BOOK REVIEW – YOU CAN SELL by SHIV KHERA

Who is not selling?

Are we not always selling?

A candidate sells skills for the interview.

A politician to get votes.

A marriage proposal.

Everything is a deal wherein one is selling some service, product, idea, or something else in return for money, relationship, or anything else.

This is the concept that is talked about in the book

YOU CAN SELL by SHIV KHERA

Results are rewarded efforts are not

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Though this book was written based on the scenario 10 years back, many concepts hold true. The new tools, technology, and methods are in trend, but the basics remain the same.

This book should be read by every individual once if

You hate the selling concept.

You want to join selling as a professional.

How selling can help you enhance your whole personality.

How you can turn no’s to yes.

How you can build a relationship rather than just sell.

 

This book talks about “PRINCIPLES OF TRADE” and not “Tactics or tricks of the trade“.

Principles of trade talks about all the principles needed for selling rather than applying the cheap tricks of trade.

I just wish I could have read this book 16 years back when I started my career with one of the internships and was not happy to be called as a sales executive. I was under this impression for a long 5 year period, but then I got an opportunity to explore the option of working as a Head of the department.

This was the time I started understanding the difference between “selling with tact” and “Ethical relationship trading”.

It took a lot of time for me to develop this skill as the training provided was not far-sighted but was focused on achieving the target. This has brought me a long way in my entrepreneurial journey.

I make this a point when some people join me in my team I make them differentiate between tact and principles. They should focus on ethical relationship building by 3 basic foundations – integrity, respect, and responsibility.

This will be a win-win situation for them and the prospect whose need we fulfill.

If anyone would read this book a person would simply understand the principles of the sales trade and with innovation around can use it for their own growth, for brand building, for relationship betterment.

This book consists of lots of samples and real-life examples that are interesting and exactly teaches lessons on selling. The book is divided into small chapters which starts with the concept of selling, success determinants, qualities of a winning professional and how you can be the one.

It also talks about selling psychology, the importance of quality and credibility and how we can get referrals and testimonials. It teaches the various rules of letter writing and telephone calling. You can gain know about positive communication, negotiation, goal setting and time management.

The best part of the book is it is easy to understand because of the real life experiences, examples which truly helps us to understand the concepts in a better way.

The first thing which the author discussed in the book is that results are rewarded, but efforts are not. This means a player even if scores 99, nobody gives a grace of 1 point and celebrate it as a century. None will recognize the efforts that is why it is called as results matter not efforts.

Then the book says “selling is as much as an inner game as it is an outer game” which means if you want to sell anything you need to be enthusiastic about the product. You need to be confident and should have a strong belief about the product, then only you will be able to transform the same to the person whom you are selling.

 

That means you should sell only what you can purchase, what is beneficial to you.

Like – If the employee is not having confidence about his own skills, how can he talk about them in the interview?

If the doctor will not give the medicine to his own child, how can he give to somebody else?

When you are selling we need to focus on solving the problem rather than selling. If we are able to solve the problem, then it is beneficial for both the seller and the prospect. This helps to have better relationships in  the long run.

 

The book also talks about the qualities a salesperson should posses that are:-

1. POSITIVE ATTITUDE – There is one example in this regard imagine there are two salesperson both were sent to a place where nobody wore shoes.

Both of them called their manager back and one said that there is prospect of selling shoes as nobody knows the concept of shoes here. Hence, there is no demand. Others said that it is a huge market I can sell shoes to everyone here as nobody wears shoes here. If the problem which they are facing like clean feet, injury issues, then everyone will need a shoe.

In this way we will be able to cater to the problem which is invisible for all the people at that place.

The first sales person had negative approach and the second one had the positive approach. It actually resulted in a great sale and that is why 80 20 principle works here. It says 80% people do 20% of the sales and hence they are better salesperson whereas rest 80% people are only able to do 20% sales.

Remember “How well you do it matter in selling“.

2. DISCIPLINE – This is one thing which separates winners from the losers. We all know what we should do like doing physical exercise, eating right, but how many of us do it?

The answer is only a handful of people do so because it requires discipline to be regular, cook meals at home. The one who does so are winners and others are losers in that regard.

Discipline means “Doing the things at right time irrespective of whether one likes it or not“.

This is only possible if we cultivate good habits and it applies to the sales person also. Imagine there are two salesman and both of them reaches office at 10 am. Once they reach the first sales person starts with the calls which were already planned and do it by 12 noon. He gets to know about the prospects, meet them and finalize the deals by 2 pm. Do all the documentations and complete the work by 5pm then plans for the next day.

The second sales person after reaching finds out whom to call and thinks of calling till 11 am. After that he gets his tea and gossips around which takes away one more hour. Next he feels that it is afternoon and so he thinks that he will call in the evening. In this way he keeps on wasting his time and now he is neither able to close any prospects nor he is having plan for the next day.

The first sales person was disciplined, which resulted in more prospects and sales. Hence, Sales needs discipline.

3.PLEASING PERSONALITY – Whatever business, we do or we go to any country or state. We may like or dislike a place or organization if the people at that place is good which means initially the way we talk, the way we look, the way we behave.

Same is the case with a salesperson. If a sales person is properly dressed with hygienic look, well mannered and is respectful. The prospect would like to speak to the person and if there is caring attitude, then the prospect will like to have a long term relationship.

For e.g. – If we go to some restaurant and the waiter serves the food on time with that have a smiling face. He takes care of the basic necessities like water, etc., then probably we will like to go the restaurant regularly.

So, this means pleasing personality helps in better sales with long term relationships.

The book has many more concepts like email writing, objection handling, time management which is really important.

The point mainly which is described in this book is “people buy people first, then they buy from the people, lastly they buy from the company“.

You can get the details of the book here.

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About the Author: Anju Jindal

Anju is a trainer, entrepreneur, and career growth specialist who helps students, working professionals, women, and Job seekers to reach out to their goals by implementing a Career Growth plan

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