Mike Smart's Blog - Posts Tagged "business"
Selling is a skill that we should all hone
I am not a writer by profession. My background is in Sales & Marketing and Mergers and Acquisitions primarily in the Information Technology arena.
Having written some well received thrillers, which I did for fun, I have got to know many independent and well known authors. A new circle of friends.
What has become very clear is that many are great authors but lack some very basic sales skills. Selling is not trickery it's about understanding process; it is a basic skill that must be learnt if you want to maximise your chance of success.
I've written a book on the subject - "On A Sales Call", it will be released later this month. You can win a signed copy if you enter the goodreads "Giveaway".
Failing that you could always buy one.
Remember the value of your book is not measured in word count and the amount of paper consumed:
A man walks into a square in Montmartre, an artist asks him if he would like his portrait done. He agrees. Less than ten minutes later the tourist has a fabulous painting in his hands. “How much?” He asks.
“500 Euros Monsieur.”
“How much?” exclaimed the man “But it only took you a few minutes to paint it!”
“This is true, but it took me a lifetime to learn how…” Came the reply.
Having written some well received thrillers, which I did for fun, I have got to know many independent and well known authors. A new circle of friends.
What has become very clear is that many are great authors but lack some very basic sales skills. Selling is not trickery it's about understanding process; it is a basic skill that must be learnt if you want to maximise your chance of success.
I've written a book on the subject - "On A Sales Call", it will be released later this month. You can win a signed copy if you enter the goodreads "Giveaway".
Failing that you could always buy one.
Remember the value of your book is not measured in word count and the amount of paper consumed:
A man walks into a square in Montmartre, an artist asks him if he would like his portrait done. He agrees. Less than ten minutes later the tourist has a fabulous painting in his hands. “How much?” He asks.
“500 Euros Monsieur.”
“How much?” exclaimed the man “But it only took you a few minutes to paint it!”
“This is true, but it took me a lifetime to learn how…” Came the reply.
Book Extract - On A Sales Call
BOOK EXTRACT:
Listening And Learning
If you are talking you are not listening. There’s a time to speak, and there’s a time to hold one’s peace and listen to what’s being said. There is a real art to listening: it’s called keeping your mouth shut. It never ceases to amaze me how difficult people find this to do. I’ve been on any number of sales calls with senior, or more junior sales resources, who just can’t stop themselves. And yes, even I've managed to fall into the trap of liking to hear the sound of my own voice, more than that of the person I’m trying to build a relationship with..
In social networks, those people who talk a lot and never listen, are typically referred to as “bores” in the commercial world; they are frequently called “unemployed”.On A Sales Call
Listening And Learning
If you are talking you are not listening. There’s a time to speak, and there’s a time to hold one’s peace and listen to what’s being said. There is a real art to listening: it’s called keeping your mouth shut. It never ceases to amaze me how difficult people find this to do. I’ve been on any number of sales calls with senior, or more junior sales resources, who just can’t stop themselves. And yes, even I've managed to fall into the trap of liking to hear the sound of my own voice, more than that of the person I’m trying to build a relationship with..
In social networks, those people who talk a lot and never listen, are typically referred to as “bores” in the commercial world; they are frequently called “unemployed”.On A Sales Call
