Business Books

I have skimmed this book and it looks great. However, it will probably sit on my bookshelf until I get desperate.

I really enjoyed this book and wish that it had been required reading in business school. Unlike many "business" books, this one is covers not only the theory behind what makes a good partnership but also the practice of building and maintaining a good partnership. Anyone who is part of some sort of organization, for-profit or non-profit, will find practical advice here. A must read for any entrepreneur, family business or new venture.

I'm usually not the type to make the time to write a review but with this book I felt compelled to.
There are so few books written on this topic. I've read other but this one is so comprehensive and has such amazing detailed examples.

The only negative is that it is not available in mp3 so I can listen to it. Mr. Gage, if you read these reviews could you please get to work on this.

This author has done a masterful job of presenting a topic that is not talked about enough. Partnerships are hard, but how to make them easier and better is a subject that needs to be taught and discussed much more. As an avid reader, this book has been more timely and helpful to me as a partner is a successful small business than any other book, hands down.

This is a top-notch book - nicely written, smartly organized, and easy to follow and understand. It provides insightful information, telling case histories, useful checklists and exercises, and even includes a fully developed "Partnership Charter" in the appendix. Author David Gage offers an inside view of partnerships, and his case studies make the text a pleasure to read. More importantly, he shows you how to create a partnership charter that will function as your enterprise's Magna Carta in the years to come. If you are planning a partnership, we advise you to study this expert presentation first. You will save yourself a lot of trouble.

I wanted to write and thank Mr. Walker for writing this book. I worked in Healthcare IT and have a master's degree so I've taken lots of tests in my life .... the series 6 is the most difficult I've taken. However with Mr. Walker's material I passed the first time studying only 3 weeks and taking weekends off. He makes very boring material interesting and you will catch yourself laughing out loud sometimes as his humor. If you want to pass the first or next time you take the series 6 this is a must read.

I consider myself kind of a smart guy, but the Kaplan materials made my brain hurt. I was really suffering through my studying. Then along comes this book with tidbits such as this:
"a variable annuity is really just a mutual fund investment that grows tax deferred."

Oh yeah. Now that makes sense. Why couldn't the competitor products state this so clearly? I read page after page of competitor materials and didn't REALLY understand what an annuity was until I read that one simple sentence I quoted above.

This book is full of this sort of thing. Everything explained so you can actually understand it.

Bottom line: I got a 92 on my Series 6. I'm happy I got this guide.

I'm very happy with the book I received. The information is written in clear, understandable terms. The author discusses what is on the series 6 test and uses examples and humor to help with understanding the concepts, as well as, practice tests. I know I will be able to pass the test after reading this book.

I recently decided it was time to pursue a new career in financial services and in order to do so I needed to pass the Series Six. This is not very easy, in fact, I didn't think I could pass. I failed on the first try and figured I needed something that would help someone like me who has never done this stuff and doesn't speak this languge. In the past, I usually tuned out financial talk.
I got a copy of Pass the 6 because it looked like it was in the language I speak..."human." It was, and it was even funny at times too. Guess what? I passed with flying colors today!!!
The book also covers things that will really be on the test. The other book I used on my first try helped me with about 60 percent of the questions that are actually on the test.
The author acutally answered a few of my questions through e-mail. That's a first!!! I've never been able to chat with the author while I'm reading his book. I really got the sense he genuinely wanted me to pass.
Bottom line, this is the one that will get you the 70 or above you need to pass. The others may, but this one will. I knew none of this before and now I feel like Warren Buffett Jr.!!!

I just took the Series 6 yesterday for the first time, and walked out with a piece of paper that said "pass." This would not have been possible without Mr. Walker's book. I got caught in a situation where I had to take the test much earlier than anticipated, and only had about a week of study time. Using nothing else but this book, I studied for and passed the test. I am absolutely convinced my success is due to this book, which not only gives you practice tests, but presents the information in a non-jargon format so you can actually understand and absorb the knowledge.

