The Best Sales Books of All Time – List of the Best 64 Books Ranked

What are the best sales books of all time? To find the true answer once and for all, we first took to Amazon and other sites to find the most popular sales books, ranked by the number of reviews and their ratings. We then decided to ask the sales industry itself by running a March Madness-style tournament called Sales Madness. The books were seeded in the tournament according to our review and ranking algorithm using Amazon data.

The result is our list of the greatest sales books ever, determined by 7000 votes cast by sales professionals between March 15 and April 15. As you’ll see, there were lots of upsets. We have listed the original tournament seeding in parentheses.

2022 Update

It’s been a couple of years since our legendary Sales Madness tournament, but the sales books on this list have stood the test of time. Still, we wanted to add one more book that we know you’ll want to read.

Andy Paul’s “Sell Without Selling Out: A Guide to Success on Your Own Terms” deserves a place on this list. In this book, Andy delves into the four pillars that are the indispensable instruments of the human selling experience: Connection, Curiosity, Understanding and Generosity.

Top Sales Books, Ranked by Readers

1. Fanatical Prospecting

Jeb Blount, Seed 14

This sales book by one of the most sought-after speakers in the industry “gives salespeople, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives a practical, eye-opening guide that clearly explains the why and how behind the most important activity in sales and business development – prospecting.”

2. Gap Selling

Keenan, Seed 36

In his sales book, Keenan breaks down tired sales myths and presents his game-changing strategies and tactics designed to raise the sales IQ of selling organizations around the world.

3. New Sales. Simplified.

Mike Weiberg, Seed 17

Developing new business is arguably the most difficult part of selling. In this book, Weinberg offers his proven formula for prospecting and capturing new sales.

4. Sell with a Story

Paul Smith, Seed 47

Storytelling is one of the most effective sales methods. They help illustrate products or services, build connections, and tap directly into the part of the brain that makes purchase decisions. Here’s how to tell them.

5. High Profit Prospecting

Mark Hunter, Seed 41

Sales expert Mark Hunter debunks prospecting myths and clears the confusion about what does and doesn’t work today. He provides new strategies and proven practices that unfortunately many have given up.

6. Never Eat Alone

Keith Ferrazzi, Seed 28

Keith Ferrazzi is a master networker. In this book, he shares the steps and mindset that he uses to reach out and connect with colleagues, friends, and prospects.

7. The Challenger Sale

Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson, Seed 10

What will surely be an all-time classic this sales book is based on information gained from a study conducted across thousands of sales reps. It actually argues that relationship building may actually be detrimental, especially in enterprise sales. Why? You’ll have to read it to find out.

8. The Science of Selling

David Hoffeld, Seed 43

Hoffeld blends social psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to show how our brains form purchase decisions. Arm yourself with key psychological science you can use to increase your sales.

9. Exactly What to Say

Phil Jones, Seed 12

In sales, it all comes down to what you say. That’s why Jones, widely regarded as one of the best sales trainers in the world, shares his knowledge to help you know exactly what to say and when to say it.

10. How to Get a Meeting with Anyone

Stu Heinecke, Seed 45

Celebrated marketer and Wall Street Journal cartoonist Stu Heinecke used outside the box creativity to reach presidents, a prime minister, celebrities, and countless CEOs. In his book, he shares you can use your own creative contact campaigns to get those critical conversations.

11. How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie, Seed 1

Originally published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s advice still holds true nearly nine decades later. With over 30 million copies sold, this book covers topics highly relevant to salespeople, including: how to handle people, how to make people like you, how to win people over, how to lead, and rules to live by.

12. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert Cialdini, Seed 3

In this significantly more modern sales book, the author, who is a psychology professor, examines the science behind why people say yes. Cialdini also breaks down how one can achieve similar results.

