Review by mruseless:

This book is one of dozens out there that should go in the motivation section rather than the sales section. If you need motivation, this book is great. But if you are looking for solid advice on how to improve your sales technique, don’t waste your money. The book is littered with cute phrases like “Kick your own ass”, and “the more you love it, the more you will sell”.

I bought the book because there are small nuggets of good information in it. I kept it because I know someday I will need motivation. But I quickly became tired of “Rah-Rah, I’m the best salesman ever, and you suck unless you work harder.” Don’t get me wrong, everyone could stand to work harder. But that wasn’t what I was looking for.

If you want motivation, read this book. If you want solid sales advice, read “SPIN Selling”, or “Soft Sell”.

Review by David Brown:

Mine is obviously a dissenting opinion, but I vehemently disliked this little book. As one of the previous reviewers so aptly pointed out, it is not about selling, it is about personal motivation. If you need somebody to tell you the obvious things you need to do to be a successful sales person, then this book may help you. But if you’re interested in learning about the sales process, there’s just not much here.

The bombastic and cutesy writing quality is a big put-off for me, from the numbered lists that all end in “.5″ to the use of semi-outrageous language. The author warns his readers that, “This book contains language used by real people used in real situations in sales.” I don’t know what crowd he is selling to, but I have been in sales for thirty-five years and I don’t recall anyone ever using the word “puke” in a business conversation. The author must really like that word, as he overuses it throughout the book.

My biggest disappointment was that he actually hooked me in the introduction with the concept that we really should be studying how customers buy rather than how salesmen sell. That seemed like a clever and viable to way look at the selling/buying process, but there was unfortunately no follow up on that idea throughout the remainder of the book.

If you’re trying to pump yourself up or have work ethic issues, then maybe it’s worth the purchase, but if you appreciate good writing and thoughtful analysis, don’t waste your twenty bucks.

Review by :

I found this book user-friendly, with sections that cover a variety of topics. There are activities for new sales associates as well as energizers for veterans. I started putting “flags” on pages with ideas that I liked and quickly filled up the side edge of my book.

Review by Chrissy Goelz:

I have a combination of seasoned and new sales people this book provided great games to help build relationships between the team as well as in the field. I highly recommend this book!

Review by Thomas Duff:

While I’m not “officially” in sales as a career, one of my jobs in software development is “selling” the technology. To that end, I’m always open to new ideas to become a better “salesperson”. Jeffrey Gitomer has a very nice, fun little book that has a wealth of practical advice… Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Sales Answers : 99.5 Real World Answers That Make Sense, Make Sales, and Make Money. It’s targeted to sales professionals, but you can glean quite a bit from it for all areas of your career.

Contents: Part 1 – Personal Improvement That Leads to Personal Growth; Part 2 – Prospecting for Golden Leads and Making Solid Appointments; Part 3 – How to Win the Sales Battle AND the Sales War; Part 4 – Sales Skill Building… One Brick at a Time; Part 5 – Building the Friendship. Building the Relationship. Earning the Referral. Earning the Testimonial. Earning the Reorder; Part 6 – Building Your Personal Brand; Part 6.5 – The Final AHA!

Each of the “parts” consists of a number of two and three page questions that Gitomer proceeds to answer. It starts out with basics like “What is the meaning of sales?” and “How do I make a cold call?” to “Am I available to my customers when they need me?” and “What do the leaders in my industry say about me?”. Using cartoons, a range of fonts, and a very direct, conversational style of writing, the essential points that answer the question are spelled out for the reader. Gitomer uses his experience in sales to help you understand the steps you need to take to be successful at this thing called “sales”. He also includes a number of references back to his website where you can get additional information and/or freebies to help you along. In fact, you can judge the effectiveness of his answers by looking at how he’s practicing what he preaches by writing a book like this.

I mentioned I am a software developer and *still* found this book useful. If you’re a consultant, a book like this is a no-brainer. You need to be selling your services and talents, and this book can help you do that. And given you’re probably a techno-geek, most of the information here won’t be intuitive to you (or comfortable, either). Regardless, mastering these skills can ensure that you have a steady flow of customers. Even if you’re not a consultant but a regular employee at a company, you should still view yourself as a “sellable” item. Applying these ideas can separate you from your coworkers and make your position much more secure than the guy who is keeping his head down, hoping not to create waves…

This is a small investment of time and money that can pay off in large returns down the road. Even implementing two or three ideas from the book might change your career. If you’ve never considered “selling” yourself on the job, this book might just change your perspective in a positive way…

Review by Kenneth Calhoun:

In Jeffrey’s 2nd “Little Red Book”, he delivers again, this time providing practical nuggets and gems of wisdom for sales professionals — this time taking the other side of the “questions” part of selling, and delivering thoughtful answers.

What I liked best about this book was it’s readability and easy-to-digest format … as with all of Gitomer’s books, this one helps sharpen your salesmanship by giving you the perspective, the frame of mind, and the “attitude” of a successful sales professional.

Plus, all the answers and techniques he provides are absolutely invaluable for anyone who sells for a living. Also useful at sales meetings, to kick off discussions and more.