Having recently taken a job where I need to understand the complexities of commercial real estate deals, I purchased this book after seeing Mr. Peebles on CNBC's Squawk Box and am glad I did. More than just discussing the technical aspects of the deals, the stories of the downsides were particularly riveting -- a side of the journey that you'll rarely hear from most successsful business people. It's a great story of perseverence and growth, and an important read for aspiring entrepreneurs. I'd also recommend it to business students and anyone facing a career crisis.

The book had good case studies for and advice for both entrepreneurs and business people in general. His Principles and Ground Rules are good advice from the real world. I found a couple of typos here and there, but it was a good quick read.

The book has a lot of motivation on how to utilize people that come in play with your life in a positive way. It shows you how to be creative in making real estate deals to your advantage.

Great book for those who want to become real estate investors.

The book is awesome. I first skimmed it at the bookstore but after getting home without it I decided to go back and purchase it because there were so many lessons in there that needed to be mulled over and studied again.

So many other books of a similar ilk don't go into the details that Mr Peebles does and his lessons could apply to many businesses, not just real estate.

This is a great book. The main lesson I learned from this book is that there are different degrees of thinking, and if you're going to think anyway, you mind as well think BIG. Thinking big feeds upon itself, creating more and more success. Thinking BIG also helps facilitate creativity. If one thinks small, set-backs will inevitably cause them to quite before the BIG rewards come. I agree with other's comments who say that the power in this book comes from "going along" with the author, and in essence being a part of his successes and failures.

The author's writing style gives credence to the lists of principles he produces at the end of each chapter. It's written well; not too long, not too short. One of the risks of the author's writing style is that the reader might get sidetracked into viewing the book as entertaining, and not take out the numerous gems to apply to their own entrepreneurial endeavors. I've read it once for enjoyment and now will read it again to extract the numerous gems.

I appreciated and enjoyed the author's "tell it like it is" candor. I believe that is one of the traits that has made him successful. However, I got a bit uncomfortable when he would name people he claimed as being dishonest or lacking in judgment. He did this as a matter of fact, which I feel is a bit unfair to the accused. Chances are high they were dishonest and lacked judgment, but to state it as a fact in a book, I thought was a bit unfair. But that is being picky (unless you're one of the accused); all-in-all this is a great book for aspiring entrepreneurs!

I recently enjoyed BULLIES, TYRANTS & IMPOSSIBLE PEOPLE
by Ronald M. Shapiro and Mark A. Jankowski so much that I had
to seek out their first book: THE POWER OF NICE . . . and if I had to do it all over again, I'd
probably reverse the order of my reading and read this latter book first.

It gives the background for much of what is taught by the two
authors; i.e., that you should seek to make sure that everybody
wins in negotiations--but you win bigger . . . to do so, you need
to understand the "three Ps," which are described as "preparing better
than the other side; probing so you know what they want and why;
and proposing, ideally without going first and revealing too much."

If you're a sports fan, you'll like the many examples involving
such superstars as Eddie Murray, Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken,
and Brooks Robinson . . . however, others will be able to relate
to discussions involving President Carter, home purchases
and salary negotiations.

I learned much from this book, including:
* A good negotiation is about dividing the pie so that both sides get a
satisfactory piece. A better negotiation is one that finds a way to grow
the pie (increase revenues, add market share, strengthen resources)
so both sides get a bigger piece. But baseball was playing out the worst
scenario possible. What had been a 2.5 billion dollar pie was actually
shrinking. It had taken decades for it to reach that size and, in a matter
of weeks, it was losing revenue by the millions.

* When people are under pressure, they revert to habits. In order to create
new habits, you need a simple, systematic approach that you can practice
and master. I learned that lesson through skydiving, and I learned it again
and again in negotiation. We do not teach people the 45 best opening
lines or the 75 greatest closing tactics. If you learn it-that is, practice
and master what we preach-when the pressure hits, you'll revert to your
new, learned habit and you'll be a more effective negotiator.

