Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships [Hardcover]

Richard Abraham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2002

Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships presents a composite character of the most successful and gregarious salespeople in America. This character, Mr. Shmooze, demonstrates how to turbocharge sales results by maximizing relationship-selling strategies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mr. Shmooze is an inspiration!" -- Stephan Perrault, Principal, Wellspring Creative Communications

"Of all the advisors brought to our marketing and sales efforts, these folks have by far the biggest impact!" -- Kevin Cushing, President, Progressive Partners

"This is a first-rate educational book for everyone in business--from those just beginning to seasoned professionals." -- Beth Treacy, President, Treacy Marketing Group

From the Inside Flap

Do you know Mr. Shmooze? You might. You know that person who can light up a room? Who makes business fun while making it look easy? You know that person who always thinks of that extra little something—a shared hobby, a mutual friend, passion for a cause—because he or she genuinely loves bringing people together?

Believe it or not, that person, that "Mr. Shmooze," has mastered the secret of selling: selling is giving. The greatest salespeople actually give for a living. Now how does that work?

If you want to find out, spend some time with Mr. Shmooze in this entertaining, lighthearted, and inspiring fable. Join Mr. Shmooze and his summer intern Robert on a journey into the hearts and minds of the people they touch in so many engaging and powerful ways. Read and learn how to build lifelong relationships by focusing on real connections with real people. If this sounds like a natural and thoroughly enjoyable approachto selling, that's because it is!

"Selling is the art and science of a great subject: the subject of life," says Mr. Shmooze. Mr. Shmooze gives you a look at how business and life—and success in both—are natural allies, not separate compartments. You'll see how sales skills matter not just in making deals but also in adding value to people's lives, whether through worthy causes or simple, day-to-day interactions. In one sales setting after another, Mr. Shmooze demonstrates how you can bring more passion, commitment, leadership, optimism, and energy to your life and work.

Do you believe in win-win relationships? In "doing well by doing good"? If so, Mr. Shmooze gives you a one-of-a-kind toolbox to build fellowship and goodwill into your selling strategy. Who is Mr. Shmooze? Find out . . . and unlock your own irresistible force for success not just in sales, but in life itself! --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 90 pages
• Publisher: The Richard Abraham Company, LLC; 1St Edition edition (October 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974199605
• ISBN-13: 978-0974199603
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic in the Making!, November 22, 2004

By 

Bob Burg (Jupiter, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships (Hardcover)

Richard Abraham has written a parable on "selling through relationships" that will be treasured by anyone in sales fortunate enough to come across this book.

An easy and compelling read, the reader gets to learn from the book's hero right alongside Robert, the young protégé, actually a college student doing a Summer internship. While a composite of several selling stars, the main character was inspired by the author's good friend, an extremely successful Atlanta businessman, Brett Hunsaker.

The protagonist, "Mr. Shmooze", a business and marketing consultant, has built a huge business by giving of himself to others, always desiring to add value to the lives of those he touches. (Quick point here: Because the term "shmooze" often has a negative connotation, another name for Mr. Shmooze may have better served this extraordinary work. He's actually not a "schmoozer", he's a caring, giving person who is always concerned with the other person and how he can add positively to the other person's life.)

He focuses on making others feel good about themselves, which is one of the key lessons any young salesperson should learn heading into the profession of sales. He continually introduces people to one another, always helping others. He's passionate about what he does and he has a lot of fun doing it, as does everyone around him.

Fortunately for the reader, as well as for Robert, he also happens to enjoy teaching others how to do the same. This, by the way, is typical of superstars in all aspects of life; they enjoy mentoring others and encouraging others to reach their potential.

Throughout this book, you'll learn many principles involved in good salesmanship and service to others. I won't take up the space to list them all here. However, the chapter on "Elevation" alone is worth ten times (actually, many, many times) the price of this book and if a sales professional learned this lesson alone and no more, they would see their production rise significantly.

This is the type of book that every company should promote throughout their entire sales force, including to their leadership and management as there are some wonderful lessons there, as well. And, like most great books, every parent should give this book to their child as a gift for them to read, re-read and internalize. This is the element of business that can make your child the most successful, but which he or she will probably never learn in school.

Sales is a very worthy profession and a sales professional should be very proud of what he or she does. Follow the teaching of the master networker in this book and you'll be both proud, and extremely productive.

Bob Burg,

author of "Endless Referrals"

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading This Book Is Now On My List Of Life-Changing Events, October 12, 2005

By 

Diana Cale "Mom, Musician, Consultant" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships (Hardcover)

Wow. Buy this book, no matter who you are or how you make your living. I actually complained to the cashier at the bookstore about the price of this book, but now I realize this book is worth it's price x $1,000 and surely more, over time. A quarter of the way through the book I felt my perspective on all of my current relationships start to change dramatically, and while I was reading the book, I had to take down notes of all the new ideas I was getting about how to relate to my friends, family and acquaintances. Less than 24 hours after finishing the book, I am relating to people in a very different way, and noticing how much more warm they are toward me in return. Talk about results. Buy this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT book!, November 24, 2008

By 

R. Echevarria (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships (Hardcover)

This is one of the best books of all time. It is written in story format and very easy to read. It has changed how I do certain things in a good way. It makes you more conscious of others. I have read this book twice to pick more out of it. All that and it takes no time to read at all.