Customer Reviews (5)

Best Distribution channels book around
Excellent book both in terms of framework and use of practical examples.Comprehensive coverage.Quite updated and international coverage due to the alliance with E. Anderson that teaches in Insead. The mix of the authors's background clearly enriches the book. Highly recommended and easy to see why it is in its 7th edition.

every CEO should read this book
This edition is really a significant leap forward with so many great examples bringing the framework and principles to life. All the other changes help to broaden the readership appeal and increase the book's usability.

For me, this is the definitive text in the emerging discipline of routes to market and is of tremendous value to channels managers, marketing managers and anyone responsible for their organisation's routes to market.

In fact, never mind the marketeers, every CEO should be required to read it.

Theorical and Practical
This book, containing plenty of cases in accordance with each topic in every chapter, gives readers hand-on perception on how the theory exists within the business world. I especially love chapter 8:"Channel Power", which specifies 5 powers a manufacturer or distributor may owns and how to deploy them properly in different situation or period. While you read, the book keeps you thinking about your own business and desiring to apply these breakthrough knowledge tomorrow, great!

Great update for a seminal book (REVIEW UPDATE: March 23, 2006)
Marketing Channels is a must-own for any executive who thinks strategically about the way in which customers buy their company's products.

Like the sixth edition, the seventh edition is organized around a comprehensive framework for channel strategy.Each chapter walks through a different element of the framework.This approach integrates a wide range of material while making it easy to sample just the strategic topics that are relevant to your business.

The seventh edition continues the evolution of the book toward an approach well-grounded in the real-world economics of channels.Much of the content has been carried over from the sixth edition, although the book's structure is more streamlined.A lot of superfluous and outdated material from earlier editions has finally been cleaned up.

The chapter on vertical integration has been rightly moved into the "Channel Implementation" section. This is an outstanding chapter that provides a truly unique synthesis of marketing strategy and economic reasoning.

I have only two minor quibbles.One, the book is beginning to lag behind actual management practice.For instance, the discussion of margin vs. fee payments, new to the seventh edition, receives a scant four paragraphs.Two, the chapters on channel institutions (Retailing, Wholesaling, and Logistics) should either be expanded or more closely integrated with examples in the text.In addition, the data presented in these chapters are often out-of-date, in some cases by more than ten years.

As both a channel strategy consultant and one of Erin's former students, I can personally vouch for the validity of their insights into channel strategy.You will not be disappointed by the quality and rigor of thinking in this book.

Outstanding book on marketing channel behavior.
In a business world that is constantly changing, it is absolutely critical to understand the function and behavior of marketing channels -- that is, the roles that manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, andconsumers play in the channel of distribution.The businesses thatunderstand these tenets will be able to adapt to changes in themarketplace, and those who do not, will ultimately fail.

This is the 5thedition of the original book that developed the theories that explain thestructure and behavior of marketing channels.There is still nothingbetter.For those who understand the significance of channels, it providesa clear roadmap for the analysis of changes.For those who do not, it willexplain channel member behavior and illuminate recent successes due tochannel management (Walmart, Dell Computer), so that you can understand howthe lessons can be applied to your business.

I recommend this book to allbusiness managers, not just to read once, but to keep in your office andrefer to often through the years in order to navigate the high seas ofchannel change. ... Read more

Book Description
If you’re like most business professionals, you could be losing$10,000, $100,000, or even $1 million a month on the Web! Catapultingyour business online is easier than you may think. Thanks to new andemerging developments in Web technology, you can immediately reach morenew customers — free. Plus, you can better leverage your “traditional”Internet marketing to get more traffic from the search engines and freepublicity from the press.

Internet marketing veteran andEntrepreneur columnist Catherine Seda reveals how to attract newcustomers, search engine spiders and the press, simultaneously. Usethis approach to skyrocket your sales while building your brand.

This book reveals the insider secrets of how to:
• Capitalize on social media, such as blogs, podcasts, and onlinevideo, while watching your profits soar from search engines, e-mail,and affiliate marketing.
• Maximize your exposure by building your online reputation as an industry expert.
• Recognize search engine spammers who will get your site banned and kill your cash flow.
• Mimic the successful Internet marketing techniques that have elevated the status of well-known sites.
• Avoid making the “Top 10” Internet marketing mistakes as revealed by industry leaders.

This “non-techie” book is for: consultants, entrepreneurs, corporatemarketers, students, investors, journalists and adventurers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Great Book for Online Entrepreneurs
The book has very helpful, up to date tips for website optimization and traffic generation for the beginner and intermediate audience. I would recommend it.

Great SEO book!!!
Honestly the whole SEO thing can be a bit mind boggling for those who are just getting into it and like myself I needed a trusted source; especially one that was not overly heavy on the technical side.

Cat does a great job of breaking it down into laymen's terms, from websites, adwords and blogs; it's a great web 2.0 intro book for SEO. Thanks to Cat's book my web site and blog traffic increased several folds!!!

