Successful businesses are led by entrepreneurs who are in constant pursuit of growth and development. So if you want to boost the business revenue, it’s up to you to keep learning sales management systems that can improve your skills and the rest of your team.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to learn is through books. It doesn’t matter if you prefer to read physical books, listen to audiobooks or read eBooks - you need to keep feeding your mind new information. It’ll keep your leadership skills sharp and help you make smart decisions for the benefit of your team and the business.

In this article, I want to give options for your next book to read - specifically one that’ll improve your sales management systems. I’ve got 3 must-read books you can explore to take your sales to the next level.

The Lost Art of Closing: Winning the Ten Commitments That Drive Sales

This book is by Anthony Iannarino and focuses on the art of closing sales. The book “The Lost Art of Closing” explores the traditional sales process and presents a new way of bagging a sale through commitments. The idea is to learn how to secure commitments at different stages of the sales process, thereby strengthening the possibility of closing.

About the Author

Anthony Iannarino graduated from Harvard Business School and Capital University and has shown the world that he is a leader in sales through and through. His innovative ideas gave him incredible success as an entrepreneur and made him a sought-after speaker in B2B sales. He works as the managing director of 2 companies in the staffing industry.

As a sales expert, Iannarino has written the book “The Only Sales Guide You Will Ever Need” and constantly updates his blog “The Sales Blog” with tidbits of sales advice. He conducts workshops to train salespeople with practical and effective sales strategies.

Book Summary and Review

“The Lost Art of Closing” is a book that focuses on securing commitments from prospects as they go through the sales process. Iannarino believes that instead of targeting the closing of sales, professionals should encourage prospects to make 10 commitments that will guide them towards the right buying decision. It’s all about ushering prospects through the sales process so that when they make their decision, they’ll understand the value of the offer being sold.

The 10 commitments discussed in the book are as follows:

1. The commitment for time: where prospects commit their time to know and understand the value of the offer.

2. The commitment to explore: where prospects explore the “real issues” they need to address and change.

3. The commitment to change: where prospects think about the need to change and the level of urgency behind it.

4. The commitment to collaborate: where prospects decide if they are willing to collaborate and work on creating a solution that’s tailored to what their business needs.

5. The commitment to build consensus: where prospects inquire within the business to see if all the people affected by the change are willing to support it.

6. The commitment to invest: where the prospect is informed of the price of the sales offer and weighs the value against the cost.

7. The commitment to review: where the prospect will review the proposed solution and make changes before it’s finalised.

8. The commitment to resolve concerns: where the prospect will go through their concerns and discuss them with the sales professional.

9. The commitment to decide: where the prospect will find the time to make a buying decision.

10. The commitment to execute: where the prospect makes the plan to implement the changes brought about by the sales offer.

The book highlights what sales professionals should do to help prospects throughout these commitments.

Lessons and Takeaways

The main takeaway of “The Lost Art of Closing” is the importance of being proactive during the sales process to get to the closing. Sales professionals shouldn’t just make their pitch and then leave the decision to the prospect.

Iannarino believes that incremental commitments improve the outcome of the sale. It keeps the prospect engaged and moving towards a positive buying decision. Once the closing happens, a relationship has already formed. It increases the chances of a long-term commitment built on trust and loyalty.

This method also strengthens communication and collaboration between the sales professional and client - making it easier to pursue future collaborations that lead to recurring business transactions.

The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your  Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies

“Mastery isn’t about doing 4000 things, it’s about doing 12 things 4000 times.”

These are the wise words that Chet Holmes is remembered by through his book “The Ultimate Sales Machine.” It’s about creating a well-oiled sales machine that’s not focused on the sales pitch, but on education.

Although the book was released in 2007, it still holds incredible value and actionable tips that businesses can use today. It can serve as a guide to strengthen the sales process and enhance the skills of the sales team to create more revenue opportunities for the business. Through this book, businesses can transform their operations and achieve incredible growth.

About the Author

Chet Holmes was a known corporate trainer and sales and marketing expert. He used to work for Charlie Munger, the billionaire business partner of Warren Buffet. Over the years, Holmes gained a reputation for being a rockstar at selling. He can double revenue goals in as short as 3 years - even in a declining industry like print advertising.

Holmes gathered all the principles and strategies he used through the years and turned them into training products that can be shared with professionals worldwide. “The Ultimate Sales Machine” proved to be a resounding success - even bagging the New York Times bestseller recognition. He founded Chat Holmes International to be the rallying point for businesses to get the training they need to improve their sales and revenues.

Although Chet Holmes passed in 2012, his training programs are still being used today and have successfully transformed businesses into winning enterprises.

Book Summary and Review

The main premise behind “The Ultimate Sales Machine” is simple. The one who can give the best information will out best the one who simply wants to sell.

