Customer Reviews

Accelerants: Twelve Strategies to Sell Faster, Close Deals Faster, and Grow Your Business Faster

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The abstract for this book promised that it would seem to be a very good complement to Rocket Builders Precision Sales and Marketing Program, as the subhead "sell faster, close deals faster, & grow your business faster" detailed our program results exactly. And yes, the 12 "rules" fit very well within our model. However the author violates one of today's business rules. In order to get more from your target/reader, you need to give more. This is a very frustrating book as it never really gets into the details of how the system works, just that it does work- trust us, preferring to never miss an opportunity to pitch the unique values of the author's company to offer customized solutions to your company. The last four chapters (?) have to be one of the most blatant and repetitive sales pitches I have encountered. Unfortunately if you go to his website, it offers even less information, so you have to get the book to get anything! I could not help but think that the author goes out of his way to sell so often that he ruins what started out as a useful book. Since I already know how these "Rules" do work to maximize the return, I obtained very little new at the end of the day. At $30 I can't recommend it.

Accelerants are used to start fires or to make them spread more rapidly and burn more fiercely. Michael Boylan offers 12 principles that he learned from his own efforts in sales. He explains how the old sales principles and methods have been competed into impotency. He demonstrates why the sales process needs to be tighter, faster and more, well, aggressive. The author encourages the salesperson to use leverage they may not realize they have and to take charge of the dance.

Boylan believes they will help you focus on a better cut of opportunity, get connected with real decision makers (not just those that say they do, but are merely recommenders), develop a more compelling and persuasive value proposition, make a better and shorter presentation (he teaches a 1/3 - 2/3 principle that seems quite interesting), weed out tire kickers before they drain you of too much time and steal your expertise (making you an unpaid consultant), and shorten your sales cycle by up to 25%.

But this is in Part 2 of the book. Part 1 offers 12 constraints. These are used as part of an internal analysis of where you honestly are, figuring out what isn't going as well as you would like, and where you want to be. As Boylan takes you through the accelerants he often refers you back to the constraints for some helpful thinking. I think it is a very helpful pairing of ideas.

Part 3 offers a few success stories of people using the accelerants successfully (these are in addition the others offered as illustrations of principles in the text). Part 4 offers some ideas on how to move forward with the principles. He notes that the general principles will require some customization and that getting someone who has already used the principles can help you get there faster and with less fumbling. Part 5 talks about Boylan's consulting company, the services he offers, and how to contact him. These last three parts are quite short.

The book is easy to read and you will likely get some very good ideas that can help you in this more fiercely competitive environment.

The Five Star rating correctly indicates my opinion of the importance of this book's subject and of the quality of its content. However, I wish at least a few reader-friendly "accelerants" had been utilized to facilitate and expedite periodic reviews of key points after the book has been read. It takes too much effort to locate all of Michael Boylan's "12 strategies to sell faster, close deals faster + grow [a] business better," except as they are listed in the Table of Contents. Also, several of the illustrations (e.g. "The Constant Continuum" on page 6 and "The Twelve ACCERANT Principles" on page 7) are almost unreadable. Moreover, I think Boylan overplays his hand when inserting frequent self-serving references to what he and his management consulting firm (Accelerant International) offer. Those who are favorably impressed can certainly track him down him at the Web site address provided. Presumably a number of readers will.

Boylan's previous book, The Power to Get In, was written for those who have serious problems with gaining access to others of special importance to them. In it, he offers a cohesive and comprehensive system to overcome all manner of barriers. This system creates what he calls "The Circle of Leverage." Obviously, the strategies and tactics in this book can be very helpful to those in sales but if we expand our perspective to include other forms of persuasion, his book offers even greater value. For example, consider the potential relevance of the Circle of Leverage System to recruiting and hiring, M&A initiatives, competing with others in the same organization for its resources, use of customers as an extended sales force, use of "alumni" to locate talent, etc.

In his newest book, Boylan explains how to expedite this process of cultivation, penetration, and solicitation. He identifies twelve strategies that he characterizes as "accelerants." I strongly recommend that both books be read, despite some repetition of key points, because it is even more important now than ever before to accelerate the process by which to complete research on prospective buyers of whatever is offered for sale, select those with high-probability purchase potential, initiative cultivation and solicitation of each, and hopefully close on the sale. The information and counsel that Boylan provides in his two books, especially in Accelerants - will be invaluable to that process.

