Book Review: The Sales Bible by Jeffery Gitomer

For the past few months, I have been looking for a good book on sales.  After listening to a podcast recently that had Jeffrey Gitomer on it, I realized that he had written what I believed would be the perfect book for me - The Sales Bible.

Sales is as much about personal motivation as it is about tactical sales knowledge and this book does a great job of helping you understand this and, more importantly, assessing whether or not you should even be in sales in the first place.

It's obvious from the first page that this book is written by a true salesman.  It reads "I just made a sale!".

Gitomer writes using highly impactful (sales-y) language and doesn't go on and on about particular ideal.  He tells you why it is important, shares some stories then lists some steps or ideas that you can use.  Topics range from motivation to techniques.  You learn how to meet people and generate leads and then how to turn those leads into sales.  Cold calling is covered in great detail, as is the sales presentation.

In the end, I think this book really has a broader audience than just salespeople... I think it is a book for EVERYONE.  I believe this because at some point, everyone will have to sell the most important thing in the world.. themselves.  So there are many applications for the material in the book and I highly recommend you pick it up ASAP.

My Thoughts on Starting Out in Sales...

I'd like to share some thoughts on sales for those people who are considering or starting to make the jump into sales.  Sales can be extremely challenging but also extremely rewarding.  Here are some of my thoughts.
You Sell Everyday: Sales is all around us and we do it every day.  We sell ourselves and our ideas on a continual basis and I think that anyone getting into sales should take some time and think about how they sell themselves and/or their ideas and what works for them in a natural setting.  I learned that for me, it is important that I have a thorough understanding of what I'm selling because that breeds confidence in what I am talking about.  I need to feel like I am authority on my product or service category so that I can engage prospects on many different types of conversations and ultimately help take it to my product or service.

Do Your Homework:  I'll say it again - there has never been so much amazing information available for free.  Do some research and find sites and podcasts about selling.  I mention a few here.  Listen to them and take what you feel will apply to your situation.  You'd be surprised how quickly you can improve using information available for free.

Get Motivated:  I believe that sales is as much about being motivated as anything else.  There are lots of people out there who go to work everyday and can sit in a cubicle and avoid talking to people all day.  In sales, you're not moving opportunities forward or closing deals in less you are talking to people and every time you do this, you have to bring your A game.  I'd say a good 25% of the sales materials that I read are about attitude and motivation so if you haven't figured out what gets your heart pumping.... you better!

Develop a System:  While every sales interaction is going to present something different, I think it is important to develop a system to how you sell.  Everything from keeping track of leads to how you follow up should be made in a system that works for you.  I'm sure that it is going to be different for everyone but make sure that your system is manageable and can scale as you get busier.

Get a Mentor: Personally, I don't have a mentor in sales at this moment, but this is one of the next things on my list.  I have spoken to many a sales professional that tells me getting into a mentor relationship with a seasoned sales veteran will help you set goals and stick to them.  It always helps to have somebody looking over your shoulder and giving you the encouragement you need to be successful.

What are some of your secrets to sales success?