The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies

270 Pages·2008·10.82 MB·English

by  Chet Holmes

U.S.$24.95
Canada$31.00
"Reading Chet Holmes's book can turn your
business into a high-performing, massively
profitable, superior, money-making force in
whateverfield or market you compete in....
It's essential reading for anyone craving
business greatness and prosperity."
-Jay Abraham, authorof Getting Everything
You Can OutofAll You've Got
Chet Holmes has been called "America's greatest
business growthexpert." Hehelps hisclientsblow
away both the competition and their own expec
tations. And his advice starts with one simple
concept: focus! Instead oftrying to master four
thousand strategies, zero in on the handful of
essential skill areas that makethebigdifference in
transforming your business.
Too many managers jump at every new trend, but
don'tstickwith anyofthem. Instead, says Holmes,
focus on twelvecriticalareasofimprovement--<me
at a time-and practice them over and over with
pigheaded discipline.
The UltimateSalesMachineshowsyou howto tune
upandsoupupvirtuallyeverypartofyourbusiness
by spendingjust an hour perweek on each impact
area you wanttoimprove. Likea tennis playerwho
hits nothing but backhands for a few hours aweek
to perfecthisgame,youcansystematicallyimprove
each keyarea. Holmes offers proven strategies for:
•Management: Teach your people how to work
smarter, not harder
•Marketing: Get more bang from your Web site,
advertising, trade shows, and publicrelations
•Sales: Perfect every sales interaction byworking
on sales, notjustin sales
(continuedonbackflap) 0607
(CQnli"unlfromfrontjl4p)
The Ultimate Sales Machine will put you and your
companyon apath to successand. more important.
helpyoustaythere!
"This is by far the best salesbook Ihave
everread and Ihave read hundreds.
As someone who runs more than fifteen
companies and employs more than six hundred
people, Ican honestlysay this isabook Iwill
refer to for decadesto come."
-A. Harrison Barnes, CEO, Juriscape
CHET HOLMES is an aeclaimed
corporate trainer, strategic mas·
termind, businessgrowthexpert,
and lecturer. His nearly one
thousand clients have included
majorcompanieslikePacificBell,
BC, Citibank, Warner Bros.,
GNC, Wells Fargo, Estee Lauder, Merrill Lynch,
andW. R. Grace,aswellassmallbusinessesofevery
kind. Holmeshasalsodesignedhundredsofadver·
tisingcampaigns and sales systems for hundredsof
industries. Helivesin LosAngeles, California.
Turn your business into the
Ultimate Sales Machine today!
Visit www.chetholmes.com/book. where
you will find links to webinars, training
DVDs, discounts, and special
offers just for purchasers of this book.
i
AmemberofPr:nguinCroup(USA)Inc.
:)75HudsonSirtel
NcwYork,N.Y. 10014
..alnOllC _.penguin.com
More praiseforChet Holmesand The UltimateSalesMachine
"ChetHolmesisoneofthebest marketersontheplanet. This bookproves
it. It's a landmark work that you could read and reread forever and just
keepgettingmore andmoreoutofit."
-HaleDwoskin,NewYork Timesbestsellingauthor,The SedonaMethod
'We all sell for a living-some of us know this and the rest of us don't
yet. Eitherwayyou have to readthis book. Chet Holmesis aconsummate
professionalwithsalesandmarketingknow-howthatevenHomerSimpson
could implement without a brain transplant. ... Applying the success
systemsinthisbookwilltransformyourbusinessandyourlife."
-StewartEmery,bestsellingcoauthor, SuccessBuilttoLast
"Nobodyknows more abouthowto create the ultimate sales machine than
ChetHolmes. Readthis bookandsuperchargeyourbusiness."
-MarkThompson,bestsellingcoauthor, SuccessBuilttoLast
"Ibuilt myfirst companyto become the fifty-ninth-fastest-growing private
companyinAmerica, and mysecondoneto $85 millioninjusttwenty-one
months. We used Chefs concepts at both companies and there isjust no
one that has such powerful yet practical ways to grow companies. And I
lovetheideathattobegreatyouonlyneedtoknowtwelvethings, notfour
thousand. Thafsproventobesotruein mylife."
-ScottHallman,CEO, BusinessGrowthDynamics,Inc.
"RarelydoesaCEOhavetheopportunitytoworkwithsomeoneastalented
as Chet Holmes. In growing my own company, Chet was instrumental
incausingaquantumleapinthegrowthofoursales.... Profoundchanges
in your organization are possible by applying the simple yet powerful
truthsChetexplains in what maybe the best business bookeverwritten.
As an adviser to CEOs and organizations ofevery size, I draw on Chefs
techniquesineveryengagement."
-MitchRusso,founderandformerCEO,TimeslipsCorporation
The Ultimate Sales Machine
o
Tu.bocha.ge You. Business
with Relentless Pocus on
12 Key 5t.ategies
CHET HOLMES
PORTFOLIO
PORTFOLIO
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Firstpublishedin2007byPortfolio,amemberofPenguinGroup(USA)Inc.
3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Copyright©ChetHolmes,2007
Allrightsreserved
