If you’ve been following the Catapulting Commissions blog or following my video blogs for a while, you know that every week I release a video blog teaching something around sales, sales leadership, or sales methodology. If you haven’t, be sure to subscribe on YouTube, follow me on social media, and subscribe here on the blog. However, today’s blog is going to be a little bit different. One of the most important decisions I ever made for my career was to read a sales book. The very first one was Zig Ziglar’s Secrets to Closing the Sale. I read that book front to back, highlighted it, wrote notes. For the longest time I probably could regurgitate it because I knew that book so well. But today, I’m going to share five books that have influenced me more recently. I’m including links to the books but full disclosure, I’m not profiting from sharing these books. I truly believe you’ll value from reading these books or hearing a little bit more about what the author’s message is.
The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly
The very first book I recommend is called The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly, which I read about 10 years ago. Anybody who plans to lead a team, influence people, or manage an organization should read this book. Kelly outlines how to get the most out of your people in your organization. If you’re in sales leadership, this is something that you need to be doing. As an executive coach, I can help you do that. But I also recommend this book. Even though I read it a decade ago, I still pick it up and reread parts of it because it was that impactful on my development as a leader.
Six Months to Six Figures by Peter Voogd
Six Months to Six Figures by Peter Voogd is geared more towards the sales professional. This book is for the sales entrepreneur who’s trying to take that next step in their career. Peter’s book is a mental roadmap— full of strategy— for how to grow your personal income through your sales career or your sales entrepreneurship career. It is a must-read. Peter is constantly featured on Forbes, constantly featured on Entrepreneur. He puts out incredible content. And of course you can get bits and pieces of his expertise from all those channels. But when you read his book, I think you’ll find it’s transformative just like I did.
Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden
Rory Vaden has multiple books but the one I recommend is called Procrastinate on Purpose: Five Permissions to Multiply your Time. If you are busy and you find yourself in a position where you can’t get enough done (isn’t that all of us?), this book is for you. I know in the world of sales leadership we have this long to-do list. We have reps calling. We have customers calling. We have executives calling. There’s always something to do. And so it is really easy to let your schedule get in control of you. Rory’s book Procrastinate on Purpose is really going to teach you how to multiply your time, how to create a system in place that’s going to allow you to be incredibly productive, incredibly effective. Rory also has a powerful TED Talk that you should definitely check out, but I think you’ll find Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden is really transformative.
The Miracle Equation by Hal Elrod
Now let’s pivot. This next book is also a bestseller, but it’s not exactly about sales or entrepreneurship. Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Equation. The Miracle Equation is unwavering faith + extraordinary effort = miracles. One of Hal’s earlier books, The Miracle Morning, created a worldwide movement. He has a strong following on social media that is constantly engaging and looking to improve and get the most out of each other. I really like The Miracle Equation because it applies to growing and achieving goals. Here on my blog, everything revolves around sales and sales goals. But there is a group of people out there that need help just achieving their goals in general. Weight loss goals, health goals, fitness goals, financial goals, whatever they may be. Hal’s book is about how unwavering faith, and extraordinary effort will help you achieve goals. I have been a big fan of Hal for nearly 20 years. I truly recommend that you make time to read this book as well.
The Twelve Shifts by Jamil Frazier
This last book is by an author that’s a newer author, but if you follow me on social media or listen to my podcast, you may be familiar with him. The Twelve Shifts is by Jamil Frazier. I’ve had Jamil on the Catapulting Commissions podcast twice this year. In The Twelve Shifts, Jamil talks about what shifts you need to make to increase the overall greatness you’re destined for in life. Jamil says everyone has a superpower within them and has the levels ingrained in them to be successful. You just have to make a mental shift. If you follow Jamil and his company Think Life is Different, you’ll follow the growth that Jamil has made from really humble beginnings in Temple City, California all the way to the compound he lives on now. Jamil is truly the definition of achieving major success by making those 12 mental shifts.
So those are the five books I recommend currently. I’ll pick up this series again in a few months, recommending a series of five other books that I think every salesperson or sales professional should read. In the meantime, you can follow me on social media or visit my YouTube channel and let me know what books you recommend.
