Book Description

Salespeople hate to read.That's why The Little Red Book of Selling is short, sweet, and to the point.It's packed with answers that people are searching for in order to help them make sales for the moment--and the rest of their lives. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Buy this book!
For anyone involved in business this book gives very practical advice on not only the methodology for pricing new products but also changing the strategy of one's existing pricing policy.

Look for a sustainable competitive advantage, maximise contribution margin, concentrate on value and profitability and then market share will follow are some of the key philosophies contained in the text. Concerning the value of this book, it is worth the price alone just for the chapter on costings and formula for calculating what level of sales a company can afford to lose/must gain after a price increase/decrease in order to break even.

A common complaint about business books is that they are all OK in theeory but contain little in the way of explanations of how to implement - this book however offers not only theory and case study examples but also practical instructions on what needs to be done to improve pricing strategy. Overall very, very impressive and a must read for anyone involved in finance, sales or marketing functions. As someone has already said these guys really know their stuff and it works!!

Superb guide to pricing as business strategy
Written with great clarity, "The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing" is a phenomenal book. It begins with an explanation of strategic pricing, and proceeds to cover competition in the market place, segmentation of buyers, pricing and the marketing mix for industrial and consumer goods, as well as the psychology of pricing. Also covered are models for determining price sensitivity, implications of sales staff price setting and negotiation, and finally, legal aspects of pricing.

After reading this book, you will understand the pitfalls of pursuing market share at all costs and common mistakes businesses and sales people make when setting or negotiating price. You will view your current pricing structure and strategy in a new light, and be able to spot the weak spots. You'll have a better picture of how to attract the right buyers, those that can be served profitably.

The book indirectly touches on topics covered in Co-opetition, and Thinking Strategically, as well as elements of the Theory of Constraints (see Eli Goldratt's "The Goal" and "It's Not Luck" or "Management Dilemmas" by Eli Schragenheim)

I can't recommend this book highly enough. As for the other reader who states:

"After reading this book, I was able to talk circles around the $20,000 "marketing consultant" we were considering."

believe it, it's that valuable!

Absolutely essential !
A must-have practical guide for any marketing executive, interested in improving his organization's performance.

Get into a new world of pricing strategy
One of the most focused book I have read recently. If anyone wants to learn about the factors influencing pricing strategy or developing right value proposition for their pricing decisions, this is the book. A must read. If you're skipping it then I would say that you are missing something.

Scholarly and comprehensive
Strategy and Pricing is the comprehensive work on pricing, with hundreds of chapter sections dealing with academic and business elements of pricing. The scholarly nature of the book is exhaustive. Of the three major price works ("Strategy and Tactics", "Power Pricing" by Dolan, and
"Winning the Profit Game. Smarter Pricing, Smarter Branding" by Docters, et al) I think Prof. Nagle has the definitive treatise. For those who like a more prescriptive discussion of price, and some leading edge ideas, "Winning the Profit Game" might be a better read. Power
Pricing is perhaps better at organizational issues. The Docters book is the easiest read, with some humor along the way. ... Read more

Book Description

"Every once in a while ONE book defines a category."
—Jack Covert, 800-CEO-READ

One of "The Ten Books Every Sales Person Should Own and Read"
–The Dale Carnegie Sales Advantage Program–

Jeffrey Gitomer’s bestselling guide to the art of the sale has helped hundreds of thousands of people get ahead in the sales game. The Sales Bible offers the proven methods and techniques that lead to bigger sales and more loyal customers. Full of practical, hands-on information, it offers everything salespeople need to know to improve their results immediately.

What do REAL salespeople think about The Sales Bible?

"The Sales Bible has directed my sales successes from Sales Manager, to Sales Director, to Area Sales Director, to my current position of Vice President of Sales. Thank you, Jeffrey, for leading me up ‘ the corporate ladder.’ "
–Bryan D. Moore, vp of Sales & Marketing, Targeted Golf Solutions

"I have read many different books about selling, but Jeffrey’s book is the only one I keep on my night stand. I can look at it every night–reading only a few sentences as a refresher or whole chapters to enhance my skills."
–James A. Wilton, Account Manager, AETEA Information Technology

"I’d be a better Catholic if only the Holy Bible was this easy of a read."
–Lance Cassidy, Sales Director, MAMSI Health Plans

"The Sales Bible is a book of truth within the sales world. I only hope my competitors don’t see the light."
–Jeff Williams, Vice President of Sales, Unishippers Cincinnati/Dayton

"Wait! The material in this book is only priceless if you choose to apply it. Don’t even think of opening this book . . . until you’re ready to become a success."
–Mike Tischer, New Business Development, Tailored Solutions, Inc.

"This book should be shaped like a key. After reading it I unlocked my toughest market."
–Joseph Andrade, Personal Financial Analyst, Primerica Financial Services ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Packed with tips, in a quite unorganized fashion
Being in search of basic sales knowledge, I figured the Sales Bible would do the trick.
This book IS packed with lots of techniques, "standard" lines and useful tricks. But the delivery is quite confusing. This book has little to no structure (completely lacks a sales process for example). Some tips are repeated from one chapter to another. It feels like an aggregate of unrelated publications. The style is enjoyable to really funny, when it is not for the abusive usage of bold, italic and oversized fonts which only add to the confusion.
However, it still deserves 3 stars for being a good reference on specific stages in the sale process. Gitomer knows his stuff and it does show in the content. You might want to check the Accidental Sales Person for a more structured approach.

This book is the ultimate sales training boot camp in print.
I've read them all. And as a sales trainer and speaker myself, I can say that this is the ultimate book for sales people in any industry no matter what skill level you are currently at. Plus it is very easy to read and understand. If all salespeople were to read this book, there would be no reason for sales trainers like me. If you want to do yourself and your career a huge favor, buy this book and read it. Then use the information in it to soar. I recommend it to the people I've had the opportunity to train.

Good stuff
as a memory development trainer and speaker myself, I can say that this is very good book for people interested in selling their knowledge. The most important is - that this book is easy to read and follow...
If you dream about success- this is book for you. Just follow all instructions.
Author knows what he is talking about.
Also I would suggest to look for some Robert B. Cialdini books to read them at the same time.
This is book for people who are seriously thinking about their career in selling. This is not important what you sell. If you know 'how to sell' you can sell everything!

This book sucks "DON'T BUY IT"
This book sucks. I have not read many books on sales but I still say this book sucks. I can write this 300 page of crap in this review.
Step one make a to do list
Step two do what is on the to do list
Three be honest
Four be persistent
I would like to know who gave this piece a good review. I wasted $12 bucks on it. Buy a different book this one is worthless.
And another question; who would publish such a big pile of crap?

