Customer Reviews

The Contrarian Effect: Why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite

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The Contrarian Effect represents more fine work released by Michael Port, this time teaming up with business associate Elizabeth Marshall.

The Contrarian Effect is a quick, easy read. I started the book at noon on Sunday, spent a few hours in my hammock reading, and by bedtime was finished. Don't let the terms "quick" and "easy" throw you! The book is filled with valuable insights and flows very well. As I read the pages I felt the energy of the authors from their words. I found myself wanting to make notes as I read; not notes from the book, but notes on the stream of powerful ideas sparked by the book.

Port and Marshall point out through very timely and relevant stories that today's consumer has become sensitive to closing "techniques." Today's consumer has a wealth of information available as close as their computer or iPhone. They want to buy on their own time frame, not based on the accounting or commission cycle of the seller.

The book is filled with examples of companies that use The Contrarian Effect quite successfully... such as Apple Computer and Amazon.com. There are also a few examples of companies that insist on keeping it "old school" and insights into the results they are experiencing.

As is always the case with books that Michael Port puts his name on... The Contrarian Effect delivers more value than the cost of the book and the time invested reading it. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, small business, or part of a larger organization, you will find value in this book and have fun reading it!

Michal Port's and Elizabeth Marshall's book Contrarian makes a case for honesty in communication when making sales. Essentially, I found little new in the book. What the authors point out is that bad sales tactics-sleazy salesmen,who only want your money and nothing else, don't work. Well, duh? When did those tactics work? I'm amazed at how strong a case the authors felt compelled to make. It must mean that the world of "sales" isn't listening to logic. Port and Marshall kept saying that companies rely on the old methods of hard, pushy selling because it worked in the past.

The authors gave one example after another about how not to sell your product or service. Basically, they talked about making a connection, listening to your customer, giving your customer something of value, moving at your customer's pace, and becoming more customer-focused versus bottom line and quota focused. After a while (like after the first chapter), the book felt repetitive. The Contrarian Effect, as they called it, is simply good communication. I'm assuming that sales people of the past didn't use good communication skills.

What still amazes me is that we are having this discussion. Creating relationships with people take time, energy and a willingness to share. Are we in too much of a hurry for that? Port and Marshall think we are. Furthermore, they contend that haste will make waste.

If you are dealing with hard-sell management and want them to see another side of the coin, this book might work for you. If you're looking for new techniques in sales or even new communication ideas, this is not the book for you.

Face it, we all sell to some extent and I've always felt the key to being successful in sales is to NOT sell out. My convictions on this matter didn't always settle well especially when I was asked to do "dog and pony shows" back in the print, radio and ad agency days. It's true, my foray in advertising and marketing started in sales. But I could never embrace the worn out, salesy approach. That just wasn't me. I choose to connect with my clients and treat them as real people. Guess what? It worked and it still does today.

Little did I know, doing what I believed to be the right thing was actually not the norm. I'm glad and I'm proud to be a contrarian. Are you?

Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall team up to share insights into typical sales tactics and they skillfully illustrate why the old school ways are not necessarily the best approach.

Consumers are savvier than ever. They demand more. They expect more and they deserve more than a stale sales pitch and antiquated, canned attempts at "the close".

The new marketing model is all about relationships and meeting the ever demanding expectations of today's consumer.

Two of the most important tips I hope readers take to heart are:

1. Identify and target specific groups of individuals rather than the mass market.

This may seem like a no-brainer to most contrarians but I am amazed to hear people today say "I want to speak to those who are even remotely interested in my product or service." This broad approach to marketing, advertising and sales is not cost effective. With this approach the messages created are often watered down and don't connect with people who may actually want what you're selling. Why don't more people understand the narrower the target the more qualified the consumer and coincidentally the more likely people are to buy from you?

2. Collaborate with strategic partners who share the same target market.

Collaboration is the key to your success on the new business playing field. Gone are the days of bitter competition, back biting sales strategies and unauthentic attempts to make the sale. These out of date techniques hinder rather than help both sales and the economy. Odd as it may seem there is more than enough business to go around. In fact, I regularly collaborate with other professional copywriters. We have a referral network and we send business to each other based on our specialties and who we like to work with. It's a win-win situation.