I had the opportunity to attend a small group setting with the author - all I can say is 'WOW!" His summary of only two points from his 12 possible processes was impressive - if you get the chance to interact or with Michael Boylan you will not be disappointed!
I will definitely purchase his other two books based upon reading this one and his in-person presentation -
This book is not recommended for corporate culture types - you will be scared away - frankly the rest will appreciate the business you leave behind! :-)

This book builds upon "The Power to Get In" very nicely and summarizes that book in Accelerant #5 (Access the Castle). If you had to pick one book or the other, go with this one as this chapter alone is worth the price of both books.

There are a ton of sales books on the market today, but a limited number really outline an actionable system to produce consistently at a high level. I strongly recommend this book to anyone thinking of getting involved or already involved with selling products, services, or ideas to other businesses. Executives would benefit themselves by reading it too as there is a lot to be learned about why your sales organization doesn't consistently grow revenues or meet their targets on a regular basis. In the investment arena, the information and processes contained in Accelerants could be the difference in meeting (or exceeding) analysts' and customer expectations.

Mr. Boylan insights about how to close sales faster are astounding. He shows you how to create deeper stronger relationships with the senior executives in your prospects that takes you down a straight forward path insuring they clearly understand your companies' key deliverables. His approach turns upside down some of the old tried and true principles of sales 101. This book really digs into the psychology of the sale and shows you simple tools to win bigger deals faster in a style of respect and integrity.

Accelerants provides a clear step by step analysis of how to sharpen your sales and marketing effectiveness in an increasingly competitive landscape. I found a number of things I could do to help understand my prospects better and close some opportunities that were "stuck" before I finished the book.

The principles are simple common sense that have eluded many of us in our traditional PSS tools that try's to get customers to tell us where they have pain. His step by step approach of understanding the basic buying needs and personalities of prospects is so logical they will clearly compress the sales cycle. How could some of these ideas and solid strategies eluded us for so long before being put in print?

This book's overall message is so important that I've given away many copies. Sales messages are often too long, driven by PowerPoint, and unfocused. Boylan's constraints are necissary to understand before any sales or marketing effort, for example how does the market perceive your product and your company? How do your employee's view you and the product they are trying to sell? Perception is reality, especially engrained beliefs in prospect's minds. Acceleratants reminds us to think about these things when we craft all of our interactions, communications, and market messages.

The critical reviews here correct here: the author spends far too much time pitching himself, offers little on the `how to' side, and gives us no help outside the book (such as a good website or further reading references,like other books. However if the structure and content of this book are only good enough to make us think about our restraints and how to overcome them, then for me it was valuable.

Most companies really make the same claims, few offer proof. Accelerants' message about "metric the message" is just one example of some good advice. Cut sales "canned" presentations by half and encourage interactions and questions. Target decision makers and address their needs before your own. None of this advice is new or earth shattering, but these items are seldem followed, at least consistently. Follow this book up with "ROI Selling" and other targeted `how to' books, e.g. "Value Forward Selling," and you'll have not only the strategic view but also the tactical tools needed for success.

I do not know Mr. Boylan personally, but the concepts and ideas that thus far have made up the body of his work: (The Power To Get In, TEETH - Does Your Value Proposition Have Any?, and most recently Accelerants) have left a lasting impression on me and I have worked hard to incorporate his very practical advice into my daily business dealings as a sales professional. In fact, I attribute fifty percent of my annual income to following specific steps laid out by Mr. Boylan in his books. If you take your organization's sales approach seriously - and unfortunately not everyone does - I would highly recommend that you consider implementing his no-nonsense methodologies into your sales framework. For those who cannot afford his organization's custom training options, Mr. Boylan has in my opinion given more practical, tangible value in his books than almost any other sales author in print, BUT you'll need to roll up your sleeves and do the following work: Assess Your Status, Design Your Future, Charter Your Course, Metric The Message, Access The Castle, Deliver The Ultimate Presentation, Paint the Financial Picture, Hold Your Ground, Conduct the Concert, Harmonize for Gold, Calibrate for Success, and Complete the Circle of Integration.

Jack Welch once said that the key to business success is understanding the difference between what's going on and what we wish/think/hope is going on. Mr. Boylan knows what's going on when it comes to complex strategic sales. It's up to the reader to put his principles to the test and not only profit from them but to morally and ethically be a more solid corporate citizen by being a good steward of others time.