Every listing of “all-time greatest” anything has snubs, right? Names or items that are missing? The Top Sales Books of All Time listing is no exception.

Recently, BookAuthority published their listing of the Top 100 Sales Books Of All Time. My first book, The Transparency Sale, was listed at #6 not too long ago. What an honor, right? I should be so excited! However strange this may sound, my book is clearly overrated.

You may see this as a humblebrag.

You may see this as someone with a bad case of imposter syndrome.

I see it as reality, with a goal of not downplaying my own work but instead highlighting the masterpieces of the early 20th century as it relates to our profession.

I concede – when I wrote the book I thought it might suck and now realize that it doesn’t. I had never written a book before. I was certainly passionate about the unique take on what constitutes value from a salesperson – that transparency sells better than perfection. I did the research. I presented the data. I wrote it how I’d like to read it. I packed it with stories and tried to make it immediately actionable, and potentially career-changing.

I love that you love it.

But #6 of all time? Nope. No way. Here’s why…

The Data – The BookAuthority List

I love the Book Authority list! The listing explains:

“BookAuthority identifies and rates the best books in the world, based on recommendations by thought leaders and experts.” But what do thought leaders and experts read? The current books! As a result, here’s what the list consists of:

• Of the Top 10 books, 100% are from the last 10 years (2013 or newer)
• Of the Top 20 books, 85% are from the last 10 years, and 100% are from the last 16 years (2007 or newer)
• Of the Top 100 books, 91% are from the last 16 years (2007 or newer)
• There are only 4 books published prior to 1995
  • 2 are from 1982 – Secrets of Closing the Sale (1982 – Zig Ziglar) and How to Master the Art of Selling (1982 – Tom Hopkins)
  • The other 2 books are the only ones published prior to 1982 – The Feldman Method (1969 – Andrew H. Thomson) and How To Win Friends and Influence People (1936 – Dale Carnegie)

How could that be? Well, it can’t be. I know it’s because I’m likely the only nerd on Earth to read beyond the last 40 years.

Forgotten History

I’m a sales history nerd. When cool people are doing cool things on the weekends, you can often find me reading books and magazines on sales or sales leadership from the early 20th century. My current count has me as having read (most of) 53 books on sales and sales leadership written between 1900-1930.

Do you know why I read them?

1. The Builders of The Modern Sales Profession: The early 20th century represented the dawn of our profession as we know it today. While one could argue that the sales profession has been around for thousands of years, the modern structure where organizations hired their own salespeople, trained them internally, paid them via variable compensation, and measured them with quotas started in the 1890s but truly blossomed from 1905-1925. These were the creators of our profession. The books that are written and read today have almost all been written before by these authors.
2. They Could Write!: Sales philosophers and writers 100+ years ago were simply better writers. The language of writing was a craft…an art. The sentences couldn’t simply be skimmed. Concepts were conceived and communicated in powerful sentences that stick with you.

With that, here are the snubs – or the fifteen books that I would consider fifteen of the greatest sales books of all time from 1900-1925 alone, in alphabetical order:

Certain Success – 1910 – Norval A. Hawkins

A book that could have been written today, Hawkins, who ran sales for Ford Motor Company and was Henry Ford’s “million dollar man”, breaks down how to realize your own potential. It’s all about learning sales. Just like today, the most successful people in the industry wrote books on how they did it. Individuals read the books, somehow don’t become as successful – and give up. Hawkins advocates for learning to sell yourself. “Sales skill is the dynamic factor of success”. He believed everyone is capable of success if they possess honesty, intelligence, and the energy to do something with it. I truly enjoyed reading this book – my version is the 3rd edition from 1920.

Fundamentals of Salesmanship – 1916 – Norris Brisco

As so often is the case today, books are written from an individual’s perspective. In this book, Brisco did the research. He fully believed that “the salesperson is the leading factor in profit-making and is the most valuable asset in any business.” He studied the successes and failures of salespeople, and thought it could serve a purpose as a textbook for both colleges…and high schools! It breaks down how business functions, the role of the salesperson, the sales process, psychology, health, appearance, character, honesty, creativity, objection handling, management, hiring, and every single other element of sales. Comprehensive and foundational, with references listed at the end of every chapter (which was hugely valuable to my sales history nerdery) Chapter 1 had sixteen books referenced. So well done!

