7-figure revenue using only LinkedIn.

Over to you

So, there you have it, ten great sales books that your team can read and act upon.

Now, we want to know what you think.

What sales books do you recommend to your people?

Let us know with a comment below.