Women Make the Best Salesmen: Isn t it Time You Started Using their Secrets?

by Marion Luna Brem

Inc. magazine Entrepreneur of the Year and International Automotive Hall of Fame member Marion Luna Brem reveals the strategies she learned that have made her successful in sales—and in life. As Brem makes clear, we’re all salesmen in one way or another. Whenever we try to make a good first impression or persuade someone else of our point of view, we’re selling ourselves.
Brem shows how to do it better.
It was the definition of a “living nightmare.” Marion Luna Brem, a thirty-year-old mother of two, had just been told the most dreadful words anyone could hear: “You have two to five years to live.” She had no job. No health insurance. Her marriage would collapse under the stress of her treatment. And her most pressing concern: How do I pay next month’s rent?

“You’ve always been good with people. Why don’t you try sales?” her best friend suggested.

After sixteen fruitless job interviews, Brem landed her first major “sale” – a job as a car salesman. Within two months, Brem had become salesperson of the month, and by the end of her first year, salesperson of the year. Four and a half years after selling her first car, Brem bought her own dealership, and in the next decade went on to open additional dealerships and businesses.

In WOMEN MAKE THE BEST SALESMEN, Marion Luna Brem reveals countless unconventional sales stratagems she discovered, refined, and applied to build a multimillion dollar enterprise. As she makes abundantly clear, the skills one learns in sales are transferable to all walks of life. “The fact is we are all ‘salesmen’ – whether we are selling ourselves at a job interview or operating a register at a department store, trying to get our children into a special program or looking for a lifelong companion. And women, with their natural social skills and acute emotional antennae, have natural advantages both sexes can learn from.” Using examples from her own business and personal life, Brem reveals how to create a niche and name for yourself, how to turn a no into a yes, how to persuade even the most difficult people, how to open new doors, and how to close deals

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Emily Fairchild · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this in my apartment’s little library and decided to give it a shot! Quite literally judging by its cover, I could tell this book was not of recent. After multiple references to a Palm Pilot and the Internet, I decided to look up its publishing date (2004). Some of advice she gives may have been revolutionary back then, though I struggled to find any actual points as to how “women make the best salesmen.” It was interesting to hear Brem’s experience as a female in the car dealership world, but overall the advice was generic and the contents of the book didn’t uphold its title.

[Peter P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid counsel from a successful business builder/car dealer without shedding anything profound or groundbreaking. I was expecting a little more on how women use their intuition, their reserves of empathy, their multi-tasking etc. to deliver sales results, but those areas don't get much attention. On the whole, however, worth a read.

[Julie L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had good, common sense approaches to sales and life. I wouldn't consider it specifically for and about women--the advice in it is universal.

It's well-written and interesting--Brem is obviously amazing in her field.

[Gina Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only is it very quick and entertaining read, it is full of insights on why and how women make such fabulous sales people. Each chapter focuses on some aspect of a successful sales career, contains clear examples of both a positive and a not-so-great client interactions, and sums up with a box of the key points. I appreciated her validation of what I know--that I don't sell like the guys, but that this fact is absolutely to my advantage. Luna Brem makes the pitch that all of life is sales--even if the only thing you are offering is yourself. I believe she's right. Even if I didn't work in sales--and wasn't a woman--this book would be well worth picking up.

[Maryann Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually bought this book when the recession of 2007 or 2008 hit and I was laid off from my Human Resources job with a Fortune 100 company. You never know, right? I’ve been working in an Operations role since but it’s occurred to me that I could be successful in sales with my current employer. I remembered buying this book and I’m so glad I read it! I plan to ask my manager to help me transition to a sales role.

[Nate Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good sales tips from a successful entrepreneur. Many first hand examples, but for all of her accounts to be true she must know 30+ real estate agents. Regardless her examples help the reader articulate her pointers.

Women's buying power/influence is as strong as ever in today's world. No better way to learn how to sell to them, then listening to a female "salesmen".

[K.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting perspective if you're in sales. She gets the details right.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know why she put the emphasis on women in the title. She has good universal tips for being better at sales by helping the customer, not hardselling or pushing.

[Stefan]

I am enjoying learning new marketing techniques from this book :-) I recommend it to everybody :-)

[Leeann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed, and helped with my job a lot.

[Pluno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, interesting read. Definately some good information.

[Janice]

this book just reinforces how powerful our attitude toward life is.......every day