The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople
By Stephen Schiffman
Reviewed By Katherine Kay
(ISBN 13–978–159869–757–5)
Stephen Schiffman, trainer of over ahalf million salespeople at companiessuch as AT&T, Motorola, ChemicalBank, and Manufacturer’s Hanover,speaks about leadership, integrity,good communication, respect, goodhabits and love of work.
He begins his little book tellingreaders how the first thing he does eachworkday is make 15 new prospect calls.The 25 Sales Habits of Highly SuccessfulSalespeople is all about the "Habits."Go into the office one hour earlier than everyone else, he says. Believein what you are doing. Be honest. Be fair. Be kind. Communicateclearly. Listen to the customer. Take notes. Build yourselvesup, but be humble. Be organized. Be professional. Know how totalk to people and how to lead. Be experts. Be problem–solvers. Beconsultants. Schiffman polishes off his list with "be proud of beingsalespeople; I know I am!"
Good salespeople will be familiar with 75 percent of the materialin this little book. But Schiffman makes it feel new, as heinspires and motivates in this easy to read, focused and practicalbook that’s small enough to carry in your briefcase.
Schiffman’s book came out in 2008, and is part of his seriesof trade paperbacks with titles like The 25 Most Dangerous SalesMyths (and How to Avoid Them) and The 25 Sales Skills TheyDon’t Teach at Business School. This 109–page book, The 25 SalesHabits of Highly Successful Sales People, speaks to the salespersonabout fixing problems, asking the right questions, taking thelead, being a consultant, creating a plan, giving yourself credit and19 other habits, plus five bonus ones. Schiffman’s stellar resumemakes him the right man for the job of teaching these habits, as heshares his personal stories and experiences.
He discusses how the information age has changed everythingin sales. In this fast–paced world of the 21st century, the customercan be one step ahead of the sales guy. The customer has done herresearch, and knows her choices of product, price and service.And the salesperson must be better—better at customer service,better in price, better in product, and a better problem–solver thanthe next salesperson.
I found myself soaking up every word of this book, underlining,taking notes, ready to go out and apply the wise words. Thereader finds in Schiffman a man of integrity with a passion formaking all things right for the customer while making an excellentliving doing so.
