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25 Best Books For Real Estate Agents to Read in 2025

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With the advent of self-publishing, there’s no shortage of books about real estate on Amazon and other platforms. 

It’s not a problem of books to read… but what are the best books for real estate agents to read? That is, which books are worth your time?

You’re busy. 

That’s why we’ve compiled the best books for real estate agents on the market here. Bookmark this post and work your way through each. We guarantee you won’t regret it!

Best Books for Real Estate Agents: Business

This first set of books are all about helping you become a better, more successful business owner. You might have been bit by the entrepreneur bug when you were young, but that instinct still needs to be nurtured if it’s going to reach its full potential.

1. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Amazon Description: Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.

But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

Review: “A well-written synopsis of 11 “great” companies and some of their similar characteristics, this is a fun, quick read that is great in terms of party trivia and information… but it’s tougher to judge if you’re looking for more of a business how-to. Partially, it has aged poorly — many of the companies selected have since had meltdowns of epic proportions (for example: Fannie Mae, Circuit City), and the “how to” part of the book feels generalized and far more subjective than the methodology/selection criteria would have you believe. Still, you’ll learn quite a few fun facts about how some of these business started and/or converted to become the giants they are today.”

About The Author: Jim Collins is a student and teacher of what makes great companies tick, and a Socratic advisor to leaders in the business and social sectors. Having invested more than a quarter century in rigorous research, he has authored or coauthored a series of books that have sold in total more than 10 million copies worldwide.

2. Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

Amazon Description: START WITH WHY asks (and answers) the questions: why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?

People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won’t truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.

Review: “The book includes stories of many different companies. Some were successful, and others were not. The successful ones were led by individuals who strongly believed in something (they had a Why), which was the business’s guiding principle. The unsuccessful companies may have started out doing well, but when they lost their focus on their Why, or if the person who had that vision left the organization, the business started to falter.”

About The Author: Simon Sinek is an optimist. He teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. From members of Congress to foreign ambassadors, from small businesses to corporations like Microsoft and 3M, from Hollywood to the Pentagon, he has presented his ideas about the power of why.

3. The Million Dollar Real Estate Team by Chris Watters with Bradley Pounds

The Million Dollar Real Estate Team by Chris Watters with Bradley Pounds

Amazon Description: Ever feel like you can’t jump off the real estate merry-go-round of listing appointments, property showings and one transactional fire after another? Do you want to build a team that can operate without your day-to-day involvement, but don’t know where to begin? If you’re like thousands of other successful agents, you probably feel like you’re producing as much as you can as a sole operator, but moving from ‘Captain Everything’ to an ownership mentality sounds too daunting. Contained in this book is a step-by-step business plan with simple, unambiguous directions on which steps to take and in what order. Learn from Chris Watters and Bradley Pounds how they scaled their business at a breakneck pace and earned a profit of over $1 million in just three years.

Review: “This is one of the best books I’ve read to date that gives specific examples and just doesn’t live in the clouds and talk about subjects. It is well laid out, gets into the dirt, and gives a step by step guide on how to form a strong real estate team. Quite honestly the support items mentioned to download from the website are lacking but the information in the actual book is top notch! I highly recommend this book to not only the agent looking to form a team but also the other leaders of top teams as there are plenty of nuggets. I’ve listened to it via audible and use the book as a reference guide to look back at highlights made. Great work Chris, Bradley, and team!”

About The Author: Mr. Watters holds multiple advisory roles in technology and real estate investment companies. His personal goal is helping to create positive and lasting change to enhance the consumer experience. Watters is a graduate of Texas State University where he studied Business Administration in Finance.

4. Your First 365 Days in Real Estate: How to build a successful real estate business (starting with nothing) by Shelley Zavitz

Your First 365 Days in Real Estate How to build a successful real estate business (starting with nothing)

Amazon Description: The first 365 days of working in real estate can be one of the most tumultuous times in your career – full of hard lessons, heart breaks and hard work. Just because you have a license, doesn’t mean you have a business. But if you get the important stuff right, a great future is yours for the taking. This honest, eye-opening and completely practical insider’s guide shows you how to get where you want to be – even if you’re starting from nothing.

