Sales Books

If you have a toddler, you know how much they enjoy hearing the same story over and over again. This book is sure to be one of your little one's favorites. The simple pictures and truncated text make this a great book for toddlers. And because there's no real storyline to follow, you can skip a few pages here and there if you need to... at least, until your little one is old enough to catch onto you.

My 15-month old son LOVES this book ever since he was 9 months-old. We read it every night before he goes to bed. Taro Gomi has captured simple creatures in life and have made them animated and good teachers. The illustrations are purely magical. I highly recommend this book to kids, young and old.

Our son loves this book - and we love reading it to him. It's such a great sentiment, that we can learn so much from those around us. We're connected to our friends, and each one has a gift that we can appreciate. And the illustrations are fantastic.

I have been collecting bilingual books to read to my children and to help our whole family learn Spanish. This is one of our favorites and one the kids will listen to without complaining about me reading in Spanish (which is a problem with some other books with more words on each page). I highly recommend this book and have been buying copies to give to friends.

My Friends by Taro Gomi is a beautifully illustrated book about learning simple skills...with a little help from your friends. And in this story, all creatures (from the tiniest ant to the teachers at school) are your friends. My daughter loves this book, reciting page after page which friend teaches her what task. The overall message of this book is that a child can learn something from everyone and everything.

The artwork is delightful: colorful, simple, and crisp. The language sounds lyrical, even poetic, as you read it aloud. This book will capture the imagination of your child. Whenever we read it, my daughter gives me different examples of who has taught her what. It is a great conversation starter!

I recommend this engaging book for all toddlers, beginning readers, or anyone who enjoys a sweet story.

"The power of the pitch" gives interesting examples from the author's vast communications experience. It touches on a lot of different areas and is a good introduction for anyone who wants to get a practical primer in communications. The book focuses on how to sell your message in a traditional business meeting, but some problems in the book decrease its value.

I bought the book with the intention that it would teach me more about elevator pitches. I was disappointed that only a few pages in the book deal with this subject, and that the author's definition of an elevator pitch is somewhat unusual. The author basically says that the goal of the elevator pitch is not to sell the idea, that will be done at a later meeting. Instead, the goal is simply to switch business cards. I was hoping that the author would work with the tradition elevator pitch format found at for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch

The book also suffers from quite a few typos and some annoyingly pixelated images.

For someone spending their life in marketing, this is the best guide I've seen.

A few summers ago I was fortunate enough to come across a copy of the book The Power of the Pitch by Gary Hankins. After flipping through a few of the pages I knew that I had to purchase this book.

As an entrepreneur - especially a young one - you will always be judged by not only what you say, but how you say things. Having the ability to effectively and clearly communicate your ideas, visions, and plans of your company is extremely important and goes a long way in how people view your character.

Let's keep it real, the majority of the people that you pitch your ideas to aren't going to share your vision and will brush your words off quite easily. Knowing that, it's in the entrepreneur's best interest to become the best communicator than he or she possibly can.

Hankins' book is an excellent place to start reading about the fundamentals of becoming a great communicator. The book is a fun and relaxing read and packed with tons of useful information such as:

- Learning how to tell a story when giving a presentation.
- The benefits of seeding in jokes throughout your presentation.
- Tips on practicing your speech with friends for honest feedback.
- How to customize your message for the different audiences.
- Keeping eye contact with key people.
- How to stay relaxed and be confident.
- Focusing your message on your target audience, not yourself.
- And much, much, more....

The key thing to remember when giving a speech or presentation is preparation, preparation, and more preparation! Without taking the necessary steps to insure that your message is clearly presented and fully understanding the material of which you speak of, your credibility level will drop faster than you can ever image.

Hankins' book is well worth the read for any entrepreneur trying to step up their communication skills. After reading the book, it would be wise to start testing out some of the techniques at your local Toastmasters club. Because at the end of the day, public speaking is more about doing than reading.

Go get 'em!

"The Power of the Pitch", I believe, stands alongside some of the greatest aids in the area of development of individual potential and professionalism -- whatever the goal. Succinct, focused and entertainingly presented, the text is akin to being accompanied by a coach -- guiding and training easily yet profoundly -- in the very basic tenets that make for a totally developed, confident. personality

Gary picks up on the many aspects of character traits endeavoring to shape and mold each until culminating into one finished, polished and confident persona -- the results of which easily promises a life ennobled by fulfillment and ultimate success.