A 'must' for any businessperson who would understand the opportunities and dangers of the latest web developments
HOW TO WIN SALES AND INFLUENCE SPIDERS: BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS & BUZZ ON THE WEB is for any business professional who has heard how much can be made going online and who wishes to take advantage of the latest development in Web technology. Customers can be attracted for free - and here internet marketing veteran and entrepreneur columnist Catherine Seda shows exactly how, revealing secrets such as how to build an online reputation to maximize exposure, how to understand how search engine spammers can ruin efforts, and how to mimic successful Internet marketing strategies. A 'must' for any businessperson who would understand the opportunities and dangers of the latest web developments - and a 'must' for any library serious about catering to modern business people.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Making the Internet less overwhelming
Okay, I don't know about you, but for ME the whole internet marking thing is so overwhelming. So much to do, yet so important to learn and master if you want to keep hands on in your business. Catherine Seda's book is so easy to understand. It's as though she wrote it just for me. And one important plus, I have not yet found another book that adequately explained "Spiders" in internet marketing. There is so much great stuff in here, I am still putting it all into practice.

Great online marketing and PR advice that is worth thousands of dollars
I learned about Catherine Seda back in 2004, when she published her classic book "Search Engine Advertising". Earlier in 2007, she came back with this other title, "How to Win Sales & Influence Spiders", one that handsomely complements her work and offers marketers and business owners alike a plethora of information to feed from and make the most out of the options available nowadays to catapult your business online.

With the assistance of contributing author Amanda Watlington (another legend in the Search Marketing space), Catherine covers PR, blogging, social networking, podcasting, e-mail campaigns, affiliate marketing, PPC and more sharing her knowledge while she interviews experts in each of the topics and wraps up each chapter with an insightful Success Story (read "case study") to drive the points home.

In the end, between the material covered and its relevance, combined with her fresh writing style, the book ends up being an enjoyable read that is worth thousands of dollars, if you apply her suggestions as a part of your marketing and PR efforts. ... Read more

Book Description
The author has spent over 12 years within the industry. Her career began straight after graduating from university. The first post within the industry was with a contract company selling to retail pharmacists. Once the contract ended she moved on to another contract company to gain GP/Hospital experience. After 18 months here increasing her experience of contract work, she was successfully employed with an ethical sales company which involved working with GP's, hospital doctors and retail pharmacists. A vast amount of experience was gained here so after 18months she was poached to go and work with a company called Lorex pharmaceuticals. Here and with all previous companies she was a top performer in respect of call rates, and sales targets. From starting in the industry to date she has gained valuable experience as a sales representative, field trainer, regional sales manager and has experience working with PCT's. This book provides you with real experience and tips which are invaluable for any one new to the industry. ... Read more

Book Description
Today, the pressure to demonstrate Marketing ROI has never been greater, and many companies are taking a more scientific approach to marketing, and treating it as a true business discipline. This means applying more rigor to capturing, analyzing and manipulating customer data, and delivering narrowly-defined messages designed to resonate with customers’ specific wants and needs. This process is called precision marketing. Based on extensive research and their own experience working with some of the world’s largest and most progressive marketing organizations, Jeff Zabin and co-author Gresh Brebach show how precision marketing can yield enormous business value. Writing in an engaging style that touches on everything from Renaissance thinking to Minority Report, they provide a definitive roadmap for combining precision marketing with mass marketing to cut costs, grow revenues, and create an overall competitive advantage.Download Description
Today, the pressure to demonstrate Marketing ROI has never been greater, and many companies are taking a more scientific approach to marketing, and treating it as a true business discipline. This means applying more rigor to capturing, analyzing and manipulating customer data, and delivering narrowly-defined messages designed to resonate with customers’ specific wants and needs. This process is called precision marketing. Based on extensive research and their own experience working with some of the world’s largest and most progressive marketing organizations, Jeff Zabin and co-author Gresh Brebach show how precision marketing can yield enormous business value. Writing in an engaging style that touches on everything from Renaissance thinking to Minority Report, they provide a definitive roadmap for combining precision marketing with mass marketing to cut costs, grow revenues, and create an overall competitive advantage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nothing new
In a 234-page book:

--the first 85 pages rehash industry studies and other marketing-related statistics
--pages 85-106 present the Precision Marketing Cycle, which is nothing new
--the next 100 pages go over common topics like predictive modeling, lifetime customer value and privacy challenges
--the final 25 pages present their views of the future

In sum, there's just nothing new.

Solid work
What Zabin does best is to transform dry business material into organic, interesting prose. Well done again. Unlike many similar titles, this book surely won't bore you, and it may even inspire you... ... Read more

Book Description

If you¿re an online business, instead of paying for an ad, like a banner, you pay for the result <196> the sale. This is called affiliate marketing. Pay for Performance will show anyone conducting business online, how to plan, implement, and manage a successful affiliate marketing program. The reader will find valuable Web resources such as tracking software and contract templates with the guidance of this book.There will also be direction for the reader to focus the content and develop the right affiliate model for the type of business.It will also provide case studies of successful programs as well as failures and scams to demonstrate and teach the lessons of building a successful program.

Customer Reviews (15)

The Classic and Must Have
If you are new to Affiliate Marketing and got the job to manage your companies Affiliate Program or want to get this job, you should buy this book. It is also an item that should be in the library of a bigger company with a large in-house managed Affiliate Program as reference for new Employees but also for your Veterans.

Marketing and/or technical skills and background certainly help with the job as Affiliate Manager, but most important are communication skills and the knowledge about what makes affiliates "tick".

