While women comprise over half of the workforce, only 30% hold sales positions, with most filling customer service or account management roles, according to a survey by Zippia.
Fewer women climb the ladder to become sales leaders.
This gender disparity is often attributed to societal biases, a lack of female role models, and limited access to resources.
But it’s time to change the narrative.
This curated list of 15 of the best sales books, compiled with the help of the incredible women in our Women in Sales community, which we’re a proud partner of, celebrates the voices and experiences of successful female sales leaders and authors. These books offer practical advice, actionable strategies, and inspiring stories to help you break down barriers and achieve your sales goals.
Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting your career, read the following books on sales for valuable insights that can help you:
- Develop your sales skills and confidence: Learn from the experiences of successful women in sales and discover proven tactics that work.
- Overcome challenges and stereotypes: Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to navigate the unique obstacles women face in the sales world.
- Find inspiration and motivation: Connect with inspiring stories of resilience, perseverance, and success.
- Build a strong brand, network, and community: Discover valuable resources and connect with other women in sales who understand your journey.
No matter your experience level or background, this “best books on sales” collection has something for everyone. So, grab a book and a hot beverage, settle in, and prepare to be empowered by the wisdom and experience of these talented women.
Top Sales Books by Women Authors
1. Buyer First by Carole Mahoney
About the Book: Stuck in a sales rut? “Buyer First” is your secret weapon. Forget the endless hacks and gimmicks. This book goes deeper, tackling the root cause of sales struggles: your mindset. Discover how to shift your perspective, prioritize collaboration, and watch your business soar.
About Carole: Carole Mahoney, the “Sales Therapist” of Harvard Business School, empowers entrepreneurial MBA students to unlock their sales superpowers. Recognized as a top influencer, coach, and leader, she guides future business leaders through the mental hurdles of sales and into thriving careers.
Read Buyer First
2. Go for No by Andrea Waltz
About the Book: Ever heard a “no” that felt like a punch in the gut? You’re not alone. But what if “no” isn’t the enemy? What if it’s actually the key to unlocking your biggest wins? “Go for No” is your guide to rethinking rejection, bouncing back with resilience, and turning “no” into a resounding “yes” for your career.
About Andrea: Andrea Waltz co-authored this book alongside Richard Fenton. Andrea, a member of Women Sales Pros, was named one of the “25 Sales Experts You Should Follow On Twitter” by Hubspot and “25 Sales Influencers to Follow on Twitter” by Salesforce and Live Hive. She’s also listed in the “Top 5 Female Sales Experts To Follow For Tips on Increasing Sales Productivity” by Marketcircle and “51 Top Sales Influencers You Should Follow On Twitter Immediately” by ringDNA.
Read Go for No
3. SNAP Selling by Jill Konrath
About the Book: “SNAP Selling” equips you with fresh sales strategies to captivate today’s busiest prospects. Uncover the hidden criteria they use to judge you, learn to navigate their tight schedules, and keep the deal moving forward. Master “SNAP Selling” and turn fleeting attention into lasting connections (and closed deals).
About Jill: For 20 years, Jill Konrath has been the voice shaping the future of sales. She’s a sales oracle with a loyal following of over 450,000 on LinkedIn and 100,000+ weekly newsletter readers. Featured in “The Story of Sales,” celebrated by Salesforce as a 21st-century icon, and trusted by high-growth companies, Jill’s impact is undeniable. Her four bestselling, award-winning books testify to her dedication to solving today’s toughest sales challenges.
Read SNAP Selling
4. The Sales Leader’s Problem Solver: Practical Solutions to Conquer Management Mess-ups, Handle Difficult Sales Reps, and Make the Most of Every Opportunity by Suzanne Paling
About the Book: Skip the sales management training limbo. This book is your 24/7 coach, offering battle-tested solutions for every dilemma a sales leader faces. Forget “no” to your development; grab this practical guide and unlock your leadership potential.
About Suzanne: Sales management guru Suzanne Paling boasts 25+ years of helping companies soar. Her consulting and coaching have boosted performance for 55+ firms across diverse industries, from manufacturing to software. Recognized as a top blogger and author of two award-winning books, Suzanne is your go-to for sales leadership success.
Read The Sales Leader’s Problem Solver
5. Crushing Quota: Proven Sales Coaching Tactics for Breakthrough Performance by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana
About the Book: Ditch the cookie-cutter coaching. “Crushing Quota” redefines sales coaching with its groundbreaking approach. Backed by rigorous research and tailored to your specific needs, it unlocks the full potential of your team, making it the ultimate resource for sales leaders in any industry.
About Michelle: Michelle Vazzana is the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at VantagePoint Performance, a sales performance company offering diagnostic-based training and consultations rooted in academic-led, agile sales research. In addition to “Crushing Quota,” Michelle co-authored “Cracking the Sales Management Code: The Secrets to Measures and Managing Sales Performance.”
Read Crushing Quota
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Talk to Sales6. Radical Candor by Kim Scott
About the Book: “Radical Candor” is about giving and receiving feedback in a kind and direct way. It argues that the best way to build strong relationships and improve performance is to be honest with each other, even when it’s complicated.
About Kim: Kim Scott empowers leaders to build thriving teams with straight talk and respect. The author served as a CEO coach at Dropbox, Twitter, Qualtrics, and other large tech companies. She also served as faculty at Apple University and led AdSense YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google.
Read Radical Candor
7. Women Don‘t Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever
About the Book: Named a Forbes Magazine “The 75 Smartest Books We Know,” “Women Don’t Ask” aims to unlock the power of negotiation for women. Backed by research and real-world stories, it empowers women to ask — and organizations to embrace the ask.
