Best book/program/course on sales?

[Dan_Cardone]

What would you guys say is the best book/program/course on learning sales?

Bit more info: Prospects (B2B) will be initially targeted with direct mail and then followed up several days later with a cold call. The goal is to get them buy a $497 dollar course. Also, will be running radio ads offering a free report that they must call in to receive. Once they call in the goal is to sell them on attending a webinar for $147.

EDIT: Wanted to mention that up until now I've made sales using only direct mail and digital marketing and have had a lot of success with it. I would consider myself a very talented copywriter so I'm not a complete newbie on sales. That said, I plan on developing and implementing a full on virtual sales team in the near future.

 

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[College Dropout]

Personally, I'm not a fan of sales courses... most of them use recycled info and rip each other off.

If I were you... I'd read these books in order.. and start calling/selling like somebody's got a gun to your head with zero regards for failure.

- How To Win Friends + Influence People
- Succeed the Sandler Way: 14 Personal and Professional Breakthroughs
- The Sandler Rules: 49 Timeless Selling Principles…and How to Apply Them
- Ziglar On Selling
- Sell or Be Sold

If you have to go with a program... I'd do one where you can work directly with a trainer. If you're new to sales you need reps... call.. call.. call. It's a number's game. (but you already knew that.)

Just my two cents.

 

[papi016]

If you could find a copy of it I’d recommend Tony Robbins Power to Influence system

If you can’t his Mastering Influence is good stuff too

 

[Adam VanBuskirk]

SPIN Selling (book) is the best sales book for closing large sales imo. The process can also help close smaller sales and is fantastic for online sales copy too.

 

[Kevin88660]

Straight Line Method by Jordan Belfort.

Spin selling is recycling of the old idea of consultative selling. My issue is this. If the client is ready to trust you to share his problems and listen what you got to solve his problem, you basically are having a “easy sell”. Basically consultative selling do not address the real problem that sales people face.

Real problems faced by an Investment advisor
1) Who are you? Why should I trust your advise and buy from you or your company
2) You want to know my savings in bank? Why the hell do I need to tell you? Even my wife doesn’t know!
3) You know what. I like to buy from you but I really have a friend in the business. I would like to support him in the business cos he is in my age and is my drinking buddy.
4) Hey everything sounds great, but I really need to verify all the information myself and ask my wife about it or else she will kill me.

Jordan answers on how you should address these common questions.

 

[jpanarra]

I already see a couple of mentions for spin selling, which i do recommend but I would also suggest you pick up the workbook for spin selling as well.

I don't think spin selling is outdated, I've closed on 5K deals with the strategies from the book. The only thing it asks for is patience and commitment. Although I haven't read the jordan belfort book. Putting that on my reading list now.

 

[From Mars]

Spin selling is everywhere in sales, because comes with scientific proof. But if everyone are using and trying to use the same method, you're not unique. Also, following the principles is not easy in the practice and it's harder to built a rapport with potential customer, because all of them get recommendations to specific problem, unless it's something that most do not understand.

Not saying that's crap. Neil Rackham wrote one of the best books on sales out there. Definitely worth it. But why do you need to be a consultative seller and not face it directly? Fear of rejection? It's better to be rejected and be direct, rather than chasing the unknown.

Haven't read "Straight line method" by Joldan Belfort, I'm hearing it for the first time actually. Much more respect over Cardone and others. He's a really proven seller, not a guru bullshiter. I prefer being direct in sales, to give a real need right now and the name of the book speaks for itself. Such an old school... will read it.