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The Challenger Sales Model Book summary  Many believe that building relationships with prospects is an integral part of the sales process  . However, the authors of “The Challenger Sale”, Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, have different ideas. They say that when it comes to top-performing sales reps, building relationships is the least effective strategy in closing sales. Instead, they argue that sales reps who take control of a sale and teach their prospects how to solve their problem, instead of focusing on building a relationship, are more successful.  Research from Gartner highlights a growing trend in the customer buying journey. Gartner research found that by the time a customer contacts a sales rep, they’re roughly 57% of the way through the purchase process. The study shows that prospects, based on their own research and learning, are coming into a selling environment with preconceived ideas about what features they want and how much they’re willing to pay.  It’s in thi

The Ultimate Sales Machine Book summary   A little background on the author, Chet Holmes. He worked for Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's billionaire business partner. Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio companies were the test lab for many of the techniques. Chet doubled revenues for one of their businesses three years in a row, eliciting the following response from Charlie: "Chet, are you sure we are not lying, cheating or stealing? In all my years in business, I've never seen anything like this." Keep in mind this was a business in a declining industry--print advertising. The Ultimate Sales Machine draws from Chet Holmes' expertise shaping sales and helping firms grow. In this summary, we’ll highlight the key facts you should take away from this great read. In The Ultimate Sales Machine, Holmes defines and highlights twelve key strategies for running and turbocharging a successful business. These lessons have a wide scope, but focus on specifics such as ti

China book summary  It’s a shame the neither the current U.S. President nor his advisors seem aware of Chinese history. It would help them understand the lack of wisdom in their precipitate policies. Chinese written history goes back more than 2500 years. Its earliest myths speak of a Yellow Emperor, who does not establish or found the civilization, but rather restores order to an already ancient kingdom. Throughout their long history, the Chinese thought of themselves as the center of the world, the “Middle Kingdom.” The Chinese believe their empire grew not from conquest, but rather by absorption of surrounding barbarian peoples who fervently wished to become Chinese. The Chinese persisted in perceiving themselves as innately superior to other ethnicities throughout their long history until much of their country was colonized by Europeans and the Japanese in the 19th century.  Henry Kissinger’s  On China  begins with a synopsis of that long history because he believes it is