Bill Farquharson's
Recommended Reads
These books are like old friends. Equal parts professional and personal improvement resources, I return to these selections time and again.
I like to think I am a reader. In truth, I don’t qualify. It’s not that I can’t read. I can. It’s just that I don’t put in the time I should in order to qualify for the title. Interestingly, none of these books are specifically about sales and yet each one can contribute to your sales abilities, particularly when you read them all and combine the pearls of wisdom each offers…. Enjoy!
– Bill
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
This is the single best book on sales ever written…despite the fact that it has nothing to do with sales. In other words, this is not a “How to sell
“Essentialism” by Greg McKeown
This was a game-changer for me. The subtitle of the book—The disciplined pursuit of less—says it all. This is not a business book and definitely not a sales book, but it will help you with both. The author provides a fascinating way to filter through new opportunities (see page 110).
“Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss
This is a book about negotiation. Author Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator who brought his tactics to the business world. Most of us are lousy negotiators. This
“What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith
This book has a rather simple message: Congratulations on your success…but get over it! Now forget everything you know and start over. Think about this lesson as a salesperson. There
“Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell
This is yet another non-sales book sales book. That is, Blink was not written to help you further your sales. However, it’s lessons and examples will help you to hone
“The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” by Edward Burger & Michael Starbird
I probably recommend this book more often than the others in my personal library. The world is not overflowing with creative thinkers and I certainly do little to change that
“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz
According to the author, everything a person does is based on agreements they have made with themselves, with others, with God, and with life itself. If I ran the world,
“The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman
What could love possibly have to do with sales? And how could understanding how love works within relationships improve your sales? Good questions. The concept itself is surprisingly simple. This
“Strengths Finder” by Tom Rath
Here’s another book that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for years, and for good reason. It’s a self-assessment test on steroids, measuring your skills, strengths, and
“Wellbeing” by Tom Rath
The author claims there are five essential elements to a happy life: Career Well-Being, Social Well-Being, Financial Well-Being, Physical Well-Being, and Community Well-Being. The book helps isolate your standing in
“Integrity” by Henry Cloud
Dr. Henry Cloud wrote this book about managers and employees and the need to consider some vital characteristics when gauging their impact on others and the company. He has a
“The Assertiveness Workbook” by Randy Paterson
I consider this another must-read and often hear myself recommending it to salespeople at all levels. My next thought after the recommendation is always, “I need to reread this book!”
“Driven to Distraction” by Edward Hallowell
When I was 38 years old and my oldest daughter was eight or nine, we found out that she had ADD. At the same time, we discovered the source, a
“The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
This is another classic read. There is a lot of time management and human behavior discussed in these pages. I found it rather stuffy and stiff compared to some of
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