Hardball Selling

Book excerpt: Straightforward secrets and strategies for salespeople who want to join the winning top 5 percent of the sales force •Get your foot in the door •Control the sale without manipulation •Create a sense of urgency •Let the buyer participate •Learn the crucial subtleties of an aggressive approach •Target the biggest sales •Sell abroad And much more For many companies, 20 percent of their sales force generates 80 percent of their sales volume. In this hands-on guide, Robert L. Shook, a master salesman, teaches the high-pressure strategies that mean the difference between a super seller and a salesperson. The methods spelled out in this book describe what it takes to be in the elite 5 percent. In Hardball Selling, Shook inspires all salespeople to dare to be different and master hard selling without browbeating or offending customers. Shook spent 17 years in the trenches perfecting his successful strategies. Using the four basic principles of hardball selling, he guides you through all the steps, from getting past the "gatekeeper" to the single-minded tactics necessary to close a sale. "Shook's Hardball Selling is provocative and controversial—and filled with wonderful selling tips. I highly recommend it to every salesperson."—Martin D. Shafiroff, the world's No. 1 stockbroker