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Masters of Sales: Secrets From Top Sales Professionals That Will Transform You Into a World Class Salesperson
From the best-selling authors of Masters of Networking (New York Times bestseller, 2000) and Masters of Success (#1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, 2004) comes the next title in Entrepreneur’s Masters Series. Sales experts from a variety of industries share the personal experiences that took them from novices to successful professionals in lessons that help salespeople truly master the art of sales.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
301 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
11 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Ivan R. Misner
62 books31 followersDr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. BNI was founded in 1985. The organization has over 5,800 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Last year alone, BNI generated 6.5 million referrals resulting in $2.8 billion dollars worth of business for its members.
Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written twelve books including his latest #1 bestseller, "Networking Like a Pro".
He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.
Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.
Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written twelve books including his latest #1 bestseller, "Networking Like a Pro".
He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.
Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 18, 2016
This book isn’t so much a cohesive guide as a collection of advice and anecdotes from over 80 successful salespeople, highlighting their best techniques. Most of the book is original content, but it also contains excerpts from other books. The book advocates personal, relationship selling and word-of-mouth referral marketing over cold calling. I liked the chapters on sales attitude, sales systems, and handling objections. I wasn’t very interested in the chapter on selling to corporate clients. It’s worth reading for anyone who sells, because of its valuable sales strategies and tips.
I liked the emphasis throughout the book on building personal, long-term relationships with clients by being helpful, genuine, and trustworthy. This approach starkly contrasts that of the impersonal, slimy, pushy salesperson who’s only interested in the client’s money. I also liked the advice on self-confidence, to believe that opportunities abound so that you don’t appear desperate when trying to make a sale.
My favorite concept was that of working “peer and above”: working better than your present level, for and with people who expect a lot of you. You set high standards and force yourself to meet them. The challenge causes you to learn and increase your skills, while putting you in contact with other successful people.
I wish the book was better organized. It feels disjointed because there are so many sections by different salespeople. I wish the authors had written connecting segments where they expounded on the concepts and application. Speaking of the authors, they’re the founder and director, respectively, of the business networking organization BNI, so it’s unsurprising that there are several mentions of the organization. I read this book because it was recommended by Entrepreneur Magazine, one of my favorite magazines, which I highly recommend to businesspeople.
Attitude
• Be self-confident. Believe in the abundance of opportunities.
• Not every prospect results in a sale. Don’t fear failure.
• The risk of losing a deal isn’t a concern; opportunities abound!
• Practice personal selling: develop and adjust your message to satisfy the prospect’s need for info, or answer their question.
- target the most promising leads
- meet face-to-face whenever possible
- get more from existing clients
• Upsell to customers who have just bought, when they’re at their most receptive.
- offer premium version of service
- offer subscription version of service
- ask for referrals
• Trust is the thing customers have always rated the highest.
Selling goals and life goals
• Set and write goals: annual, monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
• Set specific activities as goals.
Prospecting and getting clients
• Work “peer and above”: work better than your present level, for and with people who expect a lot of you.
• Create a catchy phrase. Tie a characteristic of your product/service to a common object, phrase, or phenomenon. Example for a well-groomed CPA: “Look at him; not a hair out of place. Don’t you think that’s how he’ll do your accounting?”
Speaking
• Start conversations with FORM: family, occupation, recreation, motivation. Find common bonds.
• Explain to prospects that they have the option of saying no, to lift pressure.
Sales systems
• Maintain an “I don’t need the sale” attitude to appear confident and calm, not desperate.
• In presentations and demonstrations, use facts + benefits + urgency + feedback:
- facts: details of product or service
- benefits: what’s in it for the customer
- urgency: why buy now
- feedback: ask for customer’s thoughts, address concerns
Online selling
• Construct your website around The One Thing you want visitors to do. Guide them 1 step at a time. Allow only 1 decision per page.
Handling objections
• When people say no, ask them why, then deal with the objections.
• Raise and address objections before prospects do.
Relationship selling
• Be a Relator, not a Transactor. Nurture long-term relationships with clients.
Closing with the Wow Factor
• Be personal and meet face-to-face.
• Share your personal enthusiasm.
• Attraction is more powerful than selling. Share your expertise and spend quality time with prospects.
I liked the emphasis throughout the book on building personal, long-term relationships with clients by being helpful, genuine, and trustworthy. This approach starkly contrasts that of the impersonal, slimy, pushy salesperson who’s only interested in the client’s money. I also liked the advice on self-confidence, to believe that opportunities abound so that you don’t appear desperate when trying to make a sale.
