How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone
HOW TO SELL TO AN IDIOT

Selling to customers looking to get the most bang for their buck is a difficult feat. The only customers tougher than hagglers are the ones so uninformed about what they are buying, they don't even realize when they are getting the deal of a lifetime.

In How to Sell to an Idiot, authors John Hoover and Bill Sparkman show you how to ignore your own inner idiot and start selling more by doing less of what doesn't work and more of what does. Along with a wealth of proven sales guidance and effective techniques, you'll learn how to:

  • Use idiot-proof planning and preparation to make prospecting far more effective
  • Use idiot-speak to connect with prospects and gather vital information that makes selling easy
  • Spice up your sales pitch for faster closings and larger sales
  • Wring referrals out of clients like water from a sponge
  • And much more!

"Selling is an act of compassion. Sales professionals must believe that their products and services will improve the quality of their customers' lives. Hoover and Sparkman get that. Selling must also be fun-for the salesperson and the customer. How to Sell to an Idiot makes it clear that the first laugh of the day must be at ourselves."
—Roger P. DiSilvestro, former Chairman and CEO, Athlon Sports Publishing and coauthor of The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"How to Sell to an Idiot hits the bull's-eye. Great practical steps that will help anyone in sales reach the goal line. Truly a creative approach with fresh new ideas delivered with humor."
—Charles S. Dreyer, Director of Sales-Southern California Coastal Region, K. Hovnanian Homes, a Fortune 500 company

"How to Sell to an Idiot provides an entertaining and creative look at the formula for sales success. Insightful and fun, you'd have to be an idiot not to add this book to your resource library!"
—Chip Cummings, international speaker, marketing expert, and author of Stop Selling and Start Listening

1112115744
How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone
HOW TO SELL TO AN IDIOT

Selling to customers looking to get the most bang for their buck is a difficult feat. The only customers tougher than hagglers are the ones so uninformed about what they are buying, they don't even realize when they are getting the deal of a lifetime.

In How to Sell to an Idiot, authors John Hoover and Bill Sparkman show you how to ignore your own inner idiot and start selling more by doing less of what doesn't work and more of what does. Along with a wealth of proven sales guidance and effective techniques, you'll learn how to:

  • Use idiot-proof planning and preparation to make prospecting far more effective
  • Use idiot-speak to connect with prospects and gather vital information that makes selling easy
  • Spice up your sales pitch for faster closings and larger sales
  • Wring referrals out of clients like water from a sponge
  • And much more!

"Selling is an act of compassion. Sales professionals must believe that their products and services will improve the quality of their customers' lives. Hoover and Sparkman get that. Selling must also be fun-for the salesperson and the customer. How to Sell to an Idiot makes it clear that the first laugh of the day must be at ourselves."
—Roger P. DiSilvestro, former Chairman and CEO, Athlon Sports Publishing and coauthor of The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"How to Sell to an Idiot hits the bull's-eye. Great practical steps that will help anyone in sales reach the goal line. Truly a creative approach with fresh new ideas delivered with humor."
—Charles S. Dreyer, Director of Sales-Southern California Coastal Region, K. Hovnanian Homes, a Fortune 500 company

"How to Sell to an Idiot provides an entertaining and creative look at the formula for sales success. Insightful and fun, you'd have to be an idiot not to add this book to your resource library!"
—Chip Cummings, international speaker, marketing expert, and author of Stop Selling and Start Listening

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How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone

How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone

How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone

How to Sell to an Idiot: 12 Steps to Selling Anything to Anyone

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Overview

HOW TO SELL TO AN IDIOT

Selling to customers looking to get the most bang for their buck is a difficult feat. The only customers tougher than hagglers are the ones so uninformed about what they are buying, they don't even realize when they are getting the deal of a lifetime.

In How to Sell to an Idiot, authors John Hoover and Bill Sparkman show you how to ignore your own inner idiot and start selling more by doing less of what doesn't work and more of what does. Along with a wealth of proven sales guidance and effective techniques, you'll learn how to:

  • Use idiot-proof planning and preparation to make prospecting far more effective
  • Use idiot-speak to connect with prospects and gather vital information that makes selling easy
  • Spice up your sales pitch for faster closings and larger sales
  • Wring referrals out of clients like water from a sponge
  • And much more!

"Selling is an act of compassion. Sales professionals must believe that their products and services will improve the quality of their customers' lives. Hoover and Sparkman get that. Selling must also be fun-for the salesperson and the customer. How to Sell to an Idiot makes it clear that the first laugh of the day must be at ourselves."
—Roger P. DiSilvestro, former Chairman and CEO, Athlon Sports Publishing and coauthor of The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"How to Sell to an Idiot hits the bull's-eye. Great practical steps that will help anyone in sales reach the goal line. Truly a creative approach with fresh new ideas delivered with humor."
—Charles S. Dreyer, Director of Sales-Southern California Coastal Region, K. Hovnanian Homes, a Fortune 500 company

"How to Sell to an Idiot provides an entertaining and creative look at the formula for sales success. Insightful and fun, you'd have to be an idiot not to add this book to your resource library!"
—Chip Cummings, international speaker, marketing expert, and author of Stop Selling and Start Listening


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780471718543
Publisher: Wiley
Publication date: 12/02/2005
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 5.98(w) x 9.04(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

JOHN HOOVER, PhD, is an organizational behavior specialist, author, consultant, popular speaker, and seminar leader. A former executive in the Disneyland Entertainment Division, he has consulted with such clients as Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Hilton Hotels, IBM, Motorola, and Xerox. He is also the author (with Roger DiSilvestro) of The Art of Constructive Confrontation: How to Achieve More Accountability with Less Conflict, from Wiley.

