Like any good manager, you’ve been tracking your close rate. The numbers aren’t going up. In fact, they’re as steady as a surgeon’s hand. That’s great for the patient, but not for your bottom line.
Your goals are becoming increasingly more challenging and harder to reach. How do you meet this challenge head-on? How do you instill a process that works? You’re convinced that the benefits of sales rep training outweigh the effort it would take to implement. But what kind of sales training can you deliver to your team that won’t waste their time?
The books on this list are exactly where you need to begin.
We scoured the internet, followed up on Amazon and Goodreads, and collected the most often mentioned, highly-rated, and most popular books on sales.
The list contains some of the best sales books ever written, sales training books, sales management books, as well as the best books on sales skills and techniques.
For easy access, they’re divided in categories. Click on the category you’re interested in, and you’ll be one critical step closer to better selling.
There’s nothing quite like digging into a new book. It pumps your brain full of new ideas and can clarify things that may have been foggy for too long. The following books were set to be released in 2019 and cover everything from sales training to must-have sales skills – and everything (salesy) in between.
Warning: this is not a sales book with one fixed recipe for success. Today’s competitive world demands more, and traditional sales strategies might not be all they’re cracked up to be.
Dr. Cindy McGovern delivers a philosophy instead. One where selling is a dynamic and continuous process. And Dr. McGovern will help you identify all the selling opportunities that come your way.
Scheduled for release in September 2019, her book presents eye-opening practices that will help you plan your sales process in a sustainable way.
Hardcover coming out: September 17, 2019. Preorder it here.
John Livesay uses his experience from his award-winning sales career at Conde Nast to help businesses understand the value of storytelling. And in his upcoming book, he explains how you can incorporate storytelling into sales.
There is much to learn in the world that Livesay has created. From learning how to not take a no personally to mastering storytelling, you will find this book a great addition to your sales library.
Paperback coming out: October 8, 2019. Preorder it here.
Strategies, tactics and processes are all well and good. But sometimes you need someone to tell you the exact words you should use.
Enter Robert Bly (one of America’s best copywriters). In his new book, Bly lists 1200 words and phrases that have shown to be the most effective for the author.
This is one of those books you’ll want to keep on your desk at all times.
Paperback coming out: September 10, 2019. Preorder it here.
If you are a newbie in sales, you desperately need this book.
Written by someone with valuable experience in the field of sales, this book holds your hand throughout the selling process.
Connick introduces you to the selling methodology, by offering easy-to-implement tips and strategies. She also teaches basic sales theories that have been proven successful for years.
But what really makes this book valuable is its simplicity and accuracy. And, because of that, you can start selling now.
Hardcover coming out: September 17, 2019. Preorder it here.
The classics
The following books are sales classics – the “you can’t go wrong with these” books. Some of the best books on sales are included, and they should be on your shelf if you feel that your skills (or your team’s skills) need a refresh.
With almost 6000 5-star reviews, How to Win Friends & Influence People remains a bestseller and must-read since its first publication in 1936.
This book was one of the first in the self-help genre, in that Carnegie took psychological principles and made them easy to understand – and even easier to apply. He breaks down in sections the most important ways you can get people to like you, how to “handle” them, as well as how to persuade them to come over to your side.
For an instant boost to your sales skills, flip to Part 2 and try his recommendations.
Readers have said it’s “life-changing”, “essential to any working professional’s toolbox” and “so good it should be illegal.”
To Sell Is Human is a modern classic that’s disrupting traditional ideas of what selling is and what a salesperson does.
One of the most important differences you’ll find in Daniel Pink’s description of a modern salesperson is this: salespeople need to be problem finders.
Pink’s framework, including social science and psychological studies, is packed with examples to help you practise.
Reviewers have said it’s “pure gold”, “invaluable resource” and “a must read, a must re-read and a must act-upon.”
A prolific writer with plenty of books in his name, Zig Ziglar was one of the most well-known salespeople of all time.
