The 10 most influential sales books of my career…

You’ll see similar articles posted everywhere, so I hope that I am not too severely overlapping someone else’s post.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to read many, many books on sales and persuasion. Some were memorable and I adopted many of their ideas; others not so much.

One of my favourite sales authors is Mahan Khalsa. One of his quotes sticks with me with every new buyer… ““People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” This intent aligns with my personal desire to help clients.

Following, in no particular order, are some of my favourite reads around selling:

 

What Great Salespeople Do

Michael Bosworth and Ben Zoldan

People relate to stories. Salespeople who can tell relatable stories will win the relationship.

 

The Challenger Sale

Matt Dixon and Brent Adamson

When salespeople understand the buyer’s problem well enough to challenge the buyer’s thinking, they will be up to four times more likely to become a top performer.

Solution Selling 

Michael Bosworth

Drop the high-pressure Always Be Closing (ABC) mindset and align your sales approach to the buyer’s desires.

Selling to Big Companies

Jill Konrath

To make yourself irresistible, invaluable, and indispensable to the corporate buyer you need to be able to provide a consistent flow of new ideas, insights and information.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie

Be interested in others. It is easier and more productive than trying to get them interested in you.

Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play

Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig

Helping clients succeed is not a euphemism for sales, it is the essence of sales

The Secrets of Closing the Sale

Zig ZIglar

Each close you use should be an educational process by which you are raising the value of your product or service in the buyer’s mind

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert Cialdini

Human behaviour says when we as someone for a favour, we are more successful when we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do

The Greatest Salesman in the World

Og Mandino

Only a habit can subdue another habit

Mastering the Complex Sale

Jeff Thull

The smarter way to sell transforms a conventional “pitch” into a high-quality decision making process that buyers value

I think the best rule in selling is to put yourself in the shoes of the client. What are they feeling? What are they thinking? What do they need? How can you help them? When you align to them, you build the foundation of a relationship. And with that relationship, you can help them to buy what they need to achieve their goals.

What books have influenced your approaches to buyers? I’m interested in hearing from you at info@mycxo.ca.