Virtual book reviews so far

• Good to Great
• The Energy Bus
• Conversations That Get Results
• The Starbucks Experience
• Act the Part, Get the Part

The Ultimate Sales Machine

By Chet Holmes 2008

I will quote Chapter and page numbers which may be different than in the book you have purchased.
A Note to the Reader

Foreword – When Words Are Never Enough by Michael Gerber who wrote E-myth  that is on my book list. Maybe that will be the next book on my virtual club list.  Michael Gerber gives it a  two thumbs up.

Preface

It is important to know when the book was published because he refers to the current climate of business.  It’s quite depressing.  Facts I already knew and he starts quoting Cost per customer on page xvii.  He states he took $100 to get a customer  15 years ago (1993), $300 to get a customer in 2008.  I can’t imagine what it is today in 2015.  But the major point is costs are rising and it is getting more difficult every year.

He talks about how it tells his participants at a seminar that he will give them good advice but they won’t  follow it. Participant tell him the best advice is “pigheaded discipline and determination.”  I have determination for many things but selling isn’t one of them, so this is going to be an interesting read.

This preface reminds me of the book Outliers that basically agrees with the repetition of act. more than the knowledge of the act that breeds success.

Introduction

We still haven’t gotten to Chapter 1 yet.

He uses the carpet cleaning business gathering research that tells you p. 2“ And even vacuuming every day does not kill bacteria embedded in the carpet.”  (My interpretation, my cleaning is inferior. Scare tactic, I’m going to get sick if I don’t get my carpets professionally cleaned.  I don’t like this manipulation, but isn’t that what marketing is all about?)

I agree with this statement,p. 4 “Implementation, not ideas, is the key to real success.”

Working smarter not harder is another cliché saying that I agree with.

Next Blog May 7, 2015