Book review: Topgrading for Sales by Bradford Smart PHD and Gregory Alexander

In Topgrading for Sales, we have for the sales focused hiring manager a playbook for bringing in the overachievers needed to maintain ongoing success. Gregory Alexander has aided Dr. Smart in translating his already well known methods into the sales community.

This book is an aid and tutorial for the sales manager that needs what they refer to as A players. There is no doubt that if you leverage these practical suggestions in your day to day hiring practices, the shape of your sales team will change for the better. Now to begin:

Delivery: 6 

As you will soon discover, this is the only place I had real issues with the book. While the appendix and layout of how to use their system is fantastic, I felt that too much time was spent on selling the concept to the reader. After the first example of why this system works, only a fool would not get it. In that sense, I did see the book as not realizing the audience is already hiring sales people and is probably utilizing some of their suggestions.

That said, the language is plain and frank. It would be hard to get lost in their explanations, and the data comes in straight forward packages that are easy to digest and equally as simple to look up and reference.

Concept: 10

I will minimize this explanation for a 10 because it is as basic as the book. THIS BOOK IS 25 YEARS OVER DUE! The need for a process in hiring sales people that covers all of the best practices, I mean, why did it take so long to think of that? While I have been hiring for years, and many of these ideas came to me naturally, to create this blueprint. Gentlemen thank you!

Message: 10

Again, brilliant and obvious. If you are not hiring the best, you are doomed to fail. If you do not use the best practices, you cannot hir the best. They spoon feed us these practices and make it easy. I have already adopted what parts were new to me into my hiring system. Beware of my pre-screening documents and virtual bench, I am even more dangerous than before I read this book.

OVERALL: 9

While a  6 for delivery should have brought this score lower, the concept and message should have rated above the top 10. Since this book should be on every bookshelf for its sound advice and strong documents, the delivery is easily excused. Frankly if you are not using this system, and your competitor is, quit and start working for them today.

Book review: Zero To One Million – Ryan P. Allis delivers a road map to success

Since this book is a break from the sales books so far, I will change my book review format and just get down right personal.

Ryan P. Allis in “Zero To One Million, How I Built A Company To $1 Million In Sales… And How You Can Too”, has delivered a fantastic high level overview on how to start up a company. Please look past the AWFUL TITLE, for it is the only thing that is less than fantastic about this book.

For a young man of 23 to have his insight is unbelievable, and frankly I was duly impressed. He delivers everything from the backend financial model, to Sales Training, to SEO and marketing ideas. The only complaint I had about the book was it did not give enough detail to people who may need it. I understand, as this would make for a 2000 page instead of a 200 page tome, but some subjects could have used a bit more detail.

My favorite parts of the book were when he got personal and shared what made him a competent leader. He manages to share these stories in a touching manner that allows you to connect with his experience. Even more, he never comes off as cocky or insincere.

On an even more personal level, he shares why he wants to succeed as an entrepreneur. His goals to help the less fortunate world wide, and to give people in under privileged countries the sames opportunities he was afforded inspire me to continue with my ambitions. We forget sometimes that as leaders of the free world we have responsibilities to share our wealth, and at 23 he already gets it. Kudos Ryan, kudos.

One final note: If you or anyone you know want to get a roadmap for getting from the beginning to a thriving business, it is in this book. I have already gone back to this book for diagrams and financial documentation for Message Slinger. It is a great resource for the parts of your game plan that are not your core strength.

Book Review: Mr. Inside Sales decides to share his Secrets

In his new book, The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, Mike brooks let’s us into the inner sanctum of inside sales greatness. Dubbed Mr. Inside Sales, his story and advice clearly shows us how he was awarded the name.

Click here to get free books, tutorials,  and e-books from 20 of the best sales trainers of our time. This list includes, Jeffrey Gitomer, Jill Konrath, Jonathan Farrington,Wendy Weiss, and yours truly.

Delivery: 8

Mike provides a clear and simple path to spelling out how to get into the top 20% of any sales team. It is esily digested and for those new to sales a revelation on how to make a lot of money. For those who have been around a lot longer, his delivery is like a cup of tea we have not had in a while and forgot how enjoyable it was. He might get us drinking tea for a few days if not a lot longer.

Here is an example of his clear and straight forward dialog,

“The importance of scripts

Whenever the subject of scripts comes up, people usually have definite opinions. They either love them or hate them. Those who wouldn’t be caught dead using scripts like to point to those pesky telemarketers who call at night and sound stilted and computer like. “I hang right up on them,”

They say. “I’d never read a script. It’s totally unprofessional.”

On the other hand, there are people (like me) who understand that some scripts, used in the right context, are exactly what separates the top 20% from the bottom 80% who are ad-libbing their way through calls. The bottom line is that even if you are not physically reading a script, chances are you say the same things over and over again. And, chances are, if you haven’t taken the time to plan out and script the absolute best, most effective, proven responses to the situations, objections, red fl ags, and reflex responses you get day in and day out,  then you truly are winging it. And winging it is why so many salespeople crash and burn.”

Concept: 9

I have read many books on the 80/20 rule, and many more on how be a super star inside sales rep. While many of them have some good points, no one has ever made the hand book so easy to use. The concept of a single book with all the answers was long overdue and it is now with us.

Message: 9

Again, an amazing repository of several decades of inside sales wisdom. Mike has blessed us with a tome that simply shares with us how he did it, how he has helped others do it, and now how you can do it just by turning the page. He shares tips that would often take years of different trainers and mentors to gather.

Overall: 8.5

Without a doubt this book is a must buy for anyone working in inside sales who is not over achieving at a rate of 125% or greater. It has all the tips, all the advice, all the tools necessary to become one of the greats on my team.

Ask the Coach and a book review: Is .9999 repeating the sames as 1?

It is interesting how things sync up in life if you are just paying attention. The receiving of this question paralleled a potential client giving me an amazing little book titled: 212 The Extra Degree by S.L. Parker. For the review, if you are familiar with my format, I give it 10’s across the board. If you do not know my format, when you are done reading this, click on the book review category to see from other posts how I rate books. This little tome took me less than an hour to read, and in that hour I was again transformed by a simple concept spelled out clearly. Now, to the question:

Question:

Is .9999 repeating the same as 1?

Answer: 

While I am quite certain that this week’s question was sent to me as a joke, the sender could not have known the significance in their timing. In Parker’s boo, he shares some statistics from sporting events and other activities. One of these is close finishes at the Olympics and there is one event that is so close that the difference between gold and fourth place is .o7 seconds. I want you to imagine four people passing you in .07 seconds. Actually, I want you to try and register .o7 seconds.

Now, think about the question again. If the person in fourth place had done one more push up a day, ten more feet of running daily, focused one iota harder at the beginning of the race, they could have transformed from unknown to a medal winner. The answer to your question is yes, and the difference is tremendous! Now let’s translate this difference to sales. In sales, what is the reward for finishing second. Last time I checked it was nothing. If it happens often enough, perhaps a pink slip. In sales that infinitesimal point zero ad infinitum one is enough to cost you a client, a commission,  and all that comes with success. If you cannot see the difference and you are in sales, in my opinion you will not be in sales for long. If you cannot see the difference and want to, buy Parker’s book (There is a link to your left). It will open your eyes… it reopened mine.

Book Review: Selling to Big Companies – Jill Konrath

While my core focus is emerging companies in new industries, this book was a great read on two fronts.

1. Most of Jill Konrath’s advice is sound, no matter who you are approaching.
2. 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.