Review: “As a new agent it answered a lot of my questions and provided me with a foundation to build on with some templates that has helped me create a plan of action and organize my daily and monthly task which resulted in being more productive. This book has given me the confidence that I too can achieve my goals with the right tools in my hands! Awesome read – Highly Recommend!”

About The Author: Shelley Zavitz is a successful real estate agent working in Portland, Oregon. With an award-winning background in commercial copywriting and brand building (including working for Virgin Radio), Shelley started relatively late in real estate. But by applying her extensive branding experience – as well as learning the ropes the hard way – she has become a dramatic success story.

5. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan

The Millionaire Real Estate Agent

Amazon Description: Gary Keller knows the beauty of a simple path to a spectacular goal! Whether you are just getting started or a veteran in the business,The Millionaire Real Estate Agent is the step-by-step handbook for seeking excellence in your profession and in your life.

Review: “This is one the most imperative books for a realtor and I’ve purchased many throughout my own real estate career. I gift them to anyone I come across that’s considering becoming a realtor or is a new agent because it helps set the groundwork for your business. Becoming an agent that produces at a high level can be intimidating but the MREA book is a roadmap to guide you to a successful real estate business. Buy it and read it many times over!”

About The Author: Gary Keller is the founder and chairman of the board of Keller Williams Realty International, the largest privately held real estate agency in the United States. It is also one of the fastest-growing agencies in the United States, with more than 30,000 agents.

6. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

Amazon Description: Gerber walks you through the steps in the life of a business—from entrepreneurial infancy through adolescent growing pains to the mature entrepreneurial perspective: the guiding light of all businesses that succeed—and shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise. Most importantly, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business.

Review: “As I read through the book, Gerber pointed out things about how most small business owners are “technicians” turned business owners; the problem, we may be skilled in what we do, but now we take on multiple jobs that we do NOT know how to do. The problem continues as we immerse ourselves in the “technician” work, but never actually work ON the business, so many aspects of the business suffer (sales, marketing, finances, operations) or just plain don’t exist.”

About The Author: Michael E. Gerber is a true legend of entrepreneurship. The editors of INC magazine called him “The World’s #1 Small Business Guru.” He is Co-founder and Chairman of the Michael E. Gerber Companies—a group of highly unique enterprises dedicated to creating world-class start-ups and entrepreneurs in every industry and economy. The Gerber Companies transforms the way small business owners grow their enterprises and has evolved into an empire over its history of nearly three decades.

7. SOLD: Every Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Building a Profitable Business by David M. Greene

SOLD: Every Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Building a Profitable Business

Amazon Description: Real estate sales can be a lucrative and flexible way to earn a great living―but it’s not as straightforward as a W-2 job. Most agents lack the necessary mentorship, guidance, and training to succeed in the competitive and independent world of real estate.

SOLD provides a much-needed look at how successful real estate agents build their business, close deals, and generate commissions. Bestselling author and expert real estate agent David Greene shares everything he wishes someone had shared with him―including the exact processes he used to become rookie of the year and top agent in his office.

Review: “I thought this was a great book to read for a new agent or a seasoned agent who is looking to get back to the basics of the business. It’s well structured and provides a clear plan for you to use as well as a realistic understanding of real estate business to get you started in the real estate industry as an agent.”

About The Author: David Greene is a former police officer and a real estate investor with more than nine years of experience. He has bought, rehabbed, and managed over 35 single-family rental properties, owns shares in three large multifamily apartment complexes, shares in note funds, and is a top-producing real estate agent on the Keller Williams East County team. A nationally recognized authority on real estate, David is the co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast and has been featured on CNN, Forbes, and HGTV. He is the author of two bestselling books—Long-Distance Real Estate Investing and Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat (BRRRR)—which have sold more than 160,000 copies. David loves basketball, Batman, being an uncle, and helping people achieve total financial independence through real estate. He currently lives in Northern California.

8. The Book of YES: The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Conversation Guide by Kevin Ward

The Book of YES: The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Conversation Guide

Amazon Description: In The Book of YES, you will find the most powerful scripts in the real estate industry today.If you’re tired of the same old sales scripts or if you’ve done away with them all together, I know how you feel because I’ve been there.I was tired of seeing the same B.S.(bad sales) approaches and I wanted something that felt more natural for me.So I started creating my own scripts, for the simple reason that I hated being told, “No.” For me nothing was worse than that feeling of rejection. I was determined to figure out the perfect thing to say in every situation, and how to say it in a way that would cause sellers and buyers to want to say “Yes!” to me every time. This book is the result of that quest.