Visit www.constructiveconfrontation.com or www.idiotworld.org.

BILL SPARKMAN is one of America's top sales trainers and motivational speakers. His approach to business and life has thrilled audiences since 1987. His "clipboard" style of educating was developed after a successful career in the world of sports as a player and coach. Fire up your sales team; Bill makes learning fun!

Visit www.billsparkmanthecoach.com.

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Table of Contents

About the Authors ix

Preface xiii

Introduction xvii

1 Step One: Be Prepared or Be the Idiot 1

Need and Intent 2

Mental Preparation Made Simple (or Mental Prep for the Simple) 3

Choosing In: The Cure for Cluelessness 4

Simple versus Easy: The Inner Idiot Rears Its Ugly Head 5

Preparation and Passion 7

Preparation and Product Knowledge 8

Preparation and the Written Plan 9

Planning Is Not Procrastination 10

Preparation and Motivation 11

Preparation and Personality 12

Chapter One Summary 16

2 Step Two: Connect with the Clueless 19

Idiotspeak 20

Your Story 21

Your i-Customer’s Story 23

Who versus What 23

Personality is Job One 24

Components of Connection 29

A New Skill Called Connecting 30

The Great Balancing Act 31

Takers versus Exchangers 32

Chapter Two Summary 33

3 Step Three: Confuse to Clarify 35

Confusion as a Tool 36

Surgical Questions 37

The Right Questions Trump the Right Answers 38

Set the Stage and Play the Part 40

From the Mouths of Babes 41

Personality-Based Questions 42

Big Success Comes from Small Steps 45

Chapter Three Summary 48

4 Step Four: Play the Match Game 51

Put it in Reverse 52

Bring it Home 54

Matching Means More Selling, Less Talking 57

The Next Step 57

More Lessons from Children 58

The Match Game and Personalities 59

Chapter Four Summary 63

5 Step Five: Showtime 65

Entertainment versus Boredom 67

Entertainment versus Filling Needs 68

Be Energized 71

Razzle-Dazzle Them 73

Presenting in Style 75

Presenting with Structure 75

Presenting with Technology 76

Rehearsals 76

More Lessons from Children 77

Personality-Based Entertainment 78

Chapter Five Summary 82

6 Step Six: Ask for the Business 85

CECO 86

Asking is Action 88

Ask with Confidence 89

Let Go of the Outcome 92

The Secret to Closing 93

The ABCs of Listening 94

More Lessons from Children 96

Personality-Based Asking 98

Chapter Six Summary 101

7 Step Seven: Circle Around and Make Another Pass 105

Get Out There and Fail 106

Learn to Love the Lessons 107

Turnaround Questions 108

Objections 111

Don’t Be the Monkey 115

More Lessons from Children 116

Personality-Based Objections 117

Chapter Seven Summary 119

8 Step Eight: Annoy Them a Little and Ask for the Business, Again 123

Teaching the Customer How to Buy 124

Failure Is Your Friend 126

Pesky Persistence 127

Stalling 128

It’s in the Cards 134

More Lessons from “Never, Never, Never”-land 135

Personality-Based Annoyance 135

Chapter Eight Summary 138

9 Step Nine: Appreciate 141

The Selling Cycle 142

Make it Memorable 145

The Battle for Mind Share 145

The Present 147

More Lessons from Children 147

Personality-Based Appreciation 148

Chapter Nine Summary 151

10 Step Ten: Get a Referral 153

Fear Not 154

Build Champions 155

Get Some Help 155

Get Them Talking 156

Get an “A” for Asking 157

More Lessons from Children 159

Personality-Based Referrals 160

Chapter Ten Summary 163

11 Step Eleven: Follow-Up 165

No Competition 166

We Have Seen the Competition and It Is Us 167

Put Follow Up into Your mix 167

Time Has Nothing to Do with It 168

Pre-Sale, Pre-Delivery, Post-Delivery Follow-Up 169

It’s Research 169

When? 170

More Lessons from Children 171

Personality-Based Follow-Up 171

Chapter Eleven Summary 175

12 Step Twelve: Practice 177

Don’t Succeed at Being Average 178

Be Impatient 179

Perfect Practice 180

Dangers of Perfection 181

Caring Equals Change 182

Flat Tires Need Changing 183

What are Friends For? 184

Final Lessons from Children 185

Personality-Based Practice 186

Chapter Twelve Summary 189

Index 193

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