Vendors Books

A valuable resource for selling. I'm in Marketing and I've learned quite a few things that help in my job.

Just because your company says "We provide value," that doesn't mean that you deliver it! You have to define it and prove it in the Customer's terms.

I read this book in a weekend and took copious notes. On Tuesday, I was flying to meet with a new client. I used the book to prepare for my call.

The customer was blown away.

He actually laughed and said "I have never met a sales guy like you." When I asked what he meant, he said that he expected a salesman to show up with a handful of brochures and push the latest and greatest products.

I spent the entire time understanding the challenges facing him, his management, and the company. I walked away establishing my credibility, developing a solid relationship, and I had a very clear understanding of their needs and what they VALUE.

I keep the Beyond Selling Value notes in my Daytimer and refer to them for almost every sales call.

This essential for anyone who sells value (or thinks that they do!).

This book is a terrific read. It is both educational and entertaining. It really is a must read for those of you who want to sell consultatively.

I would give Beyond Selling Value five stars if there were not a *tiny* problem:

In an e-mail to author Mark Shonka I wondered what can one say if the client tells in the research meeting to one of the questions "That's none of your business!"

The research questions are more those a hired management consultant is allowed to ask and not somebody who is just needed to sell some products. How is one supposed to deal with this kind of objection/resistance? What should one say in response?

The response by Shonka was -- silence. Otherwise, of course, it's a great book.

Having worked for IMPAX for over six years, I've had a chance to learn and work around numerous sales training methodologies before and since.

Mark Shonka and Dan Kosch present a detailed step-by-step how to approach for understanding the customer's point of view, getting credit for what you know about them, and leveraging that knowledge to communicate your value in the customer's terms. Many other so-called "sales processes" from sales training companies fall short for several reasons, and this book fills many of those gaps:

1) Many so-called "sales processes" simply present ways of analyzing customer situations (such as Miller Heiman's 'Blue Sheet'). They do not show HOW to accomplish your objectives in an account situation as Kosch and Shonka do.

2) Other "sales processes" (such as Solution Selling or SPIN Selling) get tangled up in complex questioning processes that can be difficult to master in the field. I'm not saying there is no value in them (some of these offer techniques for prospecting or demonstrating that IMPAX does not address). What I'm saying is their complexity makes them somewhat unwieldy to implement by many salespeople so they can be less than totally effective.

3) Finally, many other sales processes from training companies make a dubious assumption: that everything the salesperson does should be calculated to close the deal. I hate it when salespeople do that to me, and you probably do too.

Some environments are more opportunity focused than relationship focused, but certainly building relationships is a critical component of any selling environment. IMPAX provides step-by-step approaches for doing that, so that when qualified opportunities arise you can leverage the relationships you have built. It provides the context in which you can be recognized for the value you truly offer, and close deals based on a wider context and on future value potential, rather than (inadvertently) forcing salespeople into "peddler mode," constantly conniving to close (perhaps when prospects are not yet ready).

4) One of the most valuable things about the IMPAX Process is that while speaking the language of practical tactics salespeople love, Shonka and Kosch are really teaching salespeople a powerful strategy that can be scaled from telesales to Global Account Management to talking to your five year old.

IMPAX may not be the only thing you'll need to make your sales organization more successful, because selling skills are just one of many factors at play. However, as far as selling skills go, especially for complex B2B environments, IMPAX has a lot to offer.

Michael Webb

Purchasing or selling a house ranks among the most stressful events in life, in no small part due to the legal complexity of the closing itself. It is never a stress-free process, and participants are well advised to read as much as possible before agreeing to terms and concluding the sale. Once the closing is finished, there's no turning back. A little bit of knowledge can save thousands of dollars and avoid weeks -- or longer -- of sleepless nights.