* And this particularly valuable tidbit that I have to put into practice more:
Shh! (That's another secret to negotiation.) People like to talk. Resist
the urge. The other side is human, so they want to talk, too. Encourage
them. Then listen. They're trying to tell you how to make the deal.
Did you ever notice how often the party opposite you thinks what he or she
has to say is more important than what you have to say? That's okay.
Give them a chance and they'll tell you everything you need to know:
What they hope for, what they can move and where they can't. They may
tell you directly or subtly. Ask questions. Listen more. Every moment
you're not talking is an opportunity to learn what it takes to make the
deal. The best negotiators aren't smooth talkers; they're smooth
listeners.

The less you say, the more others will remember. It's simple math.
Say a lot and they're bombarded and overwhelmed. Say a little
and they can retain every word. And, or course, the less you say,
the more you can focus on what they say.

THE POWER OF NICE also presented quotes in each chapter
that pertained to the subject of negotiations, including this
one from Thomas Jefferson that has very quickly become one
of my favorites:

When I'm angry, I count to ten before I speak. When I'm very angry,
I count to one hundred.

That said, I won't even bother doing any counting before recommending
this very informative book to my fellow members of the Negotiations Team
at the college where I teach . . . they'll greatly benefit from it, as will
anybody else seeking insight into what makes others tick when
they want something.

I would imagine that since each of us has different personalities and different likes and dislikes that some would be more inclined toward this book than others. Some like Antigues and some modern furniture. Some love good carb snacks and others a great chocolate bar. Our taste vary, but this book is most probably for everyone.

Becuase while we may differ on what color car we want, or or what type of work we do, we all want to win our negotiations, we all want respect first and we all want appreciation. This book teaches the skill of negotiating in a fair way. Fair like it or not means taking a look at the others prespective as much as we hate to do this. (when you are at a ballgame and the umpire makes a call against the home team 50,000 are booing. Can it be that all of the people on the field saw it one way and the home team and home fans another?

Its human nature to want to be right. And human nature to want to be treated fairly. This is a great read. And will produce better results in your negotiations, withhout burning a bridge, becuase that is not a wise way to live.

First of alll, this isn't the usual kind of book I read. I have not read any of the other "self help" authors, but did pick up on a lot of use from the magazines I read. And there are parts that reminded me of Richard Simmons or Oprah. But it didn't bother me so much to get in a little "niceness". It was refreshing to read about how "nice" can work instead of "mean". I have certainly not know anyone to focus on such before. I picked this up since a friend mentioned how much this book helped them be a better person in their professional life. After reading it I think there's a lot to be said about the power of nice. Nice guys can win... ...and you can be a nice guy and be a winner too.

During my training as a physician, contract negotiations discussions were not part of the curriculum. Such discussions with our staff were, in fact, discouraged, since our only focus should be to learn medicine and take care of patients. Unfortunately, the art and science of negotiations does have a substantial impact in the ability of a professional to maximize benefit in his/her carreer.

This book was my first introduction to this subject. It was easy and fun to read.

During my job search as an anesthesiologist, this book armed me with the tools I needed to confidently negotiate the right position and compensation package.

Becoming a better negotiator is in everyone's best interest so when one of my students recommended Power of Nice, I was pretty excited about ordering it from Amazon and put it in the queue to read. I really enjoyed the stories in this book. Shapiro has been there, done that in some of the biggest and toughest negotiations in the sports world. If you are a baseball fan, it will bring back memories. And I learned more from the stories than anything else.

I have read this book twice, the first time it didn't quite click and I have a theory why. The book's content is pretty good, but the layout is terrible. I just finished reading a book by Addison Wesley press that had at least 4 times the number of facts per page and power of nice and as always the information was laid out professionally; it helps me to absorb the material. There is another thing that is off putting is how the author keeps saying if you follow the principles in this book you'll get better results and more of what you want and similar. Hey, I already bought the book, quite selling. It reminded me of Richard with his Refuse to Lose's 9 principles in Little Miss Sunshine.

Another small problem and then I will start praising the book again. They use a lot of initials, for instance, the three Ps. Everyone who has ever read a business book knows the three Ps are product, price and positioning, but not here. The three Ps in power of nice are prepare, probe and propose.

