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Sell Yourself First: The Most Critical Element in Every Sales Effort
Today more than ever, the biggest thing that separates you from your competitors is you. According to Thomas A. Freese, whose Question-Based Selling system has been adopted and implemented by thousands of salespeople in companies all over the world, YOU are the biggest differentiator between you and your competitors. Given the current business climate, sellers should no longer count on their product or service to sell itself because their toughest competitors are out there with similar products they claim are better. Instead, it's more likely that in closely contested sales, the decision will come down to whichever salesperson offers the best service, is the most responsive, or displays any number of other highly intangible attributes, such as credibility, expertise, helpfulness, and integrity. The challenge for sellers is to convey these qualities in a way that promises value to customers. Freese explains how to maximize a value proposition and ultimately win more sales through strategies that ? managing conversational dynamics ? influencing the customer's buying criteria ? justifying costs ? creating curiosity about your product
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2010
13 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 14, 2014
As a sales tool, this book has some very good conceptual formulas worth learning about. Author Thomas Freese promotes his QBS (Question-Based Selling) techniques to good effect. As a salesperson myself, I took notes and will implement some of the techniques and strategies that were presented. Apparently there are currently four other books by the author. I hope those books are tighter and more concise.
I had a tough time getting through this book's 244 pages. What's the opposite of "couldn't put it down"? It took me two months to complete, and I found myself reading other, more engaging works in the interim. "Saying less with more (verbiage)" doesn't inspire this reader. A good editor could have tightened up the language and slimmed this one down to under 200 pages. Some of the thematic examples, including a job interview scenario that makes bold assumptions about impressing the hiring staff, are overblown in scope and are not entirely convincing. In addition, the tone of the book is already dated, with a strong focus on a poor economy in the wake of 2008-2009.
OK, so it's wordy, a bit dull to read, and the examples are not that exciting, but I stuck with it. Why? Am I a glutton for punishment? Yes! But besides that, there are some very good points about the concepts of human connection, strategic thinking and overall mindset that are worth the effort, and Thomas Freese seems to be a genuinely good guy.
I had a tough time getting through this book's 244 pages. What's the opposite of "couldn't put it down"? It took me two months to complete, and I found myself reading other, more engaging works in the interim. "Saying less with more (verbiage)" doesn't inspire this reader. A good editor could have tightened up the language and slimmed this one down to under 200 pages. Some of the thematic examples, including a job interview scenario that makes bold assumptions about impressing the hiring staff, are overblown in scope and are not entirely convincing. In addition, the tone of the book is already dated, with a strong focus on a poor economy in the wake of 2008-2009.
OK, so it's wordy, a bit dull to read, and the examples are not that exciting, but I stuck with it. Why? Am I a glutton for punishment? Yes! But besides that, there are some very good points about the concepts of human connection, strategic thinking and overall mindset that are worth the effort, and Thomas Freese seems to be a genuinely good guy.
October 22, 2015
I read a lot of sales books. None that I liked much, but I did like this one.
I thought it was a little too wordy, with the author repeating the same thing over and over, but thinking back over it, it helped to cement the ideas that he was pushing. And many of the ideas he was building up to, albeit over many words, might have been lost without them.
I've been trying to think of ways to use PAS over SPA now. With practice, I'll get it right.
I have his other book to read, but I might tackle that a little later down the road.
I thought it was a little too wordy, with the author repeating the same thing over and over, but thinking back over it, it helped to cement the ideas that he was pushing. And many of the ideas he was building up to, albeit over many words, might have been lost without them.
I've been trying to think of ways to use PAS over SPA now. With practice, I'll get it right.
I have his other book to read, but I might tackle that a little later down the road.
September 11, 2013
BUY IT. READ IT. REPEAT.
Chapter 5 - Establishing the customers buying criteria is GOLD. T. Freese is one a master writer on the topic of sales. So much so, I was actually a bit reticent in sharing this gem of a book with you!
Chapter 5 - Establishing the customers buying criteria is GOLD. T. Freese is one a master writer on the topic of sales. So much so, I was actually a bit reticent in sharing this gem of a book with you!
July 30, 2019
Very interesting ideas for interviews and presenting yourself in sales presentations
June 1, 2012
A very useful book, not so much on the topic the author suggests (although selling oneself first is covered), the book is a great introduction to QBS - question based selling.
May 9, 2013
Common sense for the most part. I dislike that the author constantly referred back to his prior books.
May 2, 2012
please see my review here: http://theagencyreview.wordpress.com/...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews