My Top 5 Favorite Books on Sales

My Top 5 Favorite Books on Sales

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Here’s a little secret… Facebook won’t sell for you.

Neither will Google.

Or LinkedIn.

The reality is that these resources can only drive traffic into your business. The selling part is still up to you.

Before you put anymore effort into traffic, it may be time to look at your sales process. To be honest, this was the first step in changing my firm from struggling to thriving—we had to get our sales system perfected.

BlogTimPaigeAlong the way, I have taken a lot of courses and read a lot of books. These were instrumental in developing the success we have now. (Happy dance!)

For today’s post, I share my top five favorite books on sales. (Tweet this) Each have had an impact on my business and I hope they do on yours as well.

Take a look at my list and add your own to the comments. To incentivize you to share, I will give away all five books on my list to one lucky reader who comments before Monday, August 15, 2016.

 

My Top 5 Favorite Books on Sales

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Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross

Great book by the gentleman who leads lead-generation for Salesforce.com. This book is a bit of a combo deal of marketing and sales, and is great for firms that are looking for both (as all should be).

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5 Minutes with VITO by David Mattson

This book is about spending your time with those that can make your sales—decision makers. It details how to get to the top officers and how to communicate with them effectively to ensure the sale.

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The Sales Acceleration Formula By Mark Roberge

Written by the mastermind behind Hubspot’s incredible growth, Mark goes into super helpful detail on how to build and scale a successful workforce. This is my most recent read and has been very helpful as we build up our sales team.

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How to Win Friends and Influence People ByDale Carnegie

An oldie, but goodie, this book details how to treat people the way they should be treated, and to develop trust and position yourself as a trusted advisor instead of sales person. If you haven’t read this one yet, make it next on your list as it has the ability to help you in ALL aspects of your life—professional and personal. At least it did, for me!

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To Sell is Human By David Pink

A “game changing” book for money, this book puts selling in the perspective of where it should be—a valuable act that allows people to be served in the ways they need to be served. Loved this book and it helped us position our messaging differently.

Have another book to suggest? Remember to add it to the comment section. To incentivize you to share, I will give away all five books on my list to one lucky reader who comments before Monday, August 15, 2016.

60 thoughts on “My Top 5 Favorite Books on Sales”

  1. Kim

    I agree with you about Dale Carnagie’s classic book.

    Another one that I recommend is “Double Your Sales, An Honest and Authentic Approach to Professional Selling” by Scott Farnsworth.

  2. Hey Kim! I just read the Amazon page and reviews for each book. I can see how these could work together extremely well, especially when combined with a tangible, human, interactive, social approach to selling like you teach! I’m excited to follow your leadership and see how these approaches can refine my overall approach to sales in my company as we overhaul/redesign our sales and marketing systems!

  3. Two books I try to read every year would include:

    Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

    Uncensored Sales Strategies – Sidney Barrows with Dan Kennedy

  4. “The Ultimate Sales Machine” by Chet Holmes. It’s filled with examples, stories, and exercises to get you to practice what you’re learning. His writing style is easy and fun to read. He explains not just sales strategies and tactics, but other key strategies that support the sales process. Fabulous book.

    1. Kim Walsh-Phillips

      You know, that happens to be one I am bringing with me to the beach! I look forward to chatting about it on our next mastermind Kia! 🙂

  5. Thanks for the great list, Kim! These five seem like a true powerhouse of sales knowledge. One of my favorites is Herb Cohen’s “You Can Negotiate Anything.” Another ‘oldie but goodie’ this books shares some powerful perspectives on negotiation; a true art built on understanding human behavior and psychology, and a necessary one in any sales formula.

  6. Greetings, Kim! As a “boomer” I kinda spent the first part of my career doing it the old-fashioned way. And honestly, I had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Facebook era. I just wish I had gotten my people to “drag” me much sooner! Many thanks for your easy to understand approach to combining social media with the human touch!

    1. Kim Walsh-Phillips

      Sweet! Gayle, knowing you, this book is PERFECT for you. And next I would read Daniel Pink’s book. 🙂

  7. Dale Carnegie’s book has always been on my list, but Ihaven’t heard of the others! Thanks for the suggestions!

  8. Many are books I have never heard of. Thank you. Agree with all of the suggestions by others as well. Kill it Kim!

  9. Great list – and happy anniversary! Ours is coming up in a week as well- and Cancun and a Cabana is just what the doctor ordered! <3 I have always kept Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles fo sales greatness: on my desk- it is a easy read- but when used – it reinforces the basics – and always a pick me up- when the day seems to be in a slump!

  10. Hi Kim,
    Thank for the post of good reads! A book that I have read that I need to read again is the E-Myth. Helps me to stay on track with working more on my business than in my business.
    Happy Anniversary!
    Lynn

  11. If I may, I’d like to suggest a few that have helped me kill it:

    (Of course, your book) No B.S. Guide…Social Media

    No B.S. Sales Success in the New Economy – Dan Kennedy

    Start With No – Jim Camp

    Get Clients Now – C.J. Hayden

    Choose Yourself Guide To Wealth – James Altucher

    Those put together I think create one kick ass master level sales brain.

    If you actually do the work…you will be badass.

  12. I like the diversity – but I was surprised to not see ‘The Greatest Salesman in the World’ by Og Mandino. I also thought Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy would make the list. I look forward to reading your recommendations – thank you for your challenge to post!

  13. I’ve read a lot of books in my life and I think the two best ones on sales I’ve read are “High Trust Selling” by Todd Duncan and “The Ultimate Sales Machine” by Chet Holmes although you could argue the latter is really an integrated marketing book because it relies on both marketing and sales departments to work together in concert and the success of the campaign depends on training and constantly improving your sales team’s skill set.

  14. Kim Walsh-Phillips

    Wonderful answers from everyone! Thank you for your valuable contributions.

    Congratulations to Kimberly Sheppard, our book contest winner! Kimberly, please send us your contact information via our “Contact Us” form to claim your prize.

  15. Thanks for sharing Kim. Im currently reading one of the books you co-authored with Dan Kennedy. its one of the best book on Social Media Marketing that ive read.

    In regards with sales, No BS Sales Success by Dan Kennedy is also a great read. Different from other sales book ive read.

    1. Kim Walsh-Phillips

      Thank you very much for the kind words. If you are willing to leave a review of it on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

  16. Feel like I’m late to this thread – thank you for the list, I’ll be through it in a week (actually driving to Tennessee next week – I’ll be listening the whole trip ?

  17. Thank you Kim for sharing
    I haven’t read many books on sales but my current favourite is the Sales Playbook by Jack Daly. I have also read Hyper Sales Growth by Jack Daly. I haven’t read any of your top 5 but look forward to starting with The Sales Acceleration Formula because I’m currently trying to expand my sales team. Thanks again Kim

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