Table of Contents
According to the State of Marketing Report by Salesforce, 69% of customers expect a connected experience throughout the operations. To solidify this claim, the State of the Connected Customer Report suggests that 76% of customers expect consistent interactions across all business departments. However, to get it done the right way is not an easy feat.
Moreover, to ensure smooth operability, one must shift following the dynamic landscape of business-to-business interactions and stay informed about trends. That's why we've curated a meticulously crafted list of the 20 B2B Books You Must Read. These books are an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs, marketers, sales professionals, and anyone in the B2B industry.
From proven strategies to innovative tactics, these books offer insights from industry experts, case studies, and practical advice to navigate the complexities of B2B relationships, drive growth, and achieve tangible results.
Whether you want to enhance your lead generation techniques, optimize your sales processes, or master effective communication with clients, this selected collection will equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the competitive B2B landscape. Get ready to elevate your B2B game and unlock new opportunities for success.
Let's dive into these must-read B2B books and embark on a transformative journey.
20 Best B2B books for business success
Here are the 20 best B2B books for business success:
- "ABM is B2B. Why B2B Marketing and Sales is Broken and How to Fix it" by Sangram Vajre and Eric Spett
- "Account-Based Marketing For Dummies" by Sangram Vajre
- "B2B Marketing Strategy: Differentiate, Develop and Deliver Lasting Customer Engagement" by Heidi Taylor
- "Content-Based Networking: How to Instantly Connect with Anyone You Want to Know" by James Carbary
- "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey A. Moore
- "Customer Success: How Innovative Companies Are Reducing Churn and Growing Recurring Revenue" by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, Lincoln Murphy
- "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink
- "Drivi
- ng Demand: Transforming B2B Marketing to Meet the Needs of the Modern Buyer" by Carlos Hidalgo
- "Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling" by Jeb Blount
- "From Impossible to Inevitable: How Saas & Other Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue" by Aaron Ross and Jason Lemkin
- "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't" by Jim Collins
- "Growth Hacker Marketing: A Primer on the Future of PR, Marketing, and Advertising" by Ryan Holiday
- "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie
- "Innovative B2B Marketing: New Models, Processes and Theory" by Simon Hall
- "B2B Customer Experience" by Nick Hague and Paul Hauge
- "B2B Marketing: The Impact of Personal Relationship Quality on B2B Customer Loyalty" by Mohammad Essam
- "Marketing for Small B2B Businesses: How Content Creates Marketing Muscle and Powers Traditional and Digital Marketing" by Andrew Schulkind
- "B2B Word of Mouth Marketing" by Ted Wright
- "B2B And B2C Sales: How The Brightest Salespeople Think, Act And Respond'' by Luke Moralas
- "B2B Social Selling Strategy: Connect with Customers, Build Relationships and Drive Sales" by Julie Atherton
1. "ABM is B2B. Why B2B Marketing and Sales is Broken and How to Fix it" by Sangram Vajre and Eric Spett
In this book, the author talks about the challenges faced in B2B marketing and sales and gives recommendations on how it can be overcome. The book mainly focuses on Account-Based Marketing (ABM) as a solution. The author tells how effective ABM is and how the practical strategies provided in the book can help the readers. The book provides real-life experiences and advice to help businesses fix their B2B marketing and sales approaches.
Ratings: 4.2/5
Review
Must read for every B2B Saas companies
This is one of the best books I have read in recent times and helps B2B companies understand that ABM is not one of the things they need to do to drive growth but ABM = B2B . ABM is a strategy to drive growth for B2B companies. The concept of #OneTeam (Marketing + Sales + CSM) is so very important in today's B2B world and is very well explained.
- Kalpit
Where can you get it: Buy “ABM is B2B” from Amazon
2. "Account-Based Marketing For Dummies" by Sangram Vajre
We can say that this book is a guide for the beginner's to Account-Based Marketing (ABM). The book explains the basic concepts of ABM which also includes benefits and strategies. The author offers tips and advice for applying ABM successfully. The author made this book very readable so that beginners can easily access it.
