Being a successful entrepreneur means the quest for new skills and knowledge never ends. Reading, taking online courses, speaking with more experienced contemporaries, learning from mistakes and failures are all part of the process that will take you where you want to go.

As a sales professional, your area of study should be a little more focused as you need to enhance your persuasion techniques and negotiation skills as well as your ability to communicate effectively with potential clients and customers. These are some of the most important traits of a successful salesperson as you endeavor to separate yourself, your company and your products from the competition.

At first, just knowing where to go to find the information to help you on your journey can be challenging. If you already work with a trusted sales coach, you should ask them to provide you with a list of resources for additional study.

Otherwise, here is a list of the five best sales books ever written to help you get started. Whether you are an experienced professional looking to beat your current monthly sales record or a rookie just starting out, these books are must-reads that will change your life! Enjoy:

ZigZiglar’s Secrets of Closing the Sale

Written by Zig Ziglar, this book contains tips and trick on how to sell your product and make everyone you pitch to say: “I’ll take it!“ In less than 500 pages, the author outlines more than 100 persuasive closes in addition to over 700 questions every salesman should ask himself. Renowned for his powers of persuasion, Ziglar is widely considered one of the most successful motivational speakers in history. This book is something every serious salesperson should own.

How to Sell Anything to Anybody

Authored by Joe Girard, this book was first published in 1978 and is now considered a classic. Part of the reason for this lies in the fact that Girard made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for selling 1,425 cars in one year (1973). Throughout the book, Girard shares best sales practices learned throughout his career and offers useful advice to those hoping to follow in his footsteps.

The Greatest Salesman in the World

Through the story of a poor camel boy named Hamid who achieves success with his selling skills, author Og Mandino shares his key essentials to becoming a successful sales professional. The book includes The Legend of the Ten Scrolls with each scroll outlining a key attribute necessary to make it in the sales business. Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has said this book changed his life so why don’t you let it change yours too?

How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling

Following an unremarkable careers in professional baseball, author Frank Bettger turned to selling insurance to make a living. Nothing short of an epic failure at the beginning of his career, he considered moving into a different field after just 10 months. However, heeding a lesson learned from a baseball manager who had cut him, he changed his attitude and his approach and by the time his was 40-years-old, he owned a large country estate and was one of the most successful salespeople in the world. A must-read for anyone doubting the power of “faking it until you make it.“

How to Win Friends and Influence People

With over 30 millions of copies sold worldwide, Dale Carnegie’s classic is one of the bestselling books of all the time. With good reason as Carnegie offers solid advice on how to make people like you and how to win them over to your way of thinking with little or no resistance. The book expounds on the fundamentals of handling people in addition to offering tips and tricks on how to make your home life happier. Keep an eye out for the passage that talks about the magic of the phrase, “Do me a favor …“ The power of starting a request with these five words is truly remarkable!

While reading all of these books will take a while, it will be time well spent and your sales managers will thank and reward you for it. Inside these volumes, you will find some of the best sales coaching practices out there and the sooner you start implementing them, the sooner you will start blowing away the competition.

Don’t forget … if you’re not a big reader, all of the above titles are now available on audiobook. Alternatively, any industry-leading sales coach or sales trainer will be well versed in the strategies outlined in their pages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Natasa Tomic is journalist and content producer who specializes in writing about business and sales.

The skills of a certified sales coach or sales trainer – or more specifically since the beginning of the pandemic – a virtual sales coach or sales trainer, are essential in any business that needs to make sales to survive and thrive.

Knowledge is power when it comes to sales and the more you know, and the more data you have, the better pitches you will make to prospects and the better service you will provide to existing clients or customers.

However, not everyone has access to the best sales coaches and sales trainers in the business and while many have taken their operations online, there may be some other options that even the best coaches will encourage you to explore.

Podcasts have rapidly become one of the most sought-after and engaging forms of content on the internet, so it should come as no surprise that there are some amazing sales podcasts out there.