Review: “Incredibly insightful on the psychology behind the conversations to have with not only prospects but everyone in your day to day lives. Going to live, breathe, sleep this book until it’s embedded in my DNA. I can’t thank yon enough for bringing this book to the public. Easy Read. Amazing scripts already all thought out for you to just start putting it to work. The book teaches you not only what to say, but HOW to say.”

About The Author: Kevin is known internationally for his high-powered yet practical, real-world strategies and for his ability to make skills and scripts simple and learnable for agents at every level.

Kevin’s ultimate goal for my writing and trainings, is not only to provide the highest quality training, but also to create a community of real estate professionals who are committed to a “No-BS approach” to real estate, and to getting “more YES’s and more successes in their business…AND IN THEIR LIFE.

9. Your First Year in Real Estate, 2nd Ed.: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional by Dirk Zeller

Your First Year in Real Estate, 2nd Ed.: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional

Amazon Description: Welcome to the world of real estate sales, and the start of an exciting new career! Your destiny is now in your hands. Along with endless opportunities, flexible hours, and the freedom to chart your own path, you also have the potential to earn fabulous amounts of money. All you need for total success is preparation. Revised and expanded, Your First Year in Real Estate contains the essential knowledge you need to start off right in today’s vastly changed real estate market, avoid common first-year missteps, and get the inside edge that will take you to the top. 

Review: “This book offers a solid, step-by-step plan to get a new agent off on the right footing in their new career. With so many educational demands and the lure of social media marketing, it can be easy to “take your eye off the ball”. Dirk Zeller helps keep the focus on the prize while acknowledging the place for all the bells and whistles. Highly recommended for my fellow new agents.”

About The Author: Dirk Zeller has been a Real Estate Agent, Investor, Coach and Speaker for more than 20 years. He is one of the most published Authors with over 500 articles published to his credit, along with six books; all of which have hit industry best seller lists. Three of his books are for the famous Dummies® series.

Best Books for Real Estate Agents: Vision & Mindset

Before you can build a great business, you’ve got to be able to see what that looks like in your mind’s eye — you’ve got to cast vision, forge a rock-solid mindset, and keep going when the going gets tough (and it always gets tough). These books will help you with that.

10. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Amazon Description: Now you can quickly and effectively study and put into practice the greatest personal development program of all time. In only ten minutes a day, you can begin to implement the success principles that have made more millionaires and top influencers than any other achievement philosophy.

Fame? Fortune? Impactful service? More meaningful relationships? You can have anything that you want in life when you discover the secret contained in Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich.

Review: “Great Book – the workbook compliments it nicely and motivates you to really put effort into doing exercises Hill recommends in book. Timeless , most popular book in prosperity and tool for business minds alike. Recommended ! Do work exactly as laid out for results reading alone without action (definiteness of purpose/ specific desire or goal coupled with faith ) faith without works is dead.”

About The Author: Napoleon Hill was born in Wise County, Virginia. He began his writing career at age 13 as a “mountain reporter” for small town newspapers and went on to become America’s most beloved motivational author. His work stands as a monument to individual achievement and is the cornerstone of modern motivation. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, is one of the best-selling books of all time. Hill established the Foundation as a nonprofit educational institution whose mission is to perpetuate his philosophy of leadership, self-motivation, and individual achievement.

11. Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance

Amazon Description: In this instant New York Times bestseller, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed—be it parents, students, educators, athletes, or business people—that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.”

Drawing on her own powerful story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her lack of “genius,” Duckworth, now a celebrated researcher and professor, describes her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives success is not “genius” but a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance.

Review: “Empowering…Angela Duckworth compels attention with her idea that regular individuals who exercise self-control and perseverance can reach as high as those who are naturally talented—that your mindset is as important as your mind.”

About The Author: Dr Angela Duckworth is a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an expert in non-IQ competencies, including grit and self-control. A highly sought-after international speaker, her TED talk on grit has been viewed by over 10 million people.