Ratings: 4.0/5
Review
This book is a must read for those who wish...
It is very well written and has a lot of practical examples, which means you can start doing it "yourself".
The book has examples from Pardot and Salesforce. So if you have these two solutions, you will benefit a lot.
You will get to know what ABM is THE thing to do in a B2B industry with a longon and complex sales cycle.
- Syed Ali Naqvi
Where can you get it: Buy “Account-Based Marketing For Dummies” from Amazon
3. "B2B Marketing Strategy: Differentiate, Develop and Deliver Lasting Customer Engagement" by Heidi Taylor
The author of this book talks about the B2B marketing strategy. The book disclosed the importance of customer improvement and long-term customer satisfaction and engagement. The book provides the advice to create effective marketing strategies to build growth and meaningful customer relationships.
Ratings: 4.3/5
Review
Worth reading cover-to-cover
The author makes a very strong argument for a return to marketing basics - putting the customer experience at the heart of every decision around the use of technology to do marketing. At times I found the tone a little lamenting at the current state of how marketing teams view/use technology but don't let that put you off. It builds to be a really re-affirming read and inspired and challenged me to rethink a lot of what we do when planning strategy for B2B businesses.
This book is worth reading cover to cover because it delivers a very useful frameworks for B2B strategy across the range of marketing functions and organisational teams.
- David Bray
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B Marketing Strategy” from Amazon
4. "Content-Based Networking: How to Instantly Connect with Anyone You Want to Know" by James Carbary
The book talks about the concept of content-based networking which focuses on valuable content which will make it easy to connect with people and build stronger relationships. As we are aware that relevant content is needed to target the appropriate customers. The author offers strategies to boost content for meaningful connections and expansion of professional networks more effectively.
Ratings: 4.7/5
Review
After reading content networking I set out to start my own content series. The whole concept makes absolute sense. Relationships are the key to building a business, and content collaboration is the best of both content marketing and networking. Thank you, James for such an inspiring and action driven education.
- Cuyler D. Callahan
Where can you get it: Buy “Content-Based Networking” from Amazon
5. "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey A. Moore
In this book, the author discovers the challenges faced by technology-based companies, from early adopters to established markets. The book talks about the "chasm" concept and gives a suitable model for successfully overcoming it. The book focuses on the importance of understanding the needs of different customer segments and modifying marketing efforts accordingly.
Ratings: 4.6/5
Review
Radio Engineer Type
I work in an industry forum which aims to accelerate adoption of small cell technologies, and this book has really helped explain the two opposing mindsets on the early adopters and the mainstream, and hence why the chasm exists. Reading this has really helped me realize that going mainstream really does require a different approach and message.
Where can you get it: Buy “Crossing the Chasm” from Amazon
6. "Customer Success: How Innovative Companies Are Reducing Churn and Growing Recurring Revenue" by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, Lincoln Murphy
Every company wants customer success. This book talks about the concepts of how to boost customer success and ongoing revenue, and how to reduce customer churn.The book mainly discusses the importance of providing memorable customer experiences in every part of the customer journey. The shares advice and strategies collected from successful companies to help businesses understand and implement effective customer success strategies.
Ratings: 4.6/5
Review
Emiley Oster
I rarely write reviews, but was compelled to do so for this comprehensive book on the newest function emerging in the software industry, Customer Success. As an Exec relatively new to the field, but well experienced in sales and account management, I find myself coming back to this book over and over for guidance and inspiration. It is clear, straight forward and full of practical, applicable information that can be utilized by any sales organization. It is a great read for anyone new to Customer Success or for CXO/VP levels as they move to the subscription economy.
Where can you get it: Buy “Customer Success” from Amazon
7. "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink
The author of this book challenges the standard knowledge about motivation and explores what truly motivates individuals to perform at their best. The author says that the traditional motivators like money and rewards are no longer effective as internal motivators such as empowerment, expertise, and motive. Both research and real-world examples are given to highlight how internal motivation can improve performance and satisfaction of both individuals and organizations.
