Without sales and marketing in place, your business will never succeed.
I love trying to find new ways to scale my business, and over the course of the past few years, I’ve definitely found a few gems among all the business books out there. Here’s my updated list of the best sales and marketing books, along with a sentence or two on why you should read them as well.
1. Predictable Revenue — Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler
Aaron Ross used to lead enterprise sales for Salesforce, and over the course of a few years added $100 million in recurring revenue for the company — all without cold calling. This is how he did it.
2. Fanatical Prospecting — Jeb Blount
This book is a bit contradictory of the last, laying a framework for how you can implement cold calling into your existing sales cycle. While some say the tactics are dated, I still feel it’s worth a read for anyone looking to grow their outbound sales.
3. Growth Hacker Marketing — Ryan Holiday
Those new to the marketing world should definitely check out this rather short read. While it’s by no means an in-depth guide, it does serve as the foundational knowledge you need to grow your advertising and PR efforts.
4. Trust Me, I’m Lying — Ryan Holiday
This is the second book by Ryan Holiday on the list, and it’s much more in-depth than his other one. It has a heavy focus on PR, and really dives deep into the world of the media and how everything works — even the shady bits.
5. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
I’m constantly referencing this book when making important marketing decisions. While it’s not scripture, most of the lessons are ones that every business should apply. The lessons around categories and line extensions are particularly good.
6. To Sell Is Human — Daniel H. Pink
This book gives a different perspective on sales, with the idea that everyone is a salesperson. Whether you’re aiming for a new job (you’re selling yourself), or a teacher convincing her students to study — we’re all in sales. Then, it dives in and gives a clear guide on how to create clearer messaging and a killer elevator pitch. Full of important lessons for founders.
7. SPIN Selling — Neil Rackham
I first read this book in a college class about sales, and hated it. Not because the book was bad, but it turns out I just hated college. I made myself reread it recently, and I’m glad I did. The framework it provides is beneficial to sale in any industry. I highly recommend it for anyone trying to figure out how they should even go about selling their product or service.
source: medium.com