This book, although in certain areas a bit outdated, holds up as being the most comprehensive print work available to this day,with everything you need to know to start, manage and grow a successful Affiliate Program.

You will never get as much condensed knowledge and practical experiences made by the authors in one book for such a low price.

The only additional Item I can recommend is the just recently released product called "Affiliate Manager 1st Edition" which has a steep price tag but provides tons of video, audio and print material. Amazon does not carry it (yet) as I am writing this, but you can find it on the Internet.

You can't do anything wrong if you get both.

Past It's Prime
While there is some useful information in this book it is pretty outdated.

When it was released in 2001 I believe it was the definitive work on the subject.

However, now over 4 years later, most of the links to sites the book refer's to as resources you want to visit are now dead links.

If it was updated, and brought up to date with live links for the same subjects, maybe.

As is, a waste of time.

Excellent information but out of date
Not too many things change faster than the internet. This book is chock full of good information and it is the only serious book on the subject available. Please issue a new edition! It is a couple of years out of date, which is a lifetime in web years.

Excellent Resource for Affiliate Merchants
Well-written "How to" guide to building an affiliate program.A must read for new Internet entrepreneurs.

The Bible of Affiliate Marketing Books
If you're in the Affiliate business, or want to be, you must read this book. Can you become a priest without reading the Bible? Probably not. So why do you think you can be a successful Affiliate Marketer without reading THE book on the subject?

Since I'm in the Affiliate Marketing Industry, I carry this book around with me everywhere I go with my laptop and business cards, just in case I need a reference or idea. Albiet a bit outdated by now, it is still the definitive piece of material on the matter. ... Read more

Book Description
"Winning in sales is no different than winning in life. If you embrace Keith's philosophy, you can certainly expect to win in all areas of your life, while making a profound and measurable impact on your salespeople's performance and attitude."--Dr. Denis Waitley, Best Selling Author of The Seeds of Greatness and The Psychology of Winning

"There is no other single activity to boost sales that works better than sales coaching and Keith's book, Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions, is the best ever written on how to do it well."--Brian Tracy, Author, Getting Rich Your Own Way

Technology has not only changed the way companies sell but the way managers build and develop their team. With a savvy, younger generation to manage and fewer resources to do so, managers have less face time with their staff. As more companies transition to a virtual team environment, it's essential for

managers to learn how to quickly and efficiently coach, develop, motivate and retain their top performers at a distance; over the telephone and via the internet.

Today's sales managers may know how to sell but most don't know how to effectively develop their salespeople. Even with the right knowledge and resources, they're usually too bogged down in daily challenges, deadlines, and personal responsibilities to get it all done. As a result, advancing their salespeople takes a back seat to more immediate problems, keeping sales teams mired in mediocrity.

Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions is an essential playbook that you can reference daily to develop your own executive sales coaching skills; the missing discipline amongst today's leaders. Using a tactical coaching system that is easy to deploy on a consistent basis, this book shows you how to realize the potential of your sales team- and retain your top performers.

Packed with real case studies, a 30-Day Turnaround Strategy, coaching templates and a library of powerful coaching questions, this is the ultimate practical sales coaching resource for sales managers, executives, and business owners.

Tap into the experience of a master coach. Discover step by step how to become an effective and influential sales coach, and turn your people into

motivated, successful sellers.

• Turn underperformers into super-achievers; fast.
• Attract and retain top sales talent by developing your own internal coaching program.
• Coach your salespeople to become self-motivated through the Art of Enrollment, the new language of leadership.
• Handle difficult salespeople and determine when to let them go without collateral damage.
• Eliminate time consuming distractions and the heavy burden of dependency that traditional management styles create.
• Empower salespeople to solve their own problems and become fully accountable for their success using the L.E.A.D.S. Coaching System - rather than being dependant on you.

Plenty of books espouse new management and leadership theories for managers, but few show you how to actually coach your people on a daily basis in a way that creates measurable change. Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions provides that proven methodology and tactical strategy for coaching which bridges the gap between theory and execution. Now, you can implement a systematic approach to develop a world class sales team and achieve the meaningful, long lasting results you want-today. ... Read more

Book Description
Why Do People Buy, Anyway?

Every businessperson, sales professional, advertising copywriter should be endlessly exploring this question. Sadly, few do. Instead, most stay stubbornly focused on the question of: how can we make them buy our 'thing'? And, sadly, most training remains focused on selling. We are all better served pondering the psychology of the buyer ratherthan the techniques and tactics of selling. That's what Robert Imbriale has done in Motivational Marketing. This book is a valuable exercise in being about the customer."
&#8212;From the Foreword by bestselling author Dan S. Kennedy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Motivational Marketing
Motivational Marketing makes perfect since for any marketer.Don't waste another dime on marketing until you read this book. Great marketers use these principles and this book is a good reminder why we do.

Mr. Imbriale REALLY knows his stuff!!!
I heard him speak the week before his book came out and he had an advanced copy. At the break I made a beeline for that copy andimmediately saw I had to get it. He knows awholeside of marketing that you never hear anyone talk about, which is the emotional element. He outlines the primary motivators and how you can apply them into your own marketing. From just glancing at the book, before I even bought it, I got 2 amazing ideas that I added to my website and I know it will make a big difference in the rate of response over time. You really need to learn what this author has to teach if you own your own business and are looking to expand. I spent $25,000 in 2005 on various advertising and it was a total waste of money. I wish I would havehad this information at that time!!!!!