Another vital component to being a contrarian is following the Contrarian Primer. Port and Marshall created a list of 9 fundamental contrarian traits (this chapter alone is well worth the small investment in the book). I'll list them here but please note the book elaborates in the importance of each.

1. Build relationships and make connections
2. Respect your customers and honor their wishes
3. Target specific groups of individuals and the people with whom you do your best work
4. Make relevant and timely offers
5. Increase your likability factor
6. Practice radical transparency
7. Establish yourself as a trusted advisor
8. Collaborate with strategic partners to leverage your efforts
9. Think bigger about who you are and what you offer your clients

I dare you to invest in a copy of the book today. Read it, apply the principles and be contrarian! By being your authentic best the rest will follow - and yes, that does mean increased sales for you.

It might go against everything you've been taught, but the old way of making ales (the cold calling, the closing techniques, the meet-my-target-or-else mentality) don't work as well as they did in an interconnected, customer-is-king world.

This book is a manifesto for a new and - I believe - more effective way of making sales - by building relationships, building a reputation as a trusted adviser, and by sending relevant, targeted offers.

It's a method I advise my clients to use: newsletters, for example, which the authors recommend, are a great way of accomplishing all this.

The book will be a shock for those who believe in the old way of making sales; it serves as a pocket-sized reminder for those who know that they new ways work better.

I have been in sales for 10 years selling everything from life insurance to consulting to food.

Many people's livelihood is reliant upon selling a product or a service. The world of sales has changed and old techniques and old "truths" are not true anymore. People who haven't realized this yet need to take heed to what a lost sale really is and to the words I am saying now:

"If you wan't to succeed and it requires that you sell a product or a service to do it, this book is required reading. For years people have known something was being done wrong in sales, Elizabeth and Michael are the one's to finally say it and correct it!"

This is a short book about an important idea: we no longer can sell based on our timetable, but must sell based on the timetable of the buyer.The internet has made this seismic shift possible. Be of value, focus on those for whom you would do your best work, enagage on a human level. Nice summary primer at the end. Nothing new but well said and in a user friendly way.

The Contrarian Effect is a fast read that is enjoyable, entertaining, and informative. The main premise is to respect rather than try to manipulate the customer. Key ideas include:
* Build relationships and make connections with the right customers
* Make relevant and timely offers that provide value
* Create trust
This book also includes apt examples of companies who have been successful using this approach.

So why do I like this book and not love it? While it has great concepts that are relevant it has very little practical advice or how to information. It reminds me of reading many of Seth Godin's books that have wonderful concepts, but not enough information to help you do something today to start implementing what you read.

If you are looking for some big ideas to inspire you - this is the book for you. If you are looking for a more 'how to' approach, you may want to keep looking.

Karen L. Jett, CMA
Author Grow Your People, Grow Your Business
Facilitator Strategic Plan-ting(tm) Workshops

Although the premise of this book sounds exiting the Contrarian Effect fails to deliver on its promise. It describes numerous examples of why doing the opposite of tried sales techniques is beneficial, but to me this is not because of the fact that it is the opposite, but rather just doing the right thing.

That doing the right thing was regarded as a dirty practice amongst sales people for decades, and that now people are finally seeing the long term benefit of doing the right thing, doesn't make it the opposite. Because in 10 years, doing the opposite (when everybody is doing the right thing) will not pay off. Therefore the Contrarian Effect if flawed.

On the other hand, it is inspiring to read the examples of people and companies that are pursuing a more fair approach to sales and is something that I can say will stick with me.

This book gives a picture of how customers buy to day. If you dont change according to this, you'r out!!

Great job on this book Michael and Elizabeth!! It is an easy, fresh read and I really, really liked the "real world" companies and individuals you used to illustrate your points so well.

I have always considered myself the "reluctant salesperson", but what I now realize is that I had it right all along -- figure out what people really want and give it to them with integrity and sincerity.