Customer Reviews

Tom Hopkins' Low Profile Selling

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tom Hopkins's book, How to Master the Art of Selling, is the Bible for many sales people. In that book, he outlines the 7 steps for selling: prospecting, originating contact, qualification, presentation or demonstration, handling objections, closing, and getting referrals.

In Low Profile Selling, he builds on that book by focusing attention on the 4 areas that make the most positive difference in creating a higher income (originating contact, qualification, handling objections, and closing). His message is that the emotional tone you set in these four areas makes all of the difference. "Act like a lamb. Sell like a lion."

These observations are based on the distaste that many customers have for the usual strong-arm tactics that many salespeople use. Mr. Hopkins encourages you to use questions to do your work for you, and provides many scripts and examples of how to do this. Although I think he is on the right track conceptually, I found the material here clearly inferior to the newer book, Socratic Selling, both in terms of explaining the need for questions and in the tone of the scripts. I found the material here to still feel manipulative to me as a potential customer.

In chapter three, he encourages you to build rapport. Again, this is the right concept, but the execution is clearly inferior again to any of the many good books on Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Consider "How To Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less" as a much better resource in this area.

I graded the book down two stars for its obvious weaknesses in explaining the details in these two critical areas. Basically, I think Mr. Hopkins needs to update this book to expand and improve these two sections.

Should you read this book? Yes, I think so. It will give you a good overview on the importance of connecting emotionally with the other person. Chapter 6 is excellent on the importance of the words you use to make the person you are talking to comfortable or uncomfortable. The goal setting work in chapter 10 will also be very helpful to you (although it would have worked better at the beginning of the book). I do suggest that you also read his earlier book and the two new ones I cited above that he did not write if you want to make the most improvement.

After you have finished reading and applying the four books discussed above, I suggest that you also spend some time sharing these principles with someone you care about who is also involved in sales. You will improve much more by teaching this material to someone else than by just focusing on applying it yourself.

Exceed all your goals quickly!

Salespeople, do not kid yourselves. If you want to be a success the techniques are all here. There is no shortcut to being a top salesperson. This book restates the classic basics found in Tom's all time great "How To Master The Art Of Selling" with todays' savvy customer in mind. Fads come and go but sales truths remain essentially unchanged. If you desire to succeed in sales and can afford to see him live, do it! But read the books, too. I know whereof I speak. Eighteen years ago I found Tom and it changed my life. I went from bottom rung salesperson to owner and CEO of a multi million dollar sales organization. And it is not that hard. If you can believe and truly serve your customer you can do it! Sales is the most honorable profession for true professionals. You are helping others.

Nobody, but nobody, understands the nuts and bolts of selling like Tom. If I were stranded in middle America trying to make a living in sales with only one book in my car this is the one! A must read for any new sales person or a great refresher for any vet!

I have absolutely NO sales experience. None, zilch, zero.

I studied medicine since the age of 18 and eventually received my Medical Assistant, EMT, LVN and Paramedic Licenses. I then studied more, continued to grad school and received my Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine.

How does this relate to me now? Folks, don't fool yourself. It does not matter what you have studied or what degree you received. 99% of us need to "sell" ourselves. Yes, even doctors and lawyers! Having a "niche" is important, but you still need to know about SALES in general.

I wondered why many doctors simply "drop their prices" while others charged double and sometimes TRIPLE than others. Was the technique different? Not hardly. It was the presentation, communication, the value and confidence.

Thank you Tom for this book, you have made a difference!

The days of the sterotypical "salesman" is over. No more pink pants, gift of gab, talking and not shutting up is over. I talk less, listen more and am simply amazed over and over of my results.

Don't "talk yourself" OUT OF A SALE!

Read this book, its worth it!

I think that of all the sales books I have read, this is the best. It is more powerful than Hopkin's "How to master the Art of Selling" and also more concise. I think that the advice in this book can actually be put to use by people dealing with well educated consumers, it won't double your sales, but it will stimulate imporvement, I recommend it if you are in a sales career, or thinking about it.

I enjoyed reading this book. Tom has a great way of presenting his material in a way that is easy to remember. I use and have shared with other salespeople the qualifying system that he outlines in this book and found it to very effective in getting the imformation needed to move the customer toward owning my product.

The author is an astute student of the language of selling and has some good closing techniques that help refocus the customer on making the decision to buy. In short, I have made money and helped my customers make good decisions using the techniques I learned from this book. It is worth your time to read.

Many books push hardcore tactics that literally force the sale to happen. This book helps explains how his easy to use ideas and concepts help or collabratively make sales happen. It is all in how you ask-ask-ask.

Tom is a classic trainer for sales professionals. alot of his stuff is old and rehashed, but the thing is it's true. If it works you wouldn't want to fix it, would you? The low profile part is basically just asking questions, and finding out what the client needs and then helping them to choose you as the one who can help them get it

I've studied Tom Hopkins since my first days of real estate when this book was new. Now I'm in a different area of sales, but the concept doesn't change. Great book.

Can't find a better product that tells you step by step how to handle customers