18 Best Sales Books for SaaS Businesses

SaaS Sales For Startup Founders – How to sell SaaS products when you’re not a sales pro

What they say

“There’s a lot of competition in the SaaS market today. And it’s increasingly more difficult to attract new customers—startups release cheap versions of SaaS products every day. This is where my latest book, SaaS Sales for Startup Founders, comes in. One thing I’m really good at is helping people get paying customers for their startups. Even if you’re not a “salesy” person.”

From 0 to 1,000 Customers & Beyond

What they say

“This book, written by Hiten Shah and Steli Efti, is a step-by-step customer acquisition guide that will teach you to grow your B2B startup from 0 to 1,000+ customers by discussing:

• When to wing it and when to start building processes
• What roles to hire for at which point & which metrics to monitor
• Finding the right customer acquisition channels for the current stage of your business
  and much more!”

Contents

21 pages (average reading time 28 minutes) covering:

• Milestone 1: The first 10 customers
• Milestone 2: Growing from 10 to 100 customers
• Milestone 3: From 100 to 1,000 customers
• Milestone 4: From 1k to 10k customers

Why you should read it

As promised, here’s another entry from the excellent Steli Efti. However, this time he’s joined by the superb Hiten Shah. This is the shortest book on the list, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in sheer value. Plus, for those of you who prefer to listen to rather than reading your content, an audiobook version has also been released, updated and with added commentary.

The book is divided into 4 milestones, with the exact steps you need to take to reach each milestone. Wherever you are in your SaaS journey, this is a great way to find out what you need to do next in order to grow. My favorite piece of advice was for new entrepreneurs (who routinely undercharge) on the easiest way to come up with your starting price. 

The 2020 Startup Sales Playbook

What they say

“This is the playbook you need to build and scale a winning sales team and process. Learn the best tips and tactics around:

• Identifying your perfect sales model
• Prospecting new leads like a pro
• Forecasting revenue & growth
• Perfecting cold outreach
• Using video throughout the cycle
• And so much more…

Now is your time. Download the playbook and start supercharging your growth

If you’re a founder or business owner who’s currently doing sales yourself—this book is for you. If you’re part of a sales team that has less than ten reps—this book is for you. If you’re looking to find the right person to make sales work for your company—this book is for you. If you don’t have an established sales process, and you need to acquire customers and generate revenue soon—this book is for you.”

Contents

115 pages and 17 chapters including:

• Identifying your perfect customer
• Outbound prospecting
• Cold emailing
• Cold calling
• Handling objections
• Getting referrals

Why you should read it

This playbook has input from the pros at Close, PandaDoc, Vidyard, Predictable Revenue, and LeadFuze. While the previous books focused on one or two key areas, this playbook for 2020 covers a whole range of different topics. With 17 chapters, you’ll gain a high-level overview of everything you might want to know about sales.

While some of the chapters inevitably cover the same ground as other sales and marketing books on the list, this is a fantastic way to get a taste of the topic in double-quick time, all from the experts who do this for a living. It includes up-to-date advice on using videos in your emails, following up with prospects, and plenty more.

The Sales Handbook by Intercom

What they say

“There’s one problem every company will inevitably confront: how do I grow my revenue faster? In this book, the best in the business offer a roadmap of industry-tested advice and frameworks for getting to breakout growth and beyond.

You’ll learn:

• Why you need to build and scale your sales team with intention.
• How to craft a sales strategy – and the crucial inputs for long-term success.
• Industry-tested sales techniques for turning new leads into new business.
• How to grow your revenue faster by acquiring and converting leads in real-time.”

Contents

89 pages covering:

• Developing a Sales strategy
• Growing your sales team
• Modern sales techniques
• Realtime sales

Why you should read it

Made up of podcast excerpts, internal interviews, and samples from other sales leaders, this book feels like a collection of top-quality essays on sales. Each page is packed with practical advice from recognized experts, with over 30 sales leaders involved.