Here are the Top 10 Sales Podcasts you need to listen to right now to help you learn everything you need to know when it comes to the world of sales:

1. Catalyst Sale Podcast

When you combine the hosts of this podcast – Mike Conner and Mike Simmons – you get over half a century of expertise from the sales industry. Insights and actionable tips come as standard, but if you’re in need of motivation to really make your interest in sales ooze passion, no other podcast comes close.

2. Hey Salespeople

There’s no denying that selling is an art form and there’s certainly those more naturally talented than others. However, it’s also a skill you can learn and sharpen over time and this comprehensive podcast is one of the best when it comes skill building and development.

3. Your Sales MBA Podcast

Hosted by Jeff Hoffman and Cece Aparo, this podcast is known for dispensing advice you can act on. Whether you’re learning how to craft the perfect sales pitch or seeking new ways to close deals faster, this is the podcast for you.

4. Women in Tech Podcast

With episodes lasting 20-60 minutes, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the mood for bitesized snippets of info or detailed and analytical interviews, this podcast that has it all. Hosted by Espree Devora, this is a truly empowering sales podcast for women.

5. Get in the Door

You can spend a lot of time and money trying to figure out how to close more sales and a certified sales coach can certainly help you do that. However, this podcast focuses on the first step in the sales process, getting in the door to meet with prospects in the first place. sales and make them convert every time. If this first step is usually your biggest stumbling block, this is the podcast for you. As any leading sales coach will tell you, grabbing your prospect’s attention from the get-go is vital if you want to be successful. Hosts Scot Plum and Bill Hellkamp offer plenty of tips on how to do it.

6. B2B Growth Show

These podcasts, made up of a 20-minute episodes hosted by James Carbary and Jonathan Green, are precisely what you need if you’re in the B2B market, The duo talks about how to get creative with your strategies, how to save time on certain processes and how to align your sales goals with your marketing.

7. The Ziglar Show

Zig Ziglar was one of the most inspiring sales speakers in the world and this podcast continues his legacy of inspiration and true performance, one episode at a time. Hosts Kevin Miller and Tom Ziglar frequently play audio clips of the great man himself and regularly bring in industry-leading guests including some of the biggest names in sales today.

8. Sell or Die

Jennifer Gluckow and her husband Jeffery host the Sell or Die podcast. If you’re a fan of their book – The Little Red Book of Selling – this is a podcast you’re not going to want to miss. With weekly segments to enjoy, like Monday Motivation and Best-of-the-Week, this podcast covers a wide range of sales-based information all in one convenient place.

9. In the Arena Podcast

Leadership is a critical component of successful sales and an art form all to itself. This podcast offers a lot of great insights into being a remote leader and provides a lot of detailed information important to first-time sales managers.

10. The Advanced Selling Podcast

Looking for something short that’s easily accessible on iTunes? Check out The Advanced Selling Podcast. Every week, you’ll have access to some incredibly helpful topics, including how to communicate value and how to negotiate price. This is a good one to listen to if you’re looking for actionable information you can use right now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katherine Rundell is a writer at Assignment Services and Best Coursework Services. She specializes in writing about sales and sales-related topics.

In modern general usage, the word “habit” has almost taken on a negative connotation. More than anything else, you always hear the word used in phrases like “bad habit,” “break a habit” and “habit-forming.”

However, at the other end of the scale, it is possible to have good habits that will have a positive impact on your life and career. Top sales professionals have understood this for years and are among the best when it comes to creating effective habits that drive success.

For the most part, these behaviors are actually quite easy to incorporate into your daily sales routine but they do require discipline and repetition to make them habits.

Since these habits are focused on what you already do well – and according to most reputable sales coaches – should be doing anyway, building on them will help you work towards creating a strong sales plan that will drive sales and boost your qualified leads.

A great place to start is by working on your positivity which in turn engenders confidence. Positivity and confidence are essential when it comes to creating a great impression when communicating with a prospect for the first time even if that meeting takes place online.

This positivity comes from being prepared, knowing your buyer and being sure about yourself and the products or services you are promoting. Of course, getting in a good habit of doing the necessary amount of prep work is essential. Here is a fuller list of positive habits for you to cultivate to scale new heights in your sales career:

Planning The old saying “failure to plan is planning to fail” is an old saying for a reason. It’s true. Before every call, before every meeting, you must get in the habit of not just researching your prospect but planning out how you want the encounter to go.

