Customer Reviews

Selling with Integrity: Reinventing Sales Through Collaboration, Respect, and Serving

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

 

 

As I read, "Selling With Integrity," I felt that it was indeed a book for anyone who is struggling to make the conceptual switch from using manipulation to using honesty to sell. Throughout the book, using many religious undertones, Ms. Morgan places an emphasis on doing what's right, thinking of the prospect's problems first, putting your needs second and generally collaborating to identify whether a reason to do business exists. (These are all ideals with which I agree.)

My single biggest reservation comes not from the book itself, but from the response I got when I contacted Ms. Morgan with a question.

I had noticed that every example in the book ended in a positive outcome. For instance, the book conveys that, to get a great conversation with a prospect, all you have to do is call and say, "This is a sales call." So I actually tried doing exactly what the book said, and I tracked my results:

* I dialed the phone 150 times.
* I reached a gatekeeper 31 times and my prospect 21 times. (The remainder were busy signals, no-answers, auto attendants, voice-mails, etc.)
* I introduced myself and said, "This is a sales call."
* Every gatekeeper responded with some form of: "[Mr. Jones] doesn't take sales calls."
* Every prospect responded with some form of: "I don't take sales calls."

After my lack of success, I decided to contact Ms. Morgan and ask, "How many phone calls do you actually have to make before you get one of those great conversations you describe in your book?"

After dodging the question by telling me "I don't track such things," I forced the issue once more, and she finally said, "If you insist on questioning the process, then you clearly aren't committed to making it work." (These "quotes" are from memory, so while they convey her attitude, they are probably not exact wording.)

Frankly, I expected to speak with someone who would interview me and help me decide whether her course was for me. What I got instead was more like what I'd expect from a cult leader who wanted to indoctrinate me, and who expected me to accept everything on blind faith.

I believe in a lot of what the book conveys, but the author's actions cost her a ton of credibility with me.

Gill

This book claims to be the follow-up to Solution Selling, by Bosworth.

There is a great deal of discussion about which book is better. In my mind, they are simply for different audiences if you want to compare them as simply 'sales books'.

Selling with Integrity is by far my #1 recommendation to someone who is not, or does not want to be, a professional salesperson. It is much more simple than Solution Selling and easy to remember in front of customers.

I own an agency for OD/HR consulting and have read HUNDREDS of books, manuals, etc on selling. I am especially interested in books about selling high dollar intangibles (HR consulting is incredibly intagible).

I am paid by a number of my consultants to provide marketing and 'sales' coaching and this is the book I recommend. If you want to go deeper and have more structure to your sales, this is not necessarily your book. Look to Selling Solutions.

However, Selling With Integrity resonates deeply with the solid principles at it's core and a new mentality of looking at sales - helping the buyer buy, or becoming a 'Buying Facilitator'.

I consider myself a professional sales person and when I need a quick boost and/or self pep talk on sales, I pick up Selling with Integrity and remember why I like it so much.

My personal litmus test is 'Would I buy the book again after I have read it, but pay double the price?'

The answer is absolutely, no question, YES!! Buy the book. For almost any price, it is an absolute bargain.

The words in the title of this review appear at the top of Sharon Drew's book in an endorsement by Ken Blanchard. When you read the word "paradigm," your bussword detector might go off, as mine did. Sure--I thought--another new paradigm! Deliver me from paradigms. But I read the book. Pondered on it. Then I read it again.

If you're looking for just another book on selling--and I've read most of them--skip this one. It will challenge your old assumptions about selling. If "control" is what you're about as a salesperson, and you enjoy trying to control the prospect, don't read this book. You'll find it disconcerting. It could make you want to change your approach.

But if you want to consider selling in an entirely new way, one that respects the customer (and yourself, too), read it. It's a simple read, but far from simplistic. It does, in fact, offer a new sales paradigm, and it's a breathe of fresh air.

