To all the sales folks out there, I'm curious to know: What have you been reading these days?
No, I'm not talking about the latest Tom Clancy thriller or that Nicholas Sparks tearjerker you read on your commute to work. I'm talking about sales content.
What ebooks, reports, articles, and/or full-out books have you checked out? What are you reading to keep up with the latest news and trends in the industry?
If you had to stop and think about the last time you read more than a short blog article related to your work, you're in trouble. The world of sales is changing, and if you're not keeping up, you're going to fall behind.
To help you get started, here are some excellent sales resources you should start perusing regularly.
1) Blogs
Because as awesome as inbound sales is, one blog isn't enough. Set up an intuitive RSS feed, such as feedly, to aggregate content you're subscribed to all in one place. Then, get crackin' and subscribe to well-established sales blogs as well as industry-specific blogs. That way, you can stay up-to-date on the best selling techniques and what's going on in your company's industry, which can come in handy when you're on the phone with a prospect.
2) Books
Yes -- I'm talking about real, physical books. There are some amazing publications out there that have transformed the way organizations sell. Here are some of our favorites:
To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink
Can you say "inbound sales" any louder? Dan Pink provides a fresh new look at the art and science of selling -- how to make the process consultative (in other words, human) and how to get the prospect involved in the conversation. In this book, Pink shows that, through social science, this method of selling works.
Baseline Selling: How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know About the Game of Baseball by Dave Kurlan
Like sports? Baseline Selling equates the sales process to a baseball path -- you can’t run to second base without tagging first. It taught many now-senior-level sales managers the biggest lesson of their then-early sales career: Sales is not about selling. Instead, it is about helping people overcome their challenges.
SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Businesses With Today's Frazzled Customers by Jill Konrath
Always straightforward, Konrath explains the three distinct decisions prospects make before deciding to buy (or not buy) your product or service. Additionally, she provides actionable advice as to how you can guide them towards your solution effectively.
3) Ebooks and Reports
Ebooks and reports aren't just made by marketers for your prospects. There's a growing supply of online resources out there -- from management advice, to prospecting tips, to inbound selling guides, to benchmark reports. The trick is to know where to find them -- good thing there's a new sales resource hub that's curating some of the best content from top sales experts around the world.
The great thing about ebooks and online reports is that they are timely and allow experts in the arena to publish their own findings and data without needing to go to the printing press.
Because sales is changing so quickly with the acceleration of technology, it's important to stay up-to-date on new sales trends, quarterly benchmarks, management techniques, and tried-and-true sales tips so that your organization doesn't lag behind the rest of the competition.
Reading about sales doesn't have to be a boring affair. Start making a habit of expanding your knowledge and watch your career grow and your sales organization perform better.
We want to hear about the blogs, books, ebooks, reports, and other publications that you've read to stay up on industry trends. Let us know below!
