The Accidental Salesperson: How to Take Control of Your Sales Career and Earn the Respect and Income You Deserve

by Chris Lytle

Sales may have chosen you--and you’ve suddenly found yourself in a profession you’re not fully prepared for. Learn how to navigate your career effectively with this invaluable resource.

Sales training expert and author Chris Lytle offers advice and inspiration new salespeople might have missed when they skipped the career-planning stage--and provides the tools you need to fast-track your sales success.

Filled with money-generating strategies, humorous yet instructive anecdotes, thought-provoking axioms, and powerful tools, The Accidental Salesperson includes guidance

selling to people who don't have time to meet,differentiating between information seekers and genuine prospects,using social media and other online tools,and building relationships competitors can't steal.Lively, entertaining, and mercifully free of the dull theories, manipulative methods, and high-pressure tactics of most sales books--the fully updated second edition of The Accidental Salesperson guides you through every aspect of selling to customers in today’s marketplace.

Genres: Business, Self Help, Professional Development

229 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2000

About the author

CHRIS LYTLE is the president of Sparque, Inc. An acclaimed leader in sales training, he has conducted more than 2,100 seminars worldwide. He is the author of The Accidental Salesperson and The Accidental Sales Manager.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the original version of this book early in my media sales career, and learned an enormous amount. When the new edition came out, I took it out of the library -- being a cheapskate, I didn't feel like paying for it a second time.

Two chapters in, I returned the library copy and bought my own. I wanted to read it and highlight the hell out if it. For example, this:

"If you work on straight commission, you prospect for free. You do a customer needs analysis for free. You do the research for free. Then you write the proposal for free... At least you don't have to pay to make your presentation to the prospect.

What if you did have to pay to make your presentation? You obviously would put more time and thought into it. You probably would even rehearse it a few times..."

I've gone from being a salesperson to a combination salesperson/sales trainer role, and I have read that passage repeatedly to groups of sellers. It gets through.

If you're a salesperson, or a sales manager, or a sales trainer, read this book.

[Scott Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down one of my favorite "sales" books I've ever read. It's a very easy read, touches on all the topics you tend to "wonder" about as a sales professional, and absolutely delivers.

I could go on and on about this book, and should, but I don't want to give away anything in the book.

Do yourself a favor and pick this book up, start reading it ASAP, and finish it a more well rounded professional than you were before you started.

[Kari LaMotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book that I have all new employees read. Excellent groundwork around working potential customers through the process and organizing your time. Really helps you figure out how to manage your workload so you are constantly nudging clients forward instead of calling them once and then bailing.

Recommended read for all sales people, and yes, I'm one who will buy a copy for each employee!

[David Seibert · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many people actually decide to go into sales? The answer is not too many. Most have their sights set on some other profession, but they find themselves in a sales job. That's what happened to Chris Lytle, and that's where this book begins.

I am a sales/proposal trainer today, and I reference this book in my classes. That's because even veteran sales professionals need to be reminded of the fundamentals of the sales process. Thanks, Chris.

[Fab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for work. It's the first sales book I've ever read and I found some helpful stuff in here. I really resonated with the idea that most people (myself included) get into sales by accident so we have to figure out what we weren’t taught at school. 3.5 / 5

[Burney Choo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I read a business book, my focus is action. What action can I take? What can I change to be even more effective?
This book gives me absolute clarity as to what action steps I need to take to succeed in sales.
I absolutely love the concept he shared in "The Chart" on 4 Levels of Salesperson.
This concept is not just applicable to sales. It gives me the idea to apply the 4 levels to almost any other skills I care to master: Public Speaking, Guitar, and being an effective boyfriend.
Borrowed this book from a library. Getting my own copy soon. It is definitely a keeper.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could be titled: "How to sell ____________" because it fits any type of door-to-door appointment needed sales career. I love the chapter about what to do once you accidentally get an appointment.

We've all been there, but the survival, overcoming the fear, and finding success is what we all desire to accomplish. This is the treasure map that could help address those needs.

LOVED IT!

[Karen Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not work great on the Kindle, it has charts and graphs that are impossible to read on the Kindle screen. I downloaded the kindle reader for mac and managed but it was a pain. Made me more cautious about future Kindle purchases. Novels may work great but other genres maybe not so much.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm only halfway through, but I'm super impressed by this book. I'm not in sales, but the material reinforces and complements what I've learned from other trusted sources. Lots of commonsense, actionable advice. It's not devoid of the occasional corny attempt at humor, but the author is charming and obviously knows his stuff.

[Rafael Wong]

Fabulous book that I have all new employees read. Excellent groundwork around working potential customers through the process and organizing your time. Really helps you figure out how to manage your workload so you are constantly nudging clients forward instead of calling them once and then bailing.

Recommended read for all sales people

- know the service
-
- be known for knowing the service

[Andy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

anyone who really wants to succeed in selling

[Steve Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read and info

[Kevin Acton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is dated because it was written in the 90's so some of the technology stuff is old, but I really like his thoughts on setting up an industry table for your sales process.