Where this book really stands out is its focus on modern sales; I was particularly impressed with the section on real time sales, and how the changes in technology have meant changes to the sales process. The sections on personalization at scale and use of automation gives us a glimpse of the future of sales, something that many people struggle with (and that drives our whole business at Reply). Apart from that, my favorite piece was ‘There are no closing techniques,’ an excellent read on why closing, the part of the sales cycle dreaded by many, isn’t actually an issue when doing sales properly.

Intercom on Sales

What they say

Enabling Top Performing Sales Teams

What they say

“How the fastest growing organisations onboard, train & develop their sales teams. This book provides a modern playbook for solving the most critical sales problems with learning initiatives.”

Contents

8 chapters available online (or delivered weekly via email) covering:

• Building a Sales Enablement Team
• Building the Sales Training Feedback Loop
• Sales Training Iteration
• Collaborative Learning in Sales
• Sourcing Sales Training Feedback
• Learning in the Flow of Work
• Sales Skills Exercises
• Sales Career Development

Why you should read it

Here we have another collection of thoughts and lessons, delivered courtesy of sales leaders from some of the hottest SaaS companies out there such as Gong.io, Salesloft, and Clearbit. Each chapter is handled by just one author, meaning you get just one opinion, but they’re able to really dive deep into the subject.

For example, Michelle Kanan’s chapter on building a Sales Enablement team covers absolutely everything you need to know to get started, from the best definition I’ve read yet (“It’s the work sales managers do when they’re really good at their jobs and they really care”) to making those all-important hiring decisions.

The rest of the book is equally informative and useful, drawing on the experts’ experience with clear examples to follow. I particularly enjoyed Stan Massueras’s chapter on Sales Career Development and how they use the Japanese concept ikigai at Intercom to help keep their team motivated and progressing. A thoroughly enjoyable and actionable read!

Data-Driven Sales

What they say

“Data-Driven Sales brings together experts from high-growth SaaS companies, and shows exactly how they have used data to transform their companies. Written by 10 guest authors and covering topics like pricing, automating outbound, sales forecasting, hiring, and much more.”

Contents

124 pages covering:

• The Key to SaaS Pricing
• Inbound Lead Qualification
• Outbound Sales Fundamentals
• Automated Outbound Sales
• Sales Forecasting
• Finding Sales Triggers
• Sales Compensation
• Sales Operations
• Sales Coaching
• Sales Hiring

Why you should read it

The Sales Development Playbook

What they say

“This book encapsulates author Trish Bertuzzi’s three decades of practical, hands-on experience. It presents six elements for building new pipelines and accelerating revenue growth with inside sales… As Ken Krogue (President of InsideSales.com) writes in the foreword, “This is the playbook for how to succeed today. After reading this book, I know it will help you succeed, help your company grow, and change our industry.””

Contents

264 pages covering:

• Strategy 
• Specialization
• Recruiting
• Retention
• Execution 
• Leadership

Why you should read it

Hello, what’s this? A book you have to pay actual money for? Why on earth would you pay for a book when there’s so much good free content out there? Well, take a look at the reviews: when was the last time you saw a book with that many 5 star reviews? 

The praise is well-deserved. This book is filled with insights you can immediately put into action.

Drawing on her 30+ years of experience, Trish has filled the book with strategies, stories, examples, and tools for sales development. My favorite part is how she helps readers find the right model for their business. For example, should your SDRs be aiming to set introductory meetings or generating qualified opportunities? Rather than trying to convince you that one’s better than the other, Trish helps you understand where each model works best so you can decide for yourself. If you want to get a headstart on sales development, do yourself a favor and invest the few dollars needed to get this book. 

Predictable Revenue

What they say

“Discover the sales specialization system and outbound sales process that, in just a few years, helped add $100 million in recurring revenue to Salesforce.com, almost doubling their enterprise growth…with zero cold calls. This is NOT just another book about how to cold call or close deals. This is an entirely new kind of sales system for CEOs, entrepreneurs and sales VPs to help you build a sales machine.”

