B2B Sales Connections Book Suggestions For Sales & Sales Management
Did you know that business people who read at least 7 business books a year earn over 2.3 times more than people who read only one book per year? Think you don't have time? If you spend just 10 minutes a day reading, that adds up to over 60 hours a year!
Listed below are some excellent books recommended and reviewed by the B2B Sales Connections sales coaches or our website visitors. If you like to send us a recommendation, click here!
Remember, investing in yourself is always a safe bet!
Sales Books
- Action Plan For Sales Success - Not just what to do, but how to do it! by Susan A. Enns
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"I am working through your "Action Plan For Sales Success" ... and I'd like to say THANKS for a great hands on approach, with working documents that make it easy to turn learning into ACTION." - Don M.
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- Quick Sales Tips - Practical advice, in bite sized pieces! by Susan A. Enns and Robert J. Weese
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""... if sales folks would follow your "sales tip of the month" every day...their life would change" - Brad E.
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- People Love You - The Real Secret to Delivering Legendary Customer Experiences by Jeb Blount
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If you are a business to business sales account manager, this is a must read. If you are a sales manager coaching a team of reps who have some sort of customer service in their job descriptions, make this required reading. If you've ever thought you cannot improve customer loyalty because of the company you work for, the prices you charge, or the policies of your service department, read this book. You will be very glad you did!
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- Perfect Phrases for Sales Presentations by Linda Eve Diamond
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When I first saw the title of this book, I thought it was going to be a joke. But after reading it, I have to admit I was wrong. It is like having your best sales managers in your back pocket speaking to you in point form, reminding you of what you should do, when. I highly recommend this great sales read!
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- Prospecting Your Way To Sales Success - How to Find New Business by Phone, Internet, & Other New Media by Bill Good
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Even the best sales person cannot sell unless he gets in the door! This book proves the importance of having a systematic prospecting approach that is organized properly. Detailed "how to" instructions on prospecting methods, scripts, letters, and organizing your follow up by date are included. A must read if you want to sell more.
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- Smarter Selling by Keith Dugdale, & David Lambert
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An excellent lesson on how to put your customer's needs first, so that you build trust with your buyers, and improve your sales results.
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- The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, & Robert M. Galford
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The book is about ways to earn a client trust, give effective advice and build relationships. The focus is on the need to go beyond selling features and benefits to solving problems – you must build trust to create powerful advocates with your clients.
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- Life Is Sales - Change Your Life, Be More Persuasive and Get What You Want by Gary L. Ford & Connie Bird
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This book focus on the psychology of getting others to say yes so you can reach your goals. Filled with personal insights, case studies and supporting research. The authors suggest that you can change your life if you employ the suggestions they provide.
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- Hot Prospects: The Proven Prospecting System to Ramp Up Your Sales Career by Bill Good
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Recommended by Website Visitor, Peter Forint. - Rejection is not the biggest problem in sales – prospecting is! Peppered with an egotistical sense of humour, this book discusses lead generation, lead development, and sales as three distinct phases. A "no" today is not "no" forever.
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- Selling to VITO, the Very Important Top Officer by Anthony Parinello
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This book will show you how to speak in terms of customer benefits, as opposed to product features. It will also give you excellent ideas on how to book appointments with top executives, including how to write absolutely outstanding prospecting letters.
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- The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource, Revised Edition by Jeffrey Gitomer
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Recommended by Website Visitor, Dwight K. - I would recommend it as a great review of all the basics that make selling fun and profitable. I especially appreciate his emphasis on building and maintaining the client relationships.
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- The One Minute Sales Person by Spencer Johnson, M.D. and Larry Wilson
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Part of the "One Minute" series, this is a quick and easy read which has very valuable lessons for sales professionals. Everyone in sales, at every level of the organization should memorize and internalize "The Wonderful Paradox " so that they can practice it with their internal and external customers!
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- Becoming Preferred - How to Outsell Your Competition by Michael Vickers
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Great ideas to implement to increase your perceived value in your customer's eyes.
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- High Performance Selling - Advice, Tactics and Tools. The Complete Guide to Sales Success by Terry Black
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This book is an easy read with short, to the point chapters. Very practical tips and ideas in the "Try This section of most chapters that will improve your sales skills.
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- Why People Don't Buy Things - Five Proven Steps to Connect with Your Customers and Dramatically Increase Your Sales by Harry Washburn & Kim Wallace
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For anyone who has ever faced price competition, the lessons contained in the chapter "Rita Buys Her Dream Car" alone makes this one worth the read.
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Sales Management Books
- Action Plan For Sales Management Success – Not just what to do, but how to do it! by Susan A. Enns
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"Susan knows her stuff. She brings many years of great sales experience and success to anyone who wished to improve their skills in sales. She is very personable, and is not afraid to tell it like it is. I would recommend anyone (and I have) to Susan, her website, her books if you want to become a better sales person." - Fred B.
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- Predictable Revenue - Turn Your Business Into A Sales Machine With The $100 Million Best Practices Of Salesforce.com by Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler
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This book makes a very strong case for the need to separate your sales force into business development or prospecting reps, and account managers or customer service reps. There are also many great marketing and sales management tips thrown in along the way.
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- Appreciation Marketing – How to Achieve Greatness Through Gratitude by Tommy Wyatt & Curtis Lewsey
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We sometimes forget how powerful a heartfelt “thank you” can be. This book will remind you why showing gratitude is so important. Just the chapter, “Seven Deadly Creatures”, the personality types you should not become makes this a must read for anyone who networks or who makes their living in sales. A great read!
