It Only Takes 1% to Have a Competitive Edge in Sales [Paperback]

Thomas A. Freese (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2001

Life is not fair. Selling is not fair either. Look around and you will see that the salesperson with the best product doesn't always win the sale. It's because every salesperson out there claims to have the best service, the highest quality, and the best deal. As a result, customers are quick to commoditize these similiar-sounding claims of greatness, and they instead gravitate toward products, companies, and salespersons who can differentiate themselves in some way.

Fortunately, you don't need a huge advantage. Most sales are won or lost by very small margins. That means you simply need an edge--a differentiable advantage that will set you apart from everyone else. That's what you will find in this book--100 chapters, each designed to give salespeople a one-percent advantage over their competitors. After all, it only takes 1% to have a competitive edge in sales.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas A. Freese is the founder and President of QBS Research, Inc. and best-selling author of Secrets of Question Based Selling, and, It Only takes 1% to Have a Competitive Edge in Sales. With over 17 years in the trenches of sales and management, Tom now works with sales organizations all over the world as one of the foremost authorities on strategic selling methods, buyer motivation, and sales effectiveness.

Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: QBS Publishing (May 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891892118
• ISBN-13: 978-1891892110
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Sales & Selling

More About the Author

Thomas A. Freese, based in Atlanta, is the founder and president of QBS Research, Inc., which teaches Question Based Selling to salespeople around the country. The list of the author's clients includes IBM, Merrill Lynch, Compaq Computer Corporation, Northwestern Mutual Life, Sun Microsystems, Lucent Technologies, Cisco, GE Capital and MCI. Freese speaks to dozens of major corporations annually.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A resounding endorsement ....., July 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: It Only Takes 1% to Have a Competitive Edge in Sales (Paperback)

..... ..... of Tom Freese's book - "It Only Takes 1%".

As a salesman, have you ever inquired of yourself:

1) why would the president invite me into his office ? 2) once in the president's office, how does one add value causing the president to openly discuss corporate issues? 3) how does one control the sale's process through the entire cycle - cold call, first meeting, beating the competition, adding value to the sale, looking for additional opportunities to sell, closing the deal? 4) have you ever witnessed your prospect assume a blank facial expression during your elevator pitch? Could this be because your pitch sounds like blah....blah....blah (the same as every other competitor's pitch of adding value, speed, functionality, scalability, etc)? 5) well then, how do you differentiate yourself?

Tom's book challenges all traditional sales methodology that I have been taught throughout my 15 year sales career. I have used several of Tom's techniques in my technical sales job. The customer response is phenomenal.

There is a lot to learn from this book!!!!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's that little extra that makes the difference, July 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: It Only Takes 1% to Have a Competitive Edge in Sales (Paperback)

Whether you're new to sales or a seasoned veteran this book provides simple and effective ways to improve your sales efforts. By applying these common sense (but many times forgotten) lessons you too will have a competitive edge in sales. This is a great book that is a quick and easy read. I highly recommend it. Good selling...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a legitimate book on selling techniques, February 28, 2010

By 

A. Shkrebtiyenko (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: It Only Takes 1% to Have a Competitive Edge in Sales (Paperback)

I have been in telephone sales for about two years when I was in college. I can't say that I was very successful or good at it, and have since moved on to another occupation. What I took away from my brief encounter with sales is the realization of how much influence you can learn to wield by studying sales techniques. Even though I left selling, my pursuit of knowledge that can make me into a more powerful communicator and persuader person has not ended. I own a library of about 30 sales books. Sadly, most of them are just fluff written to take advantage of salespeople struggling to hang on to their jobs and looking for a lifeline.

This book is not one of them. Thomas A. Freese is a very reputable sales author. I have to concede that this book, along with his Question Based Selling are the two sales books that I would not be ashamed to recommend to anyone. This is solid stuff.