The 5 Most Influential Books for Sales Professionals
/As an avid reader and former sales professional, I’ve read my fair share of sales-related books. Along the way, I have read some truly transformational books. In this post, I wanted to highlight 5 books that cover everything from people skills to handling objections in sales interactions. Diving into these books will undoubtedly level up your sales skills and, in turn, enhance your career.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
While not directly related to sales, this is one of my favorite books that I revisit every so often. Dale Carnegie’s book is an easy read that details strategies you can implement into your daily life to improve existing and new relationships. Dale outlines necessary people skills that will directly impact your relationship with customers and, in turn, benefit long-term business relationships. On top of this, his principles, if incorporated outside of work, can improve your personal relationships as well.
Favorite Quote
“To be interesting, be interested.”
Objections by Jeb Blount
I am a fan of every Jeb Blount book I’ve read, but for the sake of variety, I picked my favorite for this list. Jeb specializes in sales writing as he is a successful sales professional himself. The fact that he has lived and worked in the industry validates his writing even more. “Objections” outlines the concept of resistance in sales interactions. He then takes a psychological approach to explaining the best approaches to address and properly sidestep those objections. Given that every sales professional deals with objections daily, this is a must-read.
If you are looking for a deep dive into specific sales material, start by reading all of Jeb’s books.
Favorite Quote
“In every sales conversation, the person who exerts the greatest amount of emotional control has the highest probability of getting the outcome they desire.”
Atomic Habits by James Clear
While all of these books are compelling, “Atomic Habits” just might be the hardest to put down. I am convinced that most people would read the entire book in a day if given the chance. James offers a simple path to improving efficiency by creating good habits and breaking your unwanted ones. While building good habits is essential, we most often benefit from breaking our unproductive cycles. “Atomic Habits” has continued to allow me to assess how I spend my time and focus on the activities that are truly productive.
Favorite Quote
“You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results.”
How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger
After a brief stint in professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, Frank went on to a successful career in sales, as well as writing. Similar to Jeb Blount, what I appreciate most about Frank’s writing is the fact that he had lived everything I was experiencing. Despite the significant gap in time from the writing of his book until now, I find the principles in this book to be timeless. Even though time has passed, people still think the same. Frank’s writing discusses the benefits one can gain from self-motivation and a bit of enthusiasm in the workplace.
Favorite Quote
“The most important secret of salesmanship is to find out what the other fellow wants, then help him find the best way to get it.”
Gap Selling by Keenan
“Gap Selling” is one of those books I wish I would have read sooner. Keenan’s main point in the book revolves around finding the gap in your customer's current plan and positioning your product as the best way to resolve that gap. I think that the ability to point out customer inefficiencies while also holding the solution is a powerful tool. Pair this with some of the people skills discussed in “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, and you have a solid foundation for each sales conversation you have.
Favorite Quote
“You don’t close the gap by selling; you close the gap by diagnosing the problem.”
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