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Ultimate Sales Machine

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Chet Holmes has been called “one of the top 20 change experts in the country.” He helps his clients blow away both the competition and their own expectations. And his advice starts with one simple concept: focus! Instead of trying to master fourMoreChet Holmes has been called “one of the top 20 change experts in the country.” He helps his clients blow away both the competition and their own expectations. And his advice starts with one simple concept: focus! Instead of trying to master four thousand strategies to improve your business, zero in on the few essential skill areas that make the big difference.

Too many managers jump at every new trend, but don’t stick with any of them. Instead, says Holmes, focus on twelve critical areas of improvement—one at a time—and practice them over and over with pigheaded discipline.

The Ultimate Sales Machine shows you how to tune up and soup up virtually every part of your business by spending just an hour per week on each impact area you want to improve. Like a tennis player who hits nothing but backhands for a few hours a week to perfect his game, you can systematically improve each key area.

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 public relations
• Sales: Perfect every sales interaction by working on sales, not just in sales
The Ultimate Sales Machine will put you and your company on a path to success and help you stay there! Less

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Community Reviews

rated it really liked it
almost 4 years ago

Some useful ideas for those of us who aren't in sales. My biggest takeaways:
*dedicate 1 hour per week on areas that need improvement that otherwise wouldn't get attention
*When pitching, always put things in terms of the customer's benefit/point if view, not you or your pr... Read full review

rated it really liked it
over 7 years ago

One of the best business books I've ever read. One of those books that captures the whole picture. Right there with Go It Alone.

try this RAS recording shit.

My method of learning from my books is not good enough. I remember thinking that this book was awesome. I can't reme... Read full review

rated it it was amazing
about 7 years ago

Best business book ive read in a long time. This is the type of book that gets you thinking, pumped, and read to take action all at once. No one has the ability Chet Holmes has to make this information be relevant and also help guide you to take action.

This is a book I w... Read full review

rated it liked it
almost 3 years ago

Shelves: audio , business , nonfiction
This book provides a decent overview of sales, with a lot of examples from a successful salesperson. As a forewarning, a large part of my brain is probably devoted to ignoring advertisements and spam, so I have a lot of negative opinions about many sales techniques.

Revie... Read full review

rated it it was ok
over 9 years ago

I promise that this will be the first and last sales book I add to my list. The books author, Chet Holmes, claims to be "Americas greatest sales and marketing executive". That may or may not be the case. Regardless, he does not lack hubris. Just ask him who's the best. An... Read full review

rated it really liked it
5 months ago

Okay, it's another American book on business and this one is perhaps even more `American' than all the others. Everything is repeated, data is served in very small chunks, the author is shamelessly self-promoting on every single page, etc...

BUT

I do believe the content of... Read full review

rated it liked it
3 months ago
Recommends it for: salespeople, marketers, entrepreneurs, business owners

Shelves: business , marketing , sales
A world-class marketer and salesman reveals the strategies and tactics behind his success. The material is explained well, with plenty of examples. I found some of the approaches a bit slimy. He says don't lie, but don't tell the whole truth. He advocates leading prospect... Read full review

rated it it was amazing
8 months ago

An excellent step by step guide to help grow any business. A great guide to be reviewed and studied again and again.

rated it it was ok
over 3 years ago

Anecdotes of Holmes' time with Charlie Munger are peppered throughout and are generally entertaining and informative, unfortunately they also become repetitive and somewhat trite. Holmes was obviously a master salesman and an excellent trainer however much of the books' a... Read full review

added it
over 3 years ago

Great for a sales person if the only thing you care about is numbers. Call 1,000 leads and get 1 sale. Sounds logical then to pump out as many calls as possible or, in his case, have someone else do it. His dedication to system based approach would be more digestible if t... Read full review

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Book Details

Hardcover, 272 pages
Published June 21st 2007 by Portfolio
ISBN
1591841607 (ISBN13: 9781591841609)
Original Title
Ultimate Sales Machine

Genres

Quotes

Use market data, not product data. Set the buying criteria in your favor. Find the “smoking gun,” the one thing that undeniably positions you over every one else. Make sure you hit their pain points. Include your own pitch for your product or ser vice only after you have covered the education thoroughly.
The one who gives the market the most and best information will always slaughter the one who just wants to sell products or services.
you will attract way more buyers if you are offering to teach them something of value to them than you will ever attract by simply trying to sell them your product or ser vice.