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20 Best Sales Books
SalesHQ
Selling the Invisible
by Harry Beckwith
Harry Beckwith was an advertising and marketing man, but the lessons he lays out in Selling the Invisible are essential for any successful salesperson. He argues that people do not buy products for their features, but for the way their company does business.
For Beckwith, it’s never about the product, it’s about the business. Rather than marketing one product feature or another, you should be marketing your company and focus your messages around that. Your client interaction should be geared towards listening and building long-term relationships.
“Don’t sell the steak. Sell the sizzle” may have some buzz appeal, but that approach will lead to failure.
Excerpt: The problem wasn’t that the story had no appeal. It was that the story was just a story to the editor because he had never heard of Hellenic Adventures. How could he be sure the company was real and viable, his trust in me notwithstanding?
“I’m not sure I can believe in that company,” he said to himself. “I’ve never heard of them.”
kdaven
about 1 month ago
2 comments
I Would make "The Closer" By Ben Gay and 'How to Sell Yourself' by Joe Girard in my Top Ten.
YYing
4 months ago
2 comments
Very great book list, very attractive only read the title, hehe,
but I do not see the <> by KeithM. Eades. It seemed popular in IT coroperation.
tammiegonzales
5 months ago
2 comments
The list is great I just got done reading the magic of thinking big . It is another good one. by John Swartz. .
Boykin
5 months ago
2 comments
Great list! ...make it 21 and add: You Can't Teach A Kid to Ride A Bike At A Seminar by David H. Sandler
jillkonrath
5 months ago
2 comments
Thanks for including my book, Selling to Big Companies, on your 20 Best Sales Books list. I am honored to be included.
rich34232
5 months ago
888 comments
I have 15 of these exceptional books great list
SkipAnderson
5 months ago
2 comments
These are all great books. My only argument is that some of them aren't sales books. "Selling the Invisible" would be on my personal list of 20 top business books, or top 10 marketing books, but it isn't about selling!
rjp
5 months ago
108 comments
an instant library of reference material.....
jdoubleel
5 months ago
4 comments
Wow, I really feel like a professional Salesperson today. You guys have suggested 9 books that I already have in my sales library. And guess what? If you read the material and apply it, you will became a better salesperson.
HarrietAlison
5 months ago
470 comments
It is nice to have a put together list of sales books. I certainly would have no idea which ones would be considered the best. thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
jackpariseau
5 months ago
92 comments
Good list. Perhaps missing a few on the notivational side but if I had to choose 20 (hard choice) these would all compete.
LeslieNewYork2
5 months ago
8 comments
Thank You! I was at a NYC bookstore yesterday in the business section of Sales, and there was hundreds of books on the topic. How ironic that I pulled half of the books from this list to peruse.
I am so ecstatic, today you listed the Top 20 must have for Sales. Excellent Choice!