Two “Must-Read” Books for March

I had a little time to catch up on some reading last week, and I’ve gotta tell you about two fantastic books that you should make it your goal to read as soon as possible.

The first is Og Mandino’s classic “The Greatest Salesman In the World“, and it’s one of those “life-changing” books (so read at your own peril) filled with “a-ha!” moments and epiphanies.  I’ve been hearing about what a great book this is for years, and it did not disappoint.  Mandino, through a cleverly-written business fable, reveals ten principles that will fundamentally change the way you think about selling.  I was so moved by the “secret” principles revealed, in fact, that I’ll be dedicating a post to each of them in the coming weeks.  If you haven’t read it, grab a copy and prepare to be moved.

The second is one of the “new classics” for business: “Go For No!” by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz.  Richard and Andrea were kind enough to contribute a guest post here last week, and it’s a great introduction to the ideas presented in the book.  ”Go For No!” is another from the business-fable genre, and an incredibly powerful one at that.  It’s based on the idea that the difference between mediocrity and greatness, in sales or anything else, all comes down to the way you deal with hearing “No”.  Sound familiar? Now you know why I’m such a big fan!  Get your copy today, read it immediately, and start putting the idea into practice!

Be sure to check back here tomorrow for the first part of the new Og Mandino inspired series: “10 Secrets To Becoming the Greatest Salesperson In the World”.

What Dean Koontz Taught Me About Sales

One of my favorite things in life is a good book, and one of my favorite authors is Dean Koontz.

I first started reading Koontz novels about 4 years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since.   For my money, he’s one of the best fiction writers alive today.  His books are incredibly entertaining ,and they always make me think about things I hadn’t considered or offer a new perspective on  life and death and being human.

What I never expected, though, was to write a blog post about the sales lessons I’ve learned from Mr. Koontz, but here it is.

#1 – It’s all about the story

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Want to Succeed In Sales and Business? Better Learn to Be Sociable!

I wanted to take a minute to give a tip of the hat and a hearty congratulations to Shane Gibson and Stephen Jagger on the upcoming release of their new book, Sociable!

As you probably gathered from the title, this is a how-to guide for using social media and Web 2.0 tools to create communities and be more profitable.  In their own words, Sociable! is about “using social media to create real relationships that impact you, your business and your community in a positive fashion.”

I had the chance to read an advance copy of Sociable!, and I was really impressed with the quality of the information it provides about the impact social media is having on business.  I’d highly recommend you jump over to the book’s website and download Chapter 1, which includes a Foreword written by none other than Kyle MacDonald, the blogger who, through a series of trades carried out over the course of a year, exchanged a red paper clip for a house (if you’ve never read Kyle’s story, you have to check out OneRedPaperClip.com…it’s a hoot!).

I’m glad to see these two social media thought leaders tackling the subject head on and providing valuable guidance for those of us who sometimes feel like we’re making this up as we go along.  Sociable! is a great reminder that no sales technique in the world can substitute for building and maintaining great relationships with your prospects and clients, whether on or offline.

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ONO: Options, Not Obligations by Marc Warnke

I just finished reading “ONO: Options, Not Obligations” by Marc Warnke and I have to say: if you have any desire to be in business for yourself and to use that business to create a lifestyle filled with the things you want to do instead of the things you have to do, you really need to read this book.

Marc is an expert in ONO, having created a life in which he is free to spend time with his wife and kids as he chooses and to pursue his passions.  This life didn’t happen by accident or some random stroke of luck, though: Marc applied the principles he writes about in “ONO” to seize the opportunities that were presented to him and leverage them into the life of his dreams.

Instead of presenting a step-by-step “how to do” approach to creating ONO, Marc focuses on “how to think”.  He helps you create a mindset of entrepreneurialism while working at your current job so that you can make the transition when the time is right.  Rather than encouraging new entrepreneurs to plunge in and “follow their passion”, Marc recommends developing a calculated, well thought out path to creating ONO.

What I appreciated most, though, is Marc’s voice.  He speaks with the compassion of someone who has been there and at the same time doesn’t allow us to wallow in our self-pity.  His inspiring words will help you find the desire to do something different, to start looking at your life and the decisions you make through new eyes: the eyes of a Family First Entrepreneur.  

Continue reading ONO: Options, Not Obligations by Marc Warnke…