12. The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents by Hal Elrod, Michael J. Maher, Michael Reese, and Jay Kinder, with Honoree Corder

The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents

Amazon Description: If you liked The Miracle Morning or (7L) The Seven Levels of Communication: Go from Relationships to Referrals, you’ll love The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents! As in (7L), we have the opportunity to tell a tale about Rick Masters and Michelle Phillips. Rather than merely telling you the strategies, concepts, and tactics to implement a morning ritual full of the best practices of high achievers, we can also show you, through Rick and Michelle’s challenges, choices, and achievements, how to make the ultimate morning ritual part of your daily routine. We’re excited for you to read and implement the strategies, using Rick and Michelle’s story as a guide. For those who go to work every day knowing your family relies on a commission – relies on you  to sell something – this book is for you. We wrote this for you.

Review: “I am not a big reader, but this book has already yielded me results as a realtor. It has given me consistency and I’m always looking forward to the next steps. SAVERS is definitely a game changer.”

About The Author: HAL ELROD is the #1 Bestselling Author of what is widely considered to be one of the most life-changing books ever written, “The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life… (Before 8AM).” After being hit head on by a drunk driver and found dead at the scene at age 20, Hal woke from a coma to the news that he would never walk again. He defied the odds and eventually ran a 52-mile ultra-marathon, is now an international Keynote Speaker, Success Coach, and host of a #1 ranked podcast on iTunes, called “Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod.”

13. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Amazon Description: The widely adopted, now classic book on influence and persuasion—a major national and international bestseller with more than four million copies sold!

In this highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini—the seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasion—explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these principles ethically in business and everyday situations.

Review: “Robert Cialdini has done the impossible: he has improved a masterpiece. The new version of Influence is a marvelously rich and engaging account of the subtle power that people exert on each other.”

About The Author: Harvard Business Review lists Dr. Cialdini’s research in “Breakthrough Ideas for Today’s Business Agenda.” Influence has been listed on the “New York Times Business Best Seller List.” Fortune Magazine lists Influence in their “75 Smartest Business Books.” CEO Read lists Influence in their “100 Best Business Books of All Time.”

Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.

14. The Honest Real Estate Agent: A Training Guide for a Successful First Year and Beyond as a Real Estate Agent by Mario Jannatpour

The Honest Real Estate Agent: A Training Guide for a Successful First Year and Beyond as a Real Estate Agent

Amazon Description: Brand New Third Edition! This book is for brand new Agents and experienced Agents looking to jump start their business. It’s not a book for everyone. The book is for Honest Real Estate Agents who care about their customers, work hard and want to make a difference in helping other people. One of the drawbacks of most real estate schools is they teach you only how to pass the real estate exam. They don’t teach you how to succeed as a Real Estate Agent once you get your license. This is the book for you because it will help you hit the ground running once you get your license. In the past five years thousands of new Agents have bought this book as they embark on their career in real estate.

Review: “This was the first book I read on my realtor journey. I’m so glad someone recommended it to me and I’ve shared it with many others. Great book that defines those first steps you must take. It gave me definition when I didn’t know what to do next. The book is very clear and filled with practical steps that walk you through the beginning stages of your new business. This book should be what they use at the school to get your licence. Quit making people learn stuff that has NO practical relationship to this business. No wonder why so many people fail at this.”

About The Author: A career salesperson, Mario Jannatpour is the founder of “CARE” Coaching. (Competitive Advantage Real Estate), a Realtor with RE/MAX Alliance in Colorado and the author of the top selling book “The Honest Real Estate Agent.” “CARE” Coaching focuses exclusively on maximizing revenue for their clients and building a long-term sustainable real estate business. Combining his own sales training, his interviews with many top Agents and Trainers in the real estate industry and over 30 years sales experience Mario Jannatpour has insights into the trends within the real estate industry. Mario has synthesized his findings on how to effectively build, grow and maintain a profitable business for Real Estate Agents in a way where they believe in themselves, enjoy their work, love their career and enjoy living a balanced life.

15. Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times by Gary Keller

Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times

Amazon Description: Markets shift and so can you. Sometimes you’ll shift in response to a falling market and other times you’ll shift to take your business to the next level. Both can transform your business and your life. You can change your thinking, your focus, your actions, and ultimately, your results. You can get back in the game and ahead of the competition. The tactics that jump-start your business in tough times will power it forward in good times. Put your business into another gear – shift!

