Sales Books

I'm not sure why there were so many stellar reviews of this book except to assume either those people are personal friends and family of Bruce C. Brown or those people are severely deluded into thinking this book is worth something.

It SHOULD have been called Email Marketing 101: Designed for Those Who Don't Know ANYTHING About the Internet or Email.

Bruce C. Brown's books are mostly nothing but fluff with little or no information. This one is no exception. I kept reading and reading only to find myself quickly reading through areas like "What Spam Is..." and other such nonesense to fill lots of pages.

So, as I crept closer to 2/3 through the book to STILL not find any viable information, I started to realize that this was another Bruce C. Brown con job. His theme in life: Sell books with LOTS of fluff and NO INFORMATION and yet fool people with A LOT of pages to weed through.

The worst part about it is that most people will fall for the scam. Why? Because most people will buy a book and NEVER read it.

The gist of the book? It's not about email marketing really. It's the same old thing about collecting email addresses to blast out sales emails to people. And that's pretty much it.

I was hoping to find sample campaigns. Nothing like that remotely exists in this book. I think it's because Bruce C. Brown never did his own campaign.

He does a half-baked distinction between doing HTML vs. text emails.

Then he tries a weak attempt at revealing website optimization tips which are lame, outdated, and completely not useful for today's times.

He ends this book with a listing of places to submit your website for free and then, at about the 2/3 mark, it begins the SUMMARY chapter. I'm thinking, "What? Where was the 'meat' of the book?"

So, another Bruce C. Brown LET DOWN. I figured from the rave reviews I would have a better experience from this book. But, it looks like I got suckered yet again by Bruce C. Brown's abyss of the no-information black hole.

I don't know who wrote those other 10 raving reviews. I'm thinking they are his college buddies, his mom, and some friends. If you want to listen to them and don't mind wasting the money then go for it. However, I will tell you that there are A LOT of much better books out there on email marketing like Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycles by Winston Churchhill.

Best of luck with your marketing campaigns.

"The Complete Guide to E-mail Marketing: How to Create Successful, Spam-free Campaigns to Reach Your Target Audience and Increase Sales" was selected as a "Notable" finisher in the 2008 Competition in the "Business" Category.

The Eric Hoffer Award (formerly the Writers' Notes Award) for short prose and books was established at the start of the 21st century as a means of opening a door to writing of significant merit. It honors the memory of the great American philosopher Eric Hoffer by highlighting salient writing. The winning stories and essays are awarded prizes and published annually in the anthology, Best New Writing, along with the results of the book awards.

Most books that promise to be the only manual you need to succeed, do one of two things; either deliver the goods or not. Brown's Email Marketing Guide delivers and more. While some authors make a point of burying valid information towards the back of the book, Brown makes a point of introducing the material in an orderly and logical manner. Brown has put together one of the most thorough and complete books on the vast subject of email marketing. I will definitely recommend it to my friends and business associates.

and it's 5 stars for this book, since here we get clear, easy to follow, and good advices to follow, and we have good selection of experts and good advices. If you plan buy a book on e-mail marketing this one will be good choice.

Also, I need to say, that as good was this book - same bad was another this author's book - The Ultimate Guide to Search Engine Marketing: Pay Per Click Advertising Secrets Revealed

in this book, advices are or outdated, or even wrong, experts so called "advices" are nothing else but sales letters, and it is clear enough, that Search Engine Marketing is not a thing what this author knows.

But this book e-mail marketing, is clearly one of the best till now written on the topic.

With the passing of the CAN-SPAM Act in 2003, it has grown more difficult to legitimately market through email. This book addresses this issue and many others with regard to email marketing. Mr. Brown provides a comprehensive guide to marketing your business or product through email, while navigating spam filters. This book is written for legitimate businesses with legitimate products and services to sell.

Mr. Brown describes how to grow your business through your website. Additional topics covered include how to write an effective sales email, search engine optimization (SEO), and to effectively target your emails. The book includes a glossary of terms and numerous case studies.

