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Zig Ziglar on Selling

Did you ever wonder who Zig Ziglar was? I had heard that name a lot and then I figured out he was a salesman. It's one of those names that just goes into the common cultural repository without anyone quite knowing why.

I got this book because, wanting to go into business for myself, I figure I need to know how to sell a thing or two. Basically, all the literature is telling me that people who you think of as jerky salesmen (you know the gold-toothed used car types or the people who call your office and go "you mean you don't want to save money???") are not right at all. Selling is about having a relationship with people and finding the people who need what you want to sell. So that part is easy. The part that makes me nervous though is the prospecting part. This book addresses that some, here are the tips:

1. Take personal responsibility for building self-confidence and self-esteem.

2. Selling is a transference of feeling.

3. You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. (This kind of makes sense, doesn't it?)

4. Tame the telephone. Make it work for you instead of against you.

5. To be the winner you were born to be, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. (This is where the therapist comes in handy.)

6. Use the "Experimental Syndrome" to overcome feelings of rejection by making each call a positive "experiment" instead of a negative "experience."

7. Get on a regular schedule and make an appointment with yourself to be face-to-face with a prospect at the same time every day. (I don't really get this one.)

This is some good advice I think.

By Zig Ziglar
ISBN # 0785263322

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