This includes everything from the time and place to your salutation and your choice of clothing. Research your prospect and develop a specific sales approach you think will work. Then, as every top sales rep does, do it all again to create your Plan B. It takes time. It takes effort. But, by leaving nothing to chance, your confidence will be sky high and your chances of making the sale will be exponentially improved.

Building personal relationships Networking and staying in regular contact with connections by email, over the phone or through social media sites such as LinkedIn is a very positive habit to develop. Again, it takes time but not only does this build connections for qualified leads but it also allows you to become a trusted source of information.

Scheduling Another very positive habit to develop is the ability to structure and schedule your day. Schedule a time to make cold calls and follow-up calls in addition to time for networking, updating records and going over notes from meetings. While new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) programs makes this easier, it still must be completed on a daily basis and it is something that industry-leading sales trainers focus on a lot when trying to help customer reach their full potential.

Making healthy lifestyle choices You don’t want to show up for a meeting looking or sounding like you’ve been hung in a bag and beaten with a stick all night. Get at least eight hours of sleep, eat healthy and get some regular exercise. Energy and positivity go hand-in-hand so embracing a health habit will help your career (and maybe even help you live longer!).

By feeling healthy and creating a better work-life balance, you will be more motivated, more creative and better prepared for the demanding job of being a successful sales professional.

Summary While positive and healthy habits may be harder to develop than bad ones, they are worth the effort and they’ll take you places you’ve never been before both with your career and in your personal life.

Are you one of those sales professionals who can’t figure out why so many of your otherwise fantastic calls with prospects doesn’t convert into sales? You’re not alone. It happens to everyone at some point or another, although it does seem to happen to some more often than others. By learning and hyper-focusing on how to ace a sales call, your one step closer to closing your next deal.

The good news is it’s relatively easy to rid yourself of this problem. You just need to change your perspective. As in life, sales is largely about perspective. If you have the determination to overcome the things that are holding you back – such as fear of failure – then you’ll be halfway to achieving your dreams.

Below, we have identified four questions to ask yourself before making your sales calls. Keep asking yourself these questions whenever you feel frustrated and/or overwhelmed. By answering these four questions, you begin to learn how to ace a sales call!

Do you believe that you can be successful?

Henry Ford once said that those who believe they can achieve something will do so, and those who believe they can’t, will not. Sounds obvious but if you believe in what you are talking about, then you are far more likely to be convincing when telling others about it. What you believe will reveal itself in the way you talk about something and prospects pick up on that. You could literally be the greatest phone friend your prospect has ever had but if your lack of belief in your product or service is sensed, you will not make that sale.

According to industry-leading sales trainer Doug Dvorak, this is one of the biggest reasons salespeople face so much failure during their careers.

“Either they’ve lost their belief in the product or service they’re selling or they never had it in the first place,” Dvorak said. “You have to find a way to be invested in the products or services that you are trying to sell to the point that you become confident and enthusiastic when you talk about it. Fail to do so and eventually, all of those lost sales will affect your belief in your ability to sell and that’s a hard place to come back from.”

Do you have the confidence to close the sales call?

It is essential to have confidence when you are making a sales call. You need to be confident about the pricing, the product, the service, and closing. If you are confident that a product will suit a prospect or a customer, it means that you can see the need that the customer has for that product. Be assured that your product or service is what your customer needs and you’ll have an easier time convincing them of it, too.

Can you be creative?

You may not know it, but your customers can often sense exactly what you think about a product by the things you don’t say. You need to be creative enough to let the customer know that they will be in good hands by placing their trust in your company’s hands. You should be confident about the pricing of the product as well. Sales training programs are helpful in building confidence and motivation in sales reps.

Do you focus on the customer?

As touched on above, the customer will be able to gauge your level of confidence from your enthusiasm. It’s easy to be enthusiastic. Simply think about past successes you have had within the company. Think of great sales that you made and anything else that will make your customer take notice of how much value you place on the product. The key is to get yourself in the right frame of mind before the call so you can confidently and enthusiastically listen to the customer to help them find the solution they are looking for.

