In honor of National Book Lovers Day, we are excited to share which books can help elevate your selling strategy based on your specific DISC personality type. Whether you are a bold D-type, social I-type, agreeable S-type, or analytical C-type, excellent sales books are available to up-level your selling skills, win more deals, and build meaningful relationships.
DISC type D sales reps are confident, assertive, and direct. They prefer to be in control of the sale and to serve as an authority in their industry. They are constantly working to outdo themselves and their competition; therefore D-types will enjoy learning new things that offer some sort of competitive edge.
Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Selling is an easy-to-read guide full of quick, straight-to-the-point advice and tips to help sellers succeed. This guide is all-encompassing– it includes great advice to help sellers better prepare for and focus on their sales, understand why things happen the way they do, and explore new strategies to achieve more wins. Because this book is blunt, direct, and short, it is a great read for D-type sellers who want a quick edge.
Written by The Wolf of Wall Street himself, Jordan Belfort (who is a D type himself), Way of the Wolf: Straight Line Selling coaches readers in the art of persuasion and negotiation. From his experience, Belfort provides actionable advice for any seller– regardless of their skill level. This book is a great way to satisfy a more competitive and driven D-type seller
DISC type I sellers are enthusiastic, personable, and social. They enjoy exciting new ideas and likes to share stories and build rapport with their buyers. When selling to prospects, they prioritize meaningful connections; therefore, they enjoy books that enable them to connect with their buyers and gain their trust.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is one of the best-selling books of all time– and for a good reason. This book outlines how to effectively and positively communicate with others to better persuade and influence them during a sale and gain a strong relationship in the process. This book is great for I types, as they thrive off positive interactions and the approval of others.
Spontaneous, big-picture-focused I types don’t have time or patience to spend reading lengthy content. Words that Sell is perfect for sellers with an I personality because it is a quick manual packed with useful words and phrases to enhance your communication and approach quickly. I-types can quickly refer to this manual when looking to grab their prospect’s attention before charming them with their infectious, enthusiastic selling approach.
Sellers with an S personality are usually more reserved than their D or I counterparts. They value human connection and prioritize building trust and rapport with buyers before jumping into the sale. When selling, they might focus more on the reliability and safety of their product in addition to how it has helped previous customers. DISC type S sellers can benefit from books that provide a better understanding of why things happen the way they do in sales interactions.
Robert B. Cialdini does a great job of motivating readers to confidently tackle their sales in Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. He also sheds light on the various psychological principles at play throughout the sales process and how to utilize them in your favor. This book is great for S types who might need an extra push going into buyer-seller interactions or for those who might benefit from a deeper understanding of the selling journey.
Because of their more agreeable nature, S-type sellers may find it challenging to handle objections or persuade others for fear of being perceived as too pushy or aggressive. Heart and Sell bridges the gap between being too pushy and being too accommodating by offering science-backed (and reliable) coaching to enable readers to effectively negotiate past objections by aligning themselves with their buyer’s needs and motivations.
Sellers with C personalities tend to be more risk-averse, detailed, and reserved than others. They typically work best autonomously, with less exposure to the outside world. In sales, a C-type personality will focus heavily on the data, facts, and complexities of both the sale and the product. C-type sellers could benefit from books that provide thorough, validated, and research-backed insights to help them connect with buyers and close more deals.
Analytical and methodical C-type sellers will appreciate the scientific approach to selling provided by David Hoffeld’s The Science of Selling. All insights and advice included in this book come from heavily-researched behavioral economics, social psychology, and neuroscience concepts. The advice in this book enables C sellers to approach each sale step scientifically by utilizing the best evidence-backed sales practices available.
Because C-types are logical and rational, they are more inclined to feel turned off or frustrated by customer behaviors. Inevitably, there will be a prospect who makes irrational, ill-informed decisions that leave a seller flabbergasted. Luckily, Predictably Irrational is a great tool for understanding those irrational behaviors and the assumptions or emotions that guide them. With this book, C types can better understand buyer behavior and develop greater empathy to help them guide their prospects towards a deal.
Regardless of your DISC type, understanding personality’s role in buyers' decisions is a great asset to enhance your selling strategy. By using personality insights, any seller can more effectively implement an adaptive selling strategy to adjust their approach and best resonate with any buyer. Personality influences each stage of the buying process– one buyer may appreciate a more personable and casual approach during outreach yet require an assertive push when in negotiations. Understanding these differences and how they affect each stage of the sales process can significantly improve a seller’s ability to connect with their buyers, build trust, and close more deals.
Predicting Personality details how DISC personality assessments and predictions can be used to improve professional and interpersonal communications while also improving overall sales strategy. Regardless of your DISC type, this book is a great tool for learning more about the impact personality has in each sales interaction – like how it drives each sale, how each buyer’s motivating factors may differ, and how to best communicate with any buyer regardless of their personality. Most importantly, understanding personality is critical to successfully implementing and reinforcing a winning adaptive selling strategy.
Learn more about how personality and an adaptive selling strategy can help uplevel your sales efforts