Ratings: 4.4/5
Review
Drive truly gave me an outlook of how we were motivating our workforce, team and executives wrong all this while. I love Daniel H Pink's writing style that is so powerful yet captivating at the same time. Really enjoyed the research led case studies that draw the parallels to what the author wants us to know. Would recommend that you grab a copy and change the outlook of motivating your team in this newer economy the right way.
- Manish Chandak
Where can you get it: Buy “Drive” from Amazon
8. "Driving Demand: Transforming B2B Marketing to Meet the Needs of the Modern Buyer" by Carlos Hidalgo
B2B marketers always face dynamic challenges. This book highlights the challenges faced by B2B marketers in the modern digital environment and offers them strategies that will help effectively to operate the demand. The author in this book highlights how important it is to understand the needs and behaviors of today's buyers and modify marketing efforts to meet those needs. The author explores various marketing approaches to help businesses generate demand and achieve success.
Ratings: 4.2/5
Review
Addresses the benefits and challenges of integrating demand generation strategy into your company. It includes solutions in communicating with stakeholders, the necessary workflows, and what it takes to pull together a working Demand Generation system. Especially find the list of metrics per journey stage to be helpful.
- P. Schneider
Where can you get it: Buy “Driving Demand” from Amazon
9. "Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling" by Jeb Blount
The author in this book provides a complete guide for exploring effective sales in the modern business environment. The book highlights the importance of constant and targeted activities by using various communication channels like social media platform selling, telephone, email, text, and cold calling.The author offers practical strategies, and advice to help sales professionals to generate leads and do meaningful sales conversations to complete their sales pipelines.
Ratings: 4.7/5
Review
If you have failed miserably in sales or are just surviving and thinking to change your sales profession, read this book before making the final decision. I have read Zig ziglar, Brian tracy, Tom Hopkins and many others who have written on sales but this book has opened my eyes and helped me know what was holding me back- I didn't have closing problem but prospecting problem.
A Fanatical prospector is far more successful than a talented, intelligent & master closer. Go for this book- don't think twice ! This book is a masterpiece for the new sales era. It was published in 2015 - it answers your present time challenges.
Don't just let it be on your book shelf, read it from start to end and see the difference in you for yourself !
- Yogesh Kapoor
Where can you get it: Buy “Fanatical Prospecting” from Amazon
10. "From Impossible to Inevitable: How Saas & Other Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue" by Aaron Ross and Jason Lemkin
The author in this book highlights the strategies for achieving hyper-growth and creating predictable revenue in SaaS (Software as a Service) and other high-growth companies.
The book shares the experience of the author to offer practical advice for overcoming growth challenges and marketing efforts to build an environment for sustainable success. The book covers various topics, which include sales, marketing, customer success, and organizational alignment.
Ratings: 4.6/5
Review
As the CEO of a growing SaaS business, I can tell you from personal experience that this book is THE Bible for creating and growing a successful startup. For those of you who don't know Aaron, he is the guy who put Salesforce.com on the map by creating a new model of selling: separate prospecting and closing teams. From this success, he wrote the guide on how to do it for the rest of us: "Predictable Revenue". But where "Predictable Revenue" focused primarily on this new model of selling, "From Impossible to Inevitable" is everything else you need to know about starting and growing your business. From "picking your niche" to honing your message, and then hiring and ramping your team, Aaron tells you how to do it every step of the way. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is so jam-packed with useful information that I have read it, and then re-read it multiple times.
PS - I bought both the audiobook and the hardcover. Aaron narrates the audiobook himself. He is articulate and funny. It turned my commute into a learning session.
- SP Boston, MA
Where can you get it: Buy “From Impossible to Inevitable” from Amazon
11. "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't" by Jim Collins
This book's author explores the factors differentiating great companies from good ones. The author and his team studied several companies over a span of five years to uncover the characteristics and strategies that lead to continuous growth and success.