13. The Greatest Salesman in the World

Og Mandino, Seed 6

Another oldie but goodie, this sales book was originally published in 1968 and still holds true to this day. The book, “serves as a guide to a philosophy of salesmanship and success” by telling the rags-to-riches story of a boy named Hafid.

14. The Sales Development Playbook

Trish Bertuzzi, Seed 26

To drive next-level sales growth, you need a development team that can prospect like no other. Bertuzzi shares her three decades of applied knowledge and experience to give you the ultimate sales development playbook.

15. Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill, Seed 2

Touted as the “granddaddy of all motivational literature,” Think in grow rich is the perfect sales book. Published only one year after How to Win Friends and Influence People, the book examines the philosophies of those who “made it”, so that one can achieve the same mindset.

16. To Sell is Human

Daniel Pink, Seed 8

A bestselling author topping the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post lists, Daniel Pink is a specialist in human social behavior. To Sell Is Human offers a fresh look at the art and science of selling to help you be more successful in sales.

17. Conversations that Sell

Nancy Bleeke, Seed 56

Buyers want more than a consult or discussion, they want powerful, effective, collaborative conversations that solve their problems. Bleeke shows us how to have them.

18. Go for No

Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz, Seed 7

Cleverly written as a dialog between the two authors, and a quick read at only 80 pages, Go for No presents lessons necessary for sales success.

19. Little Red Book of Selling

Jeffrey Gitnomer, Seed 15

The Little Red Book is little for a reason. It’s straight to the point. Containing 125 principals that every salesperson needs to know, this is a must-read for any rep or manager.

20. Pitch Anything

Oren Klaff, Seed 11

Everyone knows that the pitch is a foundational part of the sales process. Klaff shows us how to pitch anything and everything successfully. He’s a great person to learn from, considering he has successfully raised $400 million in 13 years.

21. Sales Differentiation

Lee Salz, Seed 42

Negotiation and pricing is a hot topic for sales. In his book, Salz gives readers 19 strategies that they can use to win deals at the prices they want.

22. Sell or Be Sold

Grant Cardone, Seed 16

Driven by massive popularity and a colossal online presence, Cardone has secured himself a spot as one of the most visible people in the world of sales. Naturally, his book is popular too. Cardone says that everything in life is either selling or being sold to, and explains his principals of sales success.

23. Spin Selling

Neil Rackham, Seed 19

Another classic sales book, Spin Selling a 12 year long, $1 million dollar study into Rackham’s founding of the Huthwaite Corporation, and how it found sales success.

24. Stories That Stick

Kindra Hall, Seed 25

Storytelling is a highly effective sales strategy. Hall shows us how to use them, both to lead and to sell.

25. The Art of Closing The Sale

Brian Tracy, Seed 38

A highly-recognized sales author with over 70 books, Tracy shares skills that anyone can use to transform the sales process into a consistent win. This is a must-read for any career sales rep.

26. The Coaching Habit

Michael Bungay Stanier, Seed 5

Written by one of the top thought leaders on coaching, Stainer covers his methods of coaching. Perfect for sales leaders and managers, this book turns coaching into an informal, friendly process that provides massive results.

27. The Go-Giver

Bob Burg & John David Mann, Seed 4

Written as a story rather than a “how-to,” Burg and Mann tell the fictional tale of an ambitious young man striving for success. Joe encounters several characters, who each teach him a law for achieving it.

28. The New Strategic Selling

Robert Miller & Stephen E. Heiman, Seed 35

Written by the founders of Miller Heiman, the company credited with creating the strategic selling process that propelled it to become a global leader in sales development, this book contains key B2B sales advice.

29. The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need

Anthony Iannarino, Seed 31

Iannarino is one of the most recognized thought leaders in sales, and in this book, he answers one question. Why are a small number of salespeople in any field hugely successful, while the rest get mediocre results at best? He also shares what those salespeople do to be so successful.

