negotiation Book Summaries

Secrets of Closing the Sale is a considered a must-read by many sales professionals. Zig Ziglar shares a lifetime of time-tested selling techniques that are based on honesty, enthusiasm, and empathy.

To Sell Is Human is about "non-sales selling" or, how to persuade others. Daniel Pink argues that sales skills are more essential than ever because "moving others" has become a part of most careers and businesses. His advice centers on the new ABCs: Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity.

SPIN Selling is a framework for sales conversations, it is especially useful for selling higher-priced products and services. Neil Rackham conducted research that found the most effective salespeople ask four specific types of questions. SPIN is an acronym for these questions: Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-payoff.

Getting to Yes is the most important book on negotiation, according to many professionals. It comes from leaders of The Harvard Negotiation Project, who wanted to help people negotiate agreements with less time and friction. The four steps of the method are: people, interests, options and criteria.

Influence is about six principles of persuasion useful for sales, marketing and negotiation. Professor Robert Cialdini says certain triggers can influence human decisions almost automatically. The six principles are: reciprocity, consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity.

Never Split the Difference shows how to win negotiations and communicate more influentially. Chris Voss perfected his techniques over 25 years at the FBI, negotiating with kidnappers and terrorists. He says we should work with emotions not just reason, demonstrate empathy, use open-ended questions and educate ourselves about cognitive biases.

The Art of The Deal is not a how-to book. You get an inside look at big deals Donald Trump made in the 1980s building his empire, including Trump Tower. Whether you love or hate Trump, you'll learn a lot about sales, publicity and negotiation.