This is a book I have read, re-read, hi-lighted and will keep active as my own personal coach. Mostly, I was impressed and encouraged by Gary's practical strategies to enforce a discipline until it becomes a natural lifestyle. Whether you're a novice or entrepreneur, "The Power of the Pitch", for sure, has something for you!

This book is a very user-friendly, fun way to become a better presenter in all fields.

One of the most powerful messages in this book is on page 127. It is here that Ludwig illustrates the sales funnel. This is a core philosophy and driver in the sale profession that many times is ignored. Great book and solid message.PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

Sales folks by nature tend to be uninhibited, and when they become sought-after trainers and speakers, audiences reinforce this tendency by responding warmly to charming, oddball openers and anecdotes. In this case, however, even while providing substantial advice, author George Ludwig demonstrates that personal stories that bring down the house during a speech don't always translate into print. Moreover, a single anecdote, like a sharpshooter's bullet, often has more effect than a machine-gun spray of tales. Some of the stories (maybe the one about "Captain Underpants") don't contribute much. If you put the distracting anecdotes aside, however, what you have left is a very solid book capitalizing on the author's extensive practical experience. Has Ludwig cracked a genetic "sales code" that will help you earn more? Maybe not. However, his seven secrets are seven staples any salesperson needs. We believe that most sales professionals and sales trainers will benefit from his sound motivational and logistical advice.

I love this book! I was quite surprised at Ludwig's refreshing and unique sales approach which if employed will (according to some heavy hitting testimonials) boost your bottom line. Ludwig's "Up Close and Personal" writing style makes Power Selling an enjoyable read while revisiting old strategies and inventing some fundamental new strategies Ludwig's Power Selling will revitalize your selling style. This is a nuts and bolts tool that can be used by sales professionals as well as business professionals across the spectrum for purposes of honing skills in the areas of client communication, client relationships and customer service. Mr. Ludwig might want to do a sequel to Power Selling, leave out the abundance of quotes and stick to his own inventive, ingenious thoughts - they are definitely worth expounding on. C. Roach

Our firm has had the pleasure of working with George in a consultative relationship, and when he told us about his vision for "Power Selling" I was concerned. George is chapter two ... The Power of Real Passion. How are you ever going to capture your energy and enthusiasm for attracting and retaining client relationships in a book...I wondered. Well, he has done it. By reading Power Selling you will feel George's energy ramp up with every passing chapter. This book is the only resource that I've come accross that takes the best of sales success of the past half century and finally connects the dots. If you're looking for gimmicks and a quick fix then move on. But if you have a passion for people and a passion for your commodity, then this book is a must read!

George Ludwig grasps concepts that seem to have eluded many of the leading thinkers in sales and he debunks many of the myths that revolve around so-called "strategic selling". His original research that uncovered "the seven powers" of the world's greatest salespeople, which are really "best-of-breed practices," is right on the money. This might be the first sales book you could actually hand to your buyer and say "Here's how I'd like to proceed with you," because of the integrity and trust woven into the Power Selling approach. I literally read the entire book cover-to-cover in one sitting, and as of this writing I'm reading it a second time. And Ludwig's on-line assessment tool is a great addition to the book. The book has definitely helped my air charter business grow to the next level and it's the best overall book on selling strategy I've ever read--and I think I've read most of them.

We've all been through many sales training classes and learned different sales methodologies, but Jeff's "Selling to Zebras" is unrivaled. It's different, it's logical, it's real, it hits home with prospects, and it works! Jeff's knowledge, delivery and support of this sales approach is phenomenal. After working with Jeff, my sales reps and I said, "This is the best training and these are the best tools I've ever learned." On top of all that, Jeff is a pleasure to work with. He's responsive, full of integrity, and adds a tremendous amount of value in front of a customer or prospect.

This method emphasizes the importance of focusing efforts on opportunities that measure up to a set of qualifications ensuring success - or zebra. It helped me close my last deal in 3 months selling business value versus feature/functionality.