- How to Hire & Develop Your Next Top Performer– The Five Qualities That Make Sales People Great by Herb Greenberg, Harold Weinstein & Patrick Sweene
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This book was first recommended on a LinkedIn group. After reading it, we must totally agree with the recommendation! The five qualities needed to be successful in sales hits the nail squarely on the head, and the discussion on the need to job match is excellent. A must read by every sales manager and executive who wants to build a winning team!
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- The Healthy Business Shape Up, Survive & Thrive by Rosalyn J. Cronin, CMA
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The Healthy Business is a get-fit program for your small business. All the aspects needed to make it in today’s business environment are laid out with exercises to help you get started and succeed in your own business. The real life stories are used to clarify points and Rosalyn uses lots of examples, and templates to help you in your daily operation. A great read for any small or midsized business owner/manger that is looking for business and self improvement help. Buy Now On Author's Website
- First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
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Recommended by LinkedIn Visitor, Rich Ball. - "It's one of the few business books on the market full of actual information and not fluff and stories. The authors were part of the Gallup research project using 80,000 managers at 400 companies. That's a depth of research I can believe in."
Also recommended by LinkedIn Visitor, Jim Barnet. - "Great book for uncovering what the top 1% of great managers do that make them so successful. The answers may surprise you."
- Strategies that Win Sales – Best Practices of the World’s Leading Organizations by Mark Marone and Seleste Lunsford
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This book is the result of comprehensive research and extensive interviews at all levels within the most successful sales organizations. It hits the nail on the head in discussing the higher level challenges and solutions for anyone who is responsible for the design, structure and implementation of the sales function within an organization.
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- In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman
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Recommended by LinkedIn Visitor, Nigel Taylor. - Based on a study of forty-three of America's best-run companies from a diverse array of business sectors, this book describes the eight basic principles of management that made these organizations successful. "...it contains some really great basic concepts all of which have stood the test of time."
- Good to Great - Why Some Companies Make The Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins
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Using scientific study methods, this book compares similar companies in the same industries and discusses the results of why one company flourishes, and the other doesn't. The discussion comparing the leadership qualities of the management teams between the comparison companies alone makes this worth the read!
- Six Disciplines For Excellence by Gary Harpst
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A very practical book on how to improve your business. This is not a 30,000 foot level overview. It is designed almost in a “how to” fashion, examining all aspects of small and mid sized business needs. It takes best practices that already exist and creates a system to help you improve.
- Making Millions in Direct Sales - The 8 Essential Activities Direct Sales Managers Must Do Every Day to Build A Successful Team and Earn More Money by Michael Malaghan
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Although written by someone in a B2C sales management environment, this book has numerous, implementatable ideas for business to business sales. Every sales manager, regardless of experience, should practice these 8 essential activites!
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Personal Development Books
- Daily Motivational Quotes - If Misery Loves Company, Then Motivation Breeds Happiness! by Susan A. Enns
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"It is really amazing for what you are doing in helping others stay positive and overcome their challenges, whatsoever small or big they may be" - Parmod R.
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- The Rules of Work, Expanded Edition: A Definitive Code for Personal Success by Richard Templar
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This book is highly recommended by networking contact, Harry K. when he credited it to helping him receive a recent job promotion to management. In his words,"a book that was seminal to my career".
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- Peaks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You - At Work And In Life by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
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Good times and bad times are inevitable in life. A quick and easy read told in a story format, this book will show you how to manage your peaks and valleys better so the bad times will end sooner and the good times will last longer.
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- Mentored by a Millionaire: Master Strategies of Super Achievers by Steven K. Scott
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Recommended by LinkedIn Visitor, George Richards. - This book is a great read for learning how to set and achieve goals "Unlike many goal setting books this one helps you set and achieve your goals with a very simple step by step approach."
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- The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build Your Business by Tara Hunt
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Recommended by Website Visitor, Dave Newby. - This book is about connecting with customers one on one through the use of online media. Don't let the title fool you. "It's fantastic, and I wholeheartedly recommend it!"
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- How To Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn: Making Connections and Capturing Opportunities on the World's #1 Business Networking Site by Eric Butlow
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This is an excellent read to learn about the features available on LinkedIn and how to navigate around the site. If you need a "click here to do this" source for LinkedIn, then this book is a must read.
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- Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey with Eric Hagerman
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This is one of the best books on the need for exercise and a life long dedication to fitness. The author has brought together many current studies which provide irrefutable evidence that not only is fitness good for the body but it is equally important for the on-going developing and longevity of the brain functions. The bottom line is keep fit!
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- Think and Grow Rich, Revised by Napoleon Hill
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Originally written in the 1930’s, this is a classic, with timeless lessons about the power of positive thinking in achieving what you want in life. It is no wonder that it has sold millions of copies, and has motivated countless people to attain success.
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- Stop Working - Here's How You Can by Derek Foster
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Written by Canada's youngest retiree, this book will give you excellent ideas as to how to replace your employement income with investment income, so that you can retire much earlier that you thought possible. This is a quick read, and is easily understood without any prior investment knowledge.
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- The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton
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Let's face it. It's not about how much you make, it's about how much you keep! This is the bible for financial wellness for Canadians. It should be required reading for every high school student in the country. If you are no longer a student, the sooner you read this book, the better!
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- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
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This book takes the power of positive thinking to a whole new level! It is amazing at how many icons in our history practiced these teaching!
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- Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking by Allen Carr
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If you smoke, this book will change your life! Everyone that reads it, quits. I did.
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