This could be the only book you may need on the topic of public speaking. While the author, Jeff Davidson, says that he is no a speech coach, he certainly has vast experience as to what makes successful presentations and he lavishly shares his experiences, observations, and training with his readers. At $14 this is one of the best buys you will encounter.

If you speak at all in the course of your professional or private life, get this book. You can't help but become a better speaker with it. It is like a complete guide, reference book, and speaking coach rolled into one.

The book Public Speaking by Jeff Davidson, was written mostly for professional speakers and not necessarily for classroom use. Our professor did not approve of the book for college students. The information presented can be used as an example.

If you speak at all in the course of your professional or private life, get this book. You can't help but become a better speaker with it. It is like a complete guide, reference book, and speaking coach rolled into one.

The Complete Guide to Public Speaking is a complete guide. I was quite impressed with the array of topics covered in this book. There are almost fifty chapters in all! I didn't get this book because I am nervous in speaking. I got it because I want to be a better speaker than I am. I feel that with this book, I will be. There are really good chapters on getting prepared for a speech, dealing with the audience, and even handling what goes
on after your speech. The chapters progress in a very quential, logical fashion. There are lots of exhibits, charts, and helpful lists that the author uses himself in his career as a speaker. While I don't aspire to be a professional speaker, I think that anyone who wants to advance in their career recognizes at one time or another that you're going to have to do some kind of speaking. To that end, this book will help a great deal.

Wow. This book is the best of its kind, by a wide margin, and it would be bargain at 3 times the price. If you don't yet have a coffee table, this is a reason to buy one. The photos are perfect. Ideal. Platonic.

And it's not just a photobook. The information is accurate, current, and well-selected. Astonishingly (for a pop science book), the author acknowledges where there are gaps in the current knowledge. This is the sort of book I wish I had in 6th Grade, but I am happy to have it now.

The subject of this book is so gargantuan and the sheer size of the book itself reflects that. When LOOKING at this book, one will become completely overwhelmed by the incomprehensible magnitude of the known universe and the absolute specs of dust (even less!) that we are as humans inhabiting it. The pictures in this book bring tears to my eyes often upon viewing. If anything came close to being able to fathom the unfathomable power, scope, size and beauty of known life, this book is it. I cannot believe I bought it for $29.95 when it should have costed at least $100. Its worth is priceless when you consider that its actually a book that can impact you so heavily with thoughts about life, the meaning of existence, god, time, eternity, etc. to such a degree that no other book I've read can come close to.

An absolute marvel, by the shear beauty of the images of our lovely cosmos, it puts the universe in its most eloquent perspective from inter-planetary to inter-galactic scales... It's virtue I think is it's bulk, the largest book I have ever purchased, it is a front-piece in my home and a source of joy to reference and glow over its imagery and well delivered descriptions and narrative. As a citizen of the cosmos I recommend those with even a tacit interest in space exploration to grab this bargain.

I bought this at a Borders Bookstore for $19.95 while on a road trip. It was a steal! This book has phenomenal photography, is up-to-date even including the latest from MARS Rover and Spirit, explains the mysteries of the universe in an easy to understand way, just an incredible book. It is bigger then your normal coffee table book, it is quite big but the pictures are simply amazing!

Amazingly detailed pictures of the cosmos from space probes and Hubble due to quality printing and the fact that this book has some serious real estate. It measurs 17.3 x 14.2 inches!! Like a posterbook. When you think of the work and money it took to get some of these photos, especially the outer planets, you come up with millions of dollars invested to get us these shots. Very inspiring to anyone who loves sci fi since this is the real deal and what it's based on. An amazing gift we have been given to see what is out there ...so so far away.

As with other 'Dummies' books this provides a pretty comprehensive overview of the subject. The authors are experienced professionals in the field and clearly have much expertise to share. The 'Dummies' books are laid out in an appealing and easy to digest way. Great to dip into for inspiration.

Simon Hazeldine Author of 'Bare Knuckle Customer Service', 'Bare Knuckle Selling' and 'Bare Knuckle Negotiating'

Customer Service For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

I have several of the dummy books and this is the best of the line that I have read. Whether you are already a professional or a beginner, this will give you tips and insights rarely considered. I would recommend it in a heartbeat!