Want it sooner that later? Read the Book!!!
I got this book on my Birthday and I have to say happy birthday to me. This is the definitive sales text. Others might have their favorite books about different genres of selling but when its time to put a text book on the desk of a new class of salesman, this better be the book! It will shorten the learning curve and soften the hard road and focus you on the criteria and techniques, used by Mr. Gitomer, to become one of the best there is and to help you elevate your game. It's a must read for anyone who sells and wants success! God Bless you all! ... Read more

Book Description

Brian Tracy, one of the top professional speakers and sales trainers in the world today, found that his most important breakthrough in selling was the discovery that it is the "Psychology of Selling" that is more important than the techniques and methods of selling.

Tracy's classic audio program, The Psychology of Selling, is the best-selling sales training program in history and is now available in expanded and updated book format for the first time. Salespeople will learn:

Salespeople, says Tracy, must learn to control their thoughts, feelings, and actions to make themselves more effective.

Reviews (3)

Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracey
The author explains how to sell to people. The focus is to visualize the end results and set realistic goals. The importance of face-to-face contacts is enunciated in order to get people
involved in the transaction to refine needs and close the sale.
The author emphasizes the need to demonstrate the product so that
the customer can evaluate it. This book would be valuable to any
person embarking on a career or position in selling. There are practical examples, as well as a firm approach to get started
without the "analysis paralysis syndrome".

Take the mystery out of selling
If you're a salesperson and need to improve your skills, this book will do the trick. I found this book to be easy to read and packed full of sales techniques I could start using right away. Brian Tracy's The Psychology of Selling is a "must read" for any person serious about making it in the field of selling.

Not as good as Advanced Selling Strategies.......
I have to admit that I am a big fan of Brian Tracy, have many of his audio and video programs, several books and have been to his seminars.Usually when a new Brian Tracy book or audio program comes out, I invariably buy it.

Such was the case with The Psychology of Selling. This book is 8 chapters and 219 pages. It is a condensed version of his tape program which came out in the 1980's and sold over a million copies.

I have given this book a three instead of a five because I feel that this book is not as deep as Advanced Selling Strategies which Tracy wrote nearly 10 years go. This book, The Psychology of Selling falls somewhere inbetween Advanced Selling Strategies and Be A Sales Superstar, another book written by Tracy back in 2002. My personal favorite Tracy book on sales is Advanced Selling Strategies.

This book should not be confused with the great audio tape program of the same name. That program has far more depth and material than this book.


Nonetheless, The Psychology Of Selling is good reading for a new sales person or for a Tracy fan like myself who merely wants a quick synopsis of some of Tracy's best selling ideas. This book is like an printed abridged version of Tracy's audio program.

I read the whole book in one night. What I got out of it was a reminder of Tracy's best ideas and perhaps a few things that I had forgotten. In that regard, it was a worthwhileinvestment.

Good book, but being familiar with Tracy, I feel he could have included more meat.
... Read more

Book Description

Learn what makes a client trust you to be their financial advisor.

Put the power of story telling into selling financial products.The authors explain the process of making these intuitive connections, then translate their findings into understandable and practical strategies that any financial professional can use.They present actual stories, including many by Warren Buffet, one of the greatest "storysellers" of all time.These actual stories can help financial pros tap into the "gut reaction" of different types of clients. the book also includes special topics on communicating to women, the 50+ market, and the affluent. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Buy it now
This is an absolute must read for financial professionals. This book has helped me to greatly improved my practice. I now use anecdotes, stories, and analogies rather than ledgers and charts. Your clients will love your new, easy to understand approach.

Must Have, Must Read!
This book explains why some very smart people fail to achieve their potential in this fascinating and competitive industry: They do not connect with their clients at the level where decisions are made. Smart investment professionals who truly want to succeed need to integrate every idea and technique it contains so they can help their clients overcome their fears of investing and move confidently toward their financial goals. As a certified financial planner, president of a securities firm, and industry veteran of fifteen years, I immediately recognized the tremendous value of this book. I ordered Storyselling for every investment representative in our company and for each executive in our financial services group.

Great for Professional Financial Advisors
I think you will find something useful in this excellent book. Anyone involved in direct client contact must to make the investment in this book. Storyselling is an absolute must read for financial professionals. You are able to use anecdotes, stories, and analogies rather than ledgers and charts. Your clients will love your new, easy to understand approach. This book provides many ways to explain difficult concepts to the average investor. I strongly recommend this book to anyone in the financial services profession. Storyselling illustrates for us how to connect with customers on the emotional plane through stories.

Disappointed
I was really disappointed with this book. I was looking for a book that would help me structure my presentation and give me a pool of metaphors and analogies that I could use to help clients understanding. Whilst the end of the book contains maybe 25 metaphor presentations on various topics (diversification, why use an adviser, bear markets etc.) the rest of the book is pretty much filler.
Quotes take up half of nearly every page.

There are chapters that discuss presenting to the 65+ market and to women that contain very little useful information.

There's a frustrating section discussing the "science" behind storyselling.[

This book isn't worth $5, let alone the $30 it retails for.]

Something for Everyone
No matter how long you have been in the financial world, I suspect you will find something useful in this excellent book. As a financial professional, a strong analytical side is imperative... but this but book is a great reminder that you need to connect with your clients and prospects on other levels as well. For veteran sales people, much of this will probably be old hat, but there are lots of specific examples, many of which I have begun to incorporate into my own presentations. Even one good idea will more than compensate for the cost of the book and your time and I suspect that most people will get far more than one. I encourage anyone involved in direct client contact to make the investment in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Jamie Reidy is to the pharmaceutical business what Jerry Maguire was to professional sports and Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can) was to bank fraud. He's the guy who's been there, done that, and walked away with the insider stories. You'll find yourself rooting for Reidy and at the same time, you'll be shocked by the realities of the world that paid his salary. Hard Sell is a witty expos� of an industry that touches nearly everyone in contemporary America. It reveals the questionable practices of drug reps, nurses, and even physicians. Reidy traces his ups and downs as a rep for giant drug manufacturer Pfizer, maker of some of the most widely prescribed and used drugs in existence, including Viagra. With equal parts self-confidence and self-mockery, Reidy tells it like it is in the drug-selling trenches that are our local doctors' offices. The result is a funny and fascinating book that will appeal to those with pharmaceutical sales experience, medical professionals, those who have tried Viagra, and any American unhappy with rising drug prices. Hard Sell will be an easy sale this season.

Reviews (16)

Bart Simpson Sells Viagra
Imagine Matt Groenig letting Bart Simpson reach his mid-20's, after muddling his way through as a mediocre student at Notre Dame (what funnier place could there be for a confirmed slacker to practice his art?) and goofing off for a few years in the army. What could be the best place for Bart to get his first job, a place where he could refine his slacker's art while tossing around prepubescent sex jokes and sophomoric double entendres? Hmmm, let me think a minute. Why, of course, a Viagra salesman!!