However, I just came out of a fairly intense negotiation, I had read the entire book once and spent the days before the negotiation preparing. I let the other side propose first, I probed and I proposed. It all worked. So the book was certainly worth the $20.00 I paid for it and much, much more. And I did get better results and more of what I wanted so Shapiro has every write to claim that. I have not read a better book on negotiation, pick it up and deal with the layout already.

This book does a great job in analyzing the traits of the great wealth creators. I've read several books on this topic and most of them are very unfocused and biographical instead of focusing on the traits (not the person) and making an argument on why they are important. The book is very well-written and focused and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in what makes these successful people tick.

"Look past the range of the moment, you who cry that you fear to compete with men of superior intelligence, that their mind is a threat to your livelihood, that the strong leave no chance to the weak in a market of voluntary trade. . . . When you live in a rational society, where men are free to trade, you receive an incalculable bonus: the material value of your work is determined not only by your effort, but by the effort of the best productive minds who exist in the world around you. . . ."
(Atlas Shrugged)

If that quotation, by Ayn Rand, hits home with you, you'll love this book by Edwin Locke.

The Prime Movers shows us what it takes to be successful in business and in life. This is not a comprehensive study of everything that applies to the topic of becoming a wealth-creator, but the author does a really good job of showing examples of what virtues are possessed by prime movers past and present. He also draws some insightful conclusions about why volition is a key to any success.

Great book for anyone interested in succeeding in becoming an independant thinker and creator.

How does one make money morally?

This book is far and away better than books by or about a single CEO because it looks at many leaders and clearly shows what is fundamental, discarding the rest. The same principles needed to run a successful company and build wealth apply whether one runs a modest store or a gigantic enterprise (or even a modest department in a large company). In today's culture most people would rather cut down and sling dirt at those at the top. It is therefore very refreshing to read why they should be admired and how to follow in their footsteps.

Ed Locke's _The Prime Movers_ is a fairly detailed and empirical analysis of the traits common to great business leaders. Using businessmen (and women) of the past and present as both positive and negative examples throughout, Locke makes an excellent case that traits such as independent vision, a relentlessly active mind, egoistic passion for work, and love of ability in others are essential for great success in business. (Locke then breaks down each of these traits into subcomponent traits, discussing each in turn.) Despite some painfully Objectivist bits, this book was an inspiring and informative look into what makes the movers and shakers of the economy so successful.

One of my favorite things to do besides learn about the stock market is read books on starting/running businesses and self help/motivational/inspirational books I find these books to be a relaxing brain stimulant that helps me better myself. I am sure others receive the similar feelings and thoughts from reading material like this.

Pushing the envelope is another great book by Harvey Mackay (he owns an envelope company incase you were wondering.) Like his other books "Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive" and "Beware the naked man who offers you his shirt" Pushing the envelope is choke full of real life tips on how to be better at work, at home and with friends. Hands off to Harvey for he has created another wonderful book.

If you would like to invest in your future I recommend purchasing this book: Pushing the envelope all the way to the top

Reed Floren

I have been a fan of Harvey Mackay since reading Swim with the Sharks. Pushing the Envelope is even better.If you are in business or want to be, read this book and learn from a master..

If it didn't say "Harvey Mackay" on the cover, we wouldn't even mention this book, but ol' Swim with the Sharks Harvey is a brand unto himself. Pushing the Envelope is pure Mackay: breezy style, predictable advice, management insights as deep as a puddle. Still, expect it to sell. Mackay, like Zig Ziglar, can move books on name recognition alone.

This latest tome offers 90 chapters of advice on how to improve yourself, outdo the competition, raise expectations, manage effectively, and do it all with flair. When you pack that much living into one slim volume, you can expect each chapter to have maybe a shade more meaning than a fortune cookie. That's not to say that some of the advice isn't sound. It's just that so much of it is insight into the obvious. Take this pearl, for example: "Always let the other side talk first" in a negotiation. OK, fair enough, but what if both of you have read the book?