Contents

208 pages and 11 chapters covering:

• Cold Calling 2.0
• Prospecting best practices
• Sales best practices
• Lead generation and “seeds, nets and spears”
• Seven fatal mistakes CEOs and Sales VPs make
• Sales machine fundamentals
• Cultivating your talent
• Leadership and management
• Next steps and resources

Why you should read it

Nine years after its release, it might not be accurate to describe Predictable Revenue as a ‘new kind of sales system.’ Even so, “The Sales Bible of Silicon Valley” is still a useful resource for anyone interested in building or improving their SaaS sales process. In fact, many of today’s successful SaaS businesses owe a lot to this book. 

While some of the tips that were new and innovative back in 2011 are now common practice (surely we’ve all seen/sent emails asking for the name of whoever is responsible for a specific department), there’s a reason why they’ve become the standard in SaaS sales.  They are still effective and, more importantly, are built on unchanging principles.

If you’ve somehow not read this yet, you can always pick up the summary but, in all honesty, it’s worth the few dollars to buy the full book. If nothing else, you’ll get an understanding and appreciation for the methods behind many of today’s SaaS companies.

 B2B Outbound Sales Ebook

What they say

“Learn how to overcome the biggest challenges facing B2B sales teams today, ensure you’re leveraging opportunities, and learn from best practices from industry leaders. We’ve taken all of our podcasts from 2018 and put them into a handy 6 part eBook. Learn how to overcome the biggest challenges facing B2B sales teams today, ensure you’re leveraging opportunities, and learn from best practices from industry leaders.”

Contents

Six standalone ebooks, ranging from 30 to 51 pages, covering:

• Part 1: Cold Email/ Cold Call
• Part 2: Hiring & Training
• Part 3: Sales Enablement
• Part 4: Sales Process
• Part 5: Account-Based/ Persona-Based
• Part 6: Sales Operations

Why you should read it

If you’re still hungry for more, the team behind Predictable Revenue has collated the best interviews from their podcast in 2018. As a result, many of the chapters feel like interviews, with experts directly answering the questions we all have. For example, Max Altucher shares how understanding buyer psychology can help your sales, while Derek Grant shares the ins and outs of SalesLoft’s account-based playbook. If you like the podcast format but wish you could have the highlights in written form, you’ll love this collection.

The SaaS Sales Method

What they say

“In this first book of the Sales Blueprints series, Jacco Van Der Kooij and Fernando Pizarro break down the science of sales into its basic elements. Unlike any book before it, The SaaS Sales Method exposes the math the underpins each stage in revenue production, from marketing, to sales, to customer success, and infers how revenue leaders should structure their processes, organizations, and training in each.​​​​​​​”

Contents

135 pages and seven chapters covering:

• Science over superstars
• Changes in B2B sales
• The SaaS sales method
• The science
• Moments that matter
• Blueprints
• How to keep going

Why you should read it

The SaaS Sales Method is currently the most expensive option on our list at $25, but it’s also highly recommended. It stands out from many other books in the area by focusing on the gritty details and science behind the sales, rather than relying solely on an assortment of feel-good stories and recycled advice.  

Particularly useful for those who are new to SaaS sales, this book provides a solid foundation in how SaaS has required changes to the sales process. It then goes on to explain which moments matter the most to your customers and how you can build your process around those moments. 

The SaaS Sales Method is book one in a series of six, with later books covering the core functions (such as SDRs, AEs, and Customer Success), but if you only read this book you’ll still have a great overview of the SaaS sales process. 

Influence

What they say

“In this highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini—the seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasion—explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these principles ethically in business and everyday situations.”

Contents

334 pages and seven chapters covering:

• Weapons of influence
• Reciprocation
• Commitment and consistency
• Social proof
• Liking
• Authority
• Scarcity

Why you should read it

How can a book that was originally published in 1984 (yes, this is book has been around longer than me) possibly be relevant to SaaS sales? Despite predating SaaS by more than a decade, Cialdini’s book is an essential read. 