This book provides a lucid, readable and highly practical introduction to the entire process. The book covers the pros and cons of using attorneys; offers useful tips on finding the best real estate agent for the sale; and in clear language explains the avalanche of legal terms that can overwhelm even the most educated buyers and sellers. The book is loaded with charts and to-do lists (e.g., examples of home inspection forms, checklists for moving day, etc.) that make it a useful resource in many ways.

If my wife and I had used a book like this when we bought our home five years ago, we'd have been able to negotiate conditions that would have saved us at least $4500. Fortunately, we won't be so ill-informed next time.

Closing on a home is one of those dreaded but unavoidable life events. Like death and taxes, we all yet sooner or later. Michelle Blain has done a superb job of dissecting a very complex and tedious subject. She even managed to make the reading interesting and enjoyable.

This book is much more than your typical "how to" book. It is truly a comprehensive guide that can help you survive the buying or selling (and closing) of your home. You may even profit if you take this advice to heart and structure the deal correctly.

I've bought and sold several times before reading this book. I got this book as I was preparing or my last move. It was my best moving experience yet and I even managed to reduce the closing costs for my new home which paid for this book many times over. What an unbeatable combination - an enjoyable read and saving money!

Where was this book when I closed on my house? This book provides excellent guidance through one of the most stressful transactions anyone will endure. Its sage advice will prove useful to home buyers and sellers alike.

More than a basic explanation of the real estate closing process, Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply delves into the entire process of buying or selling a home from start to finish. Readers will get detailed information about deciding whether or not to use various professionals like real estate agents or attorneys, important information about the different inspections the property should undergo, guidance about financing of the home, and even helpful tips for moving day.

One would think that a book about a legal transaction would make for pretty dry reading. That's simply not true with Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply. Speaking in terms that anyone could understand, Blain takes care to break up particularly complicated sections of the book with helpful anecdotes to illustrate that section.

Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply took all of the mystery out of the real estate closing process. I'm certain, now, that the next time I buy or sell a home, I won't toss and turn during the night before the closing. I can sleep soundly knowing that I already know what's going to take place the next day.

Michelle Blain's YOUR REAL ESTATE CLOSING EXPLAINED SIMPLY covers all the financial and legal concerns surrounding the closing process, the last leg of a home buying effort. Closing costs, legal processes, and options re covered through a series of checklists and charts plus online references, all of which will make the process easier, especially for beginners.

Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply is an extremely useful step-by-step guide for buyers and sellers of real estate. The guide is written in an enjoyable, conversational tone with easy-to-understand explanations of unfamiliar terms that give the reader a thorough understanding of the topic. The book's layout lends itself easily to quick reference - each section clearly indicates the topic covered within it, and helpful checklists, flow charts, and worksheets can be found throughout the book. It is the resource information that makes this book such an outstanding practical guide. For example, Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply includes the actual forms that will be presented during the process with a detailed explanation of each document. The State by State Review in Chapter 8 is one of the most valuable elements of the book, giving state-specific information on real estate laws, procedures, and customs to buyers and sellers of real estate. Your Real Estate Closing Explained Simply is a must-have resource that can help both novice and seasoned buyers and sellers secure a smooth closing experience.

The 'Daum / Schenck' covers 20,000 russian verbs with conjugations, following pronouns, aspect and definitions. A serious help if you are on the learning curve.

My favorite part of the book for a long time was the essay in the appendix - 'On the syntax and semantics of the verb in present-day Russian' by Rudolf Ruzicka. It essentially provides all the rules necessary for a transformative and generative grammar - if you enjoyed 'Politeness' by Brown and Levinson, or have to write an AI for parsing Russian - the appendix is for you...

I have just started using this book in earnest and I have to say it is an invaluable resource. Russian verbs can be very confusing due to shifting stress and unexpected conjugation patterns but this book has so far proved very helpful in clearing up those difficulties. All the necessary information is given briefly to show the important verb forms without filling entire pages with repetitive conjugation tables. I'm sure there are more exhaustive works showing every nuance of verb meaning and usage, but as a desktop reference book this should be in the library of every serious student of Russian.