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGING INPUBLICATION DATA
Holmes,Chet.
Theultimatesalesmachine:turbochargeyourbusinesswithrelentlessfocuson
12keystrategies/byChetHolmes.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-1-59184-160-9
1. Salesmanagement.2.Organizationaleffectiveness.I.Title.
HF5438.4. H632007
658.8'I----dc22 200700325]
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
DesignedbyHeleneBerinsky
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Acknowledgments
On the business side, I'd like to thank Jay Abraham for being a great
partnerand teaching me so much about growingcompanies, JayLevin
sonforencouragingme towritethis book(onlytook 10years, Jay, butI
didit), Napoleon Hillforinspiringme towantto rise above the trials of
a misspent youth, and Howard Linker for handing me that book that
changed my life. Thank you to every major trainer out there as I have
been like a sponge my entire life, learning from everyone-Tony Rob
bins, Michael Gerber, Tom Hopkins, Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracy, Denis
Waitley, andso on. Thankyou, Charlie Munger, for providing me with
thefirstplaceIeverworkedwhere Ihadthe freedom toprove mytheo
ries.Thankyou, DickHarrington,forbeingmyfirstclientwhenIstarted
myown companies and for teaching me howto make things happen in
large-scale organizations. Youwere apowerfulinfluenceand teacherto
me andI'mverygrateful.
I'dsurelyliketothankmyagent, Lorin Rees, forhelpingmecreatea
razor-sharp bookoutline. I'dlike to thank myeditor, Adrienne Schultz,
who helpedto sharpen everysentence and chapter. The reinforcement
provided by Bruce Sylvesterwas amazing. He is the most detailed per
son I've ever known. The entire team at PortfoliO-including Adrian
Zackheim, smart as awhip, andWillWeisser, devotedto spreadingthe
word-has beenapleasuretoworkwith.
Ix
x Acknowledgments
I'dalsoliketothankKimberlyDelaney,thebackboneoftheproject,
whohelpedmeassembleallthismaterialandtumitintoawell-organized
book.
On the personal side, I'd like to thank my father for teaching me
about courage and my mother for giving me so many gifts, from art to
music to, most important, the beliefin myselfthat I could accomplish
anything. Thanks to my second mom, June, who is the epitome of
sophistication and grace under pressure. You helped sculpt me as a
youngadultandgavemeabrotherandthreemoresisters,whomIadore.
Thankyou to mywife, Vickey, who has beenlike the calm in mystorm,
and my children, Jordan and Amanda, who are my greatest source of
hope andjoy. Okay, Baby,too.
Thanksalsogotomyfriendswhotaughtmethingsthathelpedshape
mylife forthebetter--especiallytoTom Shepard (the Sundanceto my
Butch Cassidy), Mitch, Scott, Marc, Kit, Paul, and Ralph. You are the
only true friends in this long life. I am privileged to know you. To my
spiritualgenius friend, Hale Dworskin, aspecialthankyou.
IalsothankmybrotherTimforhishiddenbeautythatIseesoclearly,
mysisterVickiforherindomitablespirit, Martin(whoIhopewillliveup
tohis enormouspotential), and, lastly, Steve. Iwillforeveracknowledge
howyou tookme from the life Iwasheadedfor andset me on apathof
learning. Youset mysoulonfire withyourgreatwriting. You awakened
myambitionateverylevel,andyousculptedtheearlyfoundations ofmy
telephone skills that have helped me get tojustabout anyone on Earth.
I'll always remember the good times, like rehearsing Kings in Bloom
field. I never laughed so hard. Know that wherever you may go, ifyou
think ofme and smile ... (Iwon'tstealyourwords, butyou knowwhat
IwouldsayifI did.)
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
ANotetotheReader xiii
Foreword:WhenwordsAreNeverEnough xv
Preface xvii
Introduction
1. TimeManagementSecretsofBillionaires 7
HowtoMaximizeYourProductivityand HelpYour
PeopleDotheSame
2. InstitutingHigherStandardsandRegularTraining 21
PreprogramYourOrganizationtoRun LikeaFinely
Tuned Machine
3. ExecutingEffectiveMeetings 38
HowtoWorkTogethertoImproveEveryAspectof
YourCompanyUsingWorkshopTraining
4. BecomingaBrilliantStrategist 58
HowtoGetUptoNineTimesMoreImpactfrom
EveryMoveYouMake
xl
xii Contents
5. HiringSuperstars 78
HowtoAccelerateYourGrowthbyUsing
High-OctaneTalentatEveryLevel
6. TheHighArtofGettingtheBestBuyers 102
TheFastest, LeastExpensiveWaytoDramatically
IncreaseSales
7. TheSeven MustsofMarketing 117
TurbochargeEveryAspectofYourPrimary
MarketingEfforts
8. TheEyesHaveIt 154
AttractandCloseMoreBuyersbyUsingMore
CompellingVisuals, PlustheBiggestMistakesEveryone
MakesWhen Presenting
9. TheNitty-GrittyofGettingtheBestBuyers 171
Step-by-Step, Day-by-DayTacticstoLandYour
DreamClients
10. SalesSkills 192
TheDeeperYouGo,theMoreYouWillSell
11. FOllow-UpandClientBondingSkills 209
HowtoKeepClientsForeverand Dramatically
IncreaseYourProfits
12. All SystemsGo 226
SettingGoals, MeasuringEffectiveness,and
ActivatingYourMasterPlan
Notes 246
Index 247