Top Sales Books

Our list of top sales books shows that sales are every business’s lifeline. As an owner, head of sales, or part of the sales team, your primary focus is the number. If you are a good, natural salesperson, you will enjoy and prosper; however, it can be a nightmare if you are not.

Let me tell you that it doesn’t mean the end of life; like any profession, if you are not born with it, you can practice and master the art. The good news is that thousands of literature is available from sales gurus. So you don’t have to fail and learn but read a couple of books and sharpen your skills.

I can guarantee that you will learn something new with every book, and your knowledge will grow. Your numbers will improve if you apply whatever knowledge you have gained in every sales presentation. I can guarantee you because I know I have been there.

I joined three companies; I wanted to make money; yes, I was and will always be hungry for more; however, I failed. Fired from three sales jobs within a month, I thought I was a failure, which probably is not my cup of tea. So I joined customer service but always missed that thrill and adrenaline pump after making sales. Oh! I loved the sweet feeling of achievement.

When I started my business, I knew there was no way out. I didn’t have the budget to hire a sales team. I was a one-person guy. I handled tech (configuring the router, learning about CMS, etc.) It was a one-person show.

It’s then a thought crosses my mind. What if sales can be taught? Have I given it a try? Maybe the training I have received so far was bs. I mean, I had a script and a bunch of rebuttals, and all I had to do was learn. So I went ahead to explore. Remember, I am the average Joey who probably will go into a coma after reading. So, I started devoting time little by little. Soon my stamina for reading and grasping increased.

With time, my performance has improved, and I make sure to devote some time to learning every day. Here are some of the top sales books I recommend to improve your skills. Please note the sequence isn’t a ranking.

Also, if you think reading one book can be a life-changer, it’s just a fantasy. Some people complain that the book teaches you nothing new but remember, almost every book might sound similar to you, but with every book, you may learn something new or at least relearn and improve your memory about what you have learned so far.

1) New Sales. Simplified.: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development by Mike Weinberg

“No matter how much repeat business you get from loyal customers, the lifeblood of your business is a constant flow of new accounts.

Whether you’re a sales rep, sales manager, or professional services executive, you need a proven formula for prospecting, developing, or closing deals if you are expected to bring in new business. New Sales. Simplified. is the answer. “

It’s one of those rare books with a 5-star user rating on Amazon.com. Now that may not mean anything, or it can mean a lot.

In this book, the author, Mike Weinberg, covers real-life examples of various scenarios in a sales cycle. It’s a very straightforward book that helps the salesperson identify what they have been doing wrong.

2) The Psychology of Selling: Increase Your Sales Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy

“The purpose of this book is to give you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make more sales faster and easier than ever before.”

If you have been following Sales Leaders, you will often come across a name, or must I say a brand name, Brian TracyThis is because almost every sales guru has, at some point in time, read literature from him, applied it, and has gained success.

Over time buying behavior has evolved a lot, and this book may seem outdated, but needless to say, there are some nuggets you can still apply and gain from him.

It’s one of the top sales books with a 4.6-star rating on Amazon.com.

3) The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone

“Achieve “Massive Action” results and accomplish your business dreams!

While most people operate with only three degrees of action-no action, retreat, or normal action-if, you’re after big goals, and you don’t want to settle for the ordinary. So, to reach the next level, you must understand the coveted 4th degree of action. This 4th degree, also known as the 10 X Rule, is that level of action that guarantees companies and individuals realize their goals and dreams.”

If you are in sales and hungry for learning, there is one name you will recognize: Grant Cardone.

If you don’t, you probably are in the stone age and need to catch up. Grant Cardone is a superman of sales. He is your classic salesperson and a very generous guy in sharing wisdom. Grant isn’t your “Shakespeare of Sales” but a man who walks the talk.

From being broke to a guy with a net worth of USD100 million, he has proven to the world that he is just a keyboard wiz.

With an average rating of 4.6 stars on Amazon.com, the book has done wonders for people who have read it. The title is pretty straightforward and tells you what you already know but don’t follow, and it’s why you are where you are.

I am compelled to add extra paragraphs to mention that he follows what he preaches religiously. He has contributed to and influenced life by following his 10X rule. The 10X rule book is the sure bible of sales and the top sales book. The bottom line, take massive actions. God helps those who help themselves.

4) Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini

“Written in a narrative style combined with scholarly research, Cialdini combines evidence from experimental work with the techniques and strategies he gathered while working as a salesperson, fundraiser, advertiser, and in other positions inside organizations that commonly use compliance tactics to get us to say “yes.”

Widely used in classes and sold to people operating successfully in the business world, the eagerly awaited revision of Influence reminds the reader of the power of persuasion.”

While most sales books are about strategy, presentation, etc., Robert B Cialdini gives you an insight into how the human mind works and six principles that will make people comply with you.

He teaches the science behind human behavior, what we do, and why we do it. No doubt, the knowledge you gain from this book and what you learn from all of the above can change your perspective on sales and be a game-changer.

Why should you read this book? Following the six principles for personal or business transactions will make getting a “Yes” less challenging. It shows sales is not just an art but a science, too.

It has been rated 4.5 stars on Amazon.com.

5)Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com by Aaron Ross

“This is NOT another book about cold calls or close deals. Instead, this is an entirely new kind of sales bible for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sales VPs to help you build a sales machine.

What does it take for your sales team to generate as many highly qualified new leads as you want, create predictable revenue, and meet your financial goals without your constant focus and attention? “

The other sales books mentioned in this article cover topics that will be helpful for a salesperson, but this book is for sales leaders. Predictable Revenue from Aaron Ross teaches about the sales process that helped Salesforce.com overgrow and add $100 million in recurring revenue.

He shares how he discovered the process, its reason, and its impact on the bottom line. This book educates on defining a strategy and hiring an expert instead of a jack of all trades. You will also cover fatal yet common mistakes CEOs and sales leaders of a company repeatedly make that cost a fortune.

Aaron Ross was a business owner before joining Salesforce.com in 2002. Salesforce.com is brand new but was little known when at that time. The concept of SaaS was unique, and most weren’t comfortable with it. His out of box thinking and experimentation helped him discover and perfect the process he preaches in this book. His experience ranges from working with companies of all sizes, from startups to SAP, Oracle, Uber, and more.

The Predictable Revenue has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon.com

We have limited our list of top sales books to only five, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t more out there that you should read.