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Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

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Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#42
For books: realize there are multiple kinds of selling.

1) There's things like used cars. Single, moderate sized transactions, one-time. You want to extract the last dollar, force the close, and generally be like...a used car dealer. I know nothing about this.

2) There's consumer products -- worry about the "funnel", advertising, etc.

3) There's the stuff I like -- high dollar, high-complexity, repeated/ongoing transaction. The best books, hands down, are Neal Rackham's SPIN Selling series: http://www.amazon.com/Neil-Rackham/e/B000APLFJK

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#43

I've read SPIN selling and now reading Challenger Sales. SPIN is much easier to read, know and understand while I found Challenger Sales a lot difficult to follow and put into practice. Challenger Sale's major premise is the assumption that SPIN selling doesn't work anymore for some reason because of the 2008 recession. I'm not sure how true this assumption is but I'll leave this up for the real sales people. I'm int…

SPIN is still great. I've heard about Challenger Sales, I'll read it and should have an opinion in a few weeks.

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#44
You might find books on social psychology helpful.

At one point in his career, my ex was a military recruiter. They get world class sales training. He borrowed my textbook from the social psych class I had taken and I didn't see it again until his tour of duty as a recruiter was over.

I will also recommend "Getting to yes" which is research based and a quick read and "The mind and heart of the negotiator", which is also research based but meatier. I believe there is a free version of the latter available online. These were both required texts for my class on conflict management and negotiation.

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#45
I would recommend the following

Thinking Fast and Slow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow

Predictably Irrational: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictably_Irrational

Influence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cialdini#Theory_of_infl...

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#46
Hope you see this.

I'm not going to recommend a book. Pick any book recommended here.(They all give similar advice). And go a step further.

Learn how to use Anki.

Use Anki while reading the book and I guarantee you this - you'll master sales at least 10x faster because..

Because you'll remember to use them instead of jumping from book to book and from course to course.

Hope you heed this advice - you'll be glad you did.

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#47
Grant Cardone's The Closer's Survival Guide.

Get it on Audible: http://www.amazon.com/Closers-Survival-Guide-Third/dp/B00K1O...

I've read a ton of sales books and this is by far the best one. Actionable stuff - no fluff. Great for founders who have trouble getting the deal closed and the cash in the bank.

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#49
I'm a fan of The Challenger Sale, The New Solution Selling and all three books by Jeff Thull: Mastering The Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling and The Prime Solution. I really like Thull's approach, especially his "always be leaving" mindset, as opposed to the old "always be closing" idea. Thull's thinking is much more focused on providing an authentic and honest experience, and genuinely trying to help the customer - as opposed to stuff about how to "trick" the customer into saying yes.

I also like a lot of what I've read from Jeffrey Gittomer and Grant Cardone.

Oh, and The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes as well. He (Chet H.) did a series of videos with Anthony Robbins that is really good. I really recommend watching those.

Re: Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?

#50

Hope you see this. I'm not going to recommend a book. Pick any book recommended here.(They all give similar advice). And go a step further. Learn how to use Anki. Use Anki while reading the book and I guarantee you this - you'll master sales at least 10x faster because.. Because you'll remember to use them instead of jumping from book to book and from course to course. Hope you heed this advice - you'll be glad you d…

I did not know what Anki was, so I googled it. For anybody else who is wondering: http://ankisrs.net/
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