The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jay Conrad Levinson (Editor), Michael Gerber (Foreword) "I developed this time management system while I was running nine divisions for billionaire Charlie Munger..." (more)
Key Phrases: hiring superstars, sales step, sales skills, The Ultimate Sales Machine, The Seven Musts of Marketing, Executing Effective Meetings (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Ultimate Sales Machine [is] a book that puts it all together to help you dramatically increase your sales if you are wise enough to follow its advice. -- Michael Gerber, bestselling author of The E-Myth and E-Myth Revisited

The Ultimate Sales Machine is an amazing book that will powerfully change the way you do business. Chet Holmes is a one-of-a-kind talent and this incredibly practical book is the embodiment of his highly successful approach. -- Stephen M. R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust

Chet Holmes is one of the greatest teachers of marketing, sales, and business success in the world today. This incredible book will supercharge results in every part of your business. -- Brian Tracy, author of The Way to Wealth

Chet has the best material I've seen for how to attract an army of top producers and how to get the most out of them once you get them. -- T. Harv Eker, bestselling author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

Chet not only knows more and better ways to grow sales than probably anyone, but even more important, he has the systems that make his concepts realistic and easy to implement. Most of the books I've read on business growth are interesting. But this man's material is out-of-the-park great. -- Loral Langemeier, author of The Millionaire Maker's Guide to Creating a Cash Machine for Life

No hype or theory here. Chet offers sound, yet simple, business advice to grow your business stronger than ever! -- Tom Hopkins, author of How to Master the Art of Selling

Reading Chet Holmes's book can turn your business into a high-performing, massively profitable, superior money-making force in whatever field or market you compete in. . . . It's essential reading for anyone craving business greatness and prosperity. -- Jay Abraham, author of Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got

This book will be a classic for as long as businesses seek to improve their profits, their sales, and their futures. -- Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series

This is by far the best sales book I have ever read and I have read hundreds. As someone who runs [more than] fifteen companies and employs more than six hundred people, I can honestly say this is a book I will refer to for decades to come. -- A. Harrison Barnes, CEO, Juriscape --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

”Far more than just another sales book.”
— Entrepreneur

“A powerful, entertaining guidebook to mastering the fundamentals that drive thriving sales.”
—Kirkus

“A holistic sales and marketing campaign that works.”
— Booklist

“Chet Holmes is one of the greatest teachers of marketing, sales, and business success in the world today.”
—Brian Tracy, author of The Way to Wealth

“This is by far the best sales book I have ever read, and I have read hundreds.”
—A. Harrison Barnes, CEO, Juriscape

“A classic.”
—Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Trade (May 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591842158
• ISBN-13: 978-1591842156
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,866 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Sales & Selling > Management
  #3 in	Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Sales & Selling > Techniques
  #85 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Business Management

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sales = Pestering?, April 5, 2008

By	Nick Fury "1001 places to visit" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies (Hardcover)

I am another one who does not understand why this book has gotten so many 5-star reviews. Essentially, I have just finished reading "How to Sell without being a Jerk!" by John Klymshyn and these two books seem to pull at the same topic from two completely different angles.

Chet Holmes take on Sales is, I feel, to wear the client down with repeated calls and sales pitch till they give in. He advocates that someone with High Influence (that is, an ability to empathize with others) and a High Ego (High drive and determination - never say die attitude) is absolutely necessary to be a Superstar Salesperson. At the end of the day, this never say die attitude requires you to push your product (because you feel that it is good for your client, regardless of what he thinks) relentlessly until he gives in and buys from you.

All these is good as long as the product which your client buys works out for him at the end. Alas, I'm into Structured Products Sales in a Private Bank and sometimes we all know that some products do not work out well if the markets are not cooperative! The failure of a product is never covered in any of Chet's materials. All his stories have happy endings - the executive who after 6 months gave in and bought advertisement space (through his relentless selling) and again bought more advertisement space after some more months when the first series of advertisements did not make any impact FINALLY saw the truth in Chet's words when his sales jumped etc etc - Never has Chet's advice been wrong or the products he sold not worked out (or these have been pleasantly omitted).

I think the book has some useful gems to take away and it has helped me address some of the weaknesses in my own selling. However, this 'Take No prisoners' approach may not be for everybody all of the time.

Also, I do not agree with his material on Presentation. He mentioned that it is necessary to have a very dramatic and visual approach to your slides to have your clients at the edge of their seats. In addition, humor is often an effective and useful content to have in your presentation. NOTHING WRONG HERE. However, this presentation style may not be for everyone. I've been trained in presentations and have learnt that doing a presentation with NO SLIDES is also a very effective way to conduct a presentation because then the audience would have to pay attention to you instead of staring at the slides. I'm not saying that one is right and the other wrong - I feel that at the end of the day, YOU would have to decide what is most comfortable ane effective for you and your audience when giving a presentation.

Chet's way is definitely one way to succeed in Sales - he is a living example. But to call his way the Ultimate Sales Machine is just over the top.

46 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent material, some new and unique ideas, July 26, 2007

By	John Chancellor "Mentor coach, www.teachtheso... (New Orleans) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies (Hardcover)

No matter what business you are in, no matter what product or service you provide, you can benefit from the wisdom of the "Ultimate Sales Machine".

The book starts off where most of the work is needed ... with top management. Everyone today complains of too much to do and too little time. Chet describes how he cut his work days from 16 hours to a normal work day and got more done in the process. The first step is to become proactive rather than reactive. Adopt the mantra, "If you touch it, take action." We let our desks pile up with material that we read, examine and think about but never get around to taking any action on. Develop the habit of touching a letter, memo or report once. Take action and get it off you desk.

We also let the small interruptions rule our day. Eliminate these pesky interruptions by scheduling "got a minute" sessions. Also hold regular staff meetings where general questions can be answered for the benefit of everyone.

Most of us are good at making "to do" lists. Chet's offers some excellent advice. Never have more than six items on your list. Make sure those are the most important things for you to get done. Leave the minor tasks off your list and only work on those things on your list.

The book is divided into twelve chapters or steps which if you implement all the steps will totally transform your organization. Chet stresses the importance of strategic thinking as opposed to the reactive style of most managers.

He has a very interesting and unique approach to hiring superstars. Age and background are not relevant. Results are the only thing that counts. While his approach is a little bold and many people will be reluctant to try it, it is very difficult to argue with success.

The book is well written and contains plenty of exercises. There are some original ideas and you will certainly benefit if you choose to implement some of his ideas.

He gives lots of good ideas about how to create your ultimate sales machine. In the final analysis, his best advice is "pigheaded determination", Whatever you are doing, if you give up when you meet a little resistance, you will never achieve the level of success you are capable of achieving.

The book is filled with good ideas that can really make a difference in your business - but only if you follow them with pigheaded determination.

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid book on sales and sales management, October 31, 2007

By	Kbovee (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies (Hardcover)

I nearly passed on this book because of all the ridiculous reviews by people obviously trying to game the system and promote themselves. Authors who resort to this type of "marketing" come off as misleading and they reek of desperation, certainly not the type of person from whom I want to learn sales and marketing. However, the book was recommended to me by a friend so I bought it, and I'm glad I did. It was full of useful information on how to build a sales organization that I can actually implement in my everyday work.