Whether you just started selling, or have been doing it for twenty years, you should know that you can never know everything. Obviously if you are beginning your career of sales, there is a lot to learn and you should take every opportunity you can to soak it all in. Even if you're a lifer and have more sales experience than anyone else, you still have something to learn.
While our basic human motivations have remained the same, how to access and push those primal buttons have changed. What worked in sales back in the 1950's won't really work today. No, the average customer hasn't gotten smarter; it's just that they already know those tricks. Morals and culture change and salespeople need to change with it.
Begin with admitting that no matter who you are, you can learn something about sales. To help you study, Fortune online magazine has compiled a list of eight, "must read" books for salespeople and those aspiring to sell. The first one – appropriately enough – is "Birth of a Salesman" by Walter Friedman. This book traces the history of sales in a "uniquely American" story. If you want to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been.
The next two books are ideal for those going up against big companies. Ever wondered how to get into that marbled lobby through those giant glass doors? In "Selling to Big Companies" and "The New Strategic Selling," you'll learn how to break a large corporation down into manageable chucks and navigate successfully through those big deals that take months to close.
"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" and "Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In" address what's inside… both you and your customer. Sales are largely psychological and to be successful, you have to understand motivations and habits. If you know how to portray yourself and help people get what they truly want, you will be successful in sales.
In "Presenting to Win," you'll learn about what to do in that most crucial of situations: your pitch. All of your studies, practice, maneuvering, and relationships have lead up to the point where you finally get to present your product. Effective presentations are vital for your success and in modern day sales, technology plays a role. That's why this book covers subjects like effective video conferencing and PowerPoint presentations.
Finally, there are two books that remind us that sales is a personal voyage with another person and creating long-term relationships is the best way to sell. One book you're sure to have already heard of and if you haven't read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" yet, then it's definitely time you did. The other book is the personal habits of CEO Jack Mitchell called, "Hug Your Customers." To give you an idea of its contents, he writes that he sends a thank-you note to every customer that spends over $2,000 in his store. His reasoning is clear: if you appreciate your customers, they will return the favor.