For over 30 years I have sold, focusing on new name business through creativity. The key to success I have found is presenting a problem, and then presenting a solution to that problem with financial bottom line accountability. The methodology presented in Jeff's book is by the most insightful bottom line accountability one can offer backed up by many levels of validation. New name sales people are defined as "hunters" as opposed to "farmers" and in sales "hunters" will always have a job long past their time, and "Selling to Zebra's" will allow hunters to hunt with the highest degree of success.

I am talking from the perspective of a practical user of Jeff Koser's methodology as well as a reader of his book.

Richard Reeve, Hudson New Hampshire

The Kosers have supplied a big AHA!! to the sales world and to General Managers everywhere! Figuring out what your ideal customer really looks and behaves like will save sales organizations thousands of hours by making an active decision not to pursue prospects with a low likelihood of success. Putting all of one's energy and talent into pursuing only potential customers with which there is a high probability of success is fundamental to any company.

There is a lot of content geared to sales people, but this book may be most valuable to CEO's and General Managers whose companies' performance relies so heavily the ability of their sales organizations' ability to close deals.

Developing a Zebra profile is not difficult and the tools and assistance is available through their website. Do it and execute it and watch sales efficiency soar!

Ken McMillan
TEC

The most essential weapon in my arsenal, from opportunity hunting to inside sales, outside sales and management, I've been an advocate for 10 years. The Zebra methodology and process have always allowed me to take specific aim----not just random shots. Jeff and Chad have put into print the definitions of Zebrafication in a most entertaining way!

Outstanding!

I can't really add anything the other reviews haven't already covered. I just wanted to add my praise of this classic. This book is very relevant in a lab setting. I would recommend it to everyone to start with, but especially those with experimental problems to solve in an objective way.

I used the Montgomery DOE book as an undergrad...but chatting with a Stat prof freind of mine..she recommened Box Hunter & Hunter over this. I had never covered the entire book..& was reading up on Factorial designs...I went ahead and bought Box Hunter & Hunter...(do wait & buy the 2nd edition due out in May-I think Amazon trys to sell you the old inventory if you are not careful)...nonetheless, the old edition I bought actually is much more intuitive and easy to follow that the "Design and Analysis of Experiments" book by Montgomery....I think its b/c the latter is written by an engineer..no offense to you out there...just that engineers cover so much material that there texts seem more "cookbook" like..here's how...w/ no too much intuition as to why ...probably catering to the engineer who has not the time to care about the why...I am thoutoughly enjoying the read...some of the quotes in hte book are pretty funny yet all the while relevant...

All of the reviews on this book are generally consistent in their praise for the book and the authors. I do not have any points to add to the discussion other than this:

It is a credit to this version of Statistics for Experimenters that it has remained relevant throughout the years as a classic introductory text that has kept selling consistently since it was released in the 1970's. Nevertheless, unless you have a particular reason for purchasing this version, you should purchase the updated version(also available through Amazon).

The full title of the newer edition is:

Statistics for Experimenters: Design, Innovation, and Discovery, 2nd Edition

The 2nd edition, written in the same engaging and readable style as the 1st, contains virtually all of the content of the 1st edition plus advances in design of experiments that have happened since the 1st edition was published.

George E.P. Box, the senior author of this magnificent example of great teaching for adults, is one of the great statisticians of modern times. He is a master at teaching those with experience, especially industrial experience, but not necessarily the most advanced mathematical training. My own background in econometrics and decades of work experience left me in a position of having too little knowledge to apply sophisitcated statistical methods to experiments and too much knowledge to settle for the exposition of statistics in many experimental design texts, especially those for behavioral scientists. I had read some of Mr. Box's "Evolutionary Operation" [with Norman Draper] ("EvOp") (also outstanding, practical, and unusual) and looked at "Bayesian Inference in Statistical Analysis" [with George Tiao] ("BISA") and hoped the book was as practical as EvOp rather than as mathematical as BISA. It has turned out to be so without being unsophisticated.

Once you have mastered this, I am sure you will be prepared for many of the challenges of applying statistics to practical industrial and experimental situations and for more advanced and modern methods that have emerged since 1978 with the ubiquity of very cheap computing power.

What it may lack in the most contemporary methods it more than makes up for by helping the reader develop a good intuition for applying statistical methods and judgment.