In Secrets of Closing the Sale, Ziglar hands your sales team 100 different ways to close without using dubious tactics. The book reads like a tutorial with truth and integrity as the cornerstones of the profession.
Not only is this one of the best books on closing sales you’ll read, but it also works as a great introduction for sales reps who want to jump in prepared.
Other readers have said “this book joins the short list of books I want to read every year for the rest of my life”, “the real deal”, and “if you only read one sales book this is the one.”
Published in 2011, The Challenger Sale is a book that may fundamentally change the way you view your current sales approach. And it will probably change the way you train your team.
Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson studied thousands of sales professionals across multiple industries and countries, and discovered that they tend to fall into 5 different categories.
Surprisingly, they found that “Challengers” are the highest performers. This is the sales rep that challenges the customer, controls the conversation and leads to the problem’s solution.
B2B sales teams will find this read especially useful.
If the expression the “art of sales” isn’t convincing enough for you and you’re looking for something data-driven, then former Chief Revenue Officer at Hubspot, Mark Roberge, is your guy.
In The Sales Acceleration Formula, he brings scientific thought into an area that has traditionally been inundated by anecdotal evidence. In it, he describes the exact strategy he used to take a startup into a hundred-million-dollar revenue behemoth.
You’ll learn:
how to hire the right salespeople (this section is worth the price of the book alone!)
how to get sales training exactly right
how to manage your team
how to get customers to find you
about tools and tech to help you scale
Teams using an inbound approach will gain even more than teams who use a largely outbound sales strategy.
Other readers have said: “groundbreaking book on sales” and “make this a compulsory read for sales and marketing teams”.
If you distilled sales down to one question, it would be this: How do I get people to say yes?
And this is the question noted psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini answers in his iconic bestseller Influence. Dr. Cialdini proposed 6 principles of influence, which you can use to improve your sales skills.
You may be tempted to simply read about these principles from an article, but do yourself a favor and pick the original source instead. Packed with fascinating research and stories, you’ll fully understand the concepts and will be more likely to adopt them to suit your purposes.
Readers have called it “a game changer”, “mandatory reading”, “one of the books to reread every year”.
Bonus: If you want to read more books by Dr. Robert Cialdini, try Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Here, Cialdini explains how to prepare an audience to be more receptive to your message. A fascinating addition to our understanding of influence.
Often, the only difference between low performers and high performers is mindset. And, in the world of sales, this can mean the difference between reaching your sales goals and not.
Hill interviewed over 500 of the most successful people of the day like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and John D. Rockefeller. Keeping their collective wisdom in mind, he proposed 13 steps to success, including specialized knowledge and organized planning.
If your team needs a bit of motivation to get them going, this is the book to read and put into action. It may cause a fundamental shift in mindset.
Other readers have said it’s “a classic guide to train your brain”, “as relevant today as it was in 1937”, and “the best book you’ll ever read.”
Whether you’re just starting out in your sales career or you’ve been a successful salesperson for the past decade, these books will help you develop new skills and polish the ones you already have.
In The Little Red Book of Selling, Gitomer condenses his sales philosophy into 12.5 principles. It’s short, fluff-free, and you’ll want to keep it on your desk to skim when you’re in need of some oomph.
More experienced sales professionals might have heard some of these principles before, but it’s still worth looking into to remind you of the fundamentals. It’s definitely a must-read for anyone new to sales.
Other readers have said it’s “required reading for every professional salesperson”, “a good way to get you refocused” and “the best book for coaching sales.”
Bonus: If you liked The Little Red Book, then the next Jeffrey Gitomer book to get is The Sales Bible, New Edition: The Ultimate Sales Resource. It’s one of the best books for sales representatives, whether for completely new players or seasoned pros.
If you’re looking for a book that will give you word for word phrases of what to say to close a deal, this ain’t it. Instead, You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar will teach you how to think.
This is the perfect playbook for managers who don’t have a system in place. It will give you all the tools you need to train your team.
