The best books about how to sell ethically and effectively

The research team behind this book tracked 10,000 salespeople, identified what made some more successful than others, and distilled it into a robust methodology.

This book changed the way I sold. It introduced me to what became known as consultative selling. Prior to reading it, I have been taught the more traditional sales approach. The SPIN process was easy to understand and follow, and I saw my sales performance transform because of it.

Its key lessons have remained with me throughout my 35-year sales career. I love it because it takes the focus away from the salesperson and puts it where it should be–on the customer.

This book rejected the manipulative tactics that were sadly all too common among some sales teams. It emphasizes the importance of following a considered sales process. During my sales career, I discovered that when you follow a robust sales process, your success is multiplied.

I was inspired by this book as a refreshing alternative to the traditional, somewhat combative approach that typified traditional sales training with its focus on “overcoming customer objections” and “going for the close.” Instead, it championed the idea of selling as a joint venture or partnership that you engage in with your customer.

This focus on creating a win-win outcome has helped me to develop many long-standing customer relationships–some that have lasted decades.

How important are customer relationships to sales success? This book really (no pun intended) challenged my thinking. It argues that the classic relationship-building approach that so many salespeople employ to win favor with their customers is flawed.

The research behind this book identified five distinct profiles that all salespeople fall into. What fascinated me was that only one of them, the Challenger, consistently delivered high performance. I have always been a strong advocate of finding out what the very best performers did and replicating it, so I devoured the research in this book.

It changed the way that I presented information to my customers so that I focused on providing valuable insights that challenged my customer's way of thinking so that maximum value could be provided to them.

I have found over 35 years of selling that when salespeople are 100% focused on helping customers to succeed, they succeed. The essence of this book is that if you can help your clients, for example, to impact the metrics that matter to them, such as reducing costs and wastage and increasing revenue, quality, and productivity, then both the buyer and the seller will win.

I believe that selling should be about helping customers to succeed, and this book contains a host of valuable ideas and methods to help you to do exactly that. My experience has shown me how important it is to ask the right sort of questions to understand a customer’s situation so that the right solution can be provided.

This book provided me with some excellent insights into how to improve the questions that I asked my customers.

Why do people say yes? How can we influence our customers effectively and ethically? The answers, or at least some of them, lie within the pages of this book. I was impressed with the depth of research behind this book and was enthralled by the stories and relatable examples it contained as I discovered the six principles of influence.

I have been able to successfully apply many of the principles in this book to my own marketing activity and sales approach with positive results. Despite the scientific rigor behind this book, I found it easy to read, understand, and, most importantly, apply. A side benefit is that it also helps you to defend yourself from manipulative and unethical persuasion attempts. All in all, a powerful book!