The 24 Best Books Every Sales Manager Needs to Read in 2023
Congratulations, you‘ve just been promoted to sales manager! You‘re eager to lead your team to new heights, but you quickly realize how different this role is from being a top-performing rep. Suddenly you‘re responsible for coaching, forecasting, recruiting, and a host of other new duties.
Many first-time managers struggle with this transition. In fact, 60% of new managers fail within their first 24 months, according to a study by Leadership IQ. But you don‘t have to figure it all out through trial and error. The most successful leaders know the secret is to never stop learning.
That‘s where this list comes in. I‘ve compiled the 24 best sales management books to read in 2023. These range from timeless classics to groundbreaking new titles. They cover essential skills like building a sales process, motivating reps, and using data to drive decisions.
Whether you‘re brand new to management or a seasoned veteran, you‘re sure to find insights to uplevel your leadership. Let‘s dive in!
Must-Read Books for New Sales Managers
These books are perfect for new managers looking to build a strong leadership foundation:
1. The Accidental Sales Manager by Chris Lytle
Many new sales managers feel like impostors. They struggle to gain their footing and end up making critical but common mistakes. If this sounds familiar, The Accidental Sales Manager is a must-read.
Drawing on decades of experience training managers, Lytle outlines the key mindset shifts needed to succeed as a leader. You‘ll learn how to:
- Transition from individual contributor to coach
- Balance accountability and motivation
- Identify and develop high-performers
- Run productive meetings and one-on-ones
What sets this book apart is its highly practical, straightforward advice. Lytle shares word-for-word scripts for handling tricky situations like performance reviews. The book also includes handy tools like a 30-60-90 day plan for a new manager‘s first months.
2. The Sales Manager‘s Guide to Greatness by Kevin F. Davis
Being a great seller doesn‘t automatically make you a great manager. In fact, top reps often struggle the most when promoted because they‘re used to relying on their individual talents.
In this book, Kevin Davis lays out a clear roadmap for sales management success. You‘ll master 10 key skills every manager needs, such as:
- Conducting effective one-on-one meetings
- Motivating underperforming reps
- Forecasting with confidence
- Recruiting and onboarding new hires
Davis provides step-by-step guides and examples for each skill. He also shares eye-opening data, like how "formal, scheduled coaching can improve sales performance by up to 20%." Whether you‘re a rookie manager or have a few years under your belt, this book will help you level up.
3. Sales Management. Simplified. by Mike Weinberg
Do you feel like you‘re spending all day reacting to fires rather than proactively leading? You‘re not alone. Many managers get bogged down in distractions and lose sight of their #1 priority: driving revenue.
That‘s why I love the direct, no-BS approach of Sales Management. Simplified. Weinberg cuts through the noise to share exactly what managers need to do to build a high-performing sales team.
You‘ll learn Weinberg‘s proven framework for sales leadership, including:
- Implementing high-impact activities for yourself and your team
- Mastering the 4 key sales leadership roles (Talent Scout, Sales Coach, Solver of Problems, Impresario of Inspiration)
- Crafting a compelling vision and strategy
- Getting the most from your CRM, one-on-ones, and pipeline reviews
This book is a quick read but it packs a punch. You‘ll come away focused and fired up to lead your team to success.
Books for Managing, Motivating and Coaching Reps
Coaching is a critical skill for any sales manager. These books will show you how to bring out the best in your team:
4. Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions by Keith Rosen
Many managers dread coaching conversations. They worry about coming across as critical or hurting their reps‘ confidence. As a result, they either avoid giving feedback altogether or water it down until it loses its impact.
If this sounds like you, Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions will transform how you approach coaching. Rosen provides a step-by-step playbook for becoming a world-class coach, including:
- Asking powerful questions that prompt reps to self-discover areas for improvement
- Giving feedback that motivates change
- Holding reps accountable without micromanaging
- Tailoring your coaching to each rep‘s personality and goals
What I love about this book is how specific it gets. Rosen shares word-for-word scripts for coaching different types of reps, from underperformers to top producers. You‘ll be able to apply his techniques immediately in your next one-on-one.
5. The Connector Manager by Jaime Roca and Sari Wilde
Not all great managers have the same approach. So what separates the best from the rest? To find out, the authors analyzed assessments from over 9,000 managers and interviews with 100 top leaders.