Must have marketing tool
Motivational Marketing is much more than just another marketing book.

Robert Imbriale walks his talk, and the proven results he has continually
produced for himself and his clients over 20 years lets you know what he
tells you, you can take to the bank!

Motivational Marketing covers the marketing "Why To" as well as the how to.
My marketing library contains hundreds of the classic books all marketers study and follow everyday to produce profitable marketing in their business and client projects... but what Motivational Marketing focuses on is tapping into the buying emotions of your customers and prospective customers to create a stress free enjoyable buying proccess.

I know this book will save me time and money in my marketing efforts because now my customers and subscribers will be coming to the order form to buy, not to be sold.

When you first crack open this "Marketing Manual" you'll instantly understand what motivational marketing is all about, because it's almost impossible to not devour this book in one setting.(Get some sleep now)
This is the most eye opening and enjoyable marketing book I have ever had the pleasure reading.
An absolute must have for anyone in marketing or sales.

I Told Robert Not To Do This!
To be perfectly honest, Robert Imbriale is a personal friend of mine. We became friends after I saw Robert in action on stage during a seminar I produced with a partner. When I witnessed the power this man has to literally transfix an audience and take complete control, to the benefit of all the attendees -- we HAD to be friends.

When Robert told me his plans to write this book, I told him not to do it. He was giving away far too much. As I look through the book, I see he did NOT heed my advice. The man has poured literally EVERYTHING HE COULD into these pages, divulging more than 20 years of rock-solid experience in words any reader can easily understand and follow.

Now I must retract my advice to Robert. I know what he's up to, but just didn't see it before now. Robert is so full of knowledge and hands-on experience there is NO WAY a single book could hold it all. It just looks that way when you read this book.

Meanwhile, there is so much more Robert has to share this is a mere dent in the stack. Read this book and you'll be up-to-speed, as if you'd been privileged to peer over Robert's shoulder during the past 20+ years, seeing and learning from everything he's done and all that he knows. Then and only then will you be truly prepared for the NEW THINGS this guy is constantly cooking up and discovering.

Then you'll be ready for Robert's NEXT book, to talk to him in person or to see him onstage, live, the way I first met him.

A must have book for anyone in marketing and sales
This book tells you why and how people respond to marketing.Using lots of examples and giving the reader lots of food for thought-- this book is a must for anyone in sales and marketing. The delivery method for marketing is constantly changing-- but the emotional level has always remained the same:Fear, Love, Freebies, Moneymaking and Making Dreams Come True.Imbriale shows you how to use all of these to increase sales!
... Read more

Book Description
How to build awareness of new brands and learn the secrets of forceful advertising and marketing strategies.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Awful, Terrible, Worthless ACADEMIC DRIVEL
I hate academics of all kinds. They are all about using big words and talking about airy fairy theory that they have no practical experience in. Truly awful. This so-called marketing CD is painful to listen to. It is so lacking in practical advice. NEVER accept any help or teaching from any academic! You need to learn from true, practicing experts who have years and years of successful experience in the field! Learn from the best REAL marketers, not morons that just went to college, read some silly, useless academic books, and have little or no real world experience. If this is what they teach to MBA's, then MBA's are laughable and I'm glad that they're my competition! Hahahaha. No wonder those guys with college degrees on the Apprentice tv show don't know what they're doing! Ridiculous.

Generic MBA.
Generic text book MBA stuff.-worth the purchase, good leaning tool while stuck in traffic.

Quick, very quick
This CD has a lot of great content, however as this is an abridged version, it goes very quick and only skims all the information and doesn't go into the detail I'd like. I'd only use this book as a means for justifing buying the book. ... Read more

Book Description
A hands-on guide to creating a complete, professional marketing plan for any business
"A 'must-have' educational resource for marketing students, and a valuable refresher course for working professionals." -- Internet Bookwatch
Well-written marketing plans are based on solid strategy. They identify the most promising business opportunities, provide a coordinated action plan and illustrate how to maintain position in identified markets. John Westwood uses a real marketing plan to walk readers through each step of developing and writing their own plan. With a practical approach, this comprehensive workbook covers each essential step, including: Carrying out a marketing audit; Setting objectives and the strategies to achieve them; Devising budgets; and Writing and implementing the plan. ... Read more

Book Description

30 Days to Success

From the father of guerrilla marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson!

This powerful workbook walks you through the process of developing a high-impact, low-cost guerrilla marketing plan.

Thirty interactive exercises, designed to be used as a stand-alone tool or in conjunction with companion book Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days, help you develop each aspect of your plan: online marketing, PR, buzz marketing, networking and more!Complete one exercise a day, and after 30 days, your marketing efforts will be ready to take off.

• Hands-on interactive guide creates a custom marketing plan.
• Exercises, tasks and fill-in-the-blanks write the plan for you.
• Step-by-step instructions help you implement guerilla tactics in your own business.