This book provides very useful sales advice, especially in the realm of effective cold calling. My only issue with the book is that Morgen bills her perspective early on as the next step beyond Michael T. Bosworth's "Solution Selling." I have read both books and I must disagree. "Selling with Integrity" is a useful read but "Solution Selling" is much more in depth, hands-on, and yes, addresses the same concerns with selling ethics effectively.

Morgen's "Selling With Integrity" in fact shares quite a bit of common ground with "Solution Selling"--certainly more than Morgen would agree upon. Morgen's advice regarding effective listening and questioning has notable similarities with Bosworth's "9 Steps" which guide a sales lead to "discovery" or "buying vision" depending on the jargon you prefer. Both books advise sellers not to say "We can do that" or "I have exactly what you need"--Morgen clearly agreeing with Bosworth's "diagnose before you prescribe" point. And I believe that "Solution Selling" fully addresses Morgen's very valid concerns about sales ethics and trustworthiness.

Morgen explains that her Buying Facilitation model is superior to Solution Selling because Solution Selling always strives to help guide the customer back to your product. Morgen does not assume that. My response is, what's wrong with that? I think this difference Morgen makes is not material.

Also more food for thought: would a salesperson armed with only the "Selling With Integrity" framework be effectively prepared for hardline end-run negotiation tactics from the buyer? Peruse "Solution Selling" on the subject of negotiation and you will see what I mean.

If you have read this book, I encourage you to read Solution Selling, which I believe has more in-depth tools to help people sell effectively. And yes, with integrity too.

BTW, I have no affiliation with Solution Selling of any kind...! Good selling to all!<P(...) there is no single "one size fits all" book for selling (or any subject!), but dismissing the possibility of the buyer utilizing tough negotiation tactics to slash your price as irrelevant...(...).

BTW, I also had cut my rating from original 3 stars to 2 (...)as I realized from experience and success with Solution Selling that Morgen's book is fine, but is IMHO not the next step beyond Solution Selling as she describes it. If we could add half-stars, I'd give the book 2 1/2. Tell ya what, I'm going to split the difference and "round it" back up to 3 stars today. Anyway, I wish good selling to all!

In this book Sharon Drew Morgan introduces a simple concept - Stop trying to sell things to people and instead, help them to find what they need.
Codicil: If *you've* got what they need they'll buy it from you.

Simple? Yes. But totally opposite from all *conventional* wisdom. Indeed, check out the review posted on March 29th.
The reviewer asks "would a salesperson armed with only the 'Selling with Integrity' framework be effectively prepared for hardline end-run negotiation tactics from the buyer?"

This isn't a good question or a bad question - it is a totally irrelevant question.
Using Ms Morgan's approach correctly will negate the possibility of ending up in that situation in the first place.
And anyway, if, by some chance it does occur, why is it a problem?
If you're desperate to make a sale then of course you have to dive in and go head to head.
If you've understood and adopted Ms Morgan's message, on the other hand, you are in there to provide a service - NOT to make a sale, per se.

So, if the buyer tries to change the rules it simply means that you've lost rapport.
If you think it's worth it, re-establish rapport and carry on helping the buyer to find out what s/he really needs; otherwise simply let it go.

Ms Morgan also explains why striving to guide the customer back to your own goods is a mistake. It's as simple as this:

If you're offering a genuine SERVICE to your customer then you are aiming to provide the most appropriate solution to their needs - regardless of who provides that solution.
If your underlying concern is always to guide the customer to your own products then you are, in essence, still trying to SELL something rather than provide a service. You are still, as in all traditional approaches to the sales process, putting your own needs (to make a sale) before the needs of the customer (to find the BEST solution).

Many years ago I worked in retail computer sales. One day I discovered that a certain manufacturer, whose goods we stocked, had a return rate of 25% or more. From that time on I refused to sell any items produced by that manufacturer. And I explained why
Some customers bought a different machine. Others went to another sales person or another shop.

My colleagues were initially horrified. How could I turn down cast iron sales opportunities? Before long, however, they changed their tune.

