Assigned Reading Best Books for Channel Sales
Selling technology is never easy. The cream of the crop within the channel typically hone their skills by synthesizing years of experience in the field, industry insider advice at conferences and meetings and many pages of reading material from experts who’ve seen it all and sold it all. The following books are a way to get started on the third part of that formula. The rest is up to you.
Partnering With the CIO: The Future of IT Sales Seen Through the Eyes of Key Decision Makers
by Michael Minelli and Mike Barlow WileySeptember 2007This tome helps you to better understand the wants and needs of your biggest audience.
I.T. Sales Boot Camp: Sure-Fire Techniques for Selling Technology Products to Mainstream Companies
by Brian Giese BookSurge PublishingMarch 2006A useful guide to hand out to greenhorns, this one caters to those who may have little experience translating techno-jargon into plain speak.
Mastering Technical Sales: The Sales Engineers Handbook (Artech House Technology Management Library)
by John Care and Aron Bohlig Artech House PublishersAugust 2008Contains loads of up-to-date tips, including how to maximize webcasts and remote demonstrations and how to use CRM systems effectively.
Mastering the Complex Sale: How to Compete and Win When the Stakes are High!
by Jeff Thull WileyMarch 2010Though not IT-specific, this book offers important advice on handling the long sales cycles inherent to big technology deals.
Sales 2.0: Improve Business Results Using Innovative Sales Practices and Technology
by Anneke Seley and Brent Holloway WileyDecember 2008Offers up a lot of good advice about how to merge Web 2.0 technology into the sales process to achieve better results.
Hope Is Not a Strategy: The 6 Keys to Winning the Complex Sale
by Rick Page McGraw-HillMarch 2003Another general sales and leadership guide with a lot to offer to the technology sales force.
A Guide to SELLING Managed Services—faster, easier & for greater profit
by Matt Makowicz Lincoln PressSeptember 2007 Sales staffers used to pushing boxes or selling break-fix services only will find a crash course worth of material in this one.