I have taught a lot of classes in cutomer service in the information technology field. This is a great book to use for reference and discussions.
It teaches on a level almost anyone can understand, provides insites to customer satisfaction, and how to achieve it. It's filled with little gems like "answer the phone with a smile on your face." This book is an easy read and well worth the money.

As a Best Buy Consumer Relations representative we deal alot with the satisfication of customers & the products that they purchase at our stores. The level of service that i recieved with the purchase of my book was outstanding & the follow up on this has been nice. I would reccommend this service anytime , and look forward to my future purchases :)

This book is a must for those who are finding themselves just put in a situation where they must speak with customers. Gives insight into customer types, reminds on proper etiquette both on the phone and in person and in general makes communication more effective. Good for a geek (like myself) who is finding himself talking with the clients that (s)he supports more and more.

"Defending the Brand" is the definitive work in the field of protecting your brand presence on the Internet. I have read several books on Internet Security, site hijacking, and other problems of the Internet and even hold a security certification. I am not aware of any other book on the market today that explains so well the problems of malicious hackers and pranksters and how quickly they can destroy your brand name. The book is full of example after example of real-life problems that others have faced and solid advice on how to handle each of the various situations. Of course, it also has sound, positive steps you can take to help protect your brand from problems to begin with. Author Brian Murray doesn't give basic advice that is supposed to fit every situation but helps the reader to determine what factors make a situation warrant action, which ones are better off left alone, which ones might require legal action, and which ones trying to get a legal letter so they can further defame your brand name. Every business with an Internet presence should have a copy of this book. Using the Internet it is now possible to lose many years of positive customer relations in a matter of just a few days. You are responsible for knowing how to protect your company and yourself and this book will open your eyes.

Just a decade ago, defending your brand essentially meant ensuring that sidewalk vendors weren't hawking knockoffs of your goods. That has changed drastically with the explosive growth of the Internet, which has revolutionized retailing, but has also made it easier for thieves to hawk counterfeit product.

Leading brands are finding the Internet to be a perfect vehicle for reaching out to their existing customers and finding new customers. The flip side is that for every Internet marketing method there exists a nefarious online activity that exploits the power and goodwill of established brands. For example, rumors and fictitious product information can hurt companies' brands.

Never before have companies faced such a siege on their intellectual property and brands, so the publication of Defending the Brand is timely. In a fascinating depiction of today's threats, the book explains in lay terms how an organization can develop a strategy to fight brand thieves.

The eleven chapters are replete with real-world examples of how companies such as Home Depot and Disney have struggled to protect their brands online. The author furnishes effective advice on how companies can better deal with situations ranging from digital brand abuse to illegal distribution. At 250 pages, Defending the Brand is a quick and fascinating read.

Our company has been the victim of phishing attacks and it has been hard finding books that can help. Def the Brand was recommended to me by a friend and it has been very useful for some aspects. Defending the brand is not only valuable for marketing and legal professionals but I would call it a must read for security professionals given the changes in what we are dealing with. The book does a good job covering the different ways that other people on the Internet can use/abuse your corporate identity.

Wow, this book provides a tremendous amount of insite into the world of online brand management. New technology has created a new set of issues for brand managers and IP counsel. Ten years ago cybersquating, meta tag abuse and typo-piracy certainly weren't in my vocablulary. This is very informative book from someone who is very knowledgeable of what is going on in the online area......

Mr. Murray has changed my strategy on protecting our image and reputation in the marketplace. I knew that we had to closely monitor the use and licensing of our brand in the off-line world but this book opened my eyes to the on-line marketplace. There is nothing more valuable than our companies reputation and as a result of the great examples given, I've changed the way our digital marketing group operates with the Internet. Thanks Brian for this valuable contribution to preserving our shareholders investment.

I am an experienced Ebay user and plan to take it to the next level by opening up an Ebay store. I found this book to be chock full of the exact kind of information that would help me jump start my sales. Full of inspiration and practical tips from real Power Sellers, this book is a must if you want to learn how Power Sellers think and sell.

