Mastering The Essentials of Sales: What You Need to Know to Close Every Sale

225 Pages·2006·1.24 MB·English

by  Gerhard Gschwandtner

Mastering
the
Essentials
of Sales
WHAT YOU NEED
TO KNOW TO CLOSE
EVERY SALE
Gerhard
Gschwandtner
Founder and Publisher of Selling Power
McGraw-Hill
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Copyright © 2006 by Gerhard Gschwandtner. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States
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DOI: 10.1036/0071473866
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I would like to thank the Selling Power magazine
readers for their positive feedback on my monthly essays.
My ego soars because of your encouragement. Thanks to
the entire Selling Powerstaff,past and present,for all their
hard work, creative energy, commitment to quality, and
dedication to serve our customers with great enthusiasm.
iii
Copyright © 2006 by Gerhard Gschwandtner. Click here for terms of use.
ABOUT THIS BOOK
I’ve made it my life’s mission to make a positive contribu-
tion to the sales profession. Although I’ve written a dozen
books for salespeople and sales managers, this book is
dearest to my heart.When possible, I wrote each of the 51
sales essentials on a weekend when I could research,think,
and write without interruption.To me,writing is like mak-
ing a sales call. My objective is to sell a new idea to the
reader. My goal is to help every reader win. Before I start
writing, I research the subject online for several hours so
that I feel well prepared.Then I work on the opening line,
which may be a simple question or a statement that con-
tains an emotional trigger.In other words,the opening has
to involve the customer from the get-go. Once I get the
reader’s attention,I try to hold it with a persuasive presen-
tation that is respectful of the reader’s time. Sometimes I
use bullet points that reveal interesting data, surprising
facts, or my personal insights.To earn the reader’s trust, I
back up my claims with research, relevant historical con-
nections,or compelling quotes from reliable authorities.To
reduce the chance of losing the reader to indifference or
boredom, I try to keep the language simple, the sentences
short, and the subject in clear focus. I love nothing more
than closing each essay with a memorable sentence, a call
to action, or an appeal to change. To make this book more
useful,I’ve added success principles,reminders,and action
tips. If you enjoy this book, please share it with others. If
you want to share your thoughts, please email me at ger-
[email protected] always welcome your feedback.
iv
Copyright © 2006 by Gerhard Gschwandtner. Click here for terms of use.
For more information about this title, click here
CONTENTS
Part 1: The Basics of Sales Success
1 The Story of Selling PowerMagazine 3
2 The Evolution of the American Sales Profession 9
3 The Amazing John Henry Patterson 13
4 How Do You Expand Your Knowledge? 17
5 Selling Is Not a Place for Amateurs 21
6 Customer Satisfaction Starts with the CEO 25
7 Make Change Your Ally 29
8 How to Gain Perspective 33
9 The Four C’s of Management 37
10 The Triangle of Sales Success 41
11 Teamwork Makes Dreams Work 45
12 How Do You Create Trust? 49
13 How Marines Motivate the Front Line 53
14 How to Achieve Consistent Success 57
15 An Urgent Reminder—Think Profits! 61
16 Revitalize Your Sales Message 65
17 Customer-Message Management 69
18 What’s Your Strategy for Selling in Tough Times? 73
19 A Ten-Point Plan for Success 77
20 Replant to Grow 81
21 Customer Relationships in a Slow Economy 85
22 The Roadblocks to Selling an Idea 89
23 Are You Selling Problems or Solutions? 93
24 The Indomitable Times 97
25 How Can We Manage the Zeitgeist? 101
Part 2: Developing into a Sales Leader
26 Are You Ready to Soar? 107
27 Do You Use the Right Fuel for Your Engine? 111
v
CONTENTS
28 The Value of Curiosity 115
29 The Power of Concentration 119
30 How Long Do You Stay Focused? 123
31 Focus on Productivity 127
32 Who Charts Your Sales Progress? 131
33 The Selling Power of Words 135
34 Are You a Talk-aholic? 139
35 What Influences the Brain of the Buyer? 143
36 Turn Knowledge into Action 147
37 Act Your Way to Success! 151
38 How Do You React to Failure? 155
39 How to Turn Setbacks into Comebacks 159
40 How to Manage Disappointment 163
41 Check Out Your New Employer 167
42 Secrets of High Achievers 171
43 Is Life an Adventure for You? 175
44 How to Create Winning Attitudes 179
45 Who Creates Happiness for You? 183
46 Golf as a Closing Tool 187
47 Putting Lessons 191
48 Improve Your Game Plan 195
49 Avoid Getting Squeezed 199
50 How Effective Are Your Sales Calls? 203
51 Cadillac Dreams 207
Index 211
vi
Part 1:
The Basics of
Sales Success
Copyright © 2006 by Gerhard Gschwandtner. Click here for terms of use.
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