30. The Secrets of Closing the Sale

Zig Ziglar, Seed 32

Ziglar is one of the nation’s foremost professionals in the art of persuasion. In this classic sales book, he shares over 100 successful closing statements, 700 questions you’ve never thought to ask, and how to get results.

31. The Ultimate Sales Machine

Chet Holmes, Seed 21

Written by one of the top change experts in the nation, The Ultimate Sales Machine covers how to improve nearly every part of your business and team to find ultimate sales success.

32. Way of the Wolf

Jordan Belfort, Seed 13

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know who Jordan Belfort is. Regardless of how you feel about him, you have to admit, the man can sell. In this book, Belfort details the sales process and techniques that made him millions.

33. Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success

Colleen Stanley, Seed 55

Emotional intelligence plays a vital role in every stage of the sales process. Sales expert Colleen Stanley cites studies that show how emotional intelligence is an indicator of sales success. She also offers tips to sharpen your skills and expand your emotional toolkit.

34. The Psychology of Selling

Brian Tracy, Seed 3

Sales guru Brian Tracy gives his ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make more sales, faster and easier than ever before.

35. Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions

Keith Rosen, Seed 39

Sales coaching is the key to modern sales success. Rosen provides readers with his L.E.A.D.S. frameworks for sales coaching success so you can learn to create powerful coaching conversations with each member of your team.

36. Selling from the Heart

Larry Levine, Seed 44

Today, authenticity matters in sales. Selling from the Heart shows how you can be successful in sales by just being you!

37. Same Side Selling

Ian Altman, Seed 53

What would happen if it wasn’t you vs. your buyer, and rather you were both on the same side? Altman explores same side selling techniques you can use to win.

38. Heart and Sell

Shari Levitin, Seed 60

Under high-pressure sales numbers and goals, how can you maintain a genuine helping and caring sales approach? Levitin helps you keep selling from the heart.

39. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling

Frank Bettger, Seed 9

At age 29, Frank Bettger was a failed insurance salesman. By the time he was 40, he owned a country estate and was ready to retire. His book covers the sales principals that he discovered and used to change his career (and life) around.

40. How to Master the Art of Selling

Tom Hopkins, Seed 27

After failing horribly during the first months of his sales career, Tom Hopkins sought out and applied the best sales techniques. He then earned more than one million dollars in just three years. Here’s how he did it.

41. Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive

Harvey MacKay, Seed 37

A New York Times Bestseller, Mackay shares with readers how to outsell, outmanage, out-motivate, and out-negotiate your competition.

42. Be Bold and Win the Sale

Jeff Shore, Seed 52

Confidence is key, yet is a struggle for many sales reps. In this book. Jeff Shore shares how to find your confidence.

43. Smart Calling

Art Sobczak, Seed 30

Cold calling is one of the hardest parts of sales, and this book specifically deals with it. Sobczak shares his techniques to make successful cold calls, as well as how to deal with rejection.

44. 80/20 Sales and Marketing

Perry Marshall, Seed 20

In this book, Perry Marshall details how any sales team can solve any problem with his 80/20 rule and find 10 to 100x success.

45. Stop Selling & Start Leading

Deb Calvert, Seed 50

Modern-day sales are all about the buyer. In this book the authors examine the skills that make both leaders and sellers successful and how you can apply them.

46. Predictable Revenue

Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler, Seed 22

Another massively popular sales book, this is more often called a “sales bible.” The authors give their highly successful outbound sales process, pitfalls to avoid, and a successful sales management approach.

47. Selling to Big Companies

Jill Konrath, Seed 34

Enterprise sales are an entirely different beast. Konrath breaks down how to get in touch, talk to, and ultimately close big companies and big deals.

48. Cracking the Sales Management Code

Jason Jordan, Seed 40

This sales book sales management in the modern-day. It provides foundational knowledge about how a sales force works and breaks it down to a science. Jordan includes metrics you must measure, which ones to monitor, and how to enact change.

