Customer Reviews

Sell Your Self: Act Your Way To Sales Success

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book had a unique take on sales and persuasion and was unlike other sales books out there. The author says that "Actors need selling skills more than sellers need acting skills" which I can see would be true as actors have to be believable and to 'sell' the show they are in, so the book was written through this perspective, showing you the techniques that actors use to 'sell' their products (ie: themselves) and how an actor would deliver a sales script so it didn't sound false.

I enjoyed the bit about how to develop a 'sales character' to play when you are selling - like an actor plays a role. This aroused my curiosity - by having a 'sales character' that I can slip into when I need to talk 'sales', I can avoid the rejection of having the prospective client say "No" to me, because if they do decline, they are rejecting my sales character - not me! I can see where a character that I can slip into would work in other life areas too.

Whilst I liked the authors approachable writing style, one negative for me was the constant chatter throughout the book. I wanted to understand his ideas but I found the kind of 'one way chit chat' a bit distracting. He'd propose an idea then say something like "Did you get that? Good!" but then I'm a very 'cut to the chase' person where business is concerned, and don't like 6 words where 3 will do!

Two sections in the 'Reflections on Rejection' Chapter really stood out for me, and made the book worth the cover price alone. The first sub-section was called "Efficient Living" and was about making sure you spend your life doing only what you enjoy (here here!) and the second was called "Inside Out living" and spoke about how radiating positivity is better than a life spent dealing with what others project onto you. I am firmly behind both of these outlooks, and believe that I INVEST my time in the things I do rather than SPEND my time. Nothing I do is wasted time as it has a pay-off in one arena or another, whether it be business, relationships, personal growth etc. Time management is a passion of mine as I write the blog Time Management Mum (dot com!)

Sell Your Self is an enjoyable book - like a blueprint for achieving sales success, but can also be applied to other areas too as a life strategy. If you are looking to add to your business education, become more confident or for an unusual way to move forward, give this book a whirl!

By drawing on parallels between acting techniques and selling, Bryan McCormack has succinctly demonstrated the value of deconstructing a well known Shakespearean truism; that all the world's a stage, and we are merely players.

As a result, his book `Sell Your Self', delivers solid methods and techniques for understanding how the roles we play can positively impact our outcomes, not only in sales, but in life.

Sell Your Self!by Bryan McCormack is a great read.

It is informative, entertaining and encouraging. Informative in a way that it offers a variety of tools, practical advice and strategies to a reader in order to help him or her be the best at anything in life. It is entertaining throughout by drawing heavily on personal experience and anecdotes. And it is encouraging because after reading the book you will feel that it is possible to make changes which could benefit you.

If you are, like me, into personal development books this book is definitely one for you. Why this particular book you might ask? Well, because it offers practical self-development strategies which can be easily learned and put into practice without wasting much of your valuable time.

Length:: 2:57 Mins

A short video review of Bryan McCormack's "Sell Your Self" by Simon Hazeldine, bestselling author of "Bare Knuckle Selling", "Bare Knuckle Negotiating", "Bare Knuckle Customer Service" and "The Inner Winner".

Sell Your Self is a book that is educational, instructive, entertaining and exciting all a once. Bryan McCormack has `married' the art of acting and selling to help you discover your can maximise your potential in any situation. What is interesting is that the author draws heavily on his personal experiences - these both add flavour to what he shares and gives that element of practicality needed to carry out some of the more interesting `homework'. Some of the analysis of patterns of behaviour and situations around the world are of much interest. For example, there is the section titled `Political Alternation' and if is interesting to note how that author has plotted the `alternate style of political leadership'. Despite the errors in grammar from time to time, this is a `must-have' book for everyone.

Sales is something I've never had a knack for. Ever. However, as an actor and writer, I got more out of this book than I ever expected. Bryan takes the knowledge he's amassed from both acting and selling and creates a cohesive melding of the two that is absolutely wonderful. And moreover, it's useful for literally everyone in every field. Plus, to learn from someone as knowledgeable as Bryan... that's just an extra in itself. Two things that make it really worthwhile are the wit (which is vast and often) and the ease of the read. It's definitely not a 'how to' as much as a 'do this and win'. Kudos to you Bryan, and thank you. I think this will help me more than even I know.

Bryan McCormack's new book is for everyone - not just actors or salesmen. More like a workbook than a How-to, Sell Your Self: ACT YOUR WAY TO SALES SUCCESS, gives you the tools you need to promote anything - including yourself at job interviews or pitch that novel or screenplay to an agent. That's not to say that salesmen world wide would not benefit greatly from this book, they would, because using the methods outlined by McCormack, a salesman can learn to promote their product, be self-confident, generate sales and increase income. This is a must read for everyone, as at some time in our lives we all must 'sell' or convince others to our way of thinking. Sometimes putting on a new persona is the best way to accomplish that task and this book will give you all the methods needed to do just that.

'Sell Your SELF' is a good read, packed full of ideas and help for you to improve your sales performance and outcomes. We are all sales people - every transaction between people involves selling. Some of us act the part better than others. Learn from a master - apply the advice, the tips, the tactics - get over yourself and have fun whilst you read. Then practice and use what you've learnt. All of life is a stage - take to it. Take ACTion.

So I used to be an actor. Not a professional one: in high school, then community theatre, theatre sports and competitions. This was something I loved doing, and did it well. Why on earth did I not think of this before? How could I not even think about equating my skills on stage with the skills of selling? Actors keep people's attention. Actors entertain, enlighten even inspire. It stands to reason that these skills are needed in the arena of selling. No, this doesn't mean "putting on an act" that so many inauthentic sales people do. This is about taking the acting skills - the ones that command attention and respect - then applying them to enhance your own abilities. Bravo, Bryan. Bravo.

The best salespeople are the best actors. Just that simple and just that difficult. Bryan McCormack has broken new ground with this hugely entertaining book on selling more by acting better. You'll enjoy every lesson and if you do your homework, you'll sell more, sell better and have more fun doing it.

Hank Trisler