My favorite concept was that of working “peer and above”: working better than your present level, for and with people who expect a lot of you. You set high standards and force yourself to meet them. The challenge causes you to learn and increase your skills, while putting you in contact with other successful people.
I wish the book was better organized. It feels disjointed because there are so many sections by different salespeople. I wish the authors had written connecting segments where they expounded on the concepts and application. Speaking of the authors, they’re the founder and director, respectively, of the business networking organization BNI, so it’s unsurprising that there are several mentions of the organization. I read this book because it was recommended by Entrepreneur Magazine, one of my favorite magazines, which I highly recommend to businesspeople.
Attitude
• Be self-confident. Believe in the abundance of opportunities.
• Not every prospect results in a sale. Don’t fear failure.
• The risk of losing a deal isn’t a concern; opportunities abound!
• Practice personal selling: develop and adjust your message to satisfy the prospect’s need for info, or answer their question.
- target the most promising leads
- meet face-to-face whenever possible
- get more from existing clients
• Upsell to customers who have just bought, when they’re at their most receptive.
- offer premium version of service
- offer subscription version of service
- ask for referrals
• Trust is the thing customers have always rated the highest.
Selling goals and life goals
• Set and write goals: annual, monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
• Set specific activities as goals.
Prospecting and getting clients
• Work “peer and above”: work better than your present level, for and with people who expect a lot of you.
• Create a catchy phrase. Tie a characteristic of your product/service to a common object, phrase, or phenomenon. Example for a well-groomed CPA: “Look at him; not a hair out of place. Don’t you think that’s how he’ll do your accounting?”
Speaking
• Start conversations with FORM: family, occupation, recreation, motivation. Find common bonds.
• Explain to prospects that they have the option of saying no, to lift pressure.
Sales systems
• Maintain an “I don’t need the sale” attitude to appear confident and calm, not desperate.
• In presentations and demonstrations, use facts + benefits + urgency + feedback:
- facts: details of product or service
- benefits: what’s in it for the customer
- urgency: why buy now
- feedback: ask for customer’s thoughts, address concerns
Online selling
• Construct your website around The One Thing you want visitors to do. Guide them 1 step at a time. Allow only 1 decision per page.
Handling objections
• When people say no, ask them why, then deal with the objections.
• Raise and address objections before prospects do.
Relationship selling
• Be a Relator, not a Transactor. Nurture long-term relationships with clients.
Closing with the Wow Factor
• Be personal and meet face-to-face.
• Share your personal enthusiasm.
• Attraction is more powerful than selling. Share your expertise and spend quality time with prospects.
January 5, 2019
"There is nothing like experience. It beats education every day of the week. The only thing better is a combination of education and experience."
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I was initially very unhappy with this book, and put it away 3 different times. I finished it anyway because from an experienced perspective, there is almost no value here however, if you have zero sales experience this may be a great option for you.
.
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The reason this is a poorly written beginner only book is that what the authors did was take top 5 and top 10 lists as well as favorite advice from top sales professionals and cram it all into one book. Essentially a book written by 100 people, 2 or 3 pages each. I wouldn't be surprised if all of this was just taken from books past copyright and pasted together. Also, the author commentary was nothing but fluff, I ignored all their commentary after a few chapters. .
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If you have been working in commission sales this is not for you. If you've never done sales, or done sales with no commission like working the floor at Best Buy, this could be a good initial overview for you.
.
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"You are the hook to reel in your prospect, and your personal character is the bait."
.
.
I was initially very unhappy with this book, and put it away 3 different times. I finished it anyway because from an experienced perspective, there is almost no value here however, if you have zero sales experience this may be a great option for you.
.
.
The reason this is a poorly written beginner only book is that what the authors did was take top 5 and top 10 lists as well as favorite advice from top sales professionals and cram it all into one book. Essentially a book written by 100 people, 2 or 3 pages each. I wouldn't be surprised if all of this was just taken from books past copyright and pasted together. Also, the author commentary was nothing but fluff, I ignored all their commentary after a few chapters. .
.
If you have been working in commission sales this is not for you. If you've never done sales, or done sales with no commission like working the floor at Best Buy, this could be a good initial overview for you.
.
.
"You are the hook to reel in your prospect, and your personal character is the bait."