Put pencil to paper and in 30 days execute time-tested marketing techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Greattool
I am an independant personal trainer with a small marketing background with this book I learned a ton on things that have helped me create marketing directions for my business.
Way to go Jay and thx for the great tools!
I highly recomend this book for anyone just starting a buiness its invaluable.
Charlie
president CVRFitness ... Read more

Book Description

Sold!

Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

If you sell , this book needs to be read and on your shelf beside the phone
Masters of Sales. Secrets from top sales professionals that will transform you into a world class salesman. Ivan R. Misner & Don Morgan. 2007. ISBN 1599181290.This book needs to be on every sales persons shelf beside the phone.Its been quite a while since I have found so many great sales ideas form so many to notch sales people in one volume.There is knowledge here that will benefit newbies right through to old sales dogs. Of course if you are content to not be among the top 10 % of producers among sales people who also are the most voracious readers, then you lose nothing by ignoring this book. Your loss is your competitors gain.Buy it, read it, use the advice and read it again.Yes I liked this book.Its everything that Google library says it is below:

Sold! The magic word. The holy grail. Why are some salespeople remarkably successful, while others make call after call with no results? How do some turn any no into a yes, while others can't even get their foot in the door? For the first time, more than 80 of the most successful salespeople in the world have come together to reveal their secrets to success. You'll learn what makes these outstanding sellers true masters of their craft-and how you can adapt the masters' tactics for your own. Learn Martha Stewart's secrets to promoting yourself as an expert. Discover the 11 key questions to ask from Harvey McKay. Get Anthony Parinello's advice on selling to CEOs. Be trained in guerrilla tactics for direct selling from Jay Conrad Levinson. Find out Brian Tracy's secrets on the psychology of selling. Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success.

Invaluable advice from 73 sales mentors

Ivan R. Misner and Don Morgan have co-authored several books, including Masters of Success as well as this one in which 73 "masters of sales" share their secrets. What soon became obvious to me as I worked my way through this book is that I was exploring a paradox: peak performers in sales share much in common (persistence, rigorous preparation, a positive mental attitude, sharp focus, a high energy level, people skills, a thick skin, etc.) and yet each possesses a unique "something" that cannot be duplicated, or even quantified with any precision. Bill George calls it a person's "true north, the internal compass that guides you as a human being at your deepest level. It is your orienting point - your fixed point in a spinning world - that helps you stay on track as a leader. Your True North is based on what is most important to you in terms of your most cherished values, your passions and motivations, the sources of satisfaction in your life. Just as a compass points toward a magnetic field, your True North pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership."

The subtitle of this book at least implies that by learning various secrets from top sales professionals, the reader will be transformed into "a world class salesperson." That is, of course, nonsense and Misner and Morgan presumably know better.What their book offers, rather, is a rare opportunity to share insights from dozens of successful people, conveniently assembled within in a single source and presented sequentially in eleven chapters, each of which assigned a central theme. For example, "The Master of Sales Attitude: Aligning Your Inner Self with Your Outside Personal Image" in the first chapter and "Closing the Customer: It's in the WOW Factor" in the final chapter.

Most of the contributors were unfamiliar to me but I greatly appreciate what they shared. Of course, Misner and Morgan include essays by "the usual suspects" such as Jay Conrad Levinson, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins, and Harvey Mackay. There are at least two reasons why all of them are generally considered "super stars" in sales: first, they sell lots of their own stuff (i.e. books, CDs and DVDs, seminars and workshops); also, they have successfully trained thousands of others (who bought their stuff) to sell whatever their respective companies offer. But again I wish to stress that Zig Ziglar, for example, does not clone himself. His objective is to inform but also to ignite those with whom he has contact, directly in person or indirectly via his books and tapes. He urges those in sales to master basic skills, of course, but constantly stresses the importance of formulating or adopting strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their own needs and interests. In "Sales 101: What Every Sales Professional Needs to Know" (Pages 15-19), Ziglar makes several basic points of indisputable validity - citing ten highly desirable habits that he has found to be "extremely useful" in all aspects of his life -- but this advice will be of little (if any value) unless and until another person grasps, indeed embraces its meaning and significance, then applies effectively what she or he has learned from Ziglar.The same is true of advice offered by other successful men and women who, like those who contributed to this book, share the lessons they have learned, especially from their failures.

My guess (only a guess) is that this book will be of greatest value if the Contents section is checked out first so that each reader can then determine which themes - and which selections clustered with each theme - are of greatest interest. (Caveat: It would be a mistake to ignore contributions by those who are unfamiliar.) I presume to suggest that there are three basic questions that each person in sales must be well-prepared to answer when in contact with a prospective buyer. The first two pose no significant challenges (or at least shouldn't) but success or failure almost always depends on the response to the third. Here they are:

Explicit: Who are you?
Implicit: Are you honest? Do you know what you're talking about? Have you made an effort to understand my business? Will you protect my best interests? Are you and your organization reliable? Can I trust you?

Explicit: What do you do?
Implicit: Which specific products and services do you offer that I need? Can you answer my questions? Can you help solve my problems? Will you "go the extra mile" when that is necessary?

Explicit: Why should I care?
Implicit: What differentiates you from other sales people? What differentiates your products and services from what competitors offer? What unique value-added benefits do you offer? Will doing business with you strengthen my own customer relationships?