The book covers the six pillars of influence, and they are just as effective today as they were 30+ years ago. It’s an easy-to-read book, full of fascinating insights into the psychology of decision-making as well as plenty of examples. Learning the principles is a real eye-opener; you’ll start to see them everywhere, even in SaaS, from customer testimonials to authority-building content.

The one downside is that the book is arguably longer than it has to be, and the key principles could be covered on a single page. However, the cited studies and explanations add a great deal of value. For example, it’s one thing to know about the principle of reciprocity but, when you see how it was used to increase restaurant tips by 23%, it takes on new meaning. I also found the additional information helped me think about new and different ways the same principles could be ethically applied to SaaS. 

Take a look at the Cialdini’s video summary, then pick up the book if you want more examples.

Product-Led Growth

What they say

“In Product-Led Growth, I show you how you can cut your acquisition costs and scale further than you ever thought possible…by making your product the tool that helps you acquire, convert, and retain customers. Product-Led Growth also comes packed with “do this, not that” real-life examples from the industry’s biggest brands—as well as a collection of high-converting email scripts you can customize and send out immediately to turn more users into customers.”

Contents

278 pages and 16 chapters covering:

• Design your strategy
• Build your foundation
• Ignite your growth engine

Why you should read it

For a different perspective, Product-Led Growth focuses on how SaaS companies can use their product as their main method of acquiring (and retaining customers). Rather than following the traditional sales cycle where you work your way through the funnel, the idea behind Product-Led Growth is that you start with the product, letting the customer experience it and all the associated benefits, before they upgrade to a paid plan. 

While this might sound like sales teams are no longer necessary, that’s not the case. Instead, their job now centers on developing ways for the product to qualify prospects and create lasting value. 

The book walks you through how to increase your freemium/trial conversions, whether you have VC funding or you’re a bootstrapped company. With no fluff and plenty of actionable advice, Product-Led Growth will lead you to think differently about SaaS sales.

Way of the Wolf

What they say

“Until now this revolutionary program was only available through Jordan’s $1,997 online training. Now in Way of the Wolf, Belfort is ready to unleash the power of persuasion to a whole new generation of readers, revealing how anyone can bounce back from devastating setbacks, master the art of persuasion, and build wealth. Every technique, every strategy, and every tip has been tested and proven to work in real-life situations.” 

Contents

256 pages and 12 chapters, including:

• The first four seconds
• Tonality and body language
• State management
• The art of prospecting
• The art and science of making world-class sales presentations
• The art and science of looping

Why you should read it

If you’ve seen Wolf of Wall Street, you already know who Jordan Belfort is. Like him or loathe him, his book Way of the Wolf is a great primer on how to sell anything. 

Contrary to expectations, Jordan doesn’t promote high-pressure sales tactics or closing a sale no matter what. Rather, he goes to great lengths to stress that his Straight Line System is grounded in the highest levels of ethics and integrity. In fact, one of his critical elements of sales is building trust with the prospect, both as an individual and as a company. 

The book goes into a variety of techniques and tactics that you can use to improve your SaaS sales, ranging from making a good impression to developing a positive mindset, all written in Jordan’s entertaining style.

Never Lose a Customer Again

What they say

“Across all industries, somewhere between 20%-70% of newly acquired customers will stop doing business with a company with the first 100 days of being a new customer because they feel neglected in the early stages of customer onboarding.

In Never Lose a Customer Again, Coleman offers a philosophy and methodology for dramatically increasing customer retention and as a result, the bottom line… If you can understand and anticipate the customers’ emotions, you can apply a myriad of tools and techniques—in-person, email, phone, mail, video, and presents—to cement a long and valuable relationship.”

Contents

368 pages and 17 chapters, including:

• The cost of losing a customer
• What is customer experience?
• You only have 100 days (if that long) to get it right
• The eight phases of the customer experience

Why you should read it

Never Lose a Customer Again isn’t technically about sales. Rather, it covers the importance of turning your initial sales into long-term loyalty. This is critical for SaaS companies, where unhappy customers will quickly cancel their payment plan and move onto your competitor. 