Their research uncovered 4 types of managers:
| Manager Type | Approach | Impact on Employee Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Develops employees‘ skills based on own expertise | 9.1% |
| Always-On | Provides continuous coaching and feedback | 6.7% |
| Cheerleader | Builds relationships and boosts team morale | 2.7% |
| Connector | Tailors coaching to individual needs and goals | 26.1% |
As you can see, while all 4 types were effective, Connector managers had by far the biggest impact on performance. These managers provide the right development opportunities at the right times. They customize their coaching based on each rep‘s motivations and learning style.
The Connector Manager digs into the behaviors that set these leaders apart, with specific examples and advice. It‘s a must-read for any manager looking to optimize their coaching.
6. Carrots and Sticks Don‘t Work by Paul Marciano
Motivating a team of salespeople with different personalities and goals is one of the biggest challenges managers face. Many default to a "carrot and stick" approach, using incentives and consequences to drive performance. But this book argues that approach is dead wrong.
Paul Marciano draws on decades of research to explain why rewards and punishments often backfire. Instead, the key to unleashing motivation is to satisfy reps‘ core needs, like autonomy, growth, and purpose.
Carrots and Sticks Don‘t Work provides a science-backed blueprint for becoming a Respect-Based Leader. You‘ll learn how to:
- Help reps find deeper meaning in their work
- Involve reps in setting their own goals and metrics
- Provide growth opportunities tailored to individual interests
- Create a culture of empowerment and trust
If you want to build a sales team that‘s fired up and self-motivated, this book is a must-read. It‘s time to rethink everything you know about motivation.
Books on Building an Unbeatable Sales Process
Managing isn‘t just about leadership – it‘s also about putting proven systems in place. These next three books will show you how to design a sales machine that delivers predictable results:
7. Sales Manager Survival Guide by David Brock
Are you drowning in data and reports? Struggling to standardize your team‘s sales process? Butting heads with other departments that impact the pipeline? Every sales manager faces these challenges, and this book has your back.
David Brock brings over 30 years of frontline sales management experience to this ultimate survival guide. You‘ll learn battle-tested techniques for:
- Creating an ideal customer profile and developing a laser-targeted prospecting plan
- Establishing qualification criteria that align with your strategy
- Defining pipeline stages and exit criteria that reflect how your buyers actually buy
- Using a sales process to ramp up new hires and hold veterans accountable
- Collaborating with marketing, customer success, and executives to maximize results
I especially love Brock‘s advice on keeping your process simple. He recommends starting with no more than 3-4 pipeline stages, aligned to your customer‘s journey. Sellers should be able to explain where every deal stands and why in 30 seconds or less. That simplicity drives clarity and consistency across your team.
8. Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler
How can you achieve non-stop sales growth without constantly churning through reps or leads? Aaron Ross pioneered an outbound sales process that added $100M in recurring revenue at Salesforce…without any cold calling.
Predictable Revenue has been called "The Sales Bible of Silicon Valley" for a reason. Ross and Tyler lay out the step-by-step process for building an unstoppable sales machine, including:
- Specializing sales roles (e.g. having reps dedicated solely to prospecting)
- Mining for leads from past customers, industry contacts, and online research
- Crafting compelling cold emails that start conversations
- Handing off qualified opportunities to dedicated closers
- Using metrics to predictably increase appointments, pipeline and revenue
While some of the terminology feels a bit dated, the underlying principles are pure gold. Ross and Tyler‘s process has been used by the likes of Twilio, Zuora, and Talend to fuel hypergrowth. Even if your team doesn‘t specialize roles, any sales leader will benefit from their wisdom on prospecting, qualifying, and measuring what matters.
9. From Impossible to Inevitable by Aaron Ross & Jason Lemkin
Another Aaron Ross classic, this book is all about scaling sales success. Achieving consistent growth is a constant challenge, especially as your market evolves. From Impossible to Inevitable reveals the sales secrets of some of the world‘s fastest-growing companies, like Zenefits and EchoSign.
You‘ll learn the 7 key ingredients of hypergrowth, battle-tested by dozens of market leaders:
- Nail a niche: Dominate a specific segment where you can become #1
- Create predictable pipeline: Systematize lead generation and double down on what works
- Make sales scalable: Specialize roles and build a hiring machine to rapidly grow the team
- Double your deal sizes: Move upmarket and increase prices to boost revenue per rep
- Do the time: Invest in activities like prospecting and training that drive long-term results
- Embrace employee ownership: Keep the team motivated with profit-sharing and career paths
- Define your destiny: Constantly adapt your strategy and positioning to stay ahead
This isn‘t a book of simple hacks (although it does include plenty of quick wins). Instead, it presents a comprehensive growth framework, filled with examples from real-world successes. Whether you‘re trying to crack $1M or $100M, every sales leader will get massive value from this book.