Other readers have said it’s “one of the best books on sales that I’ve read to date”, “timeless”, and “deeply insightful”.
Dan Seidman is one of the best people to guide you on sales. And just flipping through The Ultimate Guide to Sales Training, it’s not hard to see why. This book is unlike other sales books.
Seidman has written this for sales managers and trainers who want to improve their team training. The book is incredibly useful for day-to-day managing and redesigning your existing sales training for better results.
Others have said it’s “easy to follow and put into action”, and “should be on the desk of every sales manager and sales trainer.”
Over and over again, you’ll hear that mindset is what makes a salesperson successful. And this couldn’t be more true, as Weldon Long shows us. Long created an Inc 5000 company with over $20,000,000 in revenue — in just 5 years. How?
With the power of consistency.
In this book, he delivers a simple process to help you. Step 1 is all about focus and, as you’ll see, it can be quite the game-changer. This book should be part of sales training everywhere.
You’ve already had plenty of experience in the sales field. But training never stops. The following books are ideal for sales managers that want to take their skills to the next level.
This book will provide sales managers with the right process to hire the right talent, and then train and manage a sales team that rocks. Among other things, Whistman helps the readers realize the importance of a manager that orchestrates a plan seamlessly, and a team that performs in unison.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “what can I do to help my team?”, this book is for you.
The quickest read to sales success you’ll find. At only over 160 pages, you can read The Sales Enablement Playbook while waiting for your car to be washed. And that’s on purpose.
Cory Bray and Hilmon Sorey have delivered a no-fluff, no-filler book with practical solutions that managers can implement immediately. Plus, in each chapter, the authors also provide metrics that you can use to measure your efforts.
Reviewers have said: “hands down one of the best sales books I have read in a while”, “couldn’t put this one down”, and “tons of practical advice for those in sales and sales leadership”.
In this new era of technology, measuring sales performance and sales results is simpler than ever. But it’s not easier.
In Cracking the Sales Management Code, Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana zero in, among other topics, on the right metrics to track. You’ll learn what your CRM can do for you, and how to prioritize objectives to take your team to the next level of sales.
Other readers have said: “a gem of insights and practical tips”, and “every sales head should have the book under their pillow”.
With over 230 5-star reviews on Amazon, Sales Management. Simplified. is probably the best book for sales managers.
Weinberg has included humorous stories from the field of sales. If you relate to these stories too closely, then you’ll want to keep reading. Because Weinberg provides all the tools you need to never make the same mistakes again.
You’ll learn how to:
Put a simple framework for sales leadership into action
Make your meetings productive
Allocate roles effectively
Connect salespeople with the proper targets
Other reviewers have said: “the one book all sales managers must read now”.
Without a defined process, your people won’t succeed. The books in this category offer different sales processes you can use. Each one will help you find a framework that works for you, as well as specific techniques to boom your sales.
Ryan Serhant may not need any introductions. The real-estate mogul’s hardcover has already created a buzz.
In Sell It Like Serhant, you’ll find smart, funny, and ultimately practical stories that you can use to improve your sales skills. You’ll also learn Serhant’s 7 steps to selling, how to manage multiple deals at once, and why cultivating qualities like curiosity is important in a sales career.
It feels like we prefer to jump to conclusions, without really listening. In Secrets of Question-Based Selling, Freese puts questions front and center.
In this revised and updated edition, you’ll understand when to ask the right questions and what those questions should be to ultimately close more deals. In fact, after reading it, you’ll be able to ask question after question and lead to a sale.
You’ll find out how to overcome objections and how to establish trust and credibility as soon as possible.
In Pitch Anything, Oren Klaff breaks down the process of putting together a pitch. You’ll also meet his 6-step STRONG process of pitching.
Having neuroeconomics on his side, Oren Klaff promises you that you can literally win any pitch in your life by adapting the STRONG method. With over 500 positive reviews on Amazon, this is the real deal of how to pitch.
