Last week I received a note from an Inside Sales Leader “I need the names of at least 2 books that would help a novice sales rep. Of all those that you’ve read, which would you recommend?”
The first book I recommend is always The Field Guide to Sales by Debbie Mrazek. Her first section on forecasting (to create a territory vs. what managers expect weekly) is the most important part of career success in my opinion
Any of Jill Konrath’s books depending on the person I’d pick the one most appropriate to them specifically.
For an inside sales perspective – anything by Art Sobczak
The soft skills that really make or break a salesperson’s ability to succeed Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success by Colleen Stanley
For understanding how YOU sell/think/behave as a person, the CliftonStrengths (at least that is what it’s called now – Now Discover Your Strengths became Clifton StrengthsFinder, and now this)
I will also remind you of my Chinese Buffet Theory of Learning; even when we each go up to the same buffet, our plates are different when we return to the table.
When you’re reading sales books take what works for you, while always being willing to taste things that your brain might begin by rejecting. Plus, I think it’s important for people to pull from lots of different dishes to fill their plate.
I’m also a fan of rereading books on my shelves, depending what I need I seem to find different parts/ideas/concepts that resonate with me. I also notice things I’ve forgotten, things I though were good ideas yet never implemented, as well as things I still am unsure about.
The one thing I know to be true, for salespeople to become masterful – continuous learning and improvement must be part of the world they work inside.
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