Here’s what I’d do if I were:

a) an individual sales rep: first, read the book. Twice. Mark it up. Identify which 3 areas you’re weakest in (rate yourself on a “great/so-so/need improvement” scale and develop a specific action plan to boost your sales skills in areas needed.

b) a sales manager: I’d pick a topic each week and use that to facilitate individual coaching sessions w/my reps, and/or use it at your weekly sales meetings, for a quick 10-minute “share success stories” to have your sales team kick around ideas for what works, to IMPLEMENT what Gitomer’s teaching you here.

Highly recommended – thanks again Jeffrey for a practical, insightful book that’s sure to be yet another bestseller.

Ken Calhoun, CEO and

Fortune 500 Sales Trainer

Review by Dana Elder:

I loved this book as a child, now my baby does, too.

This new boardbook edition (2008) is slightly different from the original edition in that a drawing or two are different and the text has been changed slightly. I am making my comparison to a “full-sized” hardcover edition published many years ago that I checked out from my local public library.

Review by Amanda M. Mays:

My three year old son LOVES caps for sale! I bought the boardbook version for him because I knew it was a classic story and I remember liking it as a child. I have to admit I do think the words are a little dated or not detailed enough so sometimes I switch it up a bit adding and taking away here and there. It’s a story that kids just seem to love, I recommend reading to your little one.

Review by Paul Mcaleer:

Greshes has a compelling book here. Over the last seven years I have built a multi tens of millions dollar business along with three other partners. We are at that crucial threshold where only two percent of American businesses pass beyond-the m mark. I can assure you the lessons I picked up from this book were not taught in the top flight MBA program I went through.

Greshes does not merely lay out a formula for success, he slaps you across the face with it and says pay attention this is how its done.

I can assure you that as someone who went home last Friday night assured that my business has a winning formula, I have begun recasting that formula this week. This book has it all: Key analysis, compelling anecdotes, real success stories and best of all a very pragmatic approach to how we can all do better.

One thing is absolutley clear, Greshes knows how to listen to people, because his side bar and “Sales Alert” comments will make you feel like he is speaking directly to you because he has heard it all before and he wants to help you get beyond all of the BS.

No excuses! Read it and prosper.

Review by James Gingerich:

“The Best Damn Sales Book Ever”, speaks for itself. It simply is what it promises. This is not one of those books to just sit on your shelf collecting dust. This is a tool that can be utilized build your current “job” into a meaningful career. Greshes “inoculates” the serious reader from mediocrity by step by step walking them through an activity plan and an effective written plan while explaining every step of the way why you need one.

Want to be successful in sales?

Invest your money wisely and buy this book. Then invest your time wisely, read it and do the work. And yes it’s that simple.

Review by Kat Bakhu:

At first I was concerned that Jump Start Your Book Sales might be all fluff and no substance, filled with a lot of tips that I had already thought of.

Well, my concern was not justified. I had not gotten past page 10 before I realized I had better get out my pen and start taking notes. I was getting dozens of ideas and tips that were supercharging my own ideas about how to publish and market books. And this after going to some ,000+ seminars on the same topic! So I’m not a complete newbie in this area.

The authors have been in publishing for over two decades. And I really got the impression that they were dedicated to putting down everything they have learned in this jewel of a book. They held nothing back. And I have gained a great deal from reading it.

Multiple areas, from selling your books to traditional bookstores, getting a distributor, to going off the beaten path and selling your books in non-traditional ways, including getting book in mail-order catalogs, and having a company use your book as a premium to help them sell a product or service. They do not just suggest that you check out these avenues. They tell you how to do it, and what to expect, including the price points and types of contracts that will be offered. Every chapter contains a host of resource material that gives you what you need to completely implement the plan yourself.

They also provide key insights on how to build the marketing of your book right at the very start when you are writing it. These were the points I found the most stimulating and helpful. The authors lives and breathe publishing, and it shows in the generous offering in Jump Start Your Book Sales. I will be re-reading my copy, that is for sure.

Review by Dusty White:

SPECIAL NOTE: I have to apologize. Did I only give this book 4 stars? I wish I could add another star. I have just had my 5th book published and of course I still sit around and wonder at night how to get anyone to read it – and almost by accident I came across my old, highlighted and tattered copy of Jump Start Your Book Sales. After a few minutes of shuffling the pages together (I had carefully torn out the pages I wanted to use **right now!** several years back) I realized how much I really love this book! I cannot tell you just how much you really need this book if you EVER plan on selling ANY copies of YOUR book!

I have read every book on book marketing I could lay my hands on, and some are worthless, some are written to publishers, but mention authors just enough so they can SELL to authors, and a very few are truly great. This is one of the greatest books on the subject ever. The best part is that even if you don’t like half of the ideas you read here, the other half can make you fantastically wealthy (and somewhat famous). My original review follow, but all in all I strongly encourage you to buy this book and start promoting yourself!

Okay – so admittedly I didn’t like it very much at first. This book is HUGE! It covers so much ground that you can easily get lost during your first read. But I diligently came back two weeks later (after reading it the first time) and I slogged through all of the details. This book is THE encyclopedia of book marketing for authors who want to make REAL money (whether you self-publish or work with a p. house).