Readers have said it’s “necessary business reading” and “the best book on selling I’ve ever read.”
When The New Strategic Selling was first published in 1985, authors Robert Miller, Stephen Heiman and Tad Tuleja offered an entirely new approach to sales: the ‘Win-Win’.
In this updated edition, you’ll learn exactly how to identify the four most important decision makers and how to spend your time pursuing the right deal. It also provides a good overall framework to base your process on. Doubly so if you’re managing high-value B2B sales.
Other readers have said it’s a “required reading” and “an outstanding selling system for consulting and high-end sales.”
Does your team start a sales call waxing poetic about your product? Then this is the best sales book for you. Not only does Neil Rackham bring with him decades of experience advising companies like Honeywell and IBM, but he also outlines a complete (and better) framework you can use in sales calls.
SPIN is the acronym for his particular method and stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, Need payoff.
Readers have said: “outstanding sales framework”, “the definitive B2B sales book”, and “ignore this book at your own peril”.
Long sales cycles. Ghosting. Ridiculous requests. All sales teams have been there and seen that. With Gap Selling, Keenan brings a new philosophy to the world of sales.
You’re not selling a product, Keenan argues, but change. And this is where he focuses his method and technique. How can your sales team better manage a change for your prospects?
Other readers have said: “if you are a Sales Manager buy this book for your team” and “probably the best book on selling you will read”.
They say sales aren’t an art, but a science. And they’re right. If you’re wondering what makes a successful salesperson, this section has all the answers. It equips you with eye-opening and insightful facts about the psychology of selling. But it also goes the extra mile. It provides you with scientifically backed selling tips and strategies. Are you ready?
Brian Tracy has written a multitude of books over the course of his career. And The Psychology of Selling is still one of the best books you’ll find on sales today.
Tracy doesn’t only provide the tips, techniques and processes you should use, but he also explains the reasons they work. This book goes back to the fundamentals of selling. And it’s always a good idea to return to it, every now and again.
IQ is not enough if you want to succeed in your work life. Emotional intelligence is also important. It helps you better understand people, predict their behavior, and act accordingly. Which is why every sales team can benefit from emotional intelligence training.
With this book, you’ll learn how to:
Control your feelings and manage yourself efficiently
Be able to acknowledge the feelings of others and establish empathy
Cultivate long-lasting and profound relationships
It’s incredibly important for teams to know how to handle stress, accept criticism and give constructive feedback. This book is a great primer to build stronger EQ.
Emotional intelligence can contribute to sales success. And the aim of Stanley’s book is to sharpen your sales skills, equipping you with an emotional toolkit. Think soft skills rather than hard skills.
Stanley helps us see the importance of the ability to build long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. With this book, she gives you all the elements you need to do exactly that and close more deals.
Readers have said: “the practical techniques will help you sleep better at night”, and “excellent from start to finish.”
If you could be any superhero, who would you choose to be? In The Alter Ego Effect, Todd Herman provides countless stories and introduces the idea that our secret identities can improve our lives.
And he comes with receipts. From elite athletes to high-level executives, Herman has used this effect to great results. Essentially, his idea brings imagination back into our adult lives and it is this imagination that we can leverage to our advantage.
This brilliant read on mindset will help you find your own secret identity and teach you how to use it in order to be more confident.
If you are looking for tested and proven selling strategies, you are in the right place. The authors of the next five books give you mindful strategic shortcuts, so you can deliver successfully and on time. Immersing in these books can transform you into an experienced sales strategist.
David Hoffeld’s book is full of science-based selling strategies. It employs psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to improve your strategy.
Its aim is clear and simple: to explain how people’s minds work regarding buying decisions and how you can influence the decision-making process.
While it’s ideal for new sales professionals, it’s also useful for the more experienced, as it includes valuable advice and sales techniques.
Readers have said that it’s “revolutionary”, “groundbreaking”, and a “long overdue” book.