Great for beginner and experienced. Covers the basics on how "IT" works, but then fills it in with rich insights from those proven successful. According to the cover, written by "eBay's #1 Rated U.S. Education Specialist". It certainly shows in her content. Beyond simply "how to", the inside scoop on the type of people who are succeeding, and in what way they have implemented eBay. Ton's of interviews and profiles packed with to-the-point insider secrets. Information on pages 138-143 was VERY helpful. Must also check out suggestions on 329.

I have been inspired by the book, The eBay Success Chronicles: Secrets and Techniques eBay PowerSellers Use Every Day to Make Millions, because this book provides insights on how to proceed with selling items on eBay and chronicles the success testimonies of others who have become Power Sellers in the business of e-trading and ecommerce.

The personal testimonies of those who have made eBay a profitable business venture encourages others of the possibilities for personal growth and development. Having listed on eBay with no success, I found this book to provide helpful hints and practical suggestions on how I too can become successful.

The do's and don'ts, proven skills and experiences of the Power Sellers enable the Readers to become better informed and also sparks ideas for setting up ones own eBay business. The author took great effort to not only interview top Sellers but to layout those interviews in a way that Readers could easily understand who they are, their contact information as well as their websites.

Web resources as well as graphical statistics through charts and graphs provide the Readers with additional resources to obtain further information on how to get started on eBay. The most intriguing part of this book was the final advice and words of wisdom from those who have made it on eBay.

The eBay Success Chronicle: Secrets and Techniques eBay Powersellers Use Every Day to Make Millions by Angela C. Adams is the perfect book for anyone interested in becoming an eBay seller. The book provides practical information in a down-to-earth format, and it is neither sensationalized nor exaggerated. Tips are provided from successful eBay sellers who are making a living and loving it. Background information about eBay as well as the Powersellers make the dream of becoming an eBay entrepreneur seem truly feasible for anyone with the desire to make it happen. The format is arranged in a logical and simple manner that will make sense to readers of every level. You won't need to know any technical jargon to enjoy the full value of the book. This is a highly recommended text, with a 5 star rating.

When it comes to growing a business on eBay, everybody has the same shot at making the big bucks, right? Wrong! For most eBay sellers, it's at best a hit-or-miss proposition. No matter what you think, the odds aren't with you--unless you have an edge. And this book gives you that edge!!

As Angela Adams tells us in her information-packed pages, you win on eBay by learning from the success stories--the ones who've discovered how to put the "power" in their selling! Yes, people out there are selling steadily and consistently on eBay. They're the mega sellers--and you'll meet them in this book. Nothing's more valuable than discovering the secrets, hints, and tricks from the ones who've "been there, done that" on eBay. These are the ones who've done their homework, developed the blueprints, and put their winning plan in action. Result: SALES SUCCESS. Angela's done all the legwork for you. Whether you're a new or experienced eBay seller, working part-time or full-time, if you're out to learn what you need to do to get that selling edge on eBay, you must have this book.

-- Robert Gardner, Ph.D.

Great book in explaining all the aspects of safe buying and selling items on eBay!!! It has helped us enormously.

If there was one book I would suggest to anyone venturing into the waters of eBay, it'd end up being this one... eBay: The Missing Manual by Nancy Conner. This one covers it all.

Contents:
Part 1 - Buying on eBay: Ready, Set, Shop!; Bidding, Paying, and Following Up; Finding - and Getting - Bargains; Power Buying Strategies
Part 2 - Selling on eBay: Sell Stuff, Make Money; Honing Your Competitive Edge; Going from Hobby to Business; Specialty Selling; Cool Tools for Sellers
Part 3 - Finding Other eBayers and Getting Help; Finding Help
Part 4 - Appendixes: Where to Learn More; HTML for eBayers; Other Auction Sites; Index

Like all other eBay books, this one covers how to buy and sell on eBay. The writing's good, but there'd be nothing special if it stopped there. Where this book earns its keep is when it goes into areas I haven't seen covered in any other book. I've never seen a book go into any detail on other resources to learn about eBay, such as call-in internet radio shows and newsletters. I've never seen a book cover HTML in a small number of pages in order to allow the seller to create better auction pages. There's good coverage on third-party sites that give you more information on how to best price your auctions. There's even material on how to evolve from buying and selling as a hobby to running a business based on eBay. Package all this up with clear writing and numerous screen shots, and you really *have* found the missing eBay manual.