The book introduces a model for organizational transformation whose main objective is disciplined leadership, a culture of quality strategic decision-making, and the importance of getting the right people.
Ratings: 4.6/5
Review
A Good Book to read, It's perception of individuals how he/she accepts the topics covered in the book. Clearly approached with idea's on research based content. Discussed deliberately some key issues with the organisations & deligators. Empowers area of weakness. But you will in dilemma after knowing the organisations taken as role model to explain got in vain in lateral years.
- Vinod Kumar
Where can you get it: Buy “Good to Great” from Amazon
12. "Growth Hacker Marketing: A Primer on the Future of PR, Marketing, and Advertising" by Ryan Holiday
The book allows readers to explore the emerging field of growth hacking and how it is transforming traditional marketing and advertising practices.
The author in this book explains how companies can boost their growth by adopting innovative and data-oriented strategies that focus on optimization and user integration.
Ratings: 4.2/5
Review
As he said every product can be improved hence 4 stars. The best part of this book is that is short and have awesome examples, And if you are an early adopter to might have experienced many of them . The ways and steps it tells you to take to be a better growth hacker is easy to understand. The book is concise and to the point. I would highly recommend this book for anybody who owns a startup or is into marketing. It even says how they marketed this book. But remember don't just through the old ways of marketing saying this is the only way to do it now a days, while this is the only way for start ups with less resources. Big companies are still using the old ways very effectively at the same time using this method to gain more loyal customers.
- Ashish Khanna
Where can you get it: Buy “Growth Hacker Marketing” from Amazon
13. "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie
Relationships and communication are the strongest pillars of customer satisfaction. The author of this book offers practical advice on interpersonal relationships and communication.
The author introduces techniques that can help readers to improve their social skills and gain leading personalities in both their professional and personal lives. The book highlights the importance of togetherness and showing genuine interest in others.
Ratings: 4.7/5
Review
Great read from start to finish for everyone. Its a complete eye opener for traditional marketers but also provides a range of new perspectives for people and startups already fiddling with growth hacking. This review is contributing to the growth of this book too but how do you make customers volunteer by themselves to help you grow and how to monitor it is what the book explains.
- Lohit, Potential customer
Where can you get it: Buy “How to Win Friends & Influence People” from Amazon
14. "Innovative B2B Marketing: New Models, Processes and Theory" by Simon Hall
The book focuses on dynamic business-to-business marketing to provide new strategies, models and theories used in the market.
The author of this book talks about how B2B marketing has changed in the digital period. The book also highlights the importance of innovation and creativity for successful B2B marketing strategies.
Ratings: 4.2/5
Where can you get it: Buy “Innovative B2B Marketing” from Amazon
15. "B2B Customer Experience" by Nick Hague and Paul Hauge
The author of this book talks about the customer experience in the B2B market. The author talks about the different strategies and advice that can improve customer satisfaction, long-term relationship, and loyalty in B2B.
The book discusses a number of elements like tracking customer journeys, relationship building, effective communication, and delivering value throughout the customer lifecycle.
Ratings: 4.2/5
Review
There is no shortage of material on customer experience; however, I have found most material relates only to the consumer experience, largely ignoring the B2B customer. It was therefore very refreshing to find a book dedicated to the B2B customer experience. The book outlines a useful framework and gives practical key pointers to the design, delivery and measurement of the B2B customer experience. It skillfully borrows ideas from the consumer approach and applies and adapts them accordingly. The contribution of B2B companies to the narrative makes this a very easy and engaging read with practical use.
- Andrew Brown
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B Customer Experience” from Amazon
16. "B2B Marketing: The Impact of Personal Relationship Quality on B2B Customer Loyalty" by Mohammad Essam
The author of this book talks about how the quality of professional relationships impacts customer loyalty. The author studies and discusses the factors that contribute in building strong relationships between B2B buyers and suppliers. The book says that to boost your growth in the B2B market it is very important to nurture long-term customer relationships, trust, communication, commitment, and satisfaction.