This isn’t a common sales book. It combines theory, strategy, and tactics. Breaking down what ‘sales winners’ do, they introduce three levels of selling (Level 1: Connect, Level 2: Convince, Level 3: Collaborate), helping you and your team to become sales winners, too.
For Schultz and Doerr, the selling process should be insight-driven. The role of the contemporary salesforce is to connect with the client on an aspirational level. And Insight Selling will help you with that.
People lie, big data doesn’t. How many times have you searched online something that’s eating you instead of asking your peers? We do that all the time. And this is what Davidowitz’s book is about.
His work offers fascinating and thought-provoking insights regarding the human psyche. By examining a wide variety of topics, Davidowitz illustrates the way we truly think and live.
A must-have book for every sales professional who wants to see the bigger picture and to understand the world around them with big-data-driven eyes.
In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz analyzes human decision making, and our current obsession with it. He provides the bigger picture, and introduces how people make decisions.
Understand how your prospects are making their buying decisions, and you’ll improve your sales.
Others have said: “one of the best books I’ve ever read”, “totally worth reading”, and “incredibly interesting read”.
What if you can motivate anyone to do anything in seven minutes (or even less)? What if you can achieve instant influence?
Dr. Michael Pantalon helps you turn any “no” into a “yes” by adapting an easy-to-learn 6-step method. They say this book is “fantastic”, as it helps you to build your influential leadership and succeed. Not only in business, but also in life.
If you want to excel in sales, you probably should be a master negotiator. These books can help you handle the toughest clients, encouraging you and your team to embrace challenges!
Does your sales team give up easily? Do you find sales reps struggling in difficult negotiations?
William Ury’s book helps you turn a no into a yes by learning how to stay in control and finding out what your negotiator wants. His book helps you see the bigger picture and act with full consciousness.
So, if what’s eating your team is tough client relationships, Ury’s book equips your salesforce with tips to win every battle.
Who doesn’t want to get advised by a former FBI negotiator and an award-winning journalist?
Never Split the Difference shows you how to be more persuasive; both personally, and professionally. By practicing the nine principles described in the book, sales reps adopt a more effective and results-oriented approach.
With this book, you can supercharge your sales strategy. Have a sneak peek of Voss’s Ted talk here.
How many times have you postponed a difficult discussion with an underperforming employee or a stubborn client?
We are reluctant when it comes to open, difficult, and awkward conversations. This book needs no introduction. It goes straight to the heart of the problem. It shows you how to handle those situations, and helps you learn from difficulties and embrace challenges.
In our attempts to turn objections to our advantage, we try to manage people to get our way. As a result, we risk, and sometimes sacrifice our relationships for a short-term win.
Burg’s book is about how to build long-lasting relationships. Chapter by chapter, he exercises your negotiating skills and your ability to build alliances, and helps you become the master of “Ultimate Influence”.
By the end of this book, you will have the tools to get the results you want.
Tinney’s book is a must for sales professionals. By illustrating examples of 12 negotiation strategies, it provides you with insightful tips on how to negotiate successfully.
Definitely a must-have book, with tested strategies that can really kickstart your business.
Everything in life is negotiated. And Peter Stark and Jane Flaherty know how to help you with negotiating. Full of tricks and tips, this guidebook is a very useful read. It introduces you to the world of sales and it shares with you the most fundamental principles.
But what really makes this book one of a kind is that it helps you identify your own style of behavior during negotiating. That way, you can design your own, unique strategy.
If you’re planning to get a money tree, we have a better investment idea: learning the secrets of negotiation. And Roger Dawson’s book is a masterclass in negotiation.
Knowing how to negotiate is a life skill. One that can help you make money faster. And Dawson, an expert in negotiating, has all the answers on doing that successfully.
First published in 1980, Cohen’s book feels like it was just recently written. As you go through the book, you realize that not much has changed. And this book understands the world as a giant negotiating table, offering advice on all forms of negotiation.
