5 Books Every Sales Leader Should Read

The goal of any good sales person is to maximize their reach, improve their sales performance and leverage new contacts into more income. However, smart strategies and a bit of elbow grease are definitely needed to produce positive sales results. Finding motivation can be especially difficult. Here are our top pics for books that every sales leader should read to understand the sales process, connect with their prospects and close deals.

Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz

Every sales person wants their products or services to shine in front of the right people. That makes it crucial to understand how to interact, network and relate to potential customers. Never Eat Alone reviews how to better enhance your networking skills to create bigger and more lasting relationships that will help your business grow. The book is written like a story with examples and personal triumphs that highlight the idea that success is built on sturdy and healthy relationships. The two authors, Ferrazzi and Raz, are excellent marketing innovators, and their ways of interacting with people provide for helpful insight to understanding the value of networking.

Secrets of a Master Closer by Mike Kaplan

This is one of the best books about sales for beginners. As the title suggests, Secrets of a Master Closer is contains a well-balanced mix of useful tips and information with inspirational and motivational allegories. For new sales people, it’s a comprehensive guide on what to do, why and how the suggested strategies work. Also available as an audiobook, this title outlines eight clear and proven steps to help increase sales numbers. The author, Kaplan, is a successful entrepreneur who has built three multimillion-dollar companies – A great resource to have in your back pocket!

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

In this book, Godin argues that the best way to increase your sales is not through interrupting a customer’s daily life with unwanted advertisements. He argues that the best way to promote your products and services is by attracting consumers’ attention organically and by piquing their genuine interest. Offering a big discount, conducting an open survey and providing free sample are just some of the suggestions he details to help get prospects more interested in you or your product. From there, developing relationships with existing customers to form brand alliance and loyalty will help sales people establish new customers and grow income. Godin discusses that the symbiotic relationship between consumers and business owners can make or break a company.

To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink

According to Pink, selling is a term that refers to your ability to move other people into taking some kind of action – Whether that means purchasing, calling, filling out a form, etc. We do this at home with kids to make them eat their vegetables and do their homework. Or at the office, trying to convince your manager to increase your salary. Almost every person has a side of them that is focused on sales in one aspect or another – It’s just human nature. Pink has also shared some ideas and techniques to help young entrepreneurs start fresh with their selling process.

Everybody Lies by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

The author of the book, Seth Stephens, is a philosopher and researcher who uses data to reveal hidden attitudes and behaviors in everyday life. The book is titled Everybody Lies because of the variations of opinion when interviews, surveys and research are conducted. For example, when conducting a face-to-face interview with another person, it’s actually rare for them to give you truthful information. The data analysis in this book shows that things that seem to be unacceptable or taboo in society are actually more commonplace than we think, including lying. Everybody Lies takes a unique look at the human psyche and is developed to help salespeople understand the real behaviors behind their prospects.