Review: “I am a realtor and this book should be in every agent’s book collection, especially with the shifting market we currently find ourselves in.”

About The Author: Gary Keller is the founder and chairman of the board of Keller Williams Realty International, the largest privately held real estate agency in the United States. It is also one of the fastest-growing agencies in the United States, with more than 30,000 agents.

16. The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Amazon Description: While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in.

Review: “Going through my own struggle to fulfill my dreams, I just picked up the book and read it. And as the author says hard things are hard, because there are no easy answers or recipes. It is an easy read, though can get boring in places, especially given it is also a management book. However, the author’s stewardship Opsware is fascinating, its ups and downs, re-inventing itself, fighting and eventually selling it.”

About The Author: Ben Horowitz is the cofounder and general partner of Andreessen Horowitz, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in entrepreneurs building the next generation of leading technology companies. The firm’s investments include Airbnb, GitHub, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Previously, he was cofounder and CEO of Opsware, formerly Loudcloud, which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion in 2007. Horowitz writes about his experiences and insights from his career as a computer science student, software engineer, cofounder, CEO, and investor in a blog that is read by nearly 10 million people. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the New Yorker, Fortune, the Economist, and Bloomberg Businessweek, among others. Horowitz lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Felicia.

17. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Amazon Description: In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity–principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

Review: “There are many self-help or improvement guides out there. The simple writing and everyday examples really struck a chord with me.”

About The Author: Stephen Richards Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Best Books for Real Estate Agents: Strategy & Execution

Sales, negotiations, marketing, hiring, firing, finding clients, getting referrals — those are just a few of the things you have to do as a real estate agent. These are some of our favorite books for improving your day-to-day executions. 

18. Start With “No” by Jim Camp

Start With “No”

Amazon Description: For years now, win-win has been the paradigm for business negotiation. But today, win-win is just the seductive mantra used by the toughest negotiators to get the other side to compromise unnecessarily, early, and often. Win-win negotiations play to your emotions and take advantage of your instinct and desire to make the deal.

Start with No introduces a system of decision-based negotiation that teaches you how to understand and control these emotions. It teaches you how to ignore the siren call of the final result, which you can’t really control, and how to focus instead on the activities and behavior that you can and must control in order to successfully negotiate with the pros.

Review: “I discovered Jim Camp’s book while reading Chris Voss’ “Never Split the Difference.” Voss cited “Start with No,” so I decided to read it, too. Although I walked away with more actionable steps from Voss’ work, I enjoyed Camp’s book a lot, since it gave a good summary of many important negotiation techniques. Jim Camp, too, is a good story teller, so his book is a quick read.”

About The Author: Jim Camp has coached people through thousands of negotiations at more than 150 companies, including Motorola, Texas Instruments, Merrill Lynch, IBM, and Prudential Insurance, as well as many other smaller companies in a wide range of industries. He has lectured at graduate business schools in the United States and has been a featured speaker at Inc. magazine’s “Growing the Company” conferences. Jim founded the Camp Negotiation Institute in 2010.

19. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by

Amazon Description: After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference takes you inside the world of high-stakes negotiations and into Voss’s head, revealing the skills that helped him and his colleagues succeed where it mattered most: saving lives. In this practical guide, he shares the nine effective principles―counterintuitive tactics and strategies―you too can use to become more persuasive in both your professional and personal life.

Review: “This is a phenomenal book, written by an author who spent the majority of his 24 years career as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI and its hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. Apart from trained by the bureau, he was also trained in Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School.”

About The Author: A 24 year veteran of the FBI, Chris Voss is one of the preeminent practitioners and professors of negotiating skills in the world. He is the founder and principal of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm that provides training and advises Fortune 500 companies through complex negotiations. Voss has taught for many business schools, including the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Harvard University, MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, among others.

20. Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work) by Stephan Schiffman

Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work)

Amazon Description: Follow the advice of Stephan Schiffman—America’s #1 Corproate Sales Trainer—and take your career to the next level. This special anniversary edition of his perennial bestseller, Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!), provides you with all of the right tools for turning prospects into meetings, and meetings into big sales.

This easy-to-follow guide helps you beat today’s cold calling obstacles, such as voice mail, cell phones, and e-mail. Schiffman’s professional experience and corporate wisdom guarantee your future success. The anniversary edition of Cold Calling Techniques packs in plenty of potential leads to help you hunt down more business.

