Making a successful sale is a mix of both science and art.
One needs to know a lot more than just the product/service they are trying to sell. They need to know where the lead comes from and how they can close this - without much hassle.
The more a salesperson knows about the how, when and why about the sales procedure, the better he has the chances of closing more sales. The only way to be better at this is to learn more about it from people around and books.
Books written by the best of entrepreneurs are underrated, but one of the biggest asset for a salesperson to look up to.
Here are five of the best books a salesperson must-read.
1. Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
This book has to be the must-have self-help book for all entrepreneurs, bursting with bromides and sunshine like confidence about the future that only startups can build. Theil, a founder of PayPal presents a lucid and profound articulation of capitalism and success in the 21st century.
In a surprisingly wonderful way, this book is simple, fluctuating between brilliance and madness.
Going from Zero to One means traveling the complete journey from being nothing to making a name in something. This is the greatest leap possible- greater than going from one to 10 or even to 100.
To go from zero to one is to conjure something into existence from the dark void of oblivion. This is the essence of true innovation.
2. Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and Marylou Tyler
Ross and Tyler attempt to provide a blueprint for building a modern sales department for large corporations that target corporate clients. The information in this book is clearly presented and will be valuable to study for larger businesses that want to grow and build a sales team that can generate predictable revenue.
This book talks about building a sales pipeline, which helps the reader to understand the various steps involved in going from preparing to prospecting to closing.
3. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
Holmes here defines and highlights twelve key strategies for running and turbocharging a successful business. These chapters are very broadly explanatory, but it mainly targets specifics such as time utilization, sales & marketing, hiring, and conducting productive meetings.
This book will provide the reader with a decent overview of sales with a lot of examples. It is the type that will get you thinking, pumped, and ready to take action all at once.
A world-class marketer and salesman reveal the strategies and tactics behind his success, go for it!
4. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
The reason this is a must-read book for a salesperson is because of it’s content being highly critical principles transformed into a readable language. Not just sales, this book is very valuable for various disciplines, because of its clarity in language and relatable examples. Cialdini flawlessly describes six principles of influence in this classic.
The influence book goes into the details of the psychology of why people agree to something - and how to apply these learnings.
This book will help you understand the process you must take to convince your client for the sale.
5. To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink
"A world of entrepreneurs is a world of salespeople"-- that is the key thrust of this bestseller. Whether everyone realizes it or not, every human has a bit of an entrepreneur in them and therefore everyone must learn and master the science of selling. Author Daniel explains the research in social science to use the principle of selling in the 21st century of digital media, globalization, and economic uncertainty.
This book is an absolute must-read for anyone starting a business who isn't necessarily trained in sales. Great practical tips and advice as well as a new way to think about sales for those who aren't intuitively convinced they're actually in the business of it!
I hope you liked this shortlist of books. Add your favorite books on this list! Let me know.
For a detailed list of Indian authors who have created equally classic masterpieces read here: Top 6 Indian Authors Every Entrepreneur Should Read
Also, let us know what is the best book you have read!