This work was produced some years ago in the old East Germany. Any serious student of the Russian language needs to have this book. All aspects of the Russian verb are covered in extensive detail. It's a true masterpiece and well worth the money.

A dictionary of Russian verbs is a easy to use book about Russian verbs. There are not many verbs in the Russian language missing in this book. If you wonder how to conjungate a verb, just look up the verb in this book and you will easely find you how to do it, or if it has any kind of exeption, it will be there. It also tells you all the meanings of the verb, which cases to use with it and all you need. A must for all students of the Russian language.

With some 20,000 verb entries, this dictionary is an excellent source of reference. It contains the conjugation of the verb as well as any other forms it might have including long and short form verbal adjectives ("participles"). In addition it has the syntactic regimen of each verb as well as it's stress. A section is also included which discusses the "syntax and semantics of the verb in present-day Russian". It is very informative. My compliments and thanks to the authors E. Daum and W. Schenk for their extensive research which was based upon various up-to-date sources such as the great 17 volume dictionary of modern literary Russian.

Drawing from more than ten years of professional involvement in the pulltab instant win ticket industry, Don D. Basina's The Insider's Guide Instant Win Tickets (Pulltabs): How To Win, How To Sell, How To Profit is a unique, thorough, expert, instructional reference about how to sell and profit from instant win tickets, and also how to better understand the odds of playing instant win games. Simple diagrams, basic advice and direct training form a wealth of information about the ticket industry. The Insider's Guide Instant Win Tickets is highly recommended reading for those on both sides of pulltab ticket gaming.

Until I read Mr. Basina's book, I would never have purchased a pull-tab. I generally won't purchase something I am not familiar with. His book provided concise information that I found to be very useful. I will definiately begin purchasing pull-tabs every opportunity I get.

Until I read Mr. Basina's book, I would never have purchased a pull-tab. I generally won't purchase something I am not familiar with. His book provided concise information that I found to be very useful. I will definiately begin purchasing pull-tabs every opportunity I get.

I enjoy reading an informational book that can summarize exactly what I am looking for. The "games-for-a-profit" field is new to me and I searched for a straight to the point book. THANK YOU!

I would recommend this book for anyone that sells and plays pulltabs. The author gives detailed information on how to sell more pulltabs. Determining the odds of winning for each cash prize helped me win more often!

This is a delightful book. Tom Jones has collected a series of interviews with those people who make their livings in baseball, from players to peanut vendors, general managers to batboys. The interviews are presented as-is, with little rhetorical flourish or editing. The subjects relate the day-to-day goings-on in the world of baseball that exists just outside the sight of the average fan in the stands. Tom Jones takes you beyond the usual sportswriting and takes you deep inside the inner workings of the game.

Although he had never written a book before aspiring author Tom Jones had a marvelous idea. Why not ask people involved in all aspects of the baseball industry these three simple questions: "What is your job?", "How did you get into this line of work?" and finally "What does this job mean to you?" It seems like a simple enough premise but would enough people actually be willing to take the time to sit down and talk about their careers in our great national pastime? Thankfully, the answer turned out to be a resounding "yes"!
In the pages of "Working At The Ballpark" you will meet 50 individuals who ply their trade at major league ballparks all across America. The stories of what these people do and how they wound up working in baseball are varied and fascinating. You will meet a few stars, several journeyman ballplayers, coaches, a manager, an umpire, play-by-play announcers, beat writers, front office personnel and even some of the vendors who patrol the stands during the game. What makes "Working At The Ballpark" so compelling is that most of these people were very willing to open up to Tom Jones and reveal why working in and around baseball is a very special way to earn a living.
As Nolan Ryan observes in the Foreward what is really neat about "Working At The Ballpark" is that you can either choose to read the book cover to cover or just pick and choose the interviews that interest you the most. I would concur with that observation. While "Working At The Ballpark" might be a great bathroom book I chose to read it cover to cover. And while I found a few of the stories to be less than scintillating the overwhelming majority were really quite captivating. What comes through loud and clear to me is that it matters not whether you one of the highly paid athletes, involved in club administration, or are toiling as an attendant in the visitors clubhouse: just about everyone who was interviewed in this book has a love affair with the game of baseball.
After reading "Working At The Ballpark: The Fascinating Lives of Baseball People-From Peanut Vendors and Broadcasters to Players and Managers" you will come away with a new appreciation of what it takes to make that yearly trip to your favorite major ballpark so enjoyable and so memorable. There are so many people involved that you just never see or hear about. You will never look at the game of baseball quite the same way again. Highly recommended!