In HARD SELL, Jamie Reidy fashions himself a real-life Bart Simpson, a perpetual slacker and all around "good guy" who stumbles into the world of pharmaceutical sales (he displays his initial disinterest in the job by labeling it farm tool sales). He lands a spot in Pfizer's vaunted sales training program for pharmaceutical reps and graduates into a position repping the company's Pediatric Division products in northern Indiana. Reidy details his rapid realization that he could play the system and work "T to T," Tuesday to Thursday, ten to two. The first three quarters of HARD SELL describes his learning process, describing how he manipulated Pfizer's voice mail system, its expense reporting system, and the doctor's signature system for distributed samples, all to look like he was working when he wasn't, even hiding dozens of unauthorized vacation days.

Not surprisingly, Reidy's sales numbers catch up with him; like Bart Simpson, Reidy seems incapable of seeing a few months ahead and putting the inevitable 2 and 2 together). His manager wants to move him out as an underachiever (he had no idea how true that was), and miraculously, Reidy transfers into Pfizer's expanding Urology Division just as Viagra is coming onto the market. The luck of the Irish follows this Notre Damer to Fresno, CA, and for a while at least, Reidy becomes the most popular guy in town. Matt Groenig couldn't have developed a better setup for the frat house hijinks to follow.

HARD SELL is eminently readable, using a writing voice that comes across like Reidy is talking to you over happy hour drinks at the local watering hole. His story is funny the way Bart Simpson is funny: a rebellious slacker with a sarcastic, frequently off-color mouth. Reidy's cultural references befit his slacker image, tending toward Pamela Anderson, Shaggy and Scooby, Sipowicz, the gang at "Cheers," Darth Vader, Pop Rocks, the Hulk, and the Fonz.

Reidy's book presents a humorous if somewhat immature inside look at one aspect of the pharmaceuticals industry. Nobody comes across as particularly noble: doctors come across as cheapskate nuisance avoiders, nurses as ineffectual gatekeepers swayed by candies, flowers, and free food. Pfizer field sales management is portrayed as distant and clueless, responsible for a veritable army of freebie-wielding slackers. Reidy makes a great, if perhaps inadvertent, case that pharmaceutical reps do almost nothing UPS and a decent, "doctors only" website couldn't do.

Readers looking for real insight, or just inside dirt, on Viagra and Viagra salesmen will find HARD SELL small potatoes. Reidy is far too shallow to deal seriously with ethics or morals, or with such conundrums as hypocritical pharmacists who gladly fill Viagra prescriptions while refusing to dispense birth control or morning after pills. He'd rather stand at the bar, snickering with the boys about Viagra, telling a story about witnessing a circumcision, and tossing out a high schooler's witticisms, like his book title, about ED. The book's conclusion is hardly surprising, although Reidy's sales results for one halfway serious year are.

On balance, sophomoric - a college sophomore's humor mixed with a high school sophomore's shallowness in an "'Animal House' meets Viagra" tale.

Funny, and Somewhat Informative
The book provides insight into the hiring of drug detailer's and their subsequent sales and product training, as well the how they are managed in the field.Reidy also provides information on the positive aspects of a drug rep's role in keeping very busy physicians informed. However, the book fails to reference how this information is often biased and distorted to favor a particular drug.

Further, while frequently humorous, most of the book is a summary of how a lazy, dishonest salesperson learned to fool management into thinking he was hard at work while instead at home sleeping or away vacationing abroad, and to misuse drug samples and other "freebies" given out at physician offices.It thus becomes a disappointing insight into some people's integrity and motivation.

Reading the book also brought home the extreme expense of the current system of relying on drug reps - each focused on a small number of products.The result not only raises costs for consumers (about $7 billion in 2004) but also takes much more physician time than necessary - resulting in them starting to ban drug reps.At least some of the drug companies are now reducing sales staffing; hopefully they will replace much of this unreliable and very expensive human system with easy-to-use video conferencing and Internet systems.

Those interested in much more objective, useful material about the drug industry and the role of drug representatives should instead read "The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It," by Marcia Angell (physician and former New England Journal of Medicine editor). She states that drug companies spend far more on marketing than they do on research (Reidy's book explains part of this cost)- and that much of the marketing is designed to sell "me, too" drugs, which are no better than those already on the market.

A final note about the author:Reidy move to Lilly, rose to a Sales Trainer position, and then was fired after the company learned of this book.

Funny Stories, Not So Funny Health Care
"In a perfect world, there would be no need for drug reps," writes Jamie Reidy in _Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman_ (Andrews McMeel Publishing).Of course, in a perfect world there would be no need for medicine or doctors, much less the representatives of the big pharmacy companies whose job it is to influence doctors to prescribe their particular medications.As a physician, I myself don't look at drug reps as a necessary evil.Each does, after all, have detailed knowledge of one or two drugs that I am responsible for prescribing.More importantly, reps provide samples, and for my patients, who are generally indigent, the samples represent a lifeline for those not yet on, say, Medicaid.I got lots of insights from Reidy's rollicking book, one of which is that other doctors find samples important as well, not for the poor but rather as starters for patients who will buy their own prescriptions if the supply of samples works.The larger revelations in Reidy's hugely entertaining book are not really complimentary to him or to Pfizer, the company about which he writes, or to drug reps in general, or to the medical profession.I know what drug reps do from my role in the system, but for other readers, there will be even more revelations of secrets here than there were for me.In the capitalist economy, we have not figured out the paradoxes of buying and selling health, and Reidy's book gives a small, detailed picture of some of the problems, with no suggestions for answers.

Reidy graduated from Notre Dame, with a degree in English, not pharmacology or even any other science.He did a spell in the military, and then he slacked.He was eventually invited to consider working in pharmaceutical sales, and went to Pfizer's"boot camp," learning that Pfizer's drugs were far better than those of any competing manufacturer.He was posted to a sales territory in Indiana, and began to make his rounds, using free food as a way of getting into the doctor's office behind the office staff.He learned which doctors like to be chatted up on sports, Pfizer's stock values, or his dating experiences.Reidy was simply good at his job.He also learned to be good at faking being good at his job.He learned how to fudge his visit books and sample signatures to make it seem he was making far more calls than he really was.Most of Reidy's book is about becoming and being a drug rep, and just getting by as a slacker.It is only toward the end of the book that Reidy starts telling his often ribald Viagra ("Vitamin V") tales.Being a seller of Viagra came with the unexpected benefit that everyone was curious about his work and proud of the fine job he was doing; one doctor even introduced him to a waiting room full of men as "The Viagra Guy," which resulted in all the patients standing up and clapping.

