A book that was originally published in 1947 surely has no relevance or place on today’s reading list, even one that has been praised by the legend Dale Carnegie, describing it as “the most helpful and inspiring book on salesmanship that I have ever read”
Well, I believe that it does still have a place and should be one of the books that any sales person reads at least once and ideally on a regular basis. There are other great sales books out there and some that are more relevant based on the current technology and sales tools available however when you look at these you can see the influence of Frank Bettger.
The book is broken down into six different parts which make it easier to read. Part one focuses on Frank’s own journey including how he turned his life around. Was this standard text in 1947 I don’t know however I do know that so many books released today paint a bleak picture. It does give the reader a chance to understand where Frank was coming from which gives you confidence that you can achieve similar success.
Part two is about his own Formula for Success in Selling which is built on his practical experience, his losses, his wins and how he started to improve his own sells by asking good questions and his golden word “Why?”
Part three covers potentially the biggest asset for any salesperson, having the confidence of others. If people have confidence in you and trust in you then you are more likely to win business. I love relationship building with clients and this has enabled me to build up a great network of both clients and providers who will come to me as they trust me and have confidence in what I say and do.
The fourth section focuses on making people want to do business with you and some of these nuggets are golden and easy to do such as using people’s names, remembering people’s names, and overcoming fear of approaching “big men” aka senior directors (both men and women now).
The fifth looks at the Sales Process including before the sale, how to make good appointments, talking to the large clients, what to do during the sales appointment or call and closing techniques.
Finally the sixth and final section is focused on not being afraid to fail leaving you feeling positive about achieving the success you are after. He references Benjamin Franklin which is not relevant to today’s generation especially those outside of the US however you get the gist of what he is saying.
This book for me is great if you respect when it was written and appreciate that some of the techniques might be a little bit dated, however fundamentally the principles of the book remain consistent to this day. An easy going narrative makes you feel positive about what you need to do to succeed and that the advice feels like it’s coming from a grandparent telling a story. Warm, encouraging and positive I recommend this to all sales people of all ages, genders and locations.