Tom Jones is apparently this author's real name, and he has an ear for the real people who bring us the real game of big-league baseball. Done in a Studs Terkel style, "Working at the Ballpark" lets us know what it's really like behind the scenes on game day in the voices of the people who make the games possible. A must for any baseball fan.

This is an entertaining book. I like how the author preserves the speaking styles of the 50 baseball people interviewed. This makes for very enjoyable reading. I especially enjoyed reading about batting, hitting, and coaching techniques from people like Leo Mazzone, Ron Jackson, and Mike Hargrove. I also enjoyed peeking into clubhouses to see what really goes on, to read about the tensions between ballplayers and the media, and to read how plain folks like ushers, beer vendors, and mascots make their living. I recommend this book strongly.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in readking about baseball from a different perspective. If Studs Terkel had written a baseball book, this is probably what it would have read like.

50 interviews with people with ALL SORTS of careers at a ballpark--players, clubhouse workers, mascot, landscaping, announcer, ballpark vendors (food, beer, etc.).
My favorite interviews were the ballpark architect, the umpire, the shortstop who goes to art galleries when he travels around the US, and the "from Connecticut" ticket hustler.

I like that I can read one interview at a time or several in a row.

This would be a good gift for any man. I will keep it in mind for the impossible-to-shop-for 15-25 year old. It also strikes me as a good graduation gift because everyone in the book talks about how they came to have that job.

I am female 32 years with limited interest in pro sports...

This engaging and practical book can serve as a guide not only for trainers, but also for consultants and vendors who may lack the organizational savvy needed to navigate complex organizations. The author's emphasis on easing the entry process, building a partnership, soliciting ongoing feedback, and developing a clear evaluation plan provides a very useful framework for ongoing collaboration. The section on how to conduct interviews with potential consultants and vendors fills an important need in the field, and will undoubtedly help both trainers and contractors assess the potential for their work together and develop more meaningful and effective contracts over time.

This comprehensive handbook on outsourcing offers important prinicples and practical advice and includes a full toolkit of worksheets, checklists and charts. There is plenty of contextual background material and insightful vignettes to illustrate key ideas. The book is well organized and easy to read and follow. It is a valuable professional development resource to anyone in the training field -- novice and experienced alike.

Because of the title, Demystifying Outsourcing, I incorrectly assumed that this was a book narrowly targeted to Corporate Training Directors who are replacing in-house staff with contractors. In actuality, this book is about high level collaboration in the increasingly virtual world of business. It is equally about the art of exercising influence both internally and externally, without over-reliance on power associated with purchasing clout.

The book is logically structured so that it is both an easy read as well as a ready resource book. The author has included short, compelling case studies to illustrate her points, and the book is loaded with sample forms, checklists, and exercises such that it is a packed toolkit. As an author, Friedman shows her true colors as training professional. She ends each chapter with a review of key concepts and then encourages reflection and application through a series of prompting questions.

This book should be required reading for any professional in the HR Development industry, whether on the client or consulting side. My OD consulting career has spanned 15 years with numerous Fortune 500 companies. As I reflect on those select few client relationships where my contributions were most highly utilized, and I was most invested in my client's success, it was because of the collaborative partnership that I was able to cultivate with the client. Friedman clearly defines all aspects of such client-consulting relationships in a way that is clear and actionable. If I ever end up teaching a graduate program in HR Development, I will build around two books: Friedman's Outsourcing and Block's Flawless Consulting.