To paraphrase eBay's latest ad campaign... "Whatever you're looking for, you'll find *it* in eBay: The Missing Manual"...

Best book I have read about eBay. Very comprehensive, detailed and well written. Hard work went into producing this book.
It is both for beginners and beyond.

This is a great starter book for anyone curious about buying or selling on eBay. My only issue is that the book could probably use a refreshing. eBay is a very dynamic property and this book was probably written at least a year ago.

Are you one of the millions of people who buy and sell on eBay? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Nancy Conner, has written an outstanding book that will help you get to the site, get registered, and get going.

Conner, begins by showing you everything you need to get going on eBay. Then, she shows you how to bid on eBay auctions with confidence. The author continues by showing you how to search better than the competition and bid smarter. In addition, she then shares other secrets serious shoppers use to prevail on eBay. The author also introduces eBay tips and tricks. Then, the author shows you how to hone in on your strategy for a competitive edge. Next, she shows you how to turn your eBay hobby into a part- or full-time business. Next, the author shows you how to get in on the action and create a sales niche within eBay's specialty auctions. Then, she briefly describes the software that you can use on eBay. The author continues by presenting general and specialized discussion groups, both on and off eBay, that will help you make satisfying connections. Finally, she covers a Learning Center just for newbies, a Help page, interactive help via live chat or e-mail, a centralized Services page, a site map, discussion boards, and more.

After reading this excellent book, you'll be using eBay like an old pro. In other words, this book was will help you ramp up your eBay experience--find more bargains, build better auctions, and close more sales.

When it comes to slander Austria almost to the point of ridiculousness, Thomas Bernhard has no peer. In this book he gives vent to his well-known hatred for the country through the character of Franz-Josef Murau, a middle-aged Austrian writer self-exiled in Rome who bears resemblance to many Bernhard's characters and ultimately to the author himself. By means of Bernhard's visceral, vertiginous prose, with touches of off-color humor and ironic resignation, Murau ruthlessly inquires into his own soul as he tries to unravel his painfully disenchanted past and come to terms with his dreary origins. A good novel by an interesting writer.

This was his latest novel to appear in English. It is masterfully constructed,elegantly disturbing and satisfyingly challenging.

Extinction is undoubtly one of the most powerfull litrature creation in the last 20 years. Bernhard takes his readers to a journy in his main charcter's (we don't know his name) obssesive mind or better say a journy in our own mind. Bernhard forces us to think, to contemplate our life and values, and the sharp mirror that he puts infront of us makes it a very hard task to do. This precious creation has a relevant political insight. When you see the current political scene in Bernhard's homeland, Austria, you can just admire his brave look on his country's malaises a country which refuses to stand and face it's Nazi past. Jurg Heider success in the last National election colors Bernhard work in a very realistic color.

There is great joy to be had from this wonderful book. Its first joy is its prose - sparkling in its clarity, musical, effortless - which carries one along on a journey through the thoughts and feelings of Viennese 48 year old Franz-Joseph Murau. Intellectual resident of Rome, alienated by choice from his Austrian family, friend to Archbishop Spadolini(who is also his mother's lover!), he receives a telegram that his father, mother and brother have died in a car accident making him at one stroke inheritor of the family's wealthy estate. He is now MASTER OF WOLFSEGG. The first half of the novel THE TELEGRAM concerns his recollections of childhood and relationships and events that shaped his life. Example: " At first we always tell ourselves that our parents naturally love us, but suddenly we realise that, equally naturally, they hate us for some reason - that is to say, we appear to them as I appeared to mine, as a child that didn't conform with their notion of what a child should be, a child that had gone wrong. They had not reckoned with my eyes which probably saw everything I was not meant to see when I opened them. First, I looked in DISBELIEF, as they say, when I stared at them, and finally, one day I SAW THROUGH THEM, and they never forgave me, could NOT forgive me.(p 76)" The second half of the novel THE WILL concerns his attendance at the estate where he oversees the funeral and greets and reflects upon the range of visitors paying their respects.