If nothing else, Mackay is a master of self-promotion. He tells you that to save time you should listen to books on tape and then gives you the phone number for Nightingale Conant, which he calls "the biggest and best" source of them. Well, he doesn't mention it, but Mackay's taped books are a Nightingale Conant staple. Then again, learning to self-promote, network, and connect at every turn is central to his whole rap. He's merely practicing what he preaches about pursuing every opportunity--indeed, running it into the ground.

Mackay does point readers to some really good titles with the oomph his book doesn't have, suggesting The Real Heroes of Business...and Not a CEO Among Them, by Bill Fromm and Len Schlesinger (Currency/Doubleday, 1994), which chronicles 14 employees across the country who provide exemplary service; and Leadership Without Easy Answers, by Ronald A. Heifetz (Belknap Press, 1994), which is indeed one of the best books on leadership written in many years.

To be fair, Mackay can be a hoot, and sometimes that's all you want one of his books for. He can even laugh at his own breed, as he does in a wonderful send-up in chapter 9. Laid out as a screenplay idea that was rejected by his real-life moviedirector son, the chapter describes a befuddled, aging CEO who spouts management wisdom--when he can remember it--to young whippersnappers seeking advice. "Dig your well before you stub your toe...wait a minute, that's not it...," he fumbles. Hilariously accurate.

From Author of "Script Magic: Subconscious Techniques to Conquer Writer's Block: Want to get motivated? Want to do the impossible! You can, with Harvey MacKay as your guide! There are many poignant messages in this book, but the two that touched me the most was the fact that MacKay aimed for and achieved his desires, despite the "odds." And secondly, the subtle message I get from him and his book is that generosity is really the best policy. Tuck it under your pillow at night and read it for inspiration!

Did I read the same book as the rest of these reviews? I like Harvey Mackay and enjoyed Swim With the Sharks, but I thought this book was a fairly simplistic brain dump of cliches and unoriginal thoughts. I do believe Mackay's geniunely decent nature come through and most of the concepts were fairly well presented, but I found very little here I hadn't already heard. I kept thinking to myself that this was Harvey's publisher squeezing out another book under contract. Sorry.

I'm really surprised at all the positive reviews this got. She did give some guidelines which are nice, but I found it very hard to drum up much sympathy for the author, who seemed very full of herself and self-focussed. Her life was, in general, not a struggle; she seemed to get everything she wanted easily and more than most people can dream of getting. She had a few bumps and now she's back on track and that's why she wrote the book. I would not recommend it.

After reading the article about Ms. Whaley in the April 2006 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine, I immediately bought and read her book. I could not put the book down. Whaley tells a story that most of us can identify with. I was so inspired by her book. She difinitely sparked me to re-evaluate my own choices and start living my life for me and not everyone else. I recommend this book to everyone.

I read about Lisa in the September issue of Essence Magazine and immediately bought the book. I was so moved by her story. This is a book that is a must read for everyone.

I read this week over a weekend. It was funny, moving and inspirational. So much to learn from... thank you!

Lots of things you will think about as you read this book. Most women will probably see themselves in parts of this story. This woman took her life back and it took a lot of courage. A terrific read. Enjoyed it very much.

As part of our mantra at Rocket Builders to bring metrics into sales and marketing I was asked to review this book. A very valuable book for those in the enterprise sales market and/or markets where the customer needs material that really shows the ROI from using your goods and services. This includes customers who have become "jaded" by implementations that took longer and cost more than budgetted with little to show for it. They will love the part where you can show them the cost of waiting/not deciding. (So will you)

Not a book for the faint of heart as it is quite thorough and all encompassing wrto getting and using metrics in sales. It is definitely written with VP sales and CFO in mind. The very last chapter discusses ROI used in marketing and despite the brevity, it is a useful chapter. If I was to point to one flaw, it is that this book, like so many others in sales , does not address how and why most marketing materials do not really help the sales process. The problem is as much due to sales as marketing. But that is the subject for another day(s)?

Chapters are quick, short and perhaps a bit too concise in explanation. It takes a while to get through and I would not recommend it as an airplane book. You need quiet, time and reflection to use this. If you do, the results should be very useful to you

.