49. 7 Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell

Mike Adams, Seed 25

Learn to use purposeful stories using stories to establish rapport, build trust, deliver insights, inspire action, close the deal, and win new friends and collaborators.

50. Pick up the Damn Phone

Joanne S. Black, Seed 63

There are so many sales tools available to us, but really the only thing they do is connect sales reps with prospects. Reps still need to have sales conversations! This book covers why we just need to pick up the phone.

51. Solution Selling

Michael Bosworth, Seed 48

Solution selling is a sales methodology that uses a problem-led approach where the salesperson addresses a problem that the prospect is facing. Bosworth shows how to use that method to great buyers in difficult markets.

52. Blueprints for a SaaS Sales Organization

Jacco van der Kooij, Seed 59

From one of the top sales consultants, this book distills the authors’ years of building high-performance SaaS teams into a set of highly detailed instructions that will allow sales leaders to design, implement, and execute sales plans.

53. Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success

Colleen Stanley, Seed 55

Emotional intelligence plays a vital role in every stage of the sales process. Sales expert Colleen Stanley cites studies that show how emotional intelligence is an indicator of sales success. She also offers tips to sharpen your skills and expand your emotional toolkit.

54. Selling to Zebras

Jeff Koser & Chad Koser, Seed 58

Learn the “Zebra Way” to identify and sell to prospects who will close 90% of the time. Most organizations enjoy a 15% close rate at most, here’s how to obtain previously unthought-of close rates.

55. The Machine

Justin Roff-Marsh, Seed 49

Over 15 years, Roff-Marsh followed executives on three different continents who implemented his ideas. He tells the story of how they built their sales teams and market-dominating enterprises.

56. Insight Selling

Mike Schultz & John Doerr, Seed 51

What do winners of major sales do differently ? These authors and world-renowned sales experts, set out to find the answer. They studied more than 700 B2B sales to find what makes a winning sale.

57. Nonstop Sales Boom

Colleen Francis & Karen Saltus, Seed 61

Sales has its ups and downs, but this book will show you how to enjoy record-breaking sales results quarter-after-quarter.

58. The Perfect Close

James Muir, Seed 33

The most successful salespeople are the ones that win without being pushy. In this book Muir shares his unique insights on how to close with a natural, non-pushy sales strategy that breaks the stigma often associated with professional sales.

59. Combo Prospecting

Tony Hughes, Seed 46

Prospecting is the guaranteed way to full your pipeline with leads. Here’s how really get people’s attention.

60. The Sell: The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone

Fredrik Eklund & Bruce Littlefield, Seed 18

Fredrik Eklund moved from Sweden to New York City with no experience and no contacts. In ten years, he became one of the most successful realtors on the planet. In this book, he covers his 10-step process for selling anything to anyone.

61. Whale Hunting

Barbara Weaver Smith, Seed 62

Smith uses that ancient practice of whale hunting as a metaphor for sales. In her book, she gives readers a nine-step process to find, contact, develop, and sell massive accounts.

62. Selling is an Away Game

Lance Tyson, Seed 57

Selling is an Away Game will help you and your company understand how to objectively view your current
sales strengths and weaknesses. Play off of your strengths and improve your weaknesses to win.

63. Sell It Like Serhant

Ryan Serhant, Seed 23

In another book by one of the best real estate sellers in the world, Ryan Serhant tells his story of being a jobless entrant to real estate right at the beginning of the 2008 crisis. Nine years later, he is at the top of the game. In this book, he tells how to find your confidence, generate results, and sell anything.

64. The Sales Acceleration Formula

Mark Roberge, Seed 29

Roberge provides a scalable, proven, and predictable formula that anyone can use to build revenue and grow a sales team. Great for reps and managers alike!

65. Mastering Your Sales Process

David Masover, Seed 64

Two decades of global experience have provided Masover with the experience to develop his process selling solution. This book guides readers through successful process-based selling and the development of a customized, actionable personal sales plan.