Credit Misner and Morton with carefully selecting and then brilliantly presenting a wealth of material that can help to answer both explicit and implicit questions such as these.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Masters of Success also co-edited by Misner and Morgan as well as two books by Tom Butler-Bowdon: 50 Success Classics and 50 Self-Help Classics.

Change in Perspective
This book reinforces what you've been told over and over again - selling is about relationships and you must work to be good at it. Throughout this book however, are basic principles that should be reinforced and refreshed.Especially take note of page 239.Role playing is a no-brainer when preparing for any presentation, but how often do we do it with the client who we've already sold? This book truly has light bulb moments!

Book everyone needs to read to learn from experts
It's been said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. Perhaps if would be fitting to amend this to include the fact that sales are an absolute certainty in this life. Who has not dreaded the purchase of a vehicle or trip to a retail store where a hoard of salespeople surround you looking to score the latest commission? A closer look at "sales," however, indicates it is a fitting filter to understand many vocations.

Isn't the minister actually a salesperson who is intent upon moving his parishioners ever closer to a "close?" What of the school teacher who daily sells the student on the need for an education so that they can live their dreams? Of course, those who actually sell goods are what are stereotypically imagined by the term sales.

Everyone can benefit from the refreshing book, Masters of Sales, a work full of practical ideas born out of the actual practice of modern "master sellers." The work is skillfully divided into short vignettes grouped under a common theme, such as: The Buyer's Perspective. Those who sell on a day-to-day basis will be inspired by sales legends: Zig Ziglar, Martha Stewart and Brian Tracy, just to name a few of the 73 who have corroborated on this work.

The vignette that resonated the most deeply with me was the one supplied by Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame. He elaborates how he and co-creator Mark Victor Hansen sought the advice of Ron Scolastico and utilized his Rule of 5. Every day, ask yourself, "What five things can I do that will move me closer to my goal that will make a quantum leap for my career?" Then do them. If everyone read and then put this vignette into play - the very nature of industry would be changed in a few months.

If your career even peripherally involves sales, then you would love this book. If I purchased only one book in 2007 - this book would be it, hands down. I inhaled this book and look forward to more books in this series.

Armchair Interviews says: Super book about sales that should be on your bookshelf.

Informative and Inspiring
As an entrepreneur and teacher of entrepreneurship, "selling" plays a critical role -- from the sale one's ideas to partners and investors, to the sale of actual products and services to customers. I found the stories and techniques presented in this book to be informative and inspiring. While some were better than others, there was something to be learned from all of them. Clearly the most effective way to learn sales is through experience, however this book offers the next best thing by providing examples of what works. The authors have given us a book that's nicely written, well organized, and easy to read. Overall a great book that's well worth taking the time to read.

Steven K. Gold
Author, Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture ... Read more

Book Description

Unleash the inner salesperson you never knew you had.

From financial advice to hairstyling, fitness training to auto parts, no matter what your product or service, you've got to sell to stay in business. A multimillionaire by age twenty-six, Brad Sugars delivers techniques for infusing your business with a powerful sales ethic and creating super sales success. Learn how to:

• Deliver sales quotes that instil prospects with trust
• Provide the kind of service that keeps customers coming back
• Master the first crucial minute of any sales call
• Set up a point-of-sale system they can't ignore

Get real results right now when you discover all that Instant Success has to offer!

Instant Advertising * Instant Cashflow * Instant Leads Instant Profit * Instant Promotions * Instant Referrals * Instant Repeat Business * Instant Systems * Instant Team Building * The Business Coach * The Real Estate Coach * Successful Franchising * Billionaire in Training

Customer Reviews (1)

Close the Sale Now
I found this book to be extemely helpful and valuable for anyone in sales (aren't we ALL in sales as we depend on revenue from a product or service?)

The most valuable lesson for me was the discussion regarding purpose.So many of us focus on the "how" of improving our business but we seldom think of the "why".This extends far beyond the sale today, tomorrow, next month, etc.We must understand what our true purpose is and then focus on delivering value to our prospects, thus professionally helping them to buy.

The next most useful topic was the dicsussion of different personality types from the DiSC profile and how to communicate with them.This was very helpful in realizing that, when it comes to sales presentations and strategies, "one size does NOT fit all".

The third point that I found to be very beneficial concerns the conversion rate.If I don't measure it, it's probably much lower than I think and there's a great deal I can do about it if I take the points in the book to heart.

I recommend this book to anyone who has to talk to someone else about their product or service.Read this and sell more! ... Read more