Ginger Talks, The Talks of a Sales Manager to His Men – 1908 – Worthington Holman

Talk about an entertaining book! In every edition of Salesmanship Magazine, Worthington C. Holman wrote an article designed to be used by sales leaders to motivate their sales team. “There is gunpowder in every man, if you can only get the spark of it. Ginger Talks are sparks to reach the gunpowder.” They’re so good. Holman, who learned under the tutelage of John Patterson (and to whom he dedicates the book), is a writing master. His analogies are powerful, sometimes hilarious, and highly motivating. Each edition comes with an associated comic. My version is from 1912,

“Every selling force has a number of incapables who drift along on the current of the day as a water-soaked log drifts down a sluggish stream. Their work drags interminably. Such a man’s desk is a cemetery; his office is a place of stagnation more choked with dead matter than a stagnant pond.”

Men Who Sell Things – 1909 – Walter D. Moody

When I say writing was different back then – and better – Moody’s writing is a great example. Here’s a paragraph from the beginning that not only explains the concept of the book, but how he wrote:
“I wish to write, not of the doctrine of luck, chance, and good fortune, but of the doctrine of effort and result; to proclaim that highest form of twentieth-century salesmanship which brings success, not to the indolent, the improvident, and the dreamer, but to the stiving, the intelligent, and the busy man.”

Who writes like that in the sales circles today? Who’s writing is more powerful? Nobody I know…

Practical Salesmanship – 1911 – Fowler

This was one of the first books from the era that I read, and it hooked me. Timeless. Direct acknowledgment of women in the profession. Comprehensive. I absolutely loved it. This is one of those books where you could pull paragraphs out, pop it into LinkedIn, and nobody would know it’s well over a hundred years old. I may be biased, but when there’s an entire chapter dedicated to “Telling the Truth”, that’s a formula for a great book. His lessons on balancing modesty with confidence, a focus on advising customers, speaking well of competition, finding passion in your work, and developing healthy personal habits could be published today without batting an eye. In collaboration with 28 thought leaders and businesses, this is right up at the top of my all-time list.

“There is a psychological or an inner scientific reason for every action, for everything which contributes to every movement of every kind, even to thought itself. Nothing exists without a source, a creative beginning; and everything is subject to some law, known, partly known, unknown, or mysterious.”

Salesmanship Theory and Practice – 1910 – Thomas Herbert Russell

“Buyers know more nowadays”. A quote from today’s LinkedIn posts, but also a quote from Russell’s book, talking to the rise of advertising as a threat to the sales profession, which, as he exclaims, was not even recognized as a profession up until just a few years prior. The foundationally trained individuals who seek sales as a profession are the ones that win. He was right, and continues to be right. In this book, Russell breaks down the foundation of sales, encouraging its self-study, in a comprehensive way that is as applicable now as it was then. Piled high with input from countless experts, it’s a staple in my collection. (My version is from 1912)

Salesmanship and Business Efficiency – 1915 – James Samuel Knox

This book on the sales profession, as written by one educator, “reaches down to the very depths of his (the individual salesperson) life, reveals himself to himself, arouses him and inspires him, and for that reason it revolutionizes his life.” It teaches the “fundamental principles of man-building and human leadership”. There’s a chapter on ‘leadership and character building’ that I find fascinating and timeless. The writing is incredible. Knox, who had a school for salespeople, is a master of making the professional efficient. It gives individuals a purpose, with a foundation to take advantage of that purpose.

Scientific Selling and Advertising – 1919 – Arthur Dunn

When I read Dunn’s book for the first time (and I’ve read it more than once), there’s a paragraph that was the revelation as to why I’m not to the level of writing they were 100+ years ago. Read this paragraph, and show me a writer on sales that can match this depth of word art?

“A lie is a weapon of the weakling and the afraid. One using truth will without realizing it, appear frank and sincere and nothing begets confidence more quickly than frankness and sincerity. There is no come-back to truth – no alibi – no hereafters – no explanations. It is as vital a force as though you could take it out and look at it and feel of it. Every successful man believes these things.”

Dunn’s quote, “If the truth won’t sell it, don’t sell it” is my favorite sales quote of all time. Every paragraph is a work of art. He tells incredible stories, but in the process, makes the reader a better sales professional. When asked what book is #1 in my mind, I often say this one. Arthur Dunn – the king of transparency before The Transparency Sale.

