If you have a book in the same category as Dan Pink, it’s going to be hard to beat him. And, although this year’s Marketing & Sales category was extremely competitive, nobody did. Pink’s To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others from Riverhead Books takes the prize.

“Some of you, no doubt, are selling in the literal sense—convincing existing customers and fresh prospects to buy casualty insurance or consulting services or homemade pies at the farmers’ market. But all of you are likely spending more time than you realize selling in a broader sense—pitching
colleagues, persuading funders, cajoling kids. Like it or not,
we’re all in sales now.”
To Sell Is Human, page 2

With the emergence of sites such as Amazon, YELP, Expedia, and Groupon, people think that we no longer need to sell or be sold to—that these electronic resources can help us find everything that we are looking for on our own. In To Sell is Human, Dan Pink not only demonstrates just how wrong this view is, but shows us that there is a new approach to moving people that involves three very human qualities and three surprising skills. Pink’s in-depth study offers a fresh, perceptive, and—most importantly—practical look at the art and science of selling, and his insightful observations on sales will transform how you think about what you do at work, at school, and at home.

To see the runners-up, check out our Marketing & Sales shortlist.