Review: “I’m new to sales and purchased this book to introduce myself to the art of cold calling. I’m currently reading just about anything I can get my hands on but I enjoy Schiffman’s material because it is simple, clear and to the point. Along with that, Schiffman has a simple approach to sales that echoes my own personal values about honesty and integrity. This book focuses heavily on how to have conversations during the calls and less on how to prepare for the call outside of having a workable script.”

About The Author: Stephan Schiffman has trained more than 500,000 salespeople at such firms as AT&T Information Systems, Chemical Bank, Manufacturer’s Hanover Trust, Motorola, and U.S. Health Care. Schiffman is president of D.E.I Management Group and the author of such bestselling books as Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!) and Closing Techniques (That Really Work!).

21. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends & Influence People

Amazon Description: You can go after the job you want—and get it!

You can take the job you have—and improve it!

You can take any situation—and make it work for you!

Dale Carnegie’s rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. One of the most groundbreaking and timeless bestsellers of all time, How to Win Friends & Influence People will teach you:

-Six ways to make people like you

-Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking

-Nine ways to change people without arousing resentment

And much more! Achieve your maximum potential—a must-read for the twenty-first century with more than 15 million copies sold!

Review: “The Dale Carnegie approach is a system of timeless principals, if applied correctly; are sure to make you the master of your social life. These principals are passed to you in the shape of short stories that depict experiences of various successful people who’ve applied them throughout their lifetimes. You’ll find mention of the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt. And both Charles Schwab and Dickens. You cannot go wrong, reading this masterpiece.”

About The Author: Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) described himself as a “simple country boy” from Missouri but was also a pioneer of the self-improvement genre. Since the 1936 publication of his first book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, he has touched millions of readers and his classic works continue to impact lives to this day.

22. Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day: Secrets of a Top Agent Revealed (5 Minute Success) by Karen Briscoe

Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day: Secrets of a Top Agent Revealed (5 Minute Success)

Amazon Description: Investing your first 5 minutes a day reading and sharpening your skills can put you on the fast track to success in your life and business. Many masters and experts have shared their wisdom through words. Learning from these experienced leaders by reading their words is how you, too, can achieve personal and professional transformation. Success is achieved by getting into action immediately and applying the principles learned. Applied knowledge leads to success.

Review: “I only keep books I reference frequently on my office shelf and this is one of them! Although written from a real estate perspective, which is not my business, it provides great success tips for sales people, integrity and prioritizing what is in important. I have picked up several great tips including what to in unusual situations to maintain my customer, taking the high road and relationship building. The format of a “thought a day” is easy reading and “stickable!” I would recommend this book to any sales person of any field, customer service personnel, and of course those in real estate. I am using several tips I received from reading this book that have added positive interactions to my business.”

About The Author: Karen Briscoe is the creator of the 5 Minute Success concepts and host of 5 Minute Success The Podcast – which has an amazing array of guests who achieve success at a high level in business and life. She regularly speaks on the national and local level on the best of 5 Minute Success and Flip Time / Love Life. She has completed the John Maxwell Team Certification Program for Coaching, Speaking, and Training.

23. Exactly What to Say: For Real Estate Agents by Phil Jones

Exactly What to Say: For Real Estate Agents

Amazon Description: The real estate industry desperately needs new tools and ideas to stay relevant to the modern consumer. The modern consumer is more educated and has more choices than ever before. Counterintuitively, this has led to more confusion, doubt, and frustration in their real estate journey.

Therein the opportunity lies.

In Exactly What To Say for Real Estate Agents, Phil M. Jones, Chris Smith, and Jimmy Mackin provide 30 Magic Words to help with the most common, critical, and difficult conversations real estate agents have today. If you are open-minded to a better way of selling, this book is for you.

Review: “Exactly What To Say for Real Estate Agents is short, to the point, and cuts out a lot of the noise from other coaching and training. A sales professional must know how to communicate with modern consumers.”

About The Author: Phil M. Jones is a serial entrepreneur, business growth expert and the best-selling author of Exactly What To Say, Exactly How To Sell, and Exactly Where To Start. He had his first business at just 14 years of age and is the youngest recipient of the “British Excellence in Sales and Marketing” award.