Example: "In ROME I often lay on my bed, unable to stop thinking of how our nation was guilty of thousands, tens of thousands, of such heinous crimes, yet remained silent about them. The fact that it keeps quiet about these thousands and tens of thousands of crimes is the greatest crime of all, I told my sisters. It's this silence that's so sinister, I said. It's that nation's silence that's so terrible, even more terrible than the crimes themselves.(p 231)" This bare outline of the two parts cannot prepare you, dear reader, for the experiences of this novel. It is as if one becomes privy as another Viennese Mr Freud did, to the real secrets of the heart of an individual, an individual nevertheless, shaped by the world in which he was born but determined to realise some truths about that world. WE are privy then to the feelings, equivocations, doubts, fears, guilt and searching. It is a revalatory experience, scaldingly honest, which provides one man's analysis of 20th Century Austrian culture, including National Socialism, the class system, religion, architecture, cuisine et al. Sometimes mocking, sometimes self excoriating, sometimes savagely funny, we travel with Mr Murau through his thoughts and feelings at this turning point in his history. In the end, Mr Murau makes a stunning act of redemption which concludes his statement and rounds off this wonderful work of literature on a joyous note. Please accompany, or perhaps follow,this novel with a large dose of HAYDN. Most modern novels pale into the ordinary compared to this work.

"Extinction" is the story of Franz-Josef Murau, a wealthy Austrian gentleman living in Rome as a private tutor in German literature. His tastes run to the esoteric and philosophical, and his relationship with his student, Gambetti, is intellectually mutual. He has just returned to Rome from the wedding of his younger sister, Caecilia, to an "obese wine cork manufacturer," held at the family estate in Austria, called Wolfsegg. At the wedding were his parents, older brother Johannes, and his other younger sister, Amelia.

He receives a telegram in Rome: "Parents and Johannes killed in accident." For the first half of this 320-page book (each half being one unbroken paragraph!), he describes his life, and his narration becomes a deep reflection on his childhood and life to date. He delivers a marvelous psychological portrait of himself, as well as the family members who have just died, and his long-dead Uncle Georg, whom he remembers with great fondness. He hates his family deeply, and the feeling is mutual. He is a philosopher, they are down to earth. He is an aesthete, but they are simple folks. He is a scholar, but they are hunters and farmers, despite their fantastic wealth and their prosperous family estate. Only Uncle George understood him, artistic, free-spirited, and educated. Franz-Josef reflects passionately on his current situation, and tells us many stories of himself and his family.

For the second half of the book, he describes the funeral at Wolfsegg. Lacking parents and older siblings, he is now the master of the estate. His sisters look to him for leadership. He must now decide what to do with the estate. Will he move back to Wolfsegg in Austria, a land he loves, but an estate he hates? Will he pass it to his sisters and remain in Rome, a city he cherishes more than any other? Bernhard will stun the reader with the beauty of the resolution, but will do it in his own literary fashion.

During the story, we learn Franz-Josef disdains Catholicism and National Socialism (i.e., Nazism) in equal parts. His mother had been having an affair with a Catholic Archbishop in Rome, a relationship which was supposedly secret, but which all her children seem to know of. The Archbishop is a close family friend, and will certainly visit the estate for the funeral. His father had many Nazi friends, unbelievably still openly Nazi all these years after the war. He tells us of the fun times he enjoyed playing at his estate's Children's Villa, and how disappointed he was when it was shuttered. He vows to open and restore it when he is master. He tells us of the five libraries---five!---scattered about the estate, similarly shuttered up, collecting dust despite a half-dozen generations' worth of valuable books stored within. He tells us childhood stories of his parents, his brother, and his sister, all disdainful, and heaps contempt upon his brother-in-law, whose name he cannot even bring himself to utter, in generous proportions. At one point, he bathes in his father's bath, and wears some of his clothes. Is this a metaphor for his feelings? We learn that he blames his father only for being such a simple man, but hates his mother passionately, for dragging his father into the mud.