“When you interview a prospect, having nothing to put over and just the truth to tell, you will talk easily, clearly, and naturally, and you will feel strong and appear strong to him. Your eye will be steady and bright – possessing abundant energy, you will radiate that something called magnetism, the secret of which lies in the truth in your heart, the condition of your body, and the training of your mind.”

Selling Things – 1916 – Dr. Orison Swett Marden

Look this guy up. Dr. Marden was an inspirational author, whose quotes were hanging in the offices of people like John Patterson (the founder of NCR and really the modern sales profession), Charles Schwab, and many others. He was 67 years old when he wrote this book, and it’s amazing.

“If salesmanship is worth giving your life to, it is worth very serious and very profound and scientific preparation and training.”

He tells incredible stories. Makes connections that are so relatable that his teachings inspire you to adhere to every word he writes. This book is a sales inspiration, and I’ve never read anything like it.

The Art of Selling – 1911 – Arthur Sheldon

Sheldon is the greatest of all time of sales experts and philosophers (according to me – and I’ll debate ya!). He turned sales into a profession. His first book, “The Science of Salesmanship”, I speak to below. This book is a collection of 50 lessons made for anyone getting into sales. At the time, the demand for salespeople far exceeded the supply – true salespeople, not the drummers and bagmen of old. This book encompasses all of the general principles that anyone reading would be able to consume, apply and excel.

Each lesson finishes with a set of exercises. Questions to consider to ensure that what was just discussed was retained. Sheldon was a master teacher, founding the first magazine on sales called Salesmanship, and founding the most successful correspondence courses on sales taught to thousands. There’s a reason why he was so successful, and his writings are proof.

I dedicated an episode of The Sales History Podcast to Sheldon. I wish more people knew of his incredible life, career, and contributions.

The Psychology of a Sale – 1914 – Forbes Lindsay

A book that was written for the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company of California specifically for life insurance salespeople, Lindsay’s writings are so compelling. He focuses on psychology, which today is still treated as a revelation. “Salesmanship is essentially a psychological process”, and in selling something that cannot be seen (insurance versus a tangible product), it was a different sale. It’s the first compelling book viewing psychology as one would physiology or anatomy that wasn’t based on strange perspectives (and there are a few of those out there).

The book breaks down the psychology of making a good first impression, in generating interest in the offering – both within yourself and in your prospect. He breaks down the science of generating desire and resolve to take action. He uses metaphors that ring so true today, and are funny to think about. In one example, he speaks to making a funny face in front of a baby. The baby laughs and claps. Make that same funny face on a street car, and people will think you’re insane. “The association of ideas may be entirely independent of deliberate reasoning or volitional thought. Bear that in mind. Suggestion is more effective than direct appeal.”

The Psychology of Selling and Advertising – 1925 – Edward K. Strong

Much like “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Carnegie in 1936 gets so much credit today, Strong’s book got a considerable amount of credit as groundbreaking at the time. He took so many of the lessons from before 1925 and turned it into a sales masterpiece – not with new ideas, but in his comprehensive view that the purpose of sales is to create a customer, not to get a sale.

The book is over 460 pages long. It’s incredibly detailed. I hadn’t seen the word “prospecting” used previously, as it was most often referred to as canvassing. He dedicates a chapter to it.

Strong’s take is filled with references and footnotes, not often found in sales books prior to this. Again, this isn’t a revelation, it’s just a powerful collection well organized and comprehensive that today would be considered required reading for sales organizations.

The Science of Successful Salesmanship – 1903 – Sheldon

Yes. 1903. “An earnest attempt to formulate a wealth-producing system of special education; and you will find from the outset that it aims at the higher and essential wealth of body, mind and soul, as much as it does at success in the business world.”

While I reached out to the Library Of Congress to get a digital copy of the first books on sales dating all the way back to 1869, this book is the first masterpiece on the modern sales profession. You can see from the typesetting that it’s crude in its appearance. But it is a masterpiece if you think about the year. All the way back in 1903, sales was considered both an art and a science. But until Sheldon’s book, the science hadn’t been put on paper. “It is time to correlate and place in logical sequence the natural laws of success in this important branch of activity. It is time, in short, that the salesmen of the world should move on the sound basis of scientific principle.”