Why? Because the number of customers went up by over 50%. Sales went up by even more. Why?
Because word of mouth spread the message that we told the truth about the goods we were selling and gave good advice. We weren't just selling computers, we were providing an honest, reliable SERVICE.

By the way, this idea isn't exactly new, though Ms Morgan does present it in a thoroughly professional manner. Check out the film "Miracle on 35th Street", and you'll see what I mean.
What's new is the realisation that, as a serious, viable approach to selling IT WORKS.

Buy the book. Try it out. Be amazed!

Sharon Drew Morgen cuts through the myths and b.s. about business and selling in a powerful, clear, stimulating book that should be "must reading" for anyone who sells for a living.

She gets at the real thinking/emotional process at the heart of the buying decision better than anyone else I've read - then translates these insights into a breakthrough sales approach that is genuinely "win/win." What a powerful alternative to the rat race of manipulation and resistance most of us were taught selling had to be! The real challenge would be for executives and sales managers to read this book and then allow its principles to govern how salespeople are compensated and "motivated."

A compelling book from an author of deep spirituality and years of success as a business person.

I have first hand experience dealing with Ms. Morgen. I paid for and attended one of her 3 day courses. I even did some work for her. I was really excited to work with her at first, until I found out what kind of person she truly is. I totally agree with Gill's comments. Although many of her concepts have validity, I've seen her *not* use the same type of "we" space she advocates. I won't be specific, but I can say with certainty that I've never had a more unpleasant client experience. Ms. Morgen can be very rude, abusive and confrontational. Her opinion is if you don't agree with what she says then there must be something wrong with you. I would recommend this book for some helpful cold-calling tips, but I would not adopt Buying Faciliatation as my primary selling technique.

It's not about how I sell- it's about how a buyer buys. It's not about how good I pitch, sell and close but about how I seek to enter into a collaboration with the buyer. You will learn how to help be a buyer facilitator as you go through the process of how a buyer buys. You build trust and deep relationships. This book was very healing for me. It allowed me to enter sales in a service mode. Buyers and sellers are both respected and you sell at a depth you've never known possible before. No more wasted time on unqualified prospects. No more running out on appts to see people who just want to shop you for a price. This book will help heal your soul and give you peace and a confidence that no other course has ever offered. I have gotten into companies and made appointments with people that others have said I'd never be able to do. Sharon Drew has got the cure for never ending barage of sales courses we have to attend. Take this one and you won't need the others.

When my job started to involve selling as well as technology, I read a half dozen sales books. This one stood out. It didn't make me feel sleazy. It helped me understand my role as a participant in a decision process that is confusing and frustrating for the buyer, too. It gave me a general-purpose framework ("the funnel") for helping a customer (and me!) figure out what is going on in the buying process. It helped me not take things so personally when we didn't get a project. And when we did, the approach didn't leave us with a bunch of expectations that we couldn't meet. It embodies Covey's advice to "begin with the end in mind," where the end is a successful project and a good relationship and not just an accepted proposal. We've been basically successful (and able to sleep at night) while using the overall approach.

Still, I used to be more enthusiastic about the book and Sharon Drew Morgen than I am now. It's not nearly as simple as SDM makes it sound, and it's no substitute for products and services that are actually worth owning or using. As an antidote, you should read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins.

I wavered between three and four stars, and gave it four because it really did influence me more than anything else I read when I started out, and I find myself still referring to it. Read it, absorb the principles, and then pay attention to what's really going on.

This book details how the old tried and true sales approaches of the past just don't work anymore. By using a simple and forgotten method of RESPECT, one can use what Morgen calls the "Buying Faciliation" to earn rapport with your prospect, and find out quickly if what you are selling is what prospect wants. There are no pitches, no pressuring, no persuading. Just a simple question and answer structure, that will open the door for you to "facilitate" your product or services to your prospect. It's very much partnering in sales for the 90's. Unlike many sales method books, the methods presented here are simple, respectful of your prospect and really do get results. Buy this book!