Reidy left Pfizer after five years when he didn't get the promotion he wanted, and his book ends there.He thereupon did four years with another big pharmaceutical company, which fired him when its officials got to see the galleys of his book.Given the slacker techniques he describes here, that's probably good for the company's bottom line.Reidy, former English major, is going to try writing for a living, in California.He's good at it; _Hard Sell_ is frequently laugh-out-loud funny, and he comes off as a lively, personable guy, just the sort of slap-on-the-back, elbow-in-the-ribs fellow that would make a good salesman.In many ways, however, his book is an unpleasant reminder of the wrongs of our system of providing medicine to sick people.It reveals a pharmaceutical giant over-paying a salesman for under-work.Americans who already know that they pay more than the rest of the world for name-brand drugs ought to remember that a lot of that extra price goes to this sort of marketing.

The Real Scoop on Selling
The cover of this book shows what every salesman's image is like: dark suit, big smile, looking over his sun glasses, carrying a big sample case. You don't notice at first that the image is printed over a rounded corner purple diamond shape that just happens to be the shape and color of the Viagra tablet. That sets the tone of the book.

I think I have a new hero. I really learned some things about how I could have worked less hard. His technique was to sleep late, get started about noon, quit early. I was more of a morning person, go to work early, call the boss promptly, then take off in the middle of the day to play with the baby, before calling in just before quitting time. I was in a different industry, but most of the secrets are the same. I can remember ... but that has nothing to do with reviewing the book.

This basically is how business is done in the United States, and probably in the world. There's more money in marketing than there is in R&D. The success of a new (or old) product depends more on sales and perception than it does on the product. And while this book is on drugs, I can assure you that selling computers (my field) and probably everything else is just about the same.

If you're a youngster reading this, you may want to read this book pretty closely. It might be why you should go into sales. Now that he's a writer, the author will probably have to work a lot harder.

Excellent Book, now I know why everyone wants to be a rep
Book was excellent. I now know why my co-pays keep going up.
It is a great look into an industry that looks straight forward, but in fact is quite complex. ... Read more

Book Description

"No longer is being 'a good closer' the basis of sustainable success. Instead intakes the kind of strategic thinking Rick Page outlines inHope Is Not a Strategy."--Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado

Master of the complex sale, Rick Page is the author of the bestselling book, Hope Is Not a Strategy, and one of the most sought-after sales consultants and trainers in the world.

He has taught his breakthrough selling strategies to thousands of people in 150 companies across 50 countries--an amazing platform that has helped his message spread like wildfire. This paperback edition of Page's runaway sales bestseller schools readers in Page's simple, six-step process for making the sale--no matter how complex the deal or how many people are involved in the buying decision.

Integrating the winning selling strategies used by the world's top salespeople, Page shows readers how to:

• Identify and sell to a prospect's business "pain"
• Qualify a prospect
• Build competitive preference
• Define a prospect's decision-making process

Reviews (23)

Understanding the sale of complex solutions
I have been around the sales field for over 25 years and Rick Page's book, Hope is Not a Strategy finally put it all together. Having been exposed to almost every sales methodology known to man, someone has finally put it all together in a straight forward way.

I encourage anyone who wants to understand how the sales process should work for a competitive, value based solution, read this book.

Excellent Practical Examples
This book is about sales strategy and techniques in complex sales situation. It contains many examples of author¡¦s real experience. These examples is the best element in the book. They illustrate the author¡¦s ideas/concepts perfectly. Practical, Concise, Easy to Understand. It is better to read than amateur work of consultants, professors.

This book preaches on long-term, win-win relationship with customers. Not those type of ¡§hit-and-run¡¨ sales.

There isn¡¦t really breakthrough ideas/concepts. It is more a combination of conventional ideas/concepts, which are still relevant in today¡¦s complex sales situations. Having said that, there are charts and contents useful for personal reminders and internal training.

Rick Page tried to create analogy between some sales concepts and warfare. But some of such analogies are not easy to understand.

Packed With Knowledge!
This is an excellent handbook for salespeople in search of a simple summary of the principles of selling complex and costly products and services in a difficult environment. Author Rick Page offers nothing startlingly new, but he does a good job of collecting and presenting the most noteworthy points from collective conventional wisdom about selling. He illustrates these points with amusing, memorable anecdotes. His book is well written, well organized and quite readable. He probably has a point or two to offer even the most experienced and successful salesperson. We note that chapter six summarizes the meat of the book in just three pages, so - until you have time to read the book - time-pressed salespeople could start by glancing at this section to begin to learn what really matters most in a complicated sales effort.

Go Beyond Sales Scripts to Adding Value for Customers
Hope Is Not a Strategy is most valuable for those who are new to large account and large ticket selling. For those with lots of experience, the book is helpful in providing a structure for sales team planning and coordination.

As a test of the book's relevance, I took a potential sale that our firm is wrestling with and put it through the process. A number of valuable insights came from pursuing Mr. Page's process that would probably not have otherwise become part of our approach. Whether the sale will succeed or not, I don't know, but our effort definitely became more effective as a result. I happily give a book that provides that kind of benefit five stars. Thank you!

The book has four sections:

1. The Challenge -- The Complex Sale

2. The Solution -- R.A.D.A.R. (which stands for "R.eading A.ccounts and D.eploying A.ppropriate R.esources")

3. Strategies for Execution

4. Winning before the Battle -- Account Management

The first section was the least helpful to me (after pursuing complex sales for over 30 years, there wasn't really any new background here). If you are new to complex sales, this material will probably be a real eye-opener . . . especially if you are used to individual sales based on a standard approach. The most amusing section was on how to blend talent on a sales team to get the right mix of skills and orientation. You'll learn about Tellers, Sellers, Hunters, Farmers, Business Developers, Partners, and the Industry-Networked Consultant.

The second section was the heart of the book for me, describing R.A.D.A.R. which is "a simplified, six-step process that combines consultative, competitive, and political sales principles into a concise yet comprehensive process." There's a chapter on each element.

Value is the first challenge and you are supposed to link your solutions to the customer's pain or gain at the largest possible scale. Value stretches as a chain of value whose links (from highest to lowest value) are strategic advantage, political risk, financial return, cultural change, operational applications, and future/capability -- tools).

Resource allocation is the second challenge, and your job is to qualify the prospect to see if you can profitably deliver what that customer needs.

Selling strategy is the third challenge, and you try to "win their hearts before it starts" by looking at how you could win or lose in advance so you can build a competitive preference for you and your offering. This frequently involves developing the specifications.