“It is this which will elevate Salesmanship to the rank and dignity of a profession; and, as I shall presently show you, the greatest profession in the world because of its rewards and opportunities.”

I’ll say it again. Arthur Sheldon is the G.O.A.T. of sales philosophers. All time! “Sales is the science of service”. It was him who first spoke in this way. We owe Sheldon a debt of gratitude for all he did for all of us who still call the sales profession our life’s work. This book was the first.

The Selling Process – 1920 – Norval Hawkins

This is the second Hawkins book on my list, and for good reason. Hawkins was widely considered the greatest salesperson alive at the time. Henry Ford certainly thought so, referring to Hawkins as the greatest in the history of Ford Motor Company, to which he eventually became what we would call today the Chief Sales Officer.

This is a book of his processes, knowledge and stories turned into a handbook for anyone to consume and improve. As he writes, “if you are already in the profession, but have been going it blind, stop and look around to get your bearings instead of stumbling along any farther.”

He explores the profession by convincing us through incredible stories that we must know “where we’re going before we are on our way.” We cannot “trust our life careers to chance” as so many do even today. He calls many of the salespeople at the time “square pegs in round holes”, where “those salesmen did not take the pains to sell themselves the knowledge of where they were going before they started on their way.”

His explanation of the “triune of success” stopped me in my tracks for more than a day. He breaks down what success actually is – three things. It’s not fame. It’s not money. Success is founded on the benefit to others through your efforts, which done right ends in rewards of fame and money.

I absolutely love this book, its teachings, and his life story. I dedicated an entire episode of The Sales History podcast to Hawkins, like Sheldon.

The Successful Salesman – 1918 – Frank Farrington

If this book was written in the past fifteen years, there is no question it would be on the list of top sales books of all time. It’s comprehensive, so well written, and hits you in the gut where it needs to. Farrington writes not just about sales theory, but “in order to be a success as a salesman, you must first be a success as a man. Begin at the beginning. If it is too late to begin at the beginning, then begin right where you are. It will never be any earlier.” I love writing like that…stops you in your tracks.

Farrington challenges your status quo at every turn. The first part of the book is entirely focused on mental attitude. Never rest on what you already know. And know that you can achieve more than you think you can. Once that foundation of self-confidence is established, he works into understanding your customer – understanding people. In a chapter called, “What Customers Want”, he seeks to align the salesperson to the idea that ‘when a salesman thinks he knows more than the buyer himself about what the buyer wants, the probabilities are that it is the salesman and not the buyer who is mistaken.”

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I’m so proud of how well received my first book, The Transparency Sale, has been by all who read it. I believe my second book, The Transparent Sales Leader, may be better. I’ve learned to write not only by doing so much of it, but by the incredible minds and writings of those who have long since been forgotten.

Regardless, it is my hope that we don’t omit the true pioneers in our profession.

I will wear my standing as the 62nd best sales book of all time as a badge of honor, but the truth is, there are so many books missing from the list. Even throughout my own career, there were sales books that served as the foundation. Books like The Psychology of Selling (1985 – Brian Tracy), The Little Red Book of Selling (2004 – Jeffrey Gitomer), Strategic Selling (1988 – Robert Miller and Stephen Heiman), and Selling to VITO (1995- Anthony Parinello) are all missing from the list.

Its not their fault – the list BookAuthority put together is amazing. The mechanism of generating it created the collection, but also created the entire omission of an era. It’s my goal to bring light to these greats and many more; via these articles, the podcast, and daily posts on Twitter and Instagram. Follow along. Doesn’t cost a dime… 😄

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Are there incredible books you’ve read on selling that I missed?

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Sales history is just a hobby for me. Shameless self-promotion: My day job is running Sales Melon: doing sales keynote speeches and workshops for revenue organizations. I teach the power of transparency applied to things like your messaging & positioning, your formal presentations, and my most popular workshop is negotiations. Albeit, the item striving to overtake negotiations is The Transparent Sales Leader workshop, teaching the structure of modern revenue leadership, optimized by science, on a bed of transparency. Reach out if you want to figure out whether me as a resource for you and your organization would match up. I’d love to help! tcaponi@salesmelon.com | info@toddcaponi.com | www.toddcaponi.com