April 12, 2018
Masters of Sales provides experienced advice for salespeople of many different types. I wasn't sure at first if I would enjoy this book, but once I began reading it I realized it discourages the swarmy sales tactics I despise and focuses on relationships, understanding the client's needs, and filling those needs as you can. This is an excellent read.
January 11, 2019
A fantastic book on Sales which is the integral part of any business to survive. It has a lot of stories on prospecting, meeting and greeting with the clients, powerful presentations, handling objections, closing the sales and retaining the customers. A must read for all levels of businessmen.
October 26, 2017
Good collection of writings from a variety of sales sources. Good place for people starting in sales who want sort of an overview.
February 9, 2020
A classic guide that informs and provides countless insights that transforms businesses and lives! Top sales pros reveal their secrets! Karen Briscoe, author and podcast host 5 Minute Success
February 12, 2020
I won this book. It was a hodgepodge of stories and advice from salespersons. Skimmed it.
July 27, 2008
Masters of Sales: Secrets from Top Sales professionals That Will Transform You Into a World Class Salesperson
Ivan R. Misner and Don Morgan
Entrepreneur Press
The subtitle of this book at least implies that by learning various secrets from top sales professionals, the reader will be transformed into “a world class salesperson.” That is, of course, nonsense and Misner and Morgan presumably know better. What their book offers, rather, is a rare opportunity to share insights from dozens of successful people, conveniently assembled within in a single source and presented sequentially in eleven chapters, each of which assigned a central theme. For example, “The Master of Sales Attitude: Aligning Your Inner Self with Your Outside Personal Image” in the first chapter and “Closing the Customer: It’s in the WOW Factor” in the final chapter.
Several of the contributors were previously unfamiliar to me but I greatly appreciate what they shared. Of course, Misner and Morgan include essays by “the usual suspects” such as Jay Conrad Levinson, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins, and Harvey Mackay. There are at least two reasons why all of them are generally considered “super stars” in sales: first, they sell lots of their own stuff (i.e. books, CDs and DVDs, seminars and workshops); also, they have successfully trained thousands of others (who bought their stuff) to sell whatever their respective companies offer. But again I wish to stress that Zig Ziglar, for example, does not clone himself. His objective is to inform but also to ignite those with whom he has contact, directly in person or indirectly via his books and tapes. He urges those in sales to master basic skills, of course, but constantly stresses the importance of formulating or adopting strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their own needs and interests. The same is true of advice offered by other successful men and women who, like those who contributed to this book, share the lessons they have learned, especially from their failures.
Ivan R. Misner and Don Morgan
Entrepreneur Press
The subtitle of this book at least implies that by learning various secrets from top sales professionals, the reader will be transformed into “a world class salesperson.” That is, of course, nonsense and Misner and Morgan presumably know better. What their book offers, rather, is a rare opportunity to share insights from dozens of successful people, conveniently assembled within in a single source and presented sequentially in eleven chapters, each of which assigned a central theme. For example, “The Master of Sales Attitude: Aligning Your Inner Self with Your Outside Personal Image” in the first chapter and “Closing the Customer: It’s in the WOW Factor” in the final chapter.
Several of the contributors were previously unfamiliar to me but I greatly appreciate what they shared. Of course, Misner and Morgan include essays by “the usual suspects” such as Jay Conrad Levinson, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins, and Harvey Mackay. There are at least two reasons why all of them are generally considered “super stars” in sales: first, they sell lots of their own stuff (i.e. books, CDs and DVDs, seminars and workshops); also, they have successfully trained thousands of others (who bought their stuff) to sell whatever their respective companies offer. But again I wish to stress that Zig Ziglar, for example, does not clone himself. His objective is to inform but also to ignite those with whom he has contact, directly in person or indirectly via his books and tapes. He urges those in sales to master basic skills, of course, but constantly stresses the importance of formulating or adopting strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their own needs and interests. The same is true of advice offered by other successful men and women who, like those who contributed to this book, share the lessons they have learned, especially from their failures.
February 12, 2016
This exposes the reader to lots of ideas and tips from people who are considered top sales professionals. None of the information is a deep dive, but more of an overview on the topics, but I found it beneficial because it let me consider my own sales practices and areas that I might want to improve and now I know many new sources to study.
Want to read
April 19, 2008Business book on sales. Currently reading with others in my Networking Group in book group format.
November 21, 2008
Alot of different views rolled into one book. I liked it alot!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews