Today’s sales landscape is evolving at light-speed. While digital transformation has required sales teams in all industries to adapt at a moment’s notice, certain fundamentals of selling have remained surprisingly timeless.
In fact, even the most forward-thinking sales entrepreneurs turn to books for leadership guidance. Of course, picking up a book about sales may sound old-school to most young sales professionals. But even though a hardcover can’t be updated like a Wikipedia page (unless you’re dying to make publishers billionaires), books offer huge advantage that most online sources can’t match:
“They provide an incredibly in-depth look into the key principles of sales and sales leadership—and, most importantly, why customers behave the way they do,” Says Stephanie Staiano, CSS ProSearch Sales Director.
Curious to learn more? Check out these 5 timeless yet incredibly relevant books we think all sales leaders should read.
The One-Sentence Persuasion Course by Blair Warren
At its core, sales is all about talking to people. And to talk to people, you need to understand what makes them tick. This short, punchy work by Blair Warren distills the art of persuasion down to simple basics that can be applied to any sales situation.
While sales leaders can use this down-to-earth book to hone their sales strategies, The One-Sentence Persuasion Course is also a great read for anyone within a sales team looking to better understand the core principles of customer buying habits.
Sales Management. Simplified. by Mark Weinberg
In Sales Management. Simplified., Mark Weinberg addresses the major pain points of sales teams that routinely fall short of their goals—and it begins with leadership. While some readers may find the first half of the book a bit jarring as the author cuts into why teams fail to hit their targets, his blueprint for creating and maintaining excellent sales teams is simple, practical, and actionable. This book is a great read for sales leaders who are new or trying to get an underperforming team—and themselves—on track.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves
Sales is all about dealing with people—internally and externally. Therefore, operating with high emotional intelligence (EQ) will always be a must in sales. But for people in charge of understanding customers and their own teams, emotional intelligence is all the more critical. And that’s exactly why Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a must-read for sales leaders. In this book, the authors define the four core pillars of emotional intelligence and how to increase emotional intelligence by starting with self-awareness. Moreover, you’ll learn how to use emotional intelligence to better your team’s performance in any context.
Coaching Salespeople Into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives by Keith Rosen
The title is pretty straightforward; this sales leadership guide by Keith Rosen focuses on a coaching-over-training approach to optimizing your sales team’s performance. Rosen encourages a people-centric approach to cultivating team talent, offering a “playbook” for building relationships with team members through the power of conversation. This book provides practical tips for mastering the art of coaching, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to proactively engage with your team in any situation.
Cracking the Sales Management Code: The Secrets to Measuring and Managing Sales Performance by Jason Jordan
Another one of our timeless favorites, Jason Jordan’s Cracking the Sales Management Code deserves a spot on every sales leader’s bookshelf. This book teaches sales leaders how to gain better control over their sales performance through implementing the best sales processes for their objectives. Filled with practical advice for implementing strategies, tools, and best practices that drive results, this book is packed with insights still extremely relevant in 2021.
Ready for Your Sales Team’s Performance to Take Off?
The first step to developing an all-star sales team is sourcing the right talent for your business. CSS ProSearch can help connect you with the right people—fast—so you can spend less time building your team and more time closing sales.
About CSS ProSearch
CSS ProSearch is a sales recruiting firm that places top sales and marketing talent for growing businesses in the healthcare, technology and consulting verticals.
Our sales recruiters take a consultative approach to recruiting, acting as a true partner in the success of both our clients and our talent. With over 50 years of combined experience, our team combines best-in-class recruiting practices, technology, research and innovative approaches to deliver exceptional service with every engagement. Learn more here.