I have self-published and worked with publishing houses, so I can see both sides of the fence. This book is a MUST HAVE no matter what patch of grass you want to play in (they are both green). But here’s why you must own this book:

If you self-publish, you will make a LOT more money. There is no contest. You keep 50-70% of the selling price of your book (remember printing and ad costs). This book has resources for publicity (like the mighty Joe Sabah!), SPAN, Publisher’s Weekly, as well as media contact methods and the occasional agent recommendation. All good stuff. This book pays for itself over and over.

If you publish through a publisher (small or large), you KNOW that you alone are responsible for the success of your book. Your agent has told you that you must get out there and “promote, promote, promote!” This book shows you how. I didn’t like the binding (it falls apart quite easily), but you are paying for the information, not the binding.

This is one to add to your collection! Good luck with your new book(s)!

Review by C. T. Wu:

Most CEOs/COOs/CFOs would agree:

1. Marketing/Sales is both an art and a black box, or even a black hole as it seems to be a continuous cash guzzler.

2. Sometimes CEOs feel they are captives to the Sales VP because even though they are not happy with their sales performance, firing and replacing them with new ones is not a sure win.

3. Marketing campaigns are like shooting in the dark. If you don’t shoot, you will not catch anything. But if you keep shooting in the dark, pretty soon the bullets will run out. Most CEOs feel their Marketing VPs are “addicted” to all those fancy marketing programs without assured ROI.

4. VP/Marketing and VP/Sales are like a divorced couple. The best way to pacify them is to keep them separate forever. But how can CEOs afford to do that?

Systems Thinking Guru Russell Ackoff once said that the System cannot detect its own problem and it must be from a high order system level. Marketing and Sales VPs cannot solve their own dilemmas and problems, it requires the CEO/COO/CFO in conjunction

with other functional VPs to work together in a systemic way.

However, among all the functional disciplines, Marketing and Sales are the two most mysterious and hard to understand arenas for the whole executive team. “Sales and Marketing the Six Sigma Way” is the first book ever that not only presents the real CORE of the respective Marketing and Sales function in an easy to understand system way, it also reconnects Marketing/Sales function with the rest of the business in a systemic manner. The introduction of “Customer Value Mapping” in the whole Marketing/Sales process is truly a remarkable contribution by the author, Michael Webb. I personally first saw that idea on Webb’s business website 18 months ago and applied it to the company I worked for and realized an unbelievably rewarding result.

A side benefit of reading the book is that with Webb’s superior

writing style people can easily absorb the whole idea of Six Sigma and Lean Management without going through all the terminology and jargon commonly found in other books on Six Sigma. This is a very important feature of the book as its main appeal should be for all corporate executives and Marketing/Sales managers, not just QA coaches.

Among over 100 books on Marketing or Sales that I have read since 1990 after founding my own company, this book is definitely on the top. It will also be a great companion book for MBA students to get bridged to the real challenge of the business world and get well trained with a systemic framework that has rich real world success track records, including my own company’s fantastic experience.

C.T. WU, Ph.D. in E.E.

www.sohoware.com

Santa Clara, California

Review by F. Muna:

A few books were recently published which introduced the concept of six sigma to improving sales and marketing. At first I was skeptical about applying six sigma principles to these particular business functions. I, too, suspected that it is probably the latest fashion, the latest flavor of the month, but after reading this book I believe that some of the six sigma tools can indeed be usefully applied to marketing and sales processes.

The author, a black belt practitioner, argues that both sales and marketing functions must be examined as processes desperately in need of improvement. He pleads for the two functions to end their traditional “silo” mentality and “us/them” behavior; showing that six sigma tools can bring marketing and salespeople together and enable them to collaborate as one team.

Mr. Webb urges the use of the five Six Sigma steps (DMAIC), along with tools such as process maps, process measurement charts, fishbone diagrams, SIPOC diagrams, and so on–all of which help in finding (marketing), winning (sales), and keeping (customer service) existing and new customers. According to the author’s website, process improvement techniques can also greatly alleviate some of the following typical problems facing marketing and sales:

- Developing and launching products that are not successful in the market because they fail to address real customer needs.

- Advertising and “brand awareness” campaigns that create no measurable customer response.

- Marketing campaigns and trade shows that generate large numbers of “leads” that do not get followed up by salespeople, and are not qualified prospects in any case.

- Salespeople chasing “anything that moves” in their territory, thus spending time selling to the wrong prospects.

- Proposal-generating activities that do not get customers to buy.

- Servicing repetitive customer complaints that could be eliminated if the product were improved, yet that information never makes its way into the requirements for new products. (Source: [...]).

There are two minor criticisms of the book: First, it tends to be too lengthy and repetitive, in fact it probably will not lose any of its main themes or messages if it is condensed to around 200 pages.

Second, most of the case studies cited in the book come from smaller companies. Although the cover of the book mentions that the author worked with large international companies such as American Express, 3M, and Marriott, the only six sigma case study from an international organization came from HSBC USA, whose managing director (a former GE executive) led the six sigma efforts at this bank.