Written with the professional in mind: very understandable and credible step by step process for gathering and collecting customer information which will be used in the ROI presentation. Very useful for all sales prefessionals - regardless of experience.

I really recommend it to any person who wants to learn how to build a solid Roi Model. This is the best tool to show your prospects/customers a truly value justification based on real information from their own company. Improve loyalty 100%!!
I am glad I found this book!
Congratulations to the author!

Having been a sales mentor for 7 years, and having sold large solutions into the Enterprise for 23, this book has been exactly what I have been looking for. The need to quantify value in an easy, neutral fashion, and have your prospect do it with you, is exactly how the deals are being done today in this overheated, competitive technology market.

I have adapted my practice to ROI selling, brought it to my clients, and have found new clients because of it. One of the best elements of the book is the ability to engage with the author, and actually get his help. In several instances, I did this, and it was very competitive and highly professional.

I recommend this to vendors selling software and technology, CEO's who have to buy those solutions, and executives who need to sell there projects to their own C-level. With tools like ROI Selling, you can more easily advance your business and career. Great work!

ROI Selling: I recommend for any individual working on or thinking about implementing value justification/ROI documentation into the sales process. As more and more sales situations increase in complexity the greater the need for a valid credible documentation of ROI will be needed. Customers do not have a sohpisticated method of valuing a solution, those sales professionals that can provide a credible model will win more than lose.

The methodology is great. The process the book uses is very nice to follow and not only is helpful on a general level but is providing actionable results.

My only wish is to have more examples from real life that could be packaged on a cd-rom. However the handful that are provided are a great starting point from which to build.

Even if you think you have a good ROI model you should get this book to validate your model.

This book EXCEEDED my expectations!

After skipping around the book by my interests and taking A LOT of notes, I am now reading it cover to cover.

I have been in sales for years and am learning NEW strategies and ideas. I don't know how someone could read this book and not increase client loyalty, work smarter, make more money, be happier and get more done every day. It's done this for me already and I'm just starting to apply what I'm learning.

THANK YOU to this expert Sales Team for sharing this wealth of information.

Bravo! Finally, a sales manual that has pulled us out of the dark ages and into the new millennium. This is a must-read for individuals currently working within any given sales field who truly desire to evolve from their conditioned patterns of thought regarding archaic selling techniques.

I highly recommend this refreshing and innovative new book for anyone wanting to achieve mastery as a sales person within this highly competitive market. Gaining new insight from a unique viewpoint by the individual authors sheds important light on how to bring effective change to all sales aspects.

By utilizing the alternative approaches presented in this book, preconceived barriers are broken down replacing old beliefs with new concepts allowing the flow of unlimited success within the new parameters.

Maricel Piercey
Business Owner

Looked forward to this book and followed the progress from Kevin's initial invitation to his subscribers.
I am quite disappointed. Except for Gary May's initial chapters, the rest are really bah humbug.
It looks like, and reads like, a self-published book. Full of typos (and not talking about American vs English) and poor design & layout.
The marketing efforts (with all the free stuff on offer)were, by and large, quite disappointing.
It seems to me a cynical exercise in extracting money from people rather than adding value - which is the Kevin Hogan brand.
Having said that Gary's chapters are worth the few buck for sure, and I have added him to my blogroll.

This book guides selling from the inside out. As a colleague familiar with Mollie Marti's work as a success and business coach, I was able to read a preview copy of this book. Mollie is an excellent writer and presents complex information in a clear way. She also is known for going above and beyond in her work. She's now done this with a stellar team of sales experts.

This book presents multiple layers to selling and certainly merits reading more than once. There are so many principles, tips, examples and new ideas. Some of the ideas can be implemented immediately; some take thought and reflection. I have read the whole book and am beginning to reread parts of it. It's going to take me several times through this book to truly absorb it all and implement it in my trial consulting practice. There are so many practical suggestions.

I am pleased to find a book that provides suggestions applicable to selling services and knowledge as well as hard goods. The principles presented here will improve any type of selling, not just someone selling a tangible product. This is one of those books that I will be constantly taking off my shelf as I attempt to master the area of sales and business growth.