24. The Million Dollar Listing Social Media: The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Guide for Real Estate Professionals! by Sebastian Acosta

The Million Dollar Listing Social Media: The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Guide for Real Estate Professionals

Amazon Description: Discover the techniques that will make your real estate business grow exponentially. This easy to comprehend guide will teach how to navigate the roadmap of Social Media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and many more. An easy to comprehend manual that will guide you from beginning to end on what has to be done to succeed in today’s digital marketing arena. Anyone in the real estate arena field including but not limited to Realtors, appraisers, investors, developers, general contractors, landscape artists, interior designers, stagers, 3D artists, architects & even engineers can take advantage of these valuable lessons. Whether you have advanced knowledge on social media or little or no knowledge in this field, rest assured, there will be something in here that will apply to your business and help you grow.

Review: “Amazing Read!!! I actually met the author years ago in Miami on a real estate assignment, and I know very well he is the real deal. He is one of the top top tier players in Luxury Real Estate in Miami with Engel and Volkers (an international real estate company), and has held that spot for many years now. This book is fantastic. I have worked full time in real estate for about 15 years, and I have good handle on social media. I thought I did anyway. This book has really opened my eyes to so many different angles of the social media space for real estate marketing!! So glad I purchased, and I highly suggest this book to anyone regardless of if you are in the RE field or not. Its must know info!!!!! This book is sure to be a best seller!!!”

About The Author: Sebastian Acosta is a highly respected real estate agent, social media marketing expert, speaker, investor and business book author in the real estate arena. He has mastered this business thanks to hard work, strong ethics and full dedication to his profession. Book author of “Make Millions with Foreclosures and Short Sales” (2008). As an agent and investor he bought and sold 300 properties since 2012. Mr. Acosta has built a network of 1 Million followers on Instagram in multiple pages. Recently bought a building in Florida for 1.1 Million in June 2016 and flipped it for 1.8 Million in Sept 2017 thanks to his digital marketing techniques. Thanks to Twitter he was instrumental in the sale of a $12.5 million mansion to a Miami Heat All Star basketball player. The author enjoys art, traveling, water sports, boating, hiking, dancing, writing & reading. He is also involved in many charitable organizations with special dedication to saving children, animals and marine life around the world.

25. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes

The Ultimate Sales Machine

Amazon Description: Every single day 3,076 businesses shut their doors. But what if you could create the finest, most profitable and best-run version of your business without wasting precious dollars on a thousand different strategies? When The Ultimate Sales Machine first published in 2007, legendary sales expert Chet Holmes gave us the key to do just that. All you need is to focus on twelve key areas of improvement—and practice them over and over with pigheaded discipline.

Now, a decade later, Chet’s daughter Amanda Holmes breathes new life into her father’s classic advice. With updated language to match our ever-changing times and over 50 new pages of content, The Ultimate Sales Machine will help any modern reader transform their organization into a high-performing, moneymaking force. 

Review: “Reading Chet Holmes’s book can turn your business into a high-performing, massively profitable, superior money-making force in whatever field or market you compete in. . . . It’s essential reading for anyone craving business greatness and prosperity.”

About The Author: Chet Holmes worked with over sixty of the Fortune 500 companies as America’s top marketing executive, trainer, strategic consultant, and motivation expert. His client list included American Express, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Pac Bell, Estee Lauder, Thomson International, Merrill Lynch, Citibank, Xerox, among many others. 

Today his legacy continues with his daughter, Amanda Holmes, leading the Chet Holmes International team as Chairman of the Board at CHI. With her new innovations, she has carried on Chet’s legacy for the last decade, doubling their clients across divisions for multiple years in a row.

Final Thoughts

It’s been said that leaders are readers.

So are great business owners, entrepreneurs, innovators… and real estate agents. Reading is the cheapest and easiest way to access information from other experts who’ve been there and done that. 

Make the above your reading list… and you’ll be well on your way to the top of the pack.

Mike Blankenship

Michael is a freelance copywriter who helps startups build bigger, more sustainable businesses. He’s been mentioned on Forbes and Entrepreneur for his expertise as a writer, and he's written articles for SUCCESS, SmartBlogger, GetResponse, AdWeek, Jeff Bullas, and a whole slew of other publications. You can learn more about him at mikeblankenship.org or connect with him on Facebook.

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