Organizational politics is the fourth challenge, and you should go where the power is and keep climbing to higher levels. You should ideally sell to the CEO.

Teamwork is the final challenge and you accomplish this by communicating your strategic selling plan throughout your team and partners.

In the third section, the most useful part for me was encouragement to change issues and sales tactics to help your potential customer see the maximum advantage you can provide. This may mean changing the scope of the problem and the solutions you offer.

I felt most comfortable with the fourth section because I try to stay in contact with clients for many years in order to help them become alert to opportunities where we can help them. In the consulting business, that approach is important because almost everything is custom made for the client. You need to know each other well before you can help them in the best ways.

Throughout the book, there are sidebars with specific examples of the principles being described in the main text. These were helpful for the most part. My only complaint is that they were too often about selling computer systems.

If all of these points seem like second nature to you, you may find it more valuable to seek out a more advanced book on complex sales.

After you finish reading the book, think back to a complex sale that you unexpectedly lost. How could the process in this book have helped you to avoid that result?

Good luck!

Better than you expect it to be!
I am an avid reader, and successful sales executive. I have read nearly every book in the bibliography and many others on sales. I avoided buying this book for months because it looked "basic" when thumbing through it in airports and book stores. I finally bought the paperback version and I was amazed at how wrong I was. EVERY Sentence in the book is important! Tom Kosnik's quote on the cover is dead on. This book is worth the value of 12 books on sales in it takes every lesson learned in the field or taught in a book and presents it in a clear, logical and concise manner. It's not that the information is brilliantly new but it is brilliantly presented. Fantastic a must read! ... Read more

Book Description

Strategies and tools that guarantee big-ticket sales!

Neil Rackham's national bestseller SPIN Selling revolutionized high-end selling. Now, The SPIN Selling Fieldbook shows you how to actually put into practice the proven tools and techniques outlined in that cutting-edge guide. After a review of the SPIN method of selling, Neil Rackham zeroes in on the critical SPIN® questioning behaviors. He shows you how to apply the tools and techniques to your own selling situation, using practical, skill-building exercises incorporated into each chapter. Addressing the sales of services as well as capital goods, the Fieldbook provides you with a hands-on implementation guide for applying SPIN in a wide range of businesses from localized companies to large multinationals. Real-life case studies of sales forces at leading-edge companies such as Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, and AT&T help you explore additional techniques that go beyond the basics to boost sales with even the toughest customers and clients.

Reviews (7)

A No Fluff Workbook to Improve Your Powers of Persuasion
A very clear book applying SPIN Selling techniques. No fluff, no extraneous threads leading you away from the primary focus. The techniques can be applied far beyond sales, and utilized in a broader sense to persuade as opposed to the narrower definition of selling.

Great Book
I don't sell, but I set appointments for salesmen and I've had a limited amount of success by using the techniques in this book. I admit though I'm new to the Spin Selling technique and have used it only for a month. The book shows you a way of dealing with what are commonly called "stalls" in sales terminology and how to convert those stalls into sales or moving the sale one step forward with a face to face meeting with the prospect. When I say "limited amount of succes", I mean that although I'm setting the same amount of appointments, my sales have gone up. I might have even dropped in appointments but still the sales went up. The book provides exercises through which you ask yourself questions that focus on how your product can solve your customers' needs and on questions you ask your customers to make them desire your product. You have to do all the work. There is no secret to sales and the spin selling fieldbook will give you the foundation from which you can build a career in sales.

S.P.I.N. Succeeds
It's good, but I liked Levine's Guerila PR: Wired better. Liked the jokes and stuff.

This is the best Selling Tool outside of my Palm ever.
I have been in sales for 10 years. I have sold stocks and mutual funds, sponsorships to events, booth exhibitions and now am selling enterprise internet-based software. This Fieldguide is an AMAZING resource. It tells you ideas and notions then asks you to apply them to a specific sales situation you are currently facing.

I was sceptical at first, but have read a chapter a day and have already noticed a difference in the conversations I have with prospects and customers. I leave a call or meeting with a commitment from them to take a buying action - leading me closer to a sale. I highly recommend this book.

one of the best books ever about the sales process
This book is right on the mark for all types of selling. Very professionally done and the technique is just what is needed in today's markets. All my reps are advised to read and use the work book. It is our primary training aid for all registered reps. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Strategy as a selling tool, powerful and well encapsulated.
Useful and self-contained. To anyone involved in selling, both tangibles and intangibles, this book provides a basic and powerful methodology based on a "non-manipulative selling philosophy" that is easy to understand and rather straight forward to apply. It is specially good for seasoned salespersons that can recognize familiar components of the traditional sales approach and that have the true experience to value "life-long" realtionships with customers. For consultants and sellers of intangibles, it provides a valid road map to identify role-players and decision-makers. For new salespersons, it helps them to think strategically. The authors seem to forget the permanent pressure salespeople have and the way sales objectives are set, so some comments do no fit the real world (like relinquishing an account, or letting a client go away), and fall in a rather romantic view of the profession. Although at first it seems geared toward large corporate and tangible accounts, with a little manipulation and some easing of documentation (desk-time) requirements, the methodology can be used in any selling environment. It is straight-forward and simple to use; reduces uncertainty about the process and provides the user (the salesperson) a sense of control over his/her environment and participants. Since change is a constant, and salespeople are inmersed today in a variety of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) strategies and techniques, this books fits nicely within it since it is the Customer and our Relationship with him/her that is at the center of it. It is a good, solid investment.

Opportunity Management Process
Many times a sales person can get confused identifying the players, the probability of change, the timing, the competition, the politics of a sales opportunity. Following the Strategic Selling process lays out an effective plan that leverages the key benefits of the sellers/buyers solution, and minimizes price as the principle buying criteria. Strategic Selling provides a process for what successful sale people do consistently-Plan. This book lays out a process that is also a two day class used by many global corporation's sales forces. The book is not a replacement for the class, but if you are selling B2B the process is well documented, and will put you on the right track. I have been teaching and using this process for 13 years and I have not found a better sales opportunity planning process. I think you can learn more from this book than from 100 sales calls.

Helpful prospecting book
This book is great and has helped me tremendously in being more confident in prospecting new business for my line of work. It gives excellent advise on deal making - everything from the initial sales call to closing the deal. It hits on points critical to strategic planning and developing a strong sales action plan. An A+++ book!!

This Teaches you how to go into a Sales call
This will Teache you how to go into a Sales call, With a plan, outline and a goal, Very good worth buying, giving to your sales managers.

A solid book
This book is not an easy read. It is logically arranged and provides excellent insight into certain apsects of strategic selling but it is very long and it is quite dry.

