While my core focus is emerging companies in new industries, this book was a great read on two fronts.
- Most of Jill Konrath’s advice is sound, no matter who you are approaching.
- Most of my clients will want to crack into big corporations, and this book shows you step by step how to make that happen.
Delivery: 10
In my opinion Jill Konrath’s Selling to Big Companies is one of the easiest reads in the history of sales guides. Jill’s style is easy and free flowing, and only once or twice, compared to dozens of times in most instructional books, did I have to stop for the sake of verbosity. The main reason I put this book down, was to digest the great insight and new twist on selling ideas that she brought to the table.
Her format of small focused chapters that end with a key point section to “cliff” note each set of ideas is great. It keeps you on track as you end each chapter. It will also prove beneficial to all of those out there that use this manual as a reference point, which I recommend for those trying to break into the large corporations.
Concept: 10
While “Selling to Big Companies” is not full of unique and original ideas, it takes a refreshing look at what the modern masters have been preaching for the last decade. What I like most about this book is that Jill Konrath takes all of the great messages out there and pulls them together into one cohesive tome. She also forces you to look at newer technologies, and admittedly struggled with this herself. It is true that without e-mail tools and Web 2.0 thinking, it will become harder and harder to crack into the fast moving corporate world.
She also throws her own thoughts out there and challenges some of the “expert” thinking. While I agree with many, I struggle with a couple. One is that she says you should never tell someone you are grateful or honored to talk with them. She makes such a compelling case, I am going to try and change this habit, just to see if she is write. The true sign of a great salesperson, Jill has me testing the benefit of her proposal.
Message: 10
I am going to have to review a really bad sales book to make up for my first perfect score, but Jill deserves it. This was a light read at 230 pages, but so packed with content I would find myself rethinking my own strategies as I finished each chapter. That is the sign of a brilliant educator is to effortlessly force the student to apply what they learned by changing their perception.
The clarity of her simple message is fantastic. What is even more compelling is that she admits her flaws, thus making you appreciate her as a fellow salesperson. It humanizes her experience and validates the insight. She feels like a colleague not a writer preaching the “way”.
Overall score: 10
Like I said before, the first perfect score. The only issue I see is that Jill will be hard pressed to write a follow up book. If she out does this one, I will be forced to steal from “Spinal Tap” and buy a new dial with an “11″. I do not have any idea what that will sound like, but I am rooting for the chance to find out.
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