Best Sales Training Books (2026): 4 Books Compared

The best sales training books are the ones a new rep can actually run with on Monday morning, not the ones that read well and change nothing. We compared four books by publication date, edition, stated page count and training method. Every detail below comes from the Amazon listings.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Sales Training Guide by Martin	9.7/10	Buy
2	Can't Teach a Kid by Sandler	9.7/10	Buy
3	Ninja Selling by Kendall	9.7/10	Buy
4	Sales Simplified by Weinberg	9.6/10	Buy

1

Sales Training Guide by Martin

Miranda Martin·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2020 handbook for sales leaders who train teams, with an 8-step roadmap for duplicating selling skills.

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Pros

• Published May 6, 2020; an 8-step roadmap for training a sales team
• Teaches feedback, learning retention and how to avoid common pitfalls
• Written for leaders who want to replicate their own selling skills in others

Cons

• 233 pages, the shortest of the four
• No reading age or level is stated
• The description leans on testimonials rather than a detailed contents list

2

Can't Teach a Kid by Sandler

Sandler·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

The 2015 second edition of Sandler's 7-step selling system, for reps and teams who want a prospecting process.

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Pros

• Second edition from March 2, 2015, revised by Sandler Training's CEO David Mattson
• States a 7-step system: up-front contracts, the Sandler Submarine and prospecting with LinkedIn
• 288 pages from McGraw Hill

Cons

• 2015 edition; the 2020 and 2017 picks are newer
• No reading age or level is stated
• Transformation claims in the description are the publisher's, not checkable facts

3

Ninja Selling by Kendall

Larry Kendall·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2017 system for shifting from chasing clients to attracting them, for salespeople who want a process.

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Pros

• Published January 3, 2017; 344 pages, the longest of the four
• States a science-based system for shifting from chasing to attracting clients
• Step-by-step guide format stated

Cons

• No reading age or level is stated
• 2017 publication date; the 2020 pick is newer
• Income-per-hour claims in the description are the publisher's, not checkable facts

4

Sales Simplified by Weinberg

Mike Weinberg·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2012 prospecting handbook for salespeople who need a plan for finding and closing new business.

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Pros

• Stated prospecting formula: target lists, sales stories, proactive calls, email and social media
• 240 pages from AMACOM focused on new business development
• Covers overcoming buyer resistance and building a business development plan

Cons

• Published September 4, 2012, the oldest edition of the four
• Spec table lists the edition as 51482nd, which does not read as an edition
• No reading age or level is stated

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More picks to compare

• Influence by CialdiniFor persuasion readers: the psychology of influence, expanded edition, 592 pages.Check on Amazon
• Fanatical Prospecting by BlountFor prospectors: a 304-page guide to filling the pipeline.Check on Amazon
• Selling 101 by ZiglarFor beginners: a 112-page compact primer on selling basics.Check on Amazon
• First Meeting Differentiator by SalzFor discovery calls: turning first meetings into client consultations.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. None of the four picks states a reading age or level, so that part scores zero. The 2020 team-training handbook leads on fit, followed by the two classic systems and the 2012 prospecting guide. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best sales training books

Train yourself or train a team

Only one pick is written for the person doing the training. The Sales Training Success Guide gives an 8-step roadmap for duplicating your selling skills in a sales team, covering learning retention, feedback and common pitfalls. The Sandler, Ninja Selling and New Sales. Simplified. books are all written for the individual rep. Buy the Martin book if you lead a team; buy one of the other three if you carry a quota.

Check the edition year

Sales tactics age, so the date matters. The Martin guide is from May 6, 2020, Ninja Selling from January 3, 2017, the Sandler book is a second edition from March 2, 2015, and New Sales. Simplified. from September 4, 2012. The Sandler second edition was revised by Sandler Training’s CEO David Mattson, which the description says updates the system for a newer economy. Browse the full business books shelf for newer titles.

Match the method to the gap

A rep with an empty pipeline needs prospecting, so Weinberg’s book with its stated formula for target lists, sales stories and proactive calls fits best. A rep who gets meetings but loses them needs a process, which is the Sandler 7-step system with up-front contracts. A rep who chases too hard needs the Ninja Selling shift from chasing to attracting. For the marketing side of the funnel, see our marketing sales books list.

Before you buy

• Check the edition on the listing: the Sandler book is a second edition from 2015, and the Weinberg spec table lists an edition entry of 51482nd, which does not read as an edition.
• Look for a stated page count: Ninja Selling lists 344 pages, Sandler 288, Weinberg 240 and the Martin guide 233.
• Note who each book is for: the Martin guide trains the trainer, while the other three train the rep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book is for sales managers?

The Sales Training Success Guide by Miranda Martin, published May 6, 2020, with an 8-step roadmap for training a sales team.

Which of these is the newest edition?

The Martin guide from 2020. Ninja Selling is from 2017, the Sandler book is a 2015 second edition, and New Sales. Simplified. is from 2012.

Which book covers prospecting?

New Sales. Simplified. by Mike Weinberg, a 240-page handbook on finding and closing new business. The Sandler book also covers prospecting with LinkedIn.

Still deciding? Our top pickSales Training Guide by Martin

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