be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits [Paperback]

Leanne Hoagland-Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

To win more sales means you must stand out in the overcrowded, highly competitive global marketplace. You need to be the first one noticed so those potential customers are running up to you first, seeking you out, and shoving your competitors to the side. Mixing a practical and direct approach with personal stories and observations, Leanne Hoagland-Smith paints a simple while vivid picture of how sales people can literally be the Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits. In this brilliant new book she hands you the keys that unlock doors that lead to increased sales, loyal customers, and a more fulfilled sales career.   

You don't have to be "in sales" to appreciate this book - its core principles apply across every personal and business application. - Debra Anthony, Publisher NBIZ Magazine

An ideal book for both beginner and advanced sales & marketing professionals. You can open to almost any page and find an instant nugget to feed your brain the kind of mental food that brings more sales in the door by afternoon. - Christopher Knight, CEO EzineArticles.com

Be the Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits is a must read for all sales professionals that want to transform themselves to be best of the best. - George Richardson, Chairman Profectus Services

Outstanding! One of the best sales books I've read in years. - Jeb Blount, Author of Power Principles and Sales Guy's 7 Rules For Outselling The Recession

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Sales Gravy Press (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981800459
• ISBN-13: 978-0981800455
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Leanne Hoagland-Smith is a nationally recognized business building expert with over 1,500 published articles, a weekly business column, speaker and the Chief Results Officer for ADVANCED SYSTEMS, an international human capital talent development firm. Being a first generation Swede, she brings a common, nonsense approach to her writing as well as when she works with her clients. Possibly, this is why she enjoys infusing stories into her speeches and writings.

With over 30 years in sales, Leanne understands how to go beyond the tiresome and repetitive problems and truly help to create sustainable solutions that deliver a positive return on investment. She also realizes human capital is priceless and no where is that more important than with young people.

Having earned both of her degrees from Purdue University (a BA in education and a MS in Instructional Design & Technology) learning (acquisition of knowledge) is important and even more important is performance (application of knowledge).

Currently, Leanne resides outside of Chicago, IL USA with her husband. She is working on her second book in the "Be the" series on sales while continuing to grow her executive coaching and speaking practice.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definite "need to know"., June 23, 2009

By 

Florian J. Steciuch "Ukrainian believer" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits (Paperback)

be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits

Having grown up in New York City, I always enjoy getting the facts straight, without fluff. Leanne shares the key concepts in a direct manner, with action steps one could immediately implement to secure lasting, positive results. If you are in sales (and who isn't these days?), you must read this book! The plus here is that this book will help you be successful in many aspects of life. Period.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Red Jacket will make you garden variety, August 30, 2009

By 

Ashraf Chaudhry (Lahore, Pakistan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits (Paperback)

The market is flooded with books on Selling and salespeople find themselves confused what to read and what to put aside. Leanne's book "be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits" is in fact a gush of fresh air in the stale environ of sales literature.

The book starts with pulling out weeds of our minds and prescribes the remedial measures. In my one and half decade of sales and marketing career, I always used words like `close the sale' although I have always been conscious of the chemistry of vocabulary and how it affects our destiny. For the first time, I am being guided that sale is not `closed' rather it is `earned'. Our WORDS are our WORLD.

The writer comes down very hard on our belief systems based on assumptions and guides the reader step by step to change the paradigms and filters that we use to make decisions. On many occasions, I literally felt jerks while reading the book. "be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits" is a book that challenges you to think and rethink with fresh perspectives.

In a population of around 6 billion, no one is like me. My DNA is unique; my fingerprints are matchless and I am unique creation of Almighty. But when it comes to professional world of Selling, why I cease to be unique and why I wear the gray suit like anybody and why I don't look like a garden variety and why I don't de-commoditize myself and why I don't differentiate my offering and kit of benefits is something we never think of. Leanne teaches you to be "Younique" in "be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits".

Leanne Hoagland-Smith's book is easy to ready and easy to comprehend. You can read it in one or two sessions without getting overwhelmed with scholastic concepts.

Highly recommended for people in Sales (and by the way, everyone lives by selling something to someone. The selling function starts with first cry for milk by the baby and continues till......).

Ashraf Chaudhry
Sales Trainer and Author of
The Craft of Selling "YOURSELF"

P.S: Concise "Sales Coaching Tips" spread all over the book serve as delicious nuggets.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High Praise For The Woman In The Red Jacket, June 12, 2009

By 

David Herdlinger (St. Simons Island, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits (Paperback)

Leanne's new book is a model of clarity in the cloudy world of sales. She has made it crystal-clear how anyone can achieve success and personal balance.

Leanne illustrates her book with great stories and wonderful humor and makes it much more than a book on effective selling methods. This is a crash course on the principles and techniques of creating a successful life.

Red Jacket stands out in the sea of gray sales books....