Customer Reviews

The Sales Bible

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Gitomer's book is the tool for real sales people. There's plenty of theory books out there, 2,000 ways to close, yadda yadda. But if you really want to spend your time selling and cashing your commission checks, this is the book to buy. I've been in sales for nearly 22 years, and I know that how he tells it is how it is, and I STILL learned all kinds of things. It blew me away how clever, funny, brilliant this stuff is. The guy knows what he's talking about - listen to him, do what he says, and send me a commission check for encouraging you to buy it. You'll be making money in no time. I gave it to my Ex because I wanted my child support checks on time -he sells coffins. (No kidding!) Guess what - since then, he's been the top salesman in the cemetery. (You're laughing - I'm serious!) It's a must-have - and you'll be able to throw away all the stodgy sales books on your shelf. What a deal!

I've read them all. And as a sales trainer and speaker myself, I can say that this is the ultimate book for sales people in any industry no matter what skill level you are currently at. Plus it is very easy to read and understand. If all salespeople were to read this book, there would be no reason for sales trainers like me. If you want to do yourself and your career a huge favor, buy this book and read it. Then use the information in it to soar. I recommend it to the people I've had the opportunity to train.

This is one of the very best books on selling. It covers it all.I'm in network marketing and very few sales books offer any real valuable information for MLM'ers. This one does. It is also excellent for management people.I recommend this book to all of my new sales reps. Also recommnd Advanced Selling Strategies and Turner, Turner, Turner: The King of Network Marketing.

I purchased this book after reading suggestions from other readers. After reading it, I have a hard time understanding why many people gave this book 4-5 stars. Granted, there were some good ideas in the book and the writing style was engaging at at times. However, there was a large portion of the book that focused on the need for positive attitude in a sales career and the means by which to ensure that such good attitude is maintained. IMHO if you have not realized the importance of a positive attitude, ability to handle regection, and the importance of a sense of humor in your sales career from your own experience, then you have been asleep at the wheel. I did find some good ideas from the first 1/2 of the book, but the remainder was pretty sad. For the first time sales person (such as myself) I got a heck of a lot more out of the Accidental Salesperson.

To read the reviews of this book here on Amazon, one would think it was either the best thing since sliced bread or a complete waste of paper. Of course, it is neither.

I have read just about every sales book ever printed and my opinion is that The Sales Bible contains some of the most cogent advice on sales I have seen. The material is printed in a direct-marketing-style format that is very easy to read and even fun. Experienced salespeople will find some of the material basic, but there are golden nuggets on practically every page.

Obviously, the book is not for everyone, but there is a simple way to tell if it will help you. The most dangerous words in education of any kind are "I knew that already." If you are the kind of person who reads ultra-critically, analyzing every detail for flaws and discarding all but the truly original, then this book will not be for you. It is apparently a compilation of material the author has written over the years and does not tell stories like Zig Ziglar or analyze the sales process like Robert Cialdini. It is a reference source of excellent sales advice.

In other words, if you are the kind of person who frequently says, "I knew that already," then you would be better off with one of the dryer texts that dissect the sales process.

On the other hand, if you are like me, a career salesman who understands the need to master the basics and who appreciates a crystal clear, informative and fun resource, then The Sales Bible will be the most-read book in your library. Confession: I consult this book before every sales meeting and my agents think I'm a wizard.

If you have mastered everything in this book, then it's time to write your own book. If you haven't, then don't bother moving on to more complicated material. This book contains 90% of the information you will ever need in sales.

This is the single best sales book for beginners AND veteran salespeople. Do you have a personal mission statement? What about a 30-second commercial response to the question: "What do you do for a living"? Jeffrey gives you the tools to put more than a little sizzle in your pitch. He shows you the way to double, triple, or quadruple your income. This book is only the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend the weekly sales internet training courses from [web]. You can learn the secrets of every aspect of sales in the privacy of your own office, home or wherever you have a high speed internet connection. Plus, he will have you laughing all the way to the bank! Serious fun. Get it.

Okay - full disclosure - I know the author and consider him a friend. He's also a client, and I've used his techniques to sell to him! That may be the only thing you need to know about this book.

Jeffrey Gitomer may not be the greatest salesman of all time - St. Paul, Zig Ziglar, Earl Nightingale, Dale Carnegie - there may be a few others who rank above him. Time will tell. But Jeffrey has written a book strictly devoted to selling which synthesizes the combined wisdom of all of the published salemen who have gone before him, with the practical knowledge that he has gained from a lifetime selling anything and, eventually, everything. I believe Jeffrey's position in the business world is similar to Ted Williams's in baseball.

As a kid, I remember reading Ted Williams's classic book, "The Science of Hitting." Hitting a pitched baseball is the most difficult skill in all of sports. Williams' book explained that the toughest part of hitting isn't the hand-eye coordination, it is the disciplined approach to preparation and pitch selection - the mental game, that counts. Williams' classic graphic of the strike zone filled with 77 baseballs, each baseball containing a batting average, was worth the price of the book, and an enduring image for baseball lovers. Williams was a great hitter - maybe not as significant as Babe Ruth, or with as high an average as Ty Cobb, but his most enduring legacy was the best book ever written about hitting. And, it's not about fancy tricks, it's about repetition and discipline.

I believe selling is the toughest skill to learn in business. The art of persuasion doesn't come naturally to most people, and some prospects give you more late breaking movement than a Papelbon "slutter" or a Rivera cutter. Jeffrey Gitomer's book helps you perfect the skills that you need to survive and prosper in what could otherwise be a difficult and discouraging world. Are you just getting started? Read the book of Rules. Do you need to cold call? There's a chapter that will give you steps to follow. Need a refresher - the principles are all summarized on handy flash cards and a computer disk. The 72 questions are like Ted Williams' 77 baseballs - designed to get you to focus on what you need to do to raise your average.

I've read the reviews already posted and I can't believe the handful of people who gave this book 1, 2 or even 3 stars - they must be ex-girlfriends or jealous husbands. Those looking for fancy tricks and clever schemes don't get it - that's too complicated, and, worse, destined for a one-time-only sale, or embarrasing failure. Learn the basics, and this book distills the best selling advice of hundreds of other authors, as well as Gitomer's years of Sales Moves columns.

Note - The Sales Bible distills those columns, and doesn't just reprint them as some authors with a regular newspaper gig are prone to do. This is a book that is intended to be USED, not just read. If you're looking for the "History of Great Sales," keep looking. If you're a saleman or an entreprenuer (which means you're that and more) buy this book, and learn from a true Hall of Fame salesman!

I can attribute thousands of dollars in sales to tips that I learned from this book:

1) How to cold-call. 2) How to get an appointment. 3) How to use voice mail to your advantage. 4) How to make selling fun!

Email me if you would like more comments!

This book opens with a great story about how the author meets this basketball coach and asks him for his biggest secret to winning games. The coach goes in and shoots the most basic and fundamental shot in basketball - the easy layup. And says -- see that shot --- 99% of games are won on that shot. Don't ever miss it!

That story perfectly sets the stage for what this book is about. You find yourself using the Sales Bible as a great reminder about the fundamentals of sales.

A solid addition to your sales library.

If you are developing fresh talent, then you need to have this book. I have used this in countless lesson plans when teaching my people the fundamentals of selling. This is as close to "required reading" as you will find.

Gitomer is the ultimate sales guru because he keeps things simple. He doesn't teach how to sell, he teaches you how to show value so people will buy.

Bible is for beginners in many ways so if you've been around the block enough to know the way, skip this one and grab one of his Red books or the Patterson Principles. They are for the more experienced sales professional.