Joey Coleman identifies eight phases that customers will typically go through, from the “acclimate” stage (where they learn how to use your service) to the “advocate” stage (where they enthusiastically refer more customers your way). 

While it may be more useful to your Customer Success team, everyone in SaaS can benefit from an improved understanding of the customer experience. Pick up this book to find new ways to delight your customers, improve your customer retention, and increase your CLTV.

Never Split the Difference

What they say

“After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most—when people’s lives were at stake… Never Split the Difference will give you a competitive edge in any discussion.”

Contents

293 pages and 10 chapters, including:

• Be a mirror
• Don’t feel their pain, label it
• Beware “yes”—Master “no”
• Guarantee Execution
• Bargain hard
• Find the black swan

Why you should read it

While I’m not suggesting that you treat your sales calls like a hostage negotiation, there’s still so much you can learn from Chris Voss’s book. In his words, negotiation is “communication with results.” Whether you’re dealing with terrorists or trying to sell a SaaS product, the negotiation skill can help you communicate more effectively and increase the chances of a positive outcome. 

By seeing how these techniques—from active listening to calibrated questions—work in the most stressful situations you can imagine, it becomes clear how you can use them to be a better salesperson. I particularly liked the concept of ‘black swans,’ the pieces of information that, when known, can change everything. If you’re a fan of thrillers, the real-life examples of high-stakes negotiations are a bonus.  

Product Demos that Sell

What they say

“This book, written by Steli Efti, is the no B.S. guide to presenting software like a pro. If you’re a SaaS startup founder or sales rep, you’ll learn to:

• Ensure prospects attend your demos
• Discover why your demos fail to close the deal
• Better differentiate yourself from competitors
• Customize your demo to your prospects’ needs, and much more!

Giving successful product demos is not rocket science. Anybody can do it—if you’ve got the right blueprint.”

Contents

98 pages and 10 chapters, including:

• The seven deadly sins of demoing
• How to schedule product demo appointments
• Inception hack: Involve the prospect in the demo process
• Turn product demo fails into sales

Why you should read it

Product demos are an important part of SaaS sales but, for many of us, they’re a nerve-wracking experience that we’d rather avoid if possible. In this free download, Steli Efti lays out how to spend less time giving boring, irrelevant demos and more time closing deals. 

If you struggle with demos, this ebook is essential. Even if you get no further than the first chapter covering the seven deadly sins, you’ll have learned enough to stand out and do better than the vast majority demos out there. From qualifying your demo attendees to recovering from potentially disastrous errors, Steli will help you every step of the way. 

Fanatical Prospecting

What they say

“Fanatical Prospecting gives salespeople, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives a practical, eye-opening guide that clearly explains the why and how behind the most important activity in sales and business development—prospecting.

Step by step, Jeb Blount outlines his innovative approach to prospecting that works for real people, in the real world, with real prospects. Learn how to keep the pipeline full of qualified opportunities and avoid debilitating sales slumps by leveraging a balanced prospecting methodology across multiple prospecting channels.”

Contents

304 pages and 23 chapters, including:

• To cold call or not to cold call
• The four objectives of prospecting
• Social selling
• Email prospecting
• Text messaging
• Developing mental toughness

Why you should read it

As salespeople, we all tend to have a favorite sales channel, whether that’s email, social selling, or phone calls. However, to get the best results, we need to step out of our comfort zone and embrace multi-channel engagement. 

If the thought of using another channel fills you with dread, or you’d just like to level-up your sales game in general, Jeb Blount’s book is a great resource for all salespeople—new or old—to increase pipeline. 

Currently, the number one business sales book on Amazon, Fanatical Prospecting is considered to be the definitive guide to sales; with a huge number of frameworks and techniques you can use, along with advice for every channel out there, there’s something for everyone here.