Book Description
"This book is syncretism at its best . The writing is clear.The flow has the massive feel of logicunfolding"(Arthur Kover,Consulting Director at HCD Research Inc.,Management Fellow at YaleUniversity,and former editor of the Journal of Advertising Research)"Estelami combines an excellent knowledge of marketing literature with a deep understanding offinancial services.The combination is a very effective and contemporary book on marketing financialservices."(Russell S. Winer,Deputy Dean and Professor of Marketing at the Stern School ofBusiness,New York University)"Marketing Financial Servicesserves an important need,both for the training of students wishing toenter the field of financial services,as well as for those already in the profession."(Kent B. Monroe,Distinguished Professor of Marketing Emeritus,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign andDistinguished Visiting Scholar,University of Richmond)"This book provides the reader with a thorough,in-depth review of the subject matter."(AlisonMunsch,Principal,Insights for Actions Research,LLC)Financial services marketers are faced with challenging issues related to pricing,advertising,and sell-ing their products in the marketplace on a daily basis.These challenges result from the immense com-plexity of financial services,the massive number of regulations influencing the industry,and the rapid-ly evolving face of competition.This book provides a systematic and scientific approach to the prac-tice of marketing financial services.The book approaches the topic from the perspective of the cus-tomer. Research findings related to consumer psychology and human decision making provide thefoundation for a structured approach to understanding how individuals make their financial decisions.Drawing from this analysis,the book establishes successful marketing practices for advertising,dis-tributing,and pricing financial products and services.In addition,the book provides a detailed outlineof regulations affecting marketing practices in the U.S.,and discusses tactical and strategic tools usedby financial services companies to penetrate the market.The book has been developed for use byindividual readers eager to gain in-depth training on the topic on their own,and for classroom use byinstructors in business schools at the MBA,undergraduate,and executive levels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

comprehensive and informative
Comprehensive with lots of information and references to interesting research findings, and more informative than your typical business book. Overall, a pretty good read.

Not what I thought
If you are a bank or a lone financial services group this may help you.If you are a financial advisor working for a wirehouse or large firm it will not help in any way.

I thought I might get target market ideas, or perhaps business plan outlines - there were none.

Just be sure you are the authors intended audience.

VERY INTERESTING FACTS!!!
As a business person, I found helpful and interesting facts on how to market financial products.The topics are discussed in an organized manner and the book is relatively easy to follow.There are separate chapters for each aspect of the marketing program.Customer retention issues and regulations are also discussed in quite a bit of detail.

Excellent book, thorough coverage, highly recommended
The book has an excellent coverage of the field.It not only teaches you most of what you need to know to market financial services, but is also an excellent reference.It is very current, easy to read, has many good cases and examples for the reader to follow, and is rich with useful information. ... Read more

Book Description
With an intense focus on strategy that won't be found in any other guide, this invaluable resource will be of immediate help to publishers, authors, and most anyone who wants to succeed in the publishing industry. Completely updated and expanded with an enhanced focus on selling outside traditional channels, The Complete Guide to Book Marketing features systematic, results-oriented approaches to reaching the largest amount of readers for the least amount of money. Readers will find no-nonsense advice for building a publishing identity, cultivating feedback from your audience, and implementing an effective publicity campaign. This new edition also features a brand-new section on marketing to the lucrative education market, as well as new information on e-book marketing, print-on-demand, and marketing backlist and reprint titles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A strong foundation
The book industry is changing so fast it takes some moxy to even try summarizing publishing, distributing, and marketing tactics, knowing that much of what is written will be somewhat out-of-date by the time the book is published (or shortly thereafter). The Complete Guide to Book Marketing offers a strong foundation of information concerning the more traditional aspects of book distribution and marketing. When read with a companion book, such as Plug Your Book: Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking (which does just the opposite), the more comprehensive picture is revealed.The importance of a strong foundation cannot be stressed enough and that is where this book shines. Brent Sampson, author of Self-publishing Simplified: Experience Your Publishing Dreams With Outskirts Press

A good guide on book marketing written for a non-author publishing company.
I purchased this book about a year ago as a result of walking the aisles at Barnes & Noble and noticing its beautiful cover and stellar table of contents. At the time I was reading mostly books about how to prepare a business plan, and this book seemed to cover the marketing plan topics I expected to include in a business plan I was hoping to write. I finally got around to reading the book, but I have yet to write the business plan. Oh well.

As of late I have been reading books on how to profitably self publish. The books I have been reading say it's a waste of effort to try to get signed up with a publisher if you are writing nonfiction. They also say not to aim at bookstores as a distribution channel. They say to use the Internet and the Amazon site to sell a self-published book.

This book is clearly dated. It is written for a publishing company executive who promotes her authors' books and tries to make a living selling books the old fashioned way. And the author even admits that the old fashioned way of doing business is not going to last all that much longer. I didn't really see any helpful hints in the book that would be economically feasible for a self-publisher to do to sell her tome.

But the book is well written and informative. And its audience is broader than just publishing company executives. I think anybody who has a consulting or coaching practice would learn a great deal about marketing their practice by reading this book. The author includes solid content on word of mouth marketing, networking, publicity, public relations, and the need for a written business plan and marketing plan. I would have liked the book a lot more if it had not included the material on direct mail, advertising, and serial rights. But that's because I wanted the book to be geared toward self-publishers.

Even if you are interested in self-publishing like me, you will get a lot out of this book regarding how traditional publishing functions. And as I write this review traditional publishing still exists and competes against self-publishers. To win the race you've got to understand your competition. And this book will help a self-publisher plan to win when it comes to selling her books (and marketing her consulting practice). 4 stars!

Great for Writing or Publishing Newbies
David has written a great book for those like myself who need a little hand-holding.

He is also an engaging and helpful speaker for your writing group. He came to a Redwood Writers meeting last fall and gave generously of his time and expertise.

All-Around a Good Book
This book was helpful with sparking new ideas. It provided a well-rounded description of publishing, the interaction of distributors with sales reps, bookstores, chains, special sales, etc. It one thing it didn't really provide, at least not enough to my liking, was a detailed description of what goes into a press kit, how to write a press release, etc. If I gave this book to an entry-level person in publishing, I would feel like they need another resource to show them how to write a press release and marketing copy, how to put together a press kit, etc.