This book was published in 1978 but as other reviewers have noted its practical methods and advice are timeless. George Box and Stu Hunter are both very famous statisticians who are also great teachers and lecturers. Bill Hunter is now deceased. All three authors have made major contributions to the design of experiments. The book is written for practitioners and in the simplest language possible. Emphasis is placed on practical designs and not optimal designs because optimal designs are very sensitive to model specification.
It does not include the robust designs of Taguchi which came later and could easily be included if the authors choose to revise it.

Can this book REALLY be this good? Its been around 11 years, has had only two printings, and the current used price is $155-185!! What is up with that?

I got my copy at a book sale a couple years ago, and almost didn't read it. GLAD I DID. Ray is extremely effective in laying down a proven system that makes the sale before the presentation is even made! Imagine closing the sale before you mention a single feature or benefit.

Now that is WOW.

Can a selling system really be that powerful? Lots of people must think so, because a couple years ago the few copies available were selling for around $85.

(I remember when the second printing came out and the prices came down to $30.)

Now, there are four copies available selling for over $150 each!

WOW.

That alone should tell you how powerful this system is. A can't-miss closing system like this ought to be worth 10 times this much.

The first half of the book is rather slow but the second half is where the real value lies. The concept of the WITY is very cleaver and my organisation is now utilising this tool. The book is easy to read and can be finished rather quickly. On the whole I would recommend this book for sales training.

This is no theoretical exercise, it's years of sales & human behaviour understanding put together to provide a series of steps to make sure you maximize your chances of success. Extremely well explained and easy to put into practice. The Sales Funnel has given me more success than I ever dreamed of.

This is a valuable book. It provides a "step by step" approach to making a sale. It provides a very "customer oriented" approach. I read it. I customized the steps for my product and my potential customers. I applied it and WOW. Then I applied it using email and video conferencing. I strongly recommend this book.

The simplicity of the process is excelent, you don't have to be someone else.....be yourself and use what works for you. This book is a must read for any salesperson that wants to accelerate their income potential! I have, e-mail me anytime to ask poolguy@gotnet.net

Picked up this book after becoming a fan of Mr. Caine in both his work and the way he presents himself in interviews. I figured he would have a pretty fascinating and insightful autobiography. And boy was I spot on.

Mr. Caine has endured quite some obstacles in his life. His story of living through and fighting in war is amazing in itself. What struck me the most was how hard Mr. Caine worked on the stage before ever landing his first film role. This was a man who came from nowhere to become one of England's biggest stars. And he did it all from a very bare bones early life that featured a lot of hard work and little luck.

This book was especially fascinating and inspiring to me as an actor. It makes my struggles seem a lot less enduring when you read what another man had to go through in my similar situation. This book is a great read for both the aspiring actor and Michael Caine fan. His tone throughout the book is one of extreme ease, fun, and wit. I obviously don't know the man in real life, but his intelligence and sense of humor shine through in his words.

Being British myself and also someone who works in HOLLYWOOD'S Movie & TV industry, I have to say that this is one of the best autobiographies of someone in the same business I've ever read. Michael Caine lays out his rags to riches life with complete candor and in a very engaging narrative style.

His total honesty and recall, specially of his rise to fame in the 1960's, makes the reader really feel part of the scene. Caine's book is most revealing in the behind the scenes goings on in the making of his movies. I'll not spoil it for you by going into detail, but our cockney actor friend certainly got around to meeting just about all of the "in" people of the day and many before they were household names to the rest of us. He mentions the good, bad and the ugly and doesn't spare himself when looking back on the mistakes he has made.

For aspiring young actors, there are lessons to be learned here. Caine has a separate book for that, but still he offers up some informed pieces of guidance in this work. As an Englishman, he's probably the most famous and iconic actor to ever come of old blighty and blimey if ee' don't alf make it one ell' of a read!

Michael Caine is one of my favourite actors, and "What's it all about" is one one fascinating read. It has an excellent witty conversational style, which makes it very engaging, especially in the earlier parts. I always took Caine to be a dyed-in-the-wool Brit (he looks like one, and says so in the book himself) and so was surprised and amazed at the amazing life he's led... brought up in a poor family, survived the World War, went to war in Korea and almost got killed himself, struggled like hell, led a debauched lifestyle, and so on.

