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The actual material seemed very boring to listen to. I could not get past the first CD. This is a review of the CD collection. No real techniques to attempt to make it lively. It was horrible. He seems like the type of person that is very analytical and says the same thing 4 different ways to make sure he covers all his basis. Also, it takes him a long time to get to making his point.It was bad. I would not recommend at all.
This book contains critical elements to succeeding in complex selling, namely in the enterprise software space
This book is an excellent guide for buyers and sellers alike. This includes seeking mutual understanding and building trust.I particularly like the concept of "yellow lights". Much of the book is built on the authors' personal experience which does a few things: it makes the book more credible, more entertaining and provides reinforcement on the concepts being presented.The book does a great job of providing a top level view of a sales process and moving to the detailed aspects of interaction. For example, when conducting an interaction with a customer it discusses how to soften the interaction when you need to answer a question with a question.The book resonanted with me because many of the concepts presented for business are ones that I hold personally. That is, as you go through the solution/sales process what should you be looking out for that is a warning things aren't going in the right direction. In many cases the book shows why you need to be brave enough to say : "whoa.can we stop for a minute so I can understand this correctly".Using the advice in the book you will make more efficient use of your time by identifying and focusing on high value interactions.
This book IS your sales belt. I have been selling for over 20 years and teaching other sales professionals how to sell for the last 15 years, and this book is my "Sales Bible." The concepts that Mahan teaches in this book are ones that I use everyday in my professional and personal life. Many sales books that are out there on the market today teach you "tools" for your sales belt. If you are in the business of selling anything to anyone, this book is a must for you to read and read again. I am a big fan.
This book is also an expanded version of a similar work Khalsa did for Microsoft. I also agree deeply with the book's attitude towards behaving like a real person and engaging your clients knowing that they are also real people. While I am not sure of their current relationship (things change so fast nowadays) both authors have been closely associate with or part of Franklin Covey and founded their Sales Performance group. Covey (who also provides the forward). If you are involved in complex selling that involves building long term relationships, I think you find this book to be terrific. Respect for those mutual realities is refreshing and important.Fine book. The seven chapters cover:1)The five Key Beliefs (Consultants and Clients want the same thing, while technique is important intent counts for more, solutions are not inherently valuable, methodology matters, world-class inquiry comes before world-class advocacy.2)How you go about truly qualifying a potential client.3)How you identify qualifying opportunities4)How you use time, people, and money as resources for proper qualification5)All About Qualifying Decisions - how you influence the decision process, how you get access to the stakeholders that decide, what criteria are used to make decisions.6)How to understand and enable decision making through presentations, meetings, and savvy.7)Creating new opportunities.What I appreciate most about this book is that the authors know and admit that not every possible deal makes sense nor is every possible client a good fit for your company. Humanity and technique can combine to be a powerful force that ends up helping both you and your customers achieve your business objectives.The book has only seven chapters plus the foreword, preface, introduction, three appendices, and an index.
The other party is not just a thing to be manipulated. The first sentence of the introduction says that sales skills are life skills. This book ties in very nicely with the kinds of principles espoused by Stephen R. You both have interests and you both know that you both need something from each other to make the deal work. I appreciate its simultaneous emphasis on real human values and solid sales methodology. Wouldn't it be nice if more people understood that truth. He or she is a person with a job and a life. I wish everyone in sales would read it.Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
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