Good book promotion strategies
Basic book marketing information from a man who has thirty years experience in publishing and marketing. Gives you all the strategies you need to promote your book and gain results. The chapter entitled Book Publicity Basics is very informative - in this chapter he points out an interesting thought to keep in mind, "There are so many media outlets - both general and specialized - that almost every book and author can attract some attention."

Rene' Jackson RN BSN MS
Co-author with Alberto Righi MD
The Death of Mammography
Caveat Press 2006 ... Read more

Book Description
What developers need to know about the rapidly growing technologies of document warehousing and text mining
This unique book shows warehouse developers and managers how to build this new type of warehouse, how to organize free-form text for easy access, and, most importantly, how to exploit text mining techniques to provide timely and accurate information for decision-makers. The author covers the complete process of building and managing a document warehouse, including examples of actual implementations, a review of security issues and tools such as XML and Wide Area Information Servers and their selection criteria, and how text mining techniques are different from data mining techniques. ... Read more

Book Description
Welcome to Sales Management is written for those who aspire to sales management; those who recently assumed sales management responsibilities for the first time; and those who have received little if any formal sales management training. During the first three months on the job it's easy for a new sales manager to take a wrong turn, run in circles or even get lost. This happens to all new managers. WSM is divided into three parts each providing a road map to guide rookie sales manager through their first 90 days and beyond. Part One serves as an introduction to the sales management process and addresses the initial actions taken during the first month on the job. Each action is designed to prepare new managers for their new role. Various methods are offered to assess the sales effectiveness of their teams.Part Two focuses on the disciplines that comprise the sales management process and the skills needed to successfully execute each discipline. There is no time frame associated with Part Two. It can take years or an entire career to master the disciplines and skills associated with the process. Few managers master all of them. Part Three concentrates on launching a new sales manager's career; creating a team action plan; establishing a winning environment; and reviewing several examples of proactive management. These activities take approximately 60 days to initiate or complete. The final chapter encourages new managers to lead and learn as they go and to not be afraid to make mistakes.Summaries are included at the conclusion of each chapter for periodic review and to keep a new sales manager moving in the right direction. An appendix offers an assortment of sales management tools. ... Read more

Book Description
How should a sales force be managed effectively? Like aircraft pilots, managers must analyse information and make interconnected decisions in order to accomplish their missions. This book provides an integrative vision of a sales manager's function, using the concept of a dynamic sales force management process. This process adds a new dimension to the 'classical' conception of sales force management, showing how sales managers can be more effective when they develop and maintain a holistic vision. The first part of the book describes the key actors and their roles, while the second part examines the tools used to implement the dynamic sales force management process. René Y. Darmon shows how this process relies on a clear vision of successive sales missions to be accomplished over time by all members of a sales team, as they develop strategies and tactics which contribute to fulfilling the firm's overall aims. ... Read more

Book Description
This Twenty-Ninth Edition of ANNUAL EDITIONS: MARKETING provides convenient, inexpensive access to current articles selected from the best of the public press. Organizational features include: an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; a general introduction; brief overviews for each section; a topical index; and an instructor&#8217;s resource guide with testing materials. USING ANNUAL EDITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM is offered as a practical guide for instructors. ANNUAL EDITIONS titles are supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online. ... Read more

Book Description
Whatever the scenario, effective salespeople know how to immediately establish customer rapport, build trust and self-confidence, overcome resistance and objections -- and win sales. Completely updated with all new material, Sales Scripts That Sell puts the most powerful selling scripts at readers' fingertips, providing solutions for a wide range of sales situations.

An all-in-one training manual for every level of experience, the book is arranged by selling activity, including:

* prospecting * controlling the sale * countering objections * handling stalls * closing * getting referrals.

Complete with new scripts for e-mail and voicemail, this go-anywhere, easy-reference guide ensures that the language salespeople use is positive, effective, and on target. The book contains motivational introductions, warm-up exercises, memory joggers, and even "stage directions," with instructions on use and delivery. Proven, practical, and all new, this is a must-have book for sales professionals everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Save your money
Don't waste your money.Only sales people to benefit from your buying this book are the authors and publisher.Rated 1 star ONLY because -0- stars is not an option

One star summary
An average sales book with "old school" scripts. The outline, orformat, of some of the scripts are strong and can be forged into usablestuff.

Example of what I mean:The "Don't Interest You"Script:"How is it possible that saving money and saving time don'tinterest you?Wouldn't doing both make your business stronger?"page43.

I Got Great Ideas from this Book!
This book provided great scripts that can easily be integrated into our selling process.I especially found the section on "Overcoming Objections" relevant and useful.Our company sells service; not a product and the scripts were very applicable to our business even though we do not offer a "product". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Good Starter Text For Small Business
I found this little book to be loaded with good ideas.It's a goodstarter text for small business owners seeking quick ideas in marketing. It is not very comprehensive, but the bright ideas it contains areworkable.It's a good summary of information.It also covers some otherareas that you do not find in other books, so I do highly recommend it foranyone seeking new strategies. ... Read more