I read a lot of books, but I don’t review many on this blog. Just the ones I think are particularly relevant to my readers – and ones I believe you should take a look at.
The Contrarian Effect, by Michael Port (he of Book Yourself Solid) and Elizabeth Marshall, is one such book.
It’s about the battle that is going on right now between the “old” style of sales and the “new” style of sales.
The old style is the cold calling, the closing techniques, the sale to make targets.
The new style is relationship-building, permission-based communication, relevant and targeted offers, and your positioning as a trusted adviser rather than salesperson.
You probably know which side I come down on. After all, newsletters, as Michael and Elizabeth agree in the book, are a great way to build trust with a prospect (and client).
The Contrarian Effect is a manifesto for the new style of selling. It makes a good primer for salespeople who are finding the old ways don’t work as well as the did.
Importantly, it gives examples why the new – contrarian, as they call it – sales style is more effective than the old. (I would have liked more detailed, more concrete examples, but this is a short book – two hours reading – so it wins on ideas-you-can-grasp brevity.)
For anyone still doing sales the old way (and there are many – I had one on the phone with me the other day) this will be a shocking breath of fresh air. It has that “I won’t believe it until I try it” quality.
And for anyone who has already bought in to the theory because they have tried it and know it works, it provides a pocket-size reminder.
I have 5 copies to give away!
I bought a whole bunch of copies as part of an auction held to launch the book, so I have some to give away. (I’d probably still be buying a whole bunch anyway.)
I’m looking for detailed examples of how you have used a newsletter (either print or electronic) to build a relationship with your clients and prospects. I want to feature them on this blog and in an upcoming book. I’m not looking for stories about my newsletters, just any newsletter.