"What's it all about" is one of the best autobiographies I've read if you just count the first half, let's say before Caine settles with his family in LA; after this it seems to eschew those little tidbits of gossip, life and human nature for the mundane: what parties/restaurants/hotels/people/homes/flats they went to/ate in/stayed in/met/bought/rented, and so on. This part is quite dull, though it does have the occasional witticism. Also some things are missing... incredibly there's no reference to the one Caine quote which - let's just say - not a lot of people know. Also I'd have liked him not to be silent about his "conquests".

One thing that really got me though is the mistakes... I dont know whether these are just typos or Sir Michael fiddling with the truth a bit. For example, on page 5 (hardcover) he says at birth his weight was 8 lb 2. Later (page 348), this becomes 6 lb 2. Another instance: on page 35 he is 6 ft tall at age 15 having added a foot in two years, yet on page 25 he is 5 ft 11 at age 11. On page 330, he says "Since then I've only drunk wine" as a result of finding out about his excessive drinking. Yet we have many references later to the drinking of all kinds of spirits, including vodka. There are more such mistakes, which makes me think the book wasnt proofread at all.

But all in all, this is a very good read, even if you dont know Michael Caine. If nothing, it at least gives the message that dreams can be achieved if you try hard enough and never give up.

If Michael Caine's life resembles that one of the average actor, next time I request an autograph from Nicole Kidman or Kevin Spacey, I may be dwelling on their heroic background, rather than on their assumingly obscure and profligatious foreground. Maurice Micklewhite's biography is just a piece of inspiration for any quitter. It can outdo Anthony Robbins' tapes any day. A fighter in Korea, a victim of malaria, a reluctant B-movie castmember, a happy hedonist, a drunk, an opportunist, and aventually a model husband and father. He's had it all. Michael Caine carries enormous weight in his movies not just because of his acting guile, but mainly because of his charismatic persona. His diversification of characters portrayed, whether in "The Man Who Would Be King", "Funeral in Berlin", "The Eagle Has Landed" or "The Cider House Rules", offers the spectator the unusual challenge of discerning him from prior roles, a task traditionally reserved to a Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness or Ralph Richardon. Can't help but fall in love with the lad.

This book is inspiring. Michael Caine knew at a very young age that he wanted to act, and through perseverance, he has become highly successful and one of the most respected actors of our time, with two Academy Awards to his credit. This should serve to encourage those with dreams but who tell themselves "I'll never make it."

This is the real thing. Caine starts at the beginning and tells it all without indiscreet name dropping. He mentions that he does not plan to write another autobiography and so does not want to leave anything out. That makes for a really great read.

But what's really special about this autobiography is how approachable Caine seems to be. He comes across as just a regular guy whom you could approach on the street and say hi. Considering that most of the other autobiographies I've read, however great they may be, still seem like stories told by a celebrity who has deigned to share his/her life story, that in itself is an amazing accomplishment.

This is a great Batman story! And the Absolute Batman edition is a great addition (or start) of a Batman collection. Great read and a must have for any Batman fan.

This is one of my favorite Batman stories. A must have for any Two-Face fan. Features all the best Batman villians in one story.

Hmm, i bought the Absolute Hush from Amazon not the Long Halloween but i did read the long halloween and the story is amazing, the second book Dark Victory is a good follow up as well, if you're a batman fan and haven't read this book you should, it almost like not owning your own copy of Blonde on Blonde.

Very well made book, although it does feel a bit fragile; the pages are beautifully made. The pictures look great and it looks like a great read from the story that inspired Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight movie. I have yet to read it all, but it is a really good Batman novel so far. Its even got a neat interview with the director himself. Interested in Batman and the Absolute line? You gotta buy this book.

Batman is for sure one of my favorits super heroes
and this story is one of his best
thank you jeph loeb and tim sale.
see ya!

I gave this book to my son, a salesperson, on his birthday and he was pleased to receive it and began to read it right away. It appears to have very pratical suggestions.

I really liked this book. Bill Brooks is a very credible author and I like the fact that there are only 7 concepts to learn/read about. It allows us to focus in on specific items you can address with yourself and/or your sales team. If you are interested in improving your sales outcomes, read, study and practice the ideas discussed in this book. They will have very positive impacts on your results!

