Iannarino - The Only Sales Guide Youll Ever Need

T HERE IS AN EPIDEMIC OF UNPRECEDENTED PROPORTIONS IN the sales profession today: everyone is looking for the shortcutthe easy fix to producing better sales results now. Sales leaders and individual salespeople are constantly in search of the latest trick, tool, or process, hoping to find the magic bullet. Unfortunately, many currently popular sales authors, bloggers, and supposed experts (some of whom are actually charlatans) are all too happy to offer a continuous stream of appealing, ineffective nonsense that tickles the ears of lazy, desperate sellers who are either afraid or unwilling to do whats necessary to succeed. Sadly, committed, driven sales professionals wanting to hone their craft are also sucked in sometimes.

Enter Anthony Iannarino and The Only Sales Guide Youll Ever Need. You wont find many books like this or authors willing to share the hard truth. Instead of telling you what you want to hear and offering yet another get rich quick or lose weight while doubling your carbohydrate intake without exercise scheme, Anthony pulls back the covers to expose deeper truths about who wins big in sales, why they win, and how they do it.

If you were hoping for a quick fix, I apologize; this isnt the book for you. However, if you are prepared to learn what makes top producers superior to their competition and you are serious about becoming a true sales pro who wins big year after year, congratulations! Youve come to the right author and picked up the right book.

In The Only Sales Guide Youll Ever Need, Anthony tackles a crucial, central question. And honestly, this really is the only relevant question: Why do a few highly successful salespeople consistently outperform their peers?

Ive followed Anthony closely for the past five years and believe hes uniquely positioned and qualified to answer this question. Im not quite sure when Anthony sleeps. He is a partner and executive in a very successful staffing company, leading its high-performance sales team, and he regularly speaks internationally on a variety of important sales topics. He has somehow found a way to write a sales blog post every single day, for the last couple thousand days, that is read by tens of thousands of people. Yes, Anthony knows sales, salespeople, and sales leadership, and hes bold enough to tell you what you need to know rather than whats popular. He is one of the very few people on the planet whom I turn to for sales wisdom.

This book is built on a critical premise: contrary to what most underperformers claim, sales success is not situational. No, its not about the market, the product, the company, or the competition. It is all about the sellerthe individual.

Furthermore, sales success is not a mystery. In fact, its far from it. All you need to do is look at top producers across various companies and industries. They exhibit in spades the elements that Anthony writes about! Its not an accident or coincidence; these top sellers own the fact that they are the key to their own sales success.

This book is well written and beautifully structured. Part 1 examines the mind-set and behaviors that produce sales results. It is refreshing to read why top performers consistently win before tackling how they do it. The reality is that if youre not willing to look in the mirror and evaluate the elements of the books part 1, theres no sense jumping into part 2. Embodying mind-set comes first. Once we know the behaviors that lead to success, only then can we turn our attention to skills development. Thats true in life, true in relationships, true in sports, true in all areas of business, and most definitely true in sales.

Anthony doesnt hold back the good stuff. The first chapter of The Only Sales Guide Youll Ever Need jumps right into the deep end to look at the importance of self-discipline and what he calls me management. Do not skip ahead or blow through this chapter. Many of the following elements build on the foundational truths in this chapter.

Once youve read through Anthonys master class on mind-set in part 1, youll tackle skills development in part 2, which is as powerful as it is practical. While the attributes, attitudes, and behaviors taught in part 1 position you to win in sales, the skills revealed in part 2 show you not only how to effectively execute the sales attack but also how to win decisively. Anthony leaves no stone unturned, looking at all the essential elements, ranging from prospecting (opening relationships) to closing (gaining commitments) and everything in between. Youll learn to tell a better story and ask more insightful questions that not only set you apart from your competition but also help move your client toward action. The final chapters will kick you up to another skill level altogether to help you increase your effectiveness in more complex sales.

Anthony makes the strong case that to succeed today, we need to be more than just great salespeople. We must become great businesspeople. He shares valuable tips to increase your business acumen and set you apart in your clients eyes. He also ensures that you understand the importance of building consensus and how to navigate your dream clients organizationconnecting with various stakeholders so you can masterfully quarterback and advance your best opportunities down the field to score.

If you are serious about winning big and winning for the long term in sales, grab your favorite beverage, a highlighter, a pad, and a pen, and turn the page. I guarantee you that The Only Sales Guide Youll Ever Need offers exactly what you need to become a top producer.

Enjoy the transformation.

Mike Weinberg

President, the New Sales Coach, and author of Sales Management. Simplified. The Straight Truth about Getting Exceptional Results from Your Sales Team

Part 1

MIND-SET: THE BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS OF SALES SUCCESS