As a modern day marketer, you’ve likely read articles, subscribed to blogs, and researched online to keep up with the latest trends in the marketing industry.
Hopefully, you’ve also started an inbound marketing program to generate leads because you believe helpful content is a key to driving sales (pssst...we believe it's critical, too). Speaking of sales, are your marketing and sales teams aligned with your business growth efforts?
Here are five books — some new and some timeless — to help unite you and your sales team so you can, together, reach new heights of success.
Are you ready for the rebellion?
You’d better be, because it’s here. Hyper-empowered consumers drive business results in today’s marketplace. And consumer trends are changing at the unrelenting pace of technology.
As marketers, we need to earn our way into the conversation. Customers want to believe, belong, and find meaning (and once they’re in, they’ll do the marketing for you.) Long live the rebellion!
Why is this book for sales people? People purchase stuff (B2C and B2B), and anyone in sales needs to understand them. This book offers five constant human truths that lie at the heart of successful marketing strategy. Plus, there are actionable ideas to help you participate in the rebellion.
Updated in February 2020, this fun read shows businesses how social channels can become a powerful tool in any marketing arsenal. It backs tips, tricks, and insights with solid plan-based strategies and helpful tactics to keep customers engaged.
Perfect for beginners and more advanced marketers, this book is full of advice that you can put into action right away to position your business in the best light.
Why is this book for sales people? Social selling still isn’t a priority for many sales-driven organizations. For those sales professionals who haven't yet embraced social selling, this book is a great start.
Bring agile methodologies to the front lines of marketing; and its improved productivity and quality, better team communication, faster project turnaround and, most important of all, happier clients.
According to the author, “Marketing must move faster, adapt more quickly to market feedback, and manage an increasingly complex set of customer experience touch points.”
Why is this book for sales people? Working in 1-week sprints, rather than sticking to a yearly marketing plan, allows marketers to remain flexible and strategically partner with sales to target leads for faster sales cycles.
What do people really need? As a salesperson, have you considered giving more than you take? Or showing passion for others’ interests? Or bringing joy, humor, and wisdom into others’ lives?
Told as a parable, this book follows a man who discovers the secret to selling: it’s all about “giving.” That may be a new approach to selling you’ve never considered before.
Why is this book for sales people? Salespeople in all industries attempt to build relationships and create an emotional bridge to their clients. This book helps keep the focus on real connections with real people.
It’s amazing this classic is over a dozen years old! This marketing expert/author has penned at least five great books since Purple Cow, but this one still resonates strongly.
You’re either remarkable or invisible; make your choice. Explore a new approach to marketing, product development, and service that overshadows the traditional way of pricing, promotion, and publicity.
Why is this book for sales people? Being remarkable matters in every aspect of business. Sales can be as exceptional as marketing or any other business function.
Thanks for taking a look at some new resources and a classic or two. Aligning sales and marketing isn’t the easiest, so having a source on which to fall back can create understanding and build trust.
What sales and marketing books would you recommend? We appreciate your thoughts in the comments below. Happy selling!
Speaking of aligning marketing and sales to reach business goals, our resource, Sales & Marketing Service Level Agreements: A Guided Tour, is a highly actionable planning guide that can drive greater revenue results.
Topics: Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, Sales Enablement
