Books Every Salesperson Should Read

If salespeople are worried about how to sell, Gitomer (The Sales Bible) believes they are missing out on the more important aspect of sales: why people buy. This, he says, is "all that matters," and his latest book aims to demystify buying principles for salespeople.

This modern-day business parable, a quick read in the spirit of The Greatest Salesman in the World and The One Minute Manager, should do well with eager corporate-ladder climbers, who may at first be confused by its focus: on putting the other guy first-be it a colleague, competitor, customer, friend or family member.

With their national bestseller The Go-Giver, Bob Burg and John David Mann took the business world by storm, showing that giving is the most fulfilling and effective path to success. That simple, profound story has inspired hundreds of thousands of readers around the world-but some have wondered how its lessons stand up to the tough challenges of everyday real-world business.

Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.

A business classic endorsed by Dale Carnegie, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling is for anyone whose job it is to sell. Whether you are selling houses or mutual funds, advertisements or ideas—or anything else—this book is for you.

Whether presenting a product or principle, service or idea, we all engage in sales. Zig Ziglar presents winning techniques for getting a positive response and establishing dynamic relationships. Readers discover how to:o project warmth, enthusiasm, and integrity o effectively use 100 creative closes o increase productivity and professionalism o overcome the five basic reasons people will not buy o deal respectfully with challenging prospects

The Greatest Salesman in the World is a tiny book, and it is a treasure. First published in 1968, Og Mandino's classic remains an invaluable guide to a philosophy of salesmanship. Mandino's clear, simple writing style supports his purpose: to make the principles of sales known to a wide audience.

NEIL RACKHAM is founder and former president of Huthwaite, Inc. Huthwaite researches, consults, and provides seminars for over 200 leading sales organizations around the world, including Xerox, IBM, and Citicorp. His academic background is in research psychology. It was at the University of Sheffield, England, that he began his research into sales effectiveness that resulted in SPIN.

A revised and updated edition of How to master the art of selling, which educates on how to succeed in sales, including new information on using the latest research techniques and using e-mail and online resources to generate deals more quickly and efficiently

Linda Richardson is founder and executive chairwoman of Richardson, a leader in the global sales training industry, and the author of numerous influential books, including Stop Telling, Start Selling and Sales Coaching.

Strategic Selling: The Unique Sales System Proven Successful by America's Best Companies [Robert B. Miller, Stephen E. Heiman, Tad Tuleja] on Amazon.com. FREE shipping on qualifying offers. In this interview with Dr. Michael Krasny, Miller and Heiman emphasize effective stratgeies for making complex sales in a future shock world. 2 cassettes.

This is the best book I've ever read about negotiating - because it's brought great results for several people I've introduced to it. Big gains - not minor wins.
I put it on this List because of the selling points I took from the book. After all, in negotiating you have to sell to the other side - haven't you.