Books on Using Data to Drive Sales Decisions
Today‘s most successful sales teams rely heavily on data to drive strategy and execution. These books will show you what metrics to track and how to use them to boost performance:
10. Cracking the Sales Management Code by Jason Jordan & Michelle Vazzana
"You can‘t manage what you don‘t measure" is common advice, but it overlooks a key question – what should you be measuring in the first place? Tracking the wrong metrics is just as bad as not tracking any at all.
Based on 4 years of research, Cracking the Sales Management Code found that sales metrics fall into 3 categories:
| Category | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Activities | The day-to-day actions of sellers | Calls made, emails sent, demos completed |
| Sales Objectives | Short-term goals that drive the sales force | Pipeline generated, deals won, new logos acquired |
| Business Results | Outcomes the company expects sales to achieve | Revenue, market share, profitability |
While most managers focus on business results, the authors‘ research shows that tracking activities and objectives has a much bigger impact on performance. That‘s because these leading indicators are more directly controllable by the sales force.
The book goes on to identify the 5 sales processes that have the biggest influence on objectives – call management, opportunity management, account management, territory management, and sales force enablement. It then provides specific metrics for managing each process.
It‘s a lot to take in, but the authors break it down clearly and include plenty of examples. You‘ll walk away knowing exactly what to measure and how to coach to those metrics. It‘s a must-read for any manager looking to drive better sales results.
11. Sales Manager‘s Guide to Predictable Revenue by Kristina McMillan
Accurately forecasting revenue is critical, but it‘s a constant struggle for most sales teams. Reps are overly optimistic, opportunities get stuck, and forecasts swing wildly from one period to the next. This book aims to end the guesswork and anxiety.
Kristina McMillan led sales development teams at five companies before becoming a renowned consultant. She‘s seen it all and distills her hard-won wisdom into a straightforward system for predictable revenue.
You‘ll learn the core elements of an accurate forecast, including:
- An objective framework for scoring opportunity probability
- Weekly pipeline reviews to inspect key deals
- Dashboards that track leading indicators
- A well-defined sales process with clear exit criteria for each stage
But McMillan doesn‘t just tell you what to do – she also provides detailed scripts, meeting agendas, and email templates to help you implement everything. Her push for objectivity and consistency is exactly what most teams need to dramatically improve forecast accuracy.
12. The Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark Roberge
As CRO, Mark Roberge helped take HubSpot from $0 to $100M in ARR. He didn‘t achieve that unprecedented growth by accident. Roberge developed a scientific approach to building and scaling an elite sales team.
The Sales Acceleration Formula breaks down that approach and shows you how to apply it in your own organization. You‘ll learn:
- The ideal rep profile for your sales roles and a data-driven recruiting process to find them
- A sales training program that ramps new hires in half the time
- The single most important metric for each sales activity and how to coach to them
- How to use data to optimize sales comp, territories, and pricing
- The five types of leads and how to tailor your outreach to each
I‘ve read dozens of sales books but I keep coming back to this one for its unique blend of high-level strategy and on-the-ground tactics. It‘s clear that Roberge has been in the trenches and knows what really works.
Fair warning: this book gets deep into the weeds. It‘s not afraid to dive into statistical analysis and sales automation. But for any manager willing to embrace the power of data, it provides a proven formula for predictable, scalable revenue growth.
Putting These Books Into Practice
There you have it – the 24 best sales management books you need on your reading list this year. But simply reading isn‘t enough. The highest-performing managers test the strategies and make the concepts their own.
My recommendation? Pick one book to read each month. As you go, take detailed notes on the key principles and how you‘ll apply them. Share your key takeaways with your team and your peers. Identify 2-3 techniques to implement right away in your weekly one-on-ones and team meetings.
Hold yourself accountable and enlist an accountability partner to check in on your progress. Consider forming a book club with other managers to share best practices and help each other level up. The median tenure for a new sales manager is only 19 months, so investing in your growth and development is critical for long-term success.
Becoming a world-class sales leader won‘t happen overnight. But if you commit to continuous learning and improvement, you‘ll be amazed at how quickly you progress. Soak up the wisdom in these books, implement relentlessly, and watch your team flourish. Here‘s to unlocking your full potential as a sales manager!
