The Only Sales Guide You'll Ever Need
The Only Sales Guide You'll Ever Need is a holistic guide to the elements of sales success.
Written by one of my favourite sales leaders, Anthony Iannarino, it shares a granular insight into the sales methodology of top performers. This is more than just another sales book; it is a valuable resource that addresses the elements of selling in a way that helps internalise the message, by introducing the concept, demonstrating the practical application, and then setting challenges to internalise.
Some of the finer aspects I appreciated were:
Making comments and intentions public to ensure commitment. I have done this my whole life.
Dispelling the beliefs and excuses of failing to act. Anthony does this by balancing perspective, a key attribute of top sales professionals.
Caring as a competitive advantage. Salespeople are told to care, but the book describes how to use this as a differentiator.
Being "professionally" persistent. There is a big difference between this and being a pain in the arse.
Great storytelling. Anthony breaks down the elements of storytelling in a professional context.
Understanding when to negotiate. You can't negotiate, unless you have established value and have leverage, neither of which come until the end of the process.
Above all else, I credit this book with the funniest phrase I have heard in 20 years of selling, "Commission Breath", and won't ruin the symptoms of this terminal disorder. The Only Sales Guide should be kept close as a reference when hitting a professional road block.