About Linda and Sara: These two have teamed up on this book and “Ask for It! How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want.”
Sara, a founding faculty member of the Carnegie Mellon Leadership and Negotiation Academy for Women, has written extensively about women in business, with publications like The New York Times and The Harvard Business Review featuring her work.
Linda, former dean at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College and current James M. Walton Professor of Economics, also founded and is the faculty director of faculty director of the Program for Research and Outreach on Gender Equity in Society.
8. Powerful Women in Partnerships by Partnership Leaders (eBook available)
About the Book: Shattering ceilings and forging alliances, these women in tech redefine partnership success. This book celebrates their journeys, explores the power of mentorship, and offers invaluable advice for navigating the industry’s future.
About Partnership Leaders: Partnership Leaders is an exclusive professional community for those who work in Partnerships, Channels, Alliances, Business Development, and Ecosystems worldwide.
Read Powerful Women in Partnerships
9. Live it, Love It, Sell It: How to Win at Sales with the Art of Human Conversation by Jules White
About the Book: Reading this book will reveal how everyday skills translate directly into powerful sales tools. You’ll discover your innate strengths and learn to leverage them for success. By understanding your motivations and aligning them with your ideal client’s needs, selling becomes a natural, fulfilling process.
About Jules: Jules boasts more than 30 years of selling experience and earned an investment from Peter Jones after successfully pitching him on “Dragon’s Den” for her business, Truly Madly Baby.
Read Live it, Love It, Sell It
10. Go Big or Go Home by Diana Kander
About the Book: Underdogs closing impossible deals? Forget logic; tap emotions. This book cracks the code of rainmakers, showing you how to forge gut-level connections that make clients say, “This is it.” No fancy slides, just pure emotional resonance. Your blueprint for winning hearts and deals.
About Diana: A keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and serial entrepreneur, Diana has launched and sold millions of dollars worth of products and services throughout her career.
Read Go Big or Go Home
11. She Sells: Attract, Promote, and Retain Great Women in B2B Sales by Lori Richardson
About the Book: The future of B2B sales is diverse. Will your organization embrace it or fall behind? For decades, Lori Richardson has seen the potential of underrepresented talent. This book guides unlocking it, building a more robust sales team, and dominating the market. Don’t just sell; lead the change.
About Lori: If you’re a woman in sales, you’ve likely heard of Lori. The sales expert and top LinkedIn and Salesforce sales thought leader launched Women Sales Pros, founded The She Sells Summit and hosts the award-winning podcast “Conversations with Women in Sales.”
Read She Sells
12. Beat the Bots by Anita Nielsen
About the Book: Described as a “love letter to sales professionals,” this book aims to remind B2B sales pros to emphasize what makes them human (empathy, compassion, relationships, understanding emotions) in a world where bots are beginning to replace roles.
About Anita: With more than 20 years of experience in B2B sales, enablement, and support, Anita is a sales consultant and performance coach who works with senior sales leaders to foster high-performing revenue teams.
Read Beat the Bots
13. LinkedIn for Personal Branding: The Ultimate Guide by Sandra Long
About the Book: Learn how to best position yourself on LinkedIn based on real-life examples and including best practices for each profile section. Make yourself more searchable and uncover ways to measure your LinkedIn reach.
About Sandra: Sandra has nearly 30 years of B2B sales and leadership experience and founded Post Road Consulting to help companies make the most out of LinkedIn for sales and recruiting. She also coaches job seekers and professionals looking to better their LinkedIn presence.
Read Beat the Bots
14. Naked Sales: How Design Thinking Reveals Customer Motives and Drives Revenue by Ashley Welch and Justin Jones
About the Book: Learn how to create deeper human relationships with your prospects and grow your pipeline (and deal size), all while reducing the time it takes to schedule your first call. It is a quick read that others have described as “without the ego” that comes with most sales books.
About Ashley: Ashley Welch co-founded Somersault Innovation, a Design Thinking consulting firm offering a unique sales development approach. Before Somersault Innovation, Ashley spent 20 years as a leading sales professional for a leadership development company.
Read Beat the Bots
15. The TOP Sales Leader Playbook: How to Win 5X Deals Repeatedly by Lisa D. Magnuson
About the Book: This is an excellent read for leaders looking to grow their average contract size who experience talent gaps between the skill levels of their team members and leadership.
About Lisa: Founder of Top Line Sales, Lisa’s an accomplished author with multiple books, including “The 48-Hour Rule” and “The TOP Seller Advantage: Powerful Strategies to Build Long-term Executive Relationships).
Read The TOP Sales Leader Playbook
Conclusion
And there you have it. Which book will you start with?
We’re considering kicking off our new reads with Powerful Women in Partnerships since partner selling will play a huge role this year.
Still, regardless of which one you pick up first, these 15 publications offer a rich tapestry of knowledge, practical strategies, and inspiring stories from talented female authors.
Equip yourself with the tools to navigate the sales landscape, overcome challenges, and succeed.
Remember, your journey matters. Embrace the wisdom and experiences shared within these pages, and let them empower you to reach your full potential. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
So, turn the page, dive into these books, and write your own next.
Streamline commissions for your RevOps, Finance, and Sales teams
Design, track, and manage variable incentives with QuotaPath. Give your RevOps, finance, and sales teams transparency into sales compensation.
Talk to SalesAbout QuotaPath
QuotaPath empowers sales leaders to achieve their goals with software solutions to manage their sales compensation processes effectively. From automating commission calculations to providing real-time performance insights, QuotaPath takes the guesswork out of sales management and allows you to focus on what matters most — driving revenue.
Learn more by connecting with our team or signing up for a free trial.