While it does contain very valuable and usable insight, I feel that the underlying process behind the whole concept is beginning to look slightly dated now. This process is 25 years old after all and the world has changed immeasurably during this time. There are other books available that are firstly easier to read and secondly more cutting edge in terms of the methology they suggest. ... Read more

Book Description

In the ever-changing world of sales, there is no single, sure- fire, tried-and-true method that can be readily imitated by anyone to miraculously improve performance. In fact, the world's best salespeople are not characterized at all by their technique. But they do share one common trait: Successful sales reps use their individual aptitudes to succeed in their work environment. DISCOVER YOUR SALES STRENGTHS is an extraordinary program built upon the concept that every person already possesses the tools necessary to become an amazing salesperson.Grounded in extensive Gallup research conducted over 40 years and based on hundreds of thousands of interviews with sales managers, salesmen, and consumers, it teaches individuals to focus on personal strengths and talents, and then guides them to transform those assets into solid sales skills-and successful careers. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Strengths & Sales = Gallup Delivers
Once again the Gallup organization, specifically Benson Smith and Tony Ruttigliano, deliver a good usable book to help improve your career based on strengths. This book begins with Gallup's common message, based on research, that if you focus on what you are good at; you will get better at it. This book continues on showing you what makes up a these strengths, based on a combination of talents which cluster together and come out as things like Competition, Empathy, and Command. This book will allow you to focus more on how you are wired, and what you have, than what you do not, and will never have.

Most importantly this book gives you access to your 'Top Five' strengths, or patterns for success. These strengths, ranging from Harmony to Woo, will show you how you alone are as unique as 1 in 30 million people. The book could have been 5 stars if Gallup would have provided more patterns of strength and how they work in sales careers, they only give you a few morsels from their vault of knowledge and what patterns and combinations of strengths work in sales. They do let you in on the fact that Competition, Command and Empathy were themes commonly found in successful sales-agents.

Overall this book is an A-, another great work from Gallup based on research, not just theory.

Joseph Dworak

don't buy the e-book version - doesn't have strengthsfinder
I bought the adobe e-book version, and complications aside, found out that it does not come with the access code to Gallup's online utility "StrenghtsFinder".
All the print versions come with this access code; the online utility is essential to getting the most of the book. Without the StrengthsFinder Tool, the book is worthless, unless the reader has taken the online test from other sources, like the "Now Discover your Strengths" book from Gallup.

Duplicates 'Now, Discover Your Strengths'
DO NOT buy this book if you've already read the Gallup Organization's earlier book, 'Now, Discover Your Strengths' by Buckingham. They're almost identical and you really learn nothing new in 'Sales.' Having taken the StrengthFinders tests for both books, I found that 3 of 5 strengths were the same for me. In addition, I found that 'Sales Strengths' did nothing to tell me what sales environment or type of sales I should be in. The authors did a poor job of applying the theoretical strengths to practical sales environments and telling me that if I have x strength I should seek y sales job. Overall, the 'Sales' book read like a very long instruction guide to the test. Caveat emptor...

Good book for developing salesmanship
I would recommend this book along with the Sales Bible as books that can help you to transform you sales career. I run a very successful business buying and selling on ebay and this book contains a lot of techniques that will help you develop the characteristics you will need to succeed in sales.

Best book I have ever read on Sales
Bar none, this is the best book you will ever read about the art of selling. Moreover, this book will change the way you think about hiring, training, managing and motivating anyone who is responsible for bringing new customers to your organization and keeping those customers engaged.

See of you can answer this question from the book correctly:
What do the top sales and marketing professionals have in common?
a. Experience and background
b. Education and training
c. Great presentation skills
d. Aggressive closers
e. None of the above

If you guessed "e", you are correct. According Gallup's extensive research spanning 30 years and interviews with 250,000 sales people, over 1 million customers and 25,000 sales managers, this is what the top sales people have in common:
• They were in the type of sales job where they were able to use their top talents every day
• They developed their own unique selling style based on their top talents
• They had a productive relationship with their manager.

Since the top 25 % of the sales force accounts for 57% of the sales revenue in most organizations, the more sales people get to use their top talents, the more likely they are to build a sustainable and profitable customer base.

So, how do you discover your individual strengths and talents? One of the unique features of this book is that you go to an Internet site and take an assessment that will immediately tell you what your top five strengths are. What I found intriguing is that these strengths are much more practical than the strengths I have seen in any other kind of assessment instruments. You can then use the book to determine how to put these strengths to work for you so they become true talents. (By focusing on these strengths I have increased my own productivity by 100%!!)

The other thing I really liked about this book is the easy to read format and the fact that the author includes great real world stories and examples of how top sales people used their talents to excel in their job. The author, Benson Smith, who started his career as a successful salesperson with a Fortune 500 medical device company and eventually became the CEO, writes in clear business language and does not spend a lot of time espousing complicated theories. If anything, the book is too short and leaves you wanting more.

The book also talks about the key role that managers play in insuring the success of the sales effort. The chapter on management should be required reading for anyone who is a manager or thinks they want to become one. (You will also find this chapter extremely helpful if your current manager is less than ideal.)

I have spent over 20 years in the medical and pharmaceutical industry in sales, management, marketing and training. Over the last 9 years, I have had a successful business focused on performance development consulting and training. This book has inspired me to rethink my approach. I hope it will do the same for others in my profession. Most organizations tie training to "improvement opportunities." Gallup's research has found that training will be far more productive if you focus on strengths and how to build them into true talents. ... Read more

Book Description

Stephan Schiffman's sales training guides have sold so many copies because they give sales people proven tools they can use to increase your sales. Cold Calling Techniques is the ultimate guide to creating new sales-one of the most critical skills you need. If you want to increase your sales, you must get good cold calling to get the face to face appointments you need. Cold Calling Techniques features field-tested techniques for reaching decision-makers, making appointments, and making your pitch-as well as invaluable advice on how to increase the number of calls you can make, improve your closing ratio, and beat your competition. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

On The Money
Rayw331's review is pointless and inaccurate. Only trust it if you wish to take advice from someone who can't spell the word "reality" (I think "realty" is the organizations that buy and sell real estate). This guy obviously does not deal with real professionals on a daily basis and must simply be an annoying telemarketer. I have been dealing with professionals for over 10 years and I can tell that "canned" scripts DO NOT WORK! Intelligent professionals want to be treated as just that and getting right to the point and letting them know exactly why you are calling is indeed the best way to approach another professional as the author of this book points out. I've read several books on this subject and attended more training seminars than Rayww331 has brain cells and never have I heard anyone be so straightforward as Mr. Schiffman. Most others wanted you to employ tricks and schemes (some of which the author points out) to set appointments and to close sales which are ridiculous and just plain don't work. I've had more success with this book than with any other method. If you are a serious business professional and not just a telemarketer pushing Ginsu Knives or telephone long distance plans, this is a great book.

