On Friday, I presented my synopsis of To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others, the new book by Daniel Pink. As I always try to do, I created my list of takeaways after reading the book.
So, here are my ten takeaways:
#1 – Accept/Embrace your role in sales – (Market yourself; get out there and sell!)
#2 – Adopt the stance of collaborator
#3 – Adopt the stance of problem identifier/problem finder
• “Problem find” is more valuable than “Problem solve”#4 – Adopt the stance of interrogator – ask lots of questions
• Questions may trump (usually trump) statements…#5 – Adopt the stance of listener
#6 – Be Clear (and “Short”)
#7 – Word choice really matters. Work diligently on your word choice
• Repetition, parallel structure, and rhyme (“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit…”)
• Don’t forget “contrast.” And, throw in an occasional mild profanity…#8 – Practice, and make piece with, caveat venditor (seller beware)
#9 – Regularly practice pre-brief, and debrief, self-meetings
#10 – Use far more interrogative self-talk than positive self-talk (and very little negative self-talk – but, some!)
• Embrace the positivity-negativity of 3-1 (but, you need some negativity)
First Friday Book Synopsis 