Customer Reviews

Stop Selling, Start Partnering: The New Thinking About Finding and Keeping Customers

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In my e-book "Jumping Out of the Box" I talk about opening relationships. That's exactly what this book focuses on. For example, the authors advocate taking a major role in helping B2B customers reach their business goals. Through rapid innovation many products quickly become commodities.

Partnership is a whole new game for businesses ingrained in the old push concept of trying to berate customers into submitting to buying whatever the company offers. To be honest, Wilson's book will certainly be most useful to B2B (Business to Business) companies. However, it's not too hard to see numerous applications for B2C (Business to Consumer) companies.

Take the authors advice on why you should Put Customers Before the Boss. The customer really is king and companies should be organized around them, not towards always pleasing the boss. Stop Selling, Start Partnering is divided into three parts:

Part I. Permanent White Water

Part II. Imagining the Future

Part III. Incredible Results, More Effective People - The Strategic Abilities of the Future

The bottom line to this book is this: Yes, sales are important. However, it's high-time that companies recognize that customers are in the driver's seat - now more than ever. Entrepreneurs everywhere are staring at incredible opportunities as customers no longer put up with the traditional "me company, you customer" mentality.

Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

This book is about the reality of the marketplace of today. It discusses how to apply an ancient principle for marketing success. It describes how to reach your target audience through empathy. In short, Larry Wilson reminds us of the value of relationships. Don't let the title mislead you, this book is all about sales, about selling your ideas and yourself. Wilson buys the cliche, "Nothing happens in a business until someone sells something." He's an advocate of sales, but not "business as usual." People and their expectations are different now.

Culitivating relationships in business is a way of pursuing lifelong customers. His description of how human nature has changed due to the choices available now helps you to position yourself and your company to tap into these realities of the marketplace.

"Stop Selling, Start Partnering" gets the thumbs up from me ... it describes accurately the selling game today. Salespeople would be well advised to get this book and digest its wisdom.