Most salespeople don’t have a formal education in their field. According to HubSpot, less than half of all salespeople (46%) intended to go into the profession. As a result, many people have had to learn the tricks of the trade ad hoc: a training program here, a weekend course there, so on, and so on. Despite the haphazard way many salespeople are educated, the best know that education is one of the surest ways to improve their skill set and increase their numbers. If you want to be counted among them, pick up these books in honor of the back-to-school season.

‘To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others’ by Daniel H. Pink

Daniel H. Pink is one of the most celebrated business authors of our generation. He’s taken on motivation (“Drive”), productivity (“When”), and other fascinating topics. In “To Sell Is Human,” he covers the world of selling, both within and outside the context of business. “The average person spends 40% of their life trying to move others,” Pink writes. “We’re persuading, convincing, and influencing others to give up something they’ve got in exchange for what we’ve got.” To demonstrate this thesis, Pink provides plenty of anecdotes and data. Less a hard-and-fast rulebook than an exploration of selling as a cultural phenomenon, “To Sell Is Human” will fascinate anyone who pitches and closes for a living.

‘New Sales. Simplified.’ by Mike Weinberg

Countless salespeople excel at communicating the value they present to potential customers but struggle to find those customers and get them in a room in the first place. If you meet this description, “New Sales. Simplified.” will prove invaluable to you. Mike Weinberg guides readers through exactly why so many businesses and salespeople stink at developing new accounts and then offers a program for success. It’s the type of book that can transform the way you think about your operations.

Blogs for Salespeople

If you prefer to get your information in article-length nuggets rather than books, there are plenty of excellent blogs to meet your needs. Sales Hacker, HubSpot, LinkedIn, and Sandler Training are all standout resources for knowledge and insight. Posts from these places are a great way to enrich a few idle minutes.