This is not just about disseminating information. It’s about developing the sales, marketing and management teams into superstar professionals who live and breathe the core values of the business. Before leaders can improve their sales strategies, they have to focus on developing their internal teams so they can be turned into reliable sources of information for prospects. With the education given to prospects, it’s easier to push the sales pitch and get a positive response.

In the book, Holmes highlighted 12 key strategies:

1. Learn to manage time wisely and proactively.

2. Provide regular training sessions for employees.

3. Conduct scheduled and efficient company meetings.

4. Create the right strategies that highlight the USP of the offer.

5. Recruit sales superstars who can make a difference.

6. Target the right buyers who understand the value of the offer.

7. Build the perfect marketing strategy that resonates with the right buyers.

8. Design visually appealing marketing materials and sales presentations.

9. List the ideal customers and let the sales process start from there.

10. Hone the art of selling where prospects start craving the offer before the pitch is even made.

11. Have a follow-up system to strengthen the relationship with clients.

12. Set measurable objectives and meet them.

Lessons and Takeaways

The essential strategies discussed in “The Ultimate Sales Machine” guide businesses to master core competencies to achieve significant growth. The consistent effort and discipline in implementing these strategies will lead to higher productivity and profitability.

The book emphasises the importance of paying attention to trivial tasks to set up a foundation for a well-oiled sales machine. Simple tasks like ending the day with a list of to-dos for the next ensure a great start to a productive work day. Even the simple act of organising emails can lead to higher open and response rates.

Once the internal affairs are strong and stable, the team will get better at winning people over - through positive influence, education and sincere acts of service.

The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation

Mastering sales is a huge challenge and “The Challenger Sale” book holds the secret to conquering it. With the complexities of the sales process constantly evolving, authors Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson present a solution redefining how sales professionals can win over prospects.

Published in 2011, “The Challenger Sale” introduces a new persona for salespeople known as the “Challenger.” This person challenges traditional selling methods and proposes a novel strategy that adopts a more proactive and assertive approach.

About the Author

Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson are both respected business professionals and sales experts. They are avid researchers focused on developing more high-performing sales professionals. They are both part of CEB (Corporate Executive Board), a member-based consulting company known for providing senior business professionals with actionable strategies to grow their companies.

Matthew Dixon serves as the Managing Director of CEB’s Sales and Service Practice while Brent Adamson is the Sales Executive Council’s Senior Director.

Book Summary and Review

“The Challenger Sale” is a book that introduces the Challenger as a salesperson who is aggressive in educating customers. The goal is to get customers to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the change that the sales offer brings.

The book also defines sales strategies that divert from the “one-size-fits-all” solution to create a more personalised sales process that highlights product features that cater to the unique needs of customers.

This new sales approach is data-driven and backed by customer information. It also specifies a framework that leads to stronger customer relationships and higher closed deals.

The book has 9 chapters that discuss the following:

• The traits of effective sales professionals who aggressively push customers out of their comfort zones.

• The evolution of selling from being transactional to consultative.

• The evolving consumer traits and how sales professionals should understand and interact with them.

• The anatomy of an effective Challenger and the attributes that make them think out of the box to build rapport and trust.

• The framework of the Challenger Diagnostic to determine consumer demands and pathways to business objectives.

• The technique for teaching and sharing insights with customers so it appeals to the decision-makers of the business.

• The approach to customise strategies, messages and solutions to address the unique needs of the customers and align with their objectives.

• The value of being proactive in driving results and initiating sales conversations that eventually lead to the conclusion of a profitable sale.

Lessons and Takeaways

“The Challenger Sale” is ideal for sales professionals who want to improve their methods and business leaders who want to find the best way to market their products. The book challenges the relationship-based approach and encourages salespeople to be more challenging in teaching customers a better way to reach their goals.

The book offers insights into creating customised sales offers that appeal to the unique customer’s needs. It’s ideal for a B2B sales process where authority and expertise matter the most in gaining customer attention and respect.

What makes this book insightful is the evidence provided by the authors. It’s made up of case studies and detailed examples to explain how the Challenger Sale is an effective approach in today’s sales dynamic.

Are You Ready to Boost Your Sales and Revenue?

Setting up an effective sales management system requires constant effort - thanks to the evolving nature and preferences of customers. If you want to keep your business competitive and profitable, you need to open your mind to new ideas and concepts. Be willing to learn insights that can transform your business so it keeps up with the ever-changing world of sales.

The three books I recommended in this article give you greater insights into sales management so you can take your business to greater heights and profits.

Should you wish to know more about revolutionising your sales process, consult a business coach. I can help you identify the specific needs of your business so you can implement the right changes that will bring greater business revenues and team satisfaction.

If you’re ready to start, let’s talk. Book a complimentary 15-minute call here: https://www.butleradvisory.com.au/time-with-trent.