We struggle with the idea that this is an unreliable narrator, and we are only hearing one side of a two-sided story, but unlike Italo Svevo's masterpiece, "Confessions of Zeno", it is clear that despite this narrator's one-sided story, there is no reason to disbelieve him. He is as critical of himself as of others, and he demonstrates the pettiness and crudeness of his family in many different ways. We trust him, not only because he is self-critical, but because despite his self-confidence, he is not a fool. We also learn some untoward truths about his family, and a few hidden secrets, which cannot be dismissed, even from the most unreliable narrator. His angst comes from a simple sentiment, expressed early on: "I can't abolish my family just because I want to." He struggles to resolve the question of extinction: Must he extinguish himself to satisfy his family? Must his family be extinguished to satisfy himself?

Finally, after a rollicking narration of heartfelt emotions and deeply-help philosophies, Bernhard's narrator demonstrates how he chooses to reconcile his thoughts and feelings, his inheritance and his sisters, his legacy and his future, and all the elements demonstrated through the length of the novel braid together like a jewel. Bernhard's prose is difficult for those unfamiliar with experimental or cutting-edge literature, but actually not very difficult once one tries. Curious readers will greatly enjoy engaging their mind with this book. If they wish to sample a smaller work before digging into this one, Bernhard's "Yes" is another masterpiece of style and depth. Both are rewarding, brilliant works from a literary master.

I am a female new to the business. I was very nervous to enter the health club industry. The dialog in this book has helped me avoid the drilling of endless questions from customers that I had worried about. Not only did I sell 3 memberships my first week, with the dialog in this book, but I searched the internet for more info on Ron Thatcher and found his workbook! They both have been extremely helpful. I am signed up for one of his upcoming sales seminars!!

I've been in the business for over 14 years. I've been operating 2 personal training studios for the last several years. I'm now moving back to the club management side of the business again and was looking for a refresher on sales, prospecting etc. The book was well done, but very old school. Lots of cheeesy closing lines, scripts, etc. Lots of the techniques are outdated in the new era of club sales. Pretty "used-carsalesman" like. However, good stuff on forms, tracking, setting up personal planners etc. Don't get me wrong, this is a good book if you're a young buck just getting into club sales... just skip over the closing sections and you'll be ok. If you want a VERY current, highly informative book on working in a club... get "Making Money in the Fitness Business" by Thomas Plummer. That one is 5-stars!

I just read fitness, memberships, and money and it is an income producing system that was created to help sales people in the health club industry improve their ability to recruit and enroll new clients. This book was written in a basic form and I learned a lot from it!
I am not a sales person I am a personal trainer and I was looking for a book that could help me implement a fitness program or train a client. Many books may cover the latest and newest when it comes to exercise. These books are great for impressing my clients but when it comes time to make a living, I am looking for a book that gives it to you straight. One that teaches real techniques used by the best closers and producers in the "personal training industry." I was than told about a new book that had all the things this book was missing! "Selling Personal Training" by Ron Thatcher is the book for any serious small club operator or career personal trainer the techniques will lead you down the path of success. I bought the new book at Trafford.com and it covered things that were missing like how to do P.T. Re-signs , How to Work the Floor, The Wall of Fame, The Closeout, Selling Supplementation, Interacting With the Staff ,Giving a Free Gift with Purchase, Confirming Appointments and Cancellations my small personal training studio is booming because of "Selling Personal Training!"

I owne a small ladys only club in las vegas. I was looking for a way to improve my selling ability. this book was my first step to a thriving sales department. I use it on a daily basis to keep my new members coming in! first I used fitness memberships and money then with all my success I bought selling personal training what a great way to make your business grow!!!

erin brown

I learned more about fitness sales while working with Ron for 6 months than my other 10 years in the business combined!!! Ron's system is simple to apply and it works!!! If you want to immediatly increase your sales, buy this book!!!
Chad McCleary - Riviera Country Club and Sport Center

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (5/08)

You can't put a price on a loving grandpa. Sure he is very old and sometimes missing teeth, but he is definitely priceless. Maybe he likes to take naps, but does that make him any less lovable? Everything in life can be bought, right? No, not when it comes to grandpas.

Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum have created a book which celebrates the unique relationship between this young girl and her grandpa. Lizzie is watching the antique store with her grandpa when he gets very sleepy. He decides to lie down on one of the sofas and is fast asleep. A customer comes in with her white poodle and looks on the many things for sale. She picks out a few items but then finds something that would complete her antique collection. Mrs. Larchmont wants to add Grandpa to her possessions. When thinking about all the things that she could get with the large amounts of money that the customer is offering, she doesn't see money being more important than grandpa. Mrs. Larchmont is very determined but Lizzie thinks of all the things that she wouldn't have if she didn't have Grandpa in her life.

T. Kyle Gentry has illustrated this wonderful book which celebrates grandpas and granddaughters. His pictures are awesome! I liked the way he made the things in the antique store in black and white with the characters in color. After all it's people that are more important than things. I liked the expression on the poodle's face matching that of her upset owner. The pictures are very cute and add a lot of meaning to the words.

I have a very special relationship with my Grandpa, my mom's dad. I wouldn't put a price on him either. I could really relate with this book, my grandpa owns a store and sometimes says he gets sleepy when he's there. The grandpa in "Grandpa for Sale" even looked something like my grandpa which made it really touch a special spot in my heart when reading this book. I know I could never sell my very special grandpa either!

I loved this book. Great illustrations and good lesson about value of those you love. Would recommend for ages 4 and up.

Lizzie knows that she's capable of running Oldman's Antiques while her mother is out. But she doesn't expect the amazingly big-haired Mrs. Bradley Larchmont the Third to sweep into the store and fall in love with the one-of-a-kind antique displayed on the Louis XVI settee: Grandpa. Flashes of humor brightly illuminate the eventual lesson that not everything is for sale. The illustrator came up with some interestesting ways to illustrate Lizzie's big dreams as she wrestles with temptation.

Co-authored by Vicki Sansum and Golden Spur Award nominee Dotti Enderle, Grandpa for Sale is a charming children's picturebook about qualities worth far more than money. When young Lizzie minds the family antique store, an imperious older woman named Mrs. Larchmont demands to buy the one antique not on sale - Lizzie's slumbering grandpa! As the women offers more and more money - five hundred, five thousand, ten thousand dollars - Lizzie dreams of all the wonderful and fun things the money could buy, but also remembers how valueless those things would be without Grandpa to share them. "Lizzie took a deep breath and leaned in. 'Mrs. Larchmont,' she announced, 'not everyone has a price and not everything is for sale.'" The exuberant color illustrations perfectly complement this extravagant tale with a heartwarming moral.

One of my greatest joys in life is reading children's books (I enjoy writing them, too.) THAT said, let me tell you what I like about this wonderful book and its unusual, aesthetic illustrations.

First of all, I'm always on the lookout for an original idea, and what could be more unique than a child tempted by "big bucks" to sell her beloved Grandpa? Very clever of Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum to create this charming, fascinating concept.

Second: I'm captivated by the eye-pleasing color illustrations complementing the black-and-white background. Illustrator T. Kyle Gentry has a rare talent. I've seen that concept before but not too often. The first time I saw color on b&w was at a 1980s San Jose art show when artist Lee Hartman painted a handsome young man in b&w, the only color being his blue eyes. That piece of fine art was captivating, but I couldn't afford the large oil at the time, so I bought a small, limited-edition print instead. It's lovely.

But I digress! Sorry about that!

I also looooooooved this book because the characters are so real. Who wouldn't fall in love with young Lizzie and her Grandpa? The way these two authors described them was perfection. Wonderful, heart-warming characters that I'll remember all my life.

I even liked the elderly woman who was trying to buy Grandpa. Perhaps I should seek my next mate at a garage sale? Who would think of that? :)

Perhaps most important, this book is educational, teaching strong morals to children ... and we adults could learn something from young Lizzie too.

GRANDPA FOR SALE will definitely become a classic, beloved by young and old alike.