Not bad, not great
I have read several cold calling books and I was delighted to find that someone has tried to simplfy the cold-calling process. There were some features in the book that I have overlooked in the past in my calls. However, the indended audience of this book is not telemarketers and the book never claims to help this group of people, so I dont know why everyone else is crucifying it in their reviews. The book is intended for sales consultants who need to set up in-person meetings to demo a product or service, nothing more, nothing less.

Where the book fails is to assist people who need to make cold calls to sell, but do not have the luxury of being able to go on face-to-face meetings. Much of my business depends on selling smaller accounts over the phone and for this the book is useless other than to perhaps begin a dialect.

The author is simply trying to assist salespeople who want to set up more meetings to do so and his short and direct approach I think accomplishes that and there are several corrections to mistakes that I constantly made before I read the book.

Its worth 9 bucks, but like I said, it was not meant for telemarketers or phone only sales. Besides, am I to believe that anyone with any real sales skill is selling via telemarketing to peoples homes while they are eating dinner.

Simple, Very Useable
This was my first book on the subject of cold calling, and I admit I still am not as well read on the topic as some of the other reviewers may be. The book does boil cold calling down to a very basic and straighforward level, which may offend some who want to believe that in order for a strategy to work it has to be complex. Personally, I think there's enough innate complexity in life, we should not look for strategies that incorporate it as well.

The techniques are straightforward, and contrary to what Bob from New York will tell you, the author does not advocate gimmicks, in fact he admonishes the reader not to use them. This book should be read and considered by anyone interested in cold calling.

w f depp

Great for Start-Ups
This book is a BASIC easy to read text. I was able to read it in one evening. I strongly recommend this book for the sales consultant who needs to use the telephone to set up face-to-face meetings.

Remember this is just a basic book -- don't buy if you're looking for excuses why your sales prospecting isn't working. Read the book -- try Stephan's easy to follow method -- watch the appointments increase.

A so-so guide to cold calling...
It's an OK book if you are completely new to cold calling. If you've had any experience with it, look elsewhere since this book is just about the basics. But since I got it really cheap using a coupon from UnderTag.com, I can't really complain. ... Read more

Book Description

Since the publication of Healing Back Pain, Dr. Sarno has learned important new information about the psychology of emotionally-induced physical conditions. He is now able to present a set of precise theories on when, where and how emotional factors bring on physical symptoms and, based on his experience, how this process can be reversed.

In his last book, Dr. Sarno explained how TMS, or Tension Myositis Syndrome, is a major cause of back, neck and shoulder pain. He now shows that the treatment that works to lessen or alleviate it can be used on peptic ulcer, colitis, tension and migraine headache, hay fever, asthma, and a host of other disorders.

In this new book, he discusses a number of new pain disorders that have become the basis for disability. Called RSD, or Repetitive Stress Disorders, they are part of TMS. They include carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, rotator cuff tear, bursitis, tendonitis of the shoulder and elbow, and pinched nerve in the neck.

Case histories are used to illustrate both the psychology and mechanics of treatment in this new and noteworthy addition to the subject of pain. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Common-sense pain relief
Why is it that common sense is not so common? Dr. Sarno's book has made a major difference in my life. I had decided that the remainder of my life would be spent with constant muscle spasms and a sedintary life style. I have thrown away the SI belt, resumed walking and swimming, talked to my unconscious mind, and have experienced little muscle pain in my back, legs, and arms since reading the book. Dr. Sarno explains in clear, if somewhat redundant, style exactly what happens when muscles are deprived of oxygen and how anxiety, anger, and fear contribute to muscle spasms -- being diagnosed as degenerative discs, nerve entrapment, etc. My copy is underlined, high lighted, and loaned out. This is revolutionary work that shows immediate and lasting results. Thank you, Dr. Sarno.

This is an excellent reference book!
The chapters on psychology may be a bit too detailed for most people, nevertheless, this is an excellent reference book for understanding a variety of ailments and bodily pains, often misdiagnosed, but usually caused by tension. It is also a good complement to Dr. sarno's Healing back pain, which helped me recover from chronic pain in my back, legs, knees, feet, neck, arms, and hands, and almost completely disability.

Combining guidelines provided by Dr. Sarno with techniques used by Olympic athletes, I was able to design a nine-step repid recovery program that allowed me to improve immediately and recover within four days. After my recovery I shared my research and experiences with individuals as well as in seminars I conducted for the University of California, CIGNA, and other organizations.

My story is detailed in Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain: A Nine-Step Recovery plan and serves as another testimony to the accuracy of Dr. Sarno's diagnosis. Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain is now available at Amazon.com.

This book saved my life
I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels ill but cannot find lasting relief through western or natural medicine. This book has changed my life completely - For countless years, I had barrett's esophagus, chronic yeast syndrome, allergies, multiple chemical sensistivies, you name it - and this book showed me what was really going on. Please do yourselves a favor and try this book.

worked for me
A miracle of a book. I'm still pain-free 2-years after reading it.

Potentially helpful, but mostly a unscientific miracle cure
Dr. Sarno suggests that most chronic pain is of a psychogenic nature (caused by unconcious, repressed emotions). Being psychogenic also means being psychosomatic, so he is literally saying that for most cases it's all in your head. His claims are based mostly on speculation and are unscientific. It is true that emotions do contribute to chronic pain, but Dr. Sarno is suggesting that the emotions are the _primary cause_ of the chronic pain and not just a contributing factor. Because emotions due contribute to the pain, his emotional treatment does appear to help (to some extent) for a small number of people. Since you can check this out of your local library for free, it's at least worth a try even if the chances of it working are slim. In other words, give it a try, but don't hold your breath. ... Read more

Book Description

The Unfair Advantage is a "workshop-in-a-workbook." It contains practical ideas and exercises for applying NLP (neurolinguistic programming) to sales and marketing. It includes "how-to" ideas for selling face-to-face, telemarketing, direct mail, and other real-world situations. Included are examples of scripts and techniques that have produced proven sales increases in direct sales and in telemarketing. It is a theory-free collection of techniques based on a workshop that has been presented to CEOs and sales professionals in over 500 companies in North America and England. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The best "invisible" selling system that really works
It's tough to find selling stuff that works but doesn't sound like some cornball, canned routine out of a used car showroom. That's because talking in a natural-sounding way is rarely effective in high-powered selling.

Yet when you start to deal with the big players and big deals, sounding genuine and authentic is the *only* thing that works. All top sales professionals and wheeler-dealers know this.

