Death of the Snake Oil Salesman

Book excerpt: Most people think that Selling is telling. Telling everyone how great the product is. This was the Snake Oil Salesman’s special skill. He could talk for hours. He didn’t even take a breath! It was all about what he wanted. And all he wanted was your money. There is a slight problem with this model. It doesn’t work. The Snake Oil Salesman is a thing of the past. Dead. There is a better way. Long live the Sales Partner! This satirical yet practical account of personal sales encounters offers an array of techniques for: • Rationalising success and failure • Improving your self-confidence • Focusing on your client’s interests • Seeing selling as a problem-solving exercise • Quantifying and reporting client issues • Proposing solutions that have a high chance of success Selling isn’t telling. It’s about partnering with your clients to build trust and help them achieve their objectives.