Although I read everything published regarding sales, it is rare that I can heap the kind of praise I am about to heap on Howard Stevens and the HR Chally Group's Achieve Sales Excellence: The 7 Customer Rules for Becoming the New Sales Professional.

Not since Neil Rackham wrote SPIN Selling (in 1987) and Major Account Sales Strategy (in 1988), has anyone used sophisticated research methodology to explain what makes some salespeople much more successful than others (in this case, Chally used 210,000 salespeople and 80,000 customers). Most important, Stevens and the Chally Group actually correlated what a customer said on a survey with their actual buying decisions, therefore, making the information much, much more valid and useful in determining what customer want and expect from salespeople.

The seven rules are:

1. You Must Be Personally Accountable for Our Desired Results
2. You Must Understand Our Business
3. You Must Be on Our Side
4. You Must Bring Us Applications
5. You Must be Easily Accessible
6. You Must Solve Our Problems
7. You Must Be Innovative in Responding to Our Needs

This is a book I wish I had written. It is--bar none--the most important work published in the field of sales in the last 20 years. If you choose not to buy and read this book, I promise you will quickly fall behind those of your competitors who do--it is that important! This book will reshape how you think of yourself as a salesperson, and, if Steven's advice is followed, to greatly improve how we are viewed by our customers.

This is one book I wholeheartedly recommend to sales leaders and sales professionals who truly want to understand and value the customer perspective. Insightful, emboldened by superb research, Howard Stevens continues to contribute to the art and science of sales expertise.
I have already purchased copies for my team and I consider it THE sales book of 2007!

Sandi Edwards
Regional Vice President of Sales
American Management Association
NYC,NY

Amazon.com lists nearly half a million books about sales. You get the impression that everyone who ever made a cold call or a sales presentation has written a book about his or her experience. Sales books are often anecdotal, with little or no relevance to the difficult challenges that salespeople actually face. Some present a grab bag of supposedly "can't-lose" sales techniques that sound great on paper but always seem to fall flat during sales calls. Others present compilations of moldy maxims, such as "work smarter, not harder," and "never take `no' for an answer," that make experienced salespeople want to jump off the nearest cliff. This thoughtful and intelligent book by Howard Stevens and Theodore Kinni is a welcome exception. Instead of irrelevant anecdotes or inane aphorisms, it features the results of in-depth surveys of 80,000 business-to-business customers concerning their attitudes about salespeople. It offers an insightful analysis of this singularly informative data, along with recommendations on what salespeople can do to improve their status with customers - and thus increase their own sales. When it comes to the business-to-business salesperson, we cannot recommend this book more highly. Read it to learn precisely what business-to-business customers expect from you, and how you can use this invaluable insider knowledge to close more sales. You'll become the consummate sales professional in both your customers' eyes and your own.

having read all of Mr. Clarkson's book as well as hundreds of other action dramas I'd rate him right up there with anyone. Well written, hot, furious, and fun. It's a one day read, PERIOD!!!

After reading the reviews, I was looking forward to reading this book. I was very disappointed. It was predictable and trite. I was singularly unimpressed with the never-ending brawls. I got the feeling he was simply rewriting macho movie action scenes we've all seen ad nauseam. And of course, there had to be the beautiful women in distress that only Devlin could save. I found it interesting this "moral" man slept with the other woman character just hours after learning his love interest had been nabbed by the bad guys. But I guess we're supposed to accept that Jack Devlin just can't help himself and the ladies just can't resist him. This book is fine for those who enjoy this genre, I guess. From the reviews, I thought it was going to be a bit more cerebral and thought-provoking. It wasn't.

John Clarkson has it all - terrific prose, interesting characters, intricate plotting and all the action I could handle in one novel.I am now off to read the rest of his novels!!!

I purchased this book in 1995 in a drugstore. It is the best action novel I have ever read! I have looked in vain for another action novel of the same caliber for years. I have now read this book 3 times over the last few years and I never grow tired of it. Devlin is what every man wishes he could be. If you are looking for high art this is not the book for you! If you are looking for a double fisted, .45 caliber, ride of a novel, this is it.

If you want a book loaded with action, interesting characters, and very fast-paced get yourself a copy of And Justice For One. You'll be glued to the edge of your seat throughput the whole book!