Duane Lakin has come up with the first training and language system I have seen that will improve your effectiveness selling to anyone. I know because I've used his techniques with large-dollar sales and seen my results improve. I've also reviewed all the other sales trainers who use NLP as part of their method. Some are very good, but no one comes close to Duane in terms of a transparent, deceptively simple set of methods you can quickly learn and use.

One thing that's great about his book is he also shows you how to apply NLP to telemarketing and writing sales copy. I don't know of anyone else who's done that.

A lot of people interested in sales and NLP think something has to be flashy, complex and technically overwhelming to be any good. As someone who makes his living because of the results he gets, I can tell you that just the opposite is true. Fortunately, this book contains what you need to get better results and still come across like a human being. That's rare and extraordinarily valuable.

This sales book does what it advertises
I immediately liked the book when I read the Preface, which is about being able to sell exactly as the customer needs it. I couldn't agree more, even if I have been running intro trouble with 50% of the salespeople I met when trying to convince them of that kind of thinking.

Let me first tell you what this is NOT. - if you want a book that applies my favorite aspect of NLP, cognitive styles (metaprograms), to Sales, I'd recommend "Selling the way your customer buys" by Marvin Sadovsky & Jon Caswell.

- Or if you want a book discussing (theoretical) how to apply ALL NLP models to sales, I'd rather recommend other books, such as Genie Laborde's classic "Influencing with Integrity", etc. However all these books tend to suffer from the same problem: it's hard to translate their message into practice, because they lack exercises.

But if the two previous things aren't what you're looking for, this might be the book for you.

How does it compare to other NLP books? If the book doesn't cover ALL of NLP, it has the advantage that it is much more practical. You really can use it as a workbook (as the author promises). I guess that a trainer could do a 2 or 3-day workshop to teach salespeople to *really* master this material. Let me tell you what it includes: It will help you understand how to recognize and use different representation systems (Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic), buying strategies and non verbal mirroring. As for the NLP language skills, it concentrates action language and action commands.

If the author wants to improve his book, I would recommend adding other NLP models (such as meta-program's and the meta-model). But to remain as practical, that would boil down to writing a second volume or make this one double the size.

As for the price: yes it's expensive. So is following a workshop. If you don't use any NLP yet, I agree that the book will pay back for itself if you apply these principles."...

Really helpful!
Though the title writes "for sales and marketing", I am sure that it will be helpful for anyone who wants to strengthen his or her communication skills. In short, the author focuses on the concept of VAK [Visual (see/watch), Auditory (hear/sound) and Kinesthetic (feel/touch)], that we should pace and lead our target audience according to his/her own language preference. Of course, it's much more complicated than what the above describes, such as the usage of eye cues, embedding of action commands blah blah blah. Anyway, a must read!

What I didn't know until...
The title is a metaphor that sleeps until you truly awaken it with action. Complex realties are skillfully hidden within practical insight. A work book that proves experience in the field of highly effective communication.

Brain software
An information scientist, Richard Bandler, and a linguistic professor, John Grinder, developed Neurolinguistic programming techniques called NLP in the early 70's. From a study of successful people, they created a way to evaluate and transfer humanity's highest achievements and excellence into a powerful psychology that has practical applications.

Let's assume your mind is made up of different parts like the roles each of us enact during the day: a woman can at the same time be a wife, mother, daughter, sister, coworker, secretary, cook and so on. Can you see where I am going? For each of these roles, we allow certain facets of our personality to come forward and suppress the others. For example, a cook does not necessarily have to know where the Xerox machine is. Therefore, in the mind, folks talk to themselves in different voices or attitudes depending on which role or part is conscious. This is normal and healthy.

In addition, you have parts with which you are pleased and other parts you would like to enhance. The goal of NLP is to teach you how to improve your internal talk to get all your parts synchronized and working together.

NLP has branched into many fields from success mastery in overcoming negative patterns to the practical applications for sales and marketing. Today's customer has massive control with access to more information than can possibly be processed. The message you send to make a distinction for your product or to make you stand out as a special person must be personal, adaptable, appealing and intended for the one rather than the many. As Paul Lakin declares: "The 'Unfair Advantage' is the ability to sell YOU."

Being familiar with NLP, I bought a copy to help me with my work in a non-profit fundraising organization. Like others who must deal with folks on the telephone, you must capture the prospect's attention within the first few seconds. You must be able to say something that will put the prospect off guard just long enough for you to begin your case.

Remember, that the voice must do everything. You cannot see body signs or a bored look. What to do? Listen to the verbs. The object of Lakin's book is to teach you how to recognize the language preference revealed by the action words (verbs) you tend to choose at any given time. These relate to our five senses: visual (sight), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (feeling), olfactory (smell), and gustatory (taste). The following examples are from the book:
Visual? "I see your point."
Auditory: "I hear the problem and would like to say something about it."
Kinesthetic: "I don't have a good feel for that yet."
Olfactory: "Something smells here."
Gustatory: "That is sweet."

Since Western speakers seldom use the last two categories, the lessons hone in on the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Without making this too lengthy, if you are in contact with the person you are selling, you can identify their sensory inclination by watching their eyes and the direction they look.
This volume is a priceless treasure and I rate it five stars for the ease in which they have taught me to be a success. ... Read more

Book Description

Would you like to increase your own selling results, or the performance of your entire sales team? The concept of Secrets of Question-Based Selling is founded on the idea that an effective salesperson knows what his or her prospect needs, then offers solutions--and the only way to find out what someone needs is to ask!

With more than 17 years of experience in sales and management, Thomas A. Freese has taken the approach that consistently empowered him to exceed, at times even double, his selling results, and has packaged it into the sales methodology he calls Question-Based Selling. This book serves as an explanation of this technique, as well as a reference guide that can be used over time by both salespeople and sales managers to exponentially increase their productivity. You will learn to:
• Penetrate more accounts
• Establish greater credibility
• Generate more return calls
• Prevent and handle objections
• Motivate prospective customers
• Close more sales faster
• And much, much more! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

WOW, what a breath of fresh air!
In this day and age where everyone is too busy to even talk to themselves, let alone a salesperson, this book takes a refreshing new approach to selling. Thomas leverages the simple concept of getting people to want to have a conversation with you by earning the right to ask more questions. Most sales books and training teach that you need to ask questions, Thomas goes to the next step by developing questions that narrow your focus so that customers will want to engage with you.

This is a MUST read for any salesperson with all levels of experience. Good selling....

Totally fresh ideas on successful selling relationships.
I've read many of the popular sales books throughout the last 15 years and frankly, there's nothing new out there. This book takes a totally fresh approach to selling which anyone can use starting tomorrow, and packages it into "Secrets" that help anyone understand the fundamentals of successful selling and personal relationships. If you're tired of rehashed "Sales 101...", this is a must-read!