Nathaniel Fried
The world of sales is one of the most competitive environments to operate within. It is a constantly evolving sphere of new tactics, failure, and tremendous success. Get it right and you can make a million in a week, get it wrong and you can end up homeless.
To help hone your sales skills we asked industry experts to suggest the 8 books that they think every salesperson should own, and read. Knowledge is power, now get reading.
#1 Made to Stick By Chip Heath / Dan Heath
The Heath brothers teach readers the fundamentals of messaging including why certain ideas stick while others don't and how to create a message that captures a prospect's attention and leaves a lasting impression.
Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:
Contributor: Josh Brown from salesandorders.com
#2 The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon / Brent Adamson
The popular conception of a salesperson is that of a congenial, go-along-to-get-along, back-slapping type of personality. After all, you buy from those you like, right? Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson's The Challenger Sale upturns these assumptions.
The authors' voluminous research actually proves that the most effective salespeople challenge the core assumptions of their prospects fearlessly and frontally, changing their pre-conceptions in such a way as to better position the product they are selling. This is not just a heady observation, but also an actionable path to rethinking the marketing/sales conversation.
Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:
Contributor: William Gadea from idearocketanimation.com
#3 SPIN Selling By Neil Rackham
Neil Rackham breaks down the types of questions salespeople should ask into four categories: Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-Payoff. Understanding and using the system can help with closing more sales.
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Contributor: Josh Brown from salesandorders.com
#4 The Greatest Secret in the World by Og Mandino
Many people are familiar with The Greatest Salesman in the World. This workbook takes the Ten Great Scrolls for Success from the original book and encourages you to repeat them several times a day. You also track your success daily and keep a record of your weekly appointments. Great book for a hands-on salesperson who loves to write things down.
Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:
Contributor: Julie Boyer from wakeupwithgratitude.com
#5 The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy
This classic book offers concrete examples of how to program your subconscious mind for success, including mantras, affirmations, and prayers that can be repeated throughout your day.
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Contributor: Julie Boyer from wakeupwithgratitude.com
#6 Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff
We all know our sales pitch is probably the most vital component during the sales process, and [Oren Klaff] does a good job giving insight into how other people's minds work.
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Contributor: Matt Schmidt from burialinsurancepro.org
#7 Ice to the Eskimos by Jon Spoelstra
This book provides many simple straight-forward lessons for sales coming from the author's experience as a National Basketball Association (NBA) executive (including his time with the New Jersey Nets in the 1990's when, thanks to his creative and clever tactics, the team went from last place in home games attendance to best.)
While the examples in the book come from sports, the lessons can be applied to salespeople for all product categories.
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Contributor: Vassilis Dalakas from csusm.edu
#8 Agile Selling by Jill Konrath
This book is great for salespeople of all levels. It helps you to learn how to quickly adapt to a new selling environment. Whether you’re new to the game or an experienced veteran, you are bound to find yourself in a situation where you don’t know much about the products or the players in the industry. Konrath’s book offers tips and tricks to help you get the lay of the land more quickly.
This book is the key to succeeding in today’s ever-changing sales world.
Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:
Contributor: Jacob Dayan, Esq. from communitytax.com
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