Ratings: 4.8/5
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B Marketing” from Amazon
17. "Marketing for Small B2B Businesses: How Content Creates Marketing Muscle and Powers Traditional and Digital Marketing" by Andrew Schulkind
The author of this book focuses on marketing strategies, especially for B2B enterprises. The author of this book discusses the power of content marketing to improve both the standard and digital marketing market.
The book highlights the importance of generating valuable and interesting content which will help to target the appropriate audience. The book shares practical strategies for effective content marketing to attract, engage, and convert potential customers in the B2B market.
Ratings: 5/5
Review
I love This kind of business book - very organized and packed with important information. It starts with a detailed table of contents so I can easily refer back to something I read earlier, and it's written in a conversational style. The book has 13 chapters and each covers one topic, with key takeaways at the end of each chapter. The chapters are fairly short so you can read one between meetings. It's also up to date on current marketing techniques while still presenting the tried and true that have worked for years.
- Richard Gearhart
Where can you get it: Buy “Marketing for Small B2B Businesses” from Amazon
18. "B2B Word of Mouth Marketing" by Ted Wright
Do you know how WOMM can be important in B2B marketing? The author of this book discusses word-of-mouth marketing in the context of B2B relationships.
The author of this book explains how impactful and useful word-of-mouth recommendations can be in controlling B2B decision-making processes. The author also talks about the logic behind WOMM with the help of case studies and practical examples to improve its effectiveness.
Review: Read about the review of B2B Word of Mouth Marketing here.
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B Word of Mouth Marketing” from Amazon
19. "B2B And B2C Sales: How The Brightest Salespeople Think, Act And Respond'' by Luke Moralas
This book's author helps readers understand the similarities and differences between B2B and B2C sales. The author shares case studies, strategies, real-life examples, and other experiences in this book.
The book also provides awareness of the techniques that boost sales success in both B2B and B2C. Also, various features are covered in this book like sales process, building relationships, overcoming challenges, closing deals, maintaining customer loyalty and many more.
Learnings
- You’ll learn the difference between B2B and B2C sales and also how to grow in the market.
Ratings: 4.1/5
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B And B2C Sales” from Amazon
20. "B2B Social Selling Strategy: Connect with Customers, Build Relationships and Drive Sales" by Julie Atherton
The book provides complete guidance to explore the concept and models of social selling in the context of business-to-business (B2B) relationships. The book highlights the factors social media platforms and strategies to understand and connect with customers for meaningful relationships. The author provides complete guidance on effective communication and relationship-building.
Ratings: 5/5
Review
Finally, a no-nonsense well, written, and researched book on social selling. Julie makes a compelling business case for social selling when most of the other books on the subject seem quite empty.
Being a traditional salesperson, I was skeptical of the message, but we truly have moved into a new era of selling, and all businesses and salespeople will have to grow new muscles to compete in a world where content, relevance, consistency, and developing mental availability is the new currency for B2B sales and marketing.
Well worth the investment in time and money.
- Nathan Anibaba
Where can you get it: Buy “B2B Social Selling Strategy” from Amazon
Conclusion
The 20 best B2B books featured in this blog are your gateway to unlocking the secrets of success in the business-to-business world. These books offer invaluable insights, strategies, and practical advice from industry experts, providing you with the knowledge and tools needed to excel in your B2B endeavors.
By immersing yourself in these resources, you have gained a deep understanding of B2B dynamics, customer relationship management, sales strategies, marketing tactics, and more. You have learned about the importance of building strong partnerships, leveraging technology, and delivering exceptional value to your B2B clients.
The best B2B books are not just sources of knowledge but also catalysts for growth and innovation. Let the wisdom they offer inspire you to elevate your B2B game, think creatively, and identify new opportunities for success.
As you embark on your B2B journey, keep the lessons learned from these books in mind. Strive for excellence, prioritize building meaningful relationships with your clients, and continuously refine your approach to stay ahead in the competitive B2B market.
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