The last thing you should do as a salesperson is pitch your own line. Explore the customer’s needs and when you are convinced your product or service will help them, start advising them on all the ways it’ll make their life easier or better. Follow these simple practices, and you will never have to ask how to ace a sales call again.

When sales coaching legend Zig Ziglar said: “You can get everything you want in life if you just help other people get what they want,” he was speaking to the heart of the salesperson.

Sales is about communication, persuasion and the building of interpersonal connection – the ultimate goal of which is to help someone figure out what they want. This curated list of the best sales books out there is here to help you get what you want – becoming the best salesperson you can be:

1) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Originally published a whopping 84 years ago, what makes Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People so timeless? Simply that Carnegie deals with the fundamentals of human relationships, and they aren’t changing any time soon. Carnegie’s book is the bible of interpersonal skills, which will set you up for building the relationships that are key to sales and sales coaching.

2) Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer

Certified sales coach Jeffrey Gitomer’s punchy little book is all about the simple premise that understanding why people buy is the most important aspect in sales. Brimming with wisdom squeezed into bite-size quotes, this book is a quick, easy and informative read.

3) The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes

Holme’s sales training techniques are world renowned. In Ultimate Sales Machine he steadfastly refuses to jump on the bandwagon of trendy sales techniques and instead offers timeless advice to salespeople everywhere. Holmes is a practically minded certified sales trainer and his advice to master a few essential skills will turn you into a sales machine!

4) Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone

Cardone expands the philosophy of sales into everyday life with his principle of sell or be sold. A must-read for any certified sales coach, Cardone will guide you to the understanding that every relationship in life can be viewed as an ideological battle to sell your ideas, or have ideas sold to you. Understood in this way, sales takes on an entirely new dimension!

5) Never Be Closing by Tim Hurson And Tim Dunne

The two Tims are keen to stress that better sales training should provide a long-term framework for success. To that end Never Be Closing is a practical and well-structured guide to selling strategy, astutely placing interpersonal communication at the heart of good sales.

6) The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson

Dixon and Adamson’s radical book rejects the classical model of sales as relationship-building, arguing persuasively that as the sales landscape has become increasingly complex, sales tend to be business to business rather than interpersonal. Their model, replicated by certified sales trainers everywhere, is based on a new archetype salesperson, the Challenger. The Challenger’s assertive qualities allow them to dominate the new sales landscape.

7) To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink

Pink’s social science pedigree grounds his book in a knowledgeable and scientific context. Better known for his New York Times bestseller Drive, about the motivations behind human action, Pink is a master in the analysis of human nature and his application of this understanding to sales is well structured, accessible and ultimately highly relevant, even featuring six successors to the elevator pitch!

8) How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom Hopkins

Any certified sales trainer recognises the value of Hopkins’s best-selling sales manifesto. Treating sales as an art, Hopkins introduces the reader to a multitude of subtle sales techniques focussing on both face-to-face and telephone sales and tips for the first meeting.

9) Solution Selling by Michael T. Bosworth

Bosworth’s book, subtitled “Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets” is a must-read for anyone interested in sales with an eye to selling tricky or intangible products and services. Bosworth’s deep insights into buyer psychology will be valuable for any salesperson, but especially those in difficult markets.

10) Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar

A classic in the sales training world, Ziglar packs his book with humour and engaging anecdotal tales. It’s an encyclopaedic book of sales techniques and features closing tips for every possible scenario. Ziglar was an archetypal salesman whose focus on communication and persuasion has something to offer any certified sales trainer out there.

This list of the best sales books money can buy features the classics of sales, sales coaching and sales training, as well as a few new ideas. You can find a steep learning curve when you set out on a sales journey, but once you’ve delved into the ideas contained in these books, you’ll be the hero of the sales team in no time.

About the Author: Beatrix Potter is a regular writer at Custom Essay and OXEssays. She writes about all things sales and loves the thrill of closing a deal. She also is a manager at the Custom Paper Writing Service website.