I can not recommend this book highly enough. Absorb the material, apply the lessons - and succeed. No matter what business you are in or what product or service you provide, you will be wowed by this resource. It is overflowing with good ideas that really make a difference in your business. If you implement even a fraction of the information it contains, you undoubtedly will see the results on your bottom line.

Congratulations to Mollie Marti and her colleagues on putting together this excellent sales resource. And congrats to any reader smart enough to buy it and put this powerful advice to work for them!

If you can't use the first section of this book ( written by genius Gary May) to double your income in 2008, then it probably can't be done! I had the pleasure of meeting Gary in Las Vegas last year and must say, I didn't expect anthing less than the spectacular contribution he has made to the field of sales and influence. As a speaker that sells from the stage, I soaked up every word of Dave Lakhani's section on selling the crowd. I could go on and on; Hogan, Marti, Lakhani, May, Hoppe, and Adams- I tip my hat to you all. A big thanks to Kevin Hogan for harnessing the power of all of these creative persuaders in one book!

I speak around the world on lead generation and marketing strategy. Neil did an outstanding job crafting "The SPIN Selling Fieldbook" to give you a roadmap on how to master complex sales strategy.

There is no other resource I can think of where you can "easily perfect" your approach and positioning sales strategy.

Neil gives you step-by-step plan that anyone can follow in their quest to excel at marketing their products or services.

The SPIN Selling Fieldbook gives you valuable "hands on" tools. I recommend the "SPIN Selling Fieldbook."

It is an invaluable resource that any salesperson or sales executive should have in their personal library.

Joe Heller, Trust Cycle Selling

This field book is better than the original book was. If you are going to buy just one of the two you should probably just buy the field book. It allows you to apply the ideas very quickly.

This book is a 206 page powerhouse, but I want to direct you to pages 50 and 51:

"The Good News"...

"The good news is that the Spin model has proved to be a versatile sales tool, works across cultures, applies across industries, is equally applicable to selling services or products."

"The Bad News"...

"Our one million users would tell you in one voice: It's a lot harder than it seems. SPIN isn't a magic pill that you can take and turn yourself into an instant sales success. It's hard work. One of the immutable laws of business is that there's always a link between risk and reward. The more rewarding the outcome, the tougher it is to obtain. If SPIN questions were simple and automatic, then everyone would be using them already, and there would be no competitive advantage from the model. "

So there you have it. You will not only have to learn the basic principles of SPIN (Situation - Problem - Implication - Need Payoff), you will also have to personalize these principles into a game plan for each prospect, current customer, former customer...

...and in doing so you will be ahead of the curve. You'll be far down the road from the people who are still fumbling around for a "simple and automatic" approach. You will find few books on sales that are as honest as this one. Author Neil Rackham hands you a powerful set of tools, but make no mistake about it: your success will come entirely from what you choose to do with them. VERY highly recommended.

Usually is not enough to read a book to have the knowledge, you need to practice, and that is what this book helps to, giving you ideas on how to put SPIN method into practice.

I bought this book together with SPIN Selling. I read the Fieldbook after reading SPIN Selling. If you've already read SPIN Selling, this book is not going to tell you much new things.

If you would read the Fieldbook instead of SPIN Selling, then I think the Fieldbook is not thorough enough, at least if you compare it to SPIN Selling.

In general I think the audience of this book is perhaps college students, or clever highschool students, but not really experienced salespeople. Maybe that's also because of the cartoons every now and then which make the book look like it's meant for younger people.

What I expected when I bought both books was that the Fieldbook offerd some transcriptions of salescalls, and an explanation of why certain aspects are wrong and how this could be improved using SPIN Selling. This was not really the case, it was more like a simple summary of SPIN Selling. So not really the Fieldbook I expected.

Anyway, the book is not bad, but I would not recommend to buy both SPIN Selling and the Fieldbook together. Also, if you're a serious and experienced salesperson I would recommend SPIN Selling. If you're new to sales or if you're still in college, I would recommend the Fieldbook.