Whether you're a new Training Director - or a salty, experienced pro doesn't really matter. This is a "must have" in every Training Director's library. It clearly documents step-by-step processes associated with identifying, interviewing, contracting, and building outsource relationships. Great worksheets, thoughtful and detailed checklists - everything you need. Eliminates overlooking important details. The CD-ROM enables you to create your own tables and spreadsheets - great time saver!

Sharp, concise, cutting edge. This book is the first of it's kind (may we hope for more?) and will guide and support you in your IP Services endeavors.

I found this book to be an excellent resource for this topic, and being the first book of its kind, it is quite timely.

This book is a gem for anyone marketing and developing IP products / services as it covers the process from concept, feasibility, business plan, and technical considerations.

The case studies included also earn the authors practicality points, since they have been able to deliver experience to us readers, having the big time hands on that they have shared.

By the way, in case you have a chance to hear author Monique Morrow speak to Telecom and IP professionals, check her out - her "stage presence" is worth the time and admission...!

Good update over previous edition. Author added some new material, but took away some from the previous edition. This book will get me through the state exam.

i came across this book AFTER i have finished reading Jacobus' Texas Real Estate. i hoped i have seen this book much earlier and tossed Jacobus into trash bin... much much better...

I liked this book because it is well organized and informative. At the beginning of every chapter the author includes a list of key terms; and key words are bolded and defined through out the chapters. In the back of the book, there's a glossary. This book covers the main topics of the Texas Real Estate Sales Exam in a very thorough, organized way.

This is a keeper, a highlightthis book, review it with your agents and keep it as a reference book. If you are a Broker or an agent you need to read this book and apply the common sense principles.

I work with agents and Brokers who are at great risk, are you? For those who practive where Dual Agency is legal read, read, read! I do practice in one of these states, I hate this practice. Everytime I am asked to serve as a Dual Agent it makes my stomach hurt. I can see law suit written all ove this practice. The book also covers so many areas it is hard to discuss them all. My best advice to every Realtor out there, get this book and study it, one day it may save your business.

An Excellent Reference!

Barbara Nichols has written an insightful easy to read book on the important topic of how to avoid a lawsuit in real estate transactions. This book contains valuable and practical information for anyone who deals with real estate including property owners, buyers, sellers and real estate agents. The author draws on her years of experience as a real estate expert, investor, general contractor and real estate broker to provide real world examples of how the complexities of real estate can create legal liabilities. This book is an excellent resource for anyone seeking to avoid a real estate lawsuit.
M. Beemer

Barbara Nichols' intelligent, easy to understand, guide for making good decisions when one is buying real estate, for either a residence or investment property is an outstanding reference that everyone should have on their shelf. Beginners to seasoned real estate investors can find value in this guide. Terrific reference!

As a procurement professional that practices day-in and day-out, I can say with confidence that this book will provide the reader with tremendously valuable information. Learn vendor tricks and how to respond to them with some tricks of your own. The author, Stephen Guth, also did a great job of weaving in some humor to keep things light and interesting. I highly recommend this book to any procurement or contract professional out there.

This is a great read for anyone interested in becoming a part of a VMO, improving a VMO, selling the business on the need for a VMO or working better with a VMO during the life of a contract.

I have worked with the author, Stephen Guth, and I can say for a fact that his Vendor Management Office concept works. His main objective is to drive value-add from vendors, and cost savings are much lower on the priority scale. However, in the process, I have witnessed him negotiate big savings. Even better, both parties feel like the deal was fair and equitable. Ultimately, the vendor is comitted to making the relationship work and delivers. Whether you're familiar with the VMO concept or not, this is a great book with actionable steps that you can take to create or refine a VMO. There's really no fluff in the book, but Stephen does take some shots at traditional purchasing departments, so that makes the book a little on the controversial side.