The Six-Hat Salesperson

by Kahle, Dave J.

• ISBN13: 9780814404652
• ISBN10: 0814404650
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Amacom Books

Summary

Salespeople have always had a tough job. It just got tougher. In the last five years, selling has become unimaginably complex. Products are born and die within six months. Customers demand personalized attention. Service is critical to some, while price is the key factor for others. And then there's the Internet -- how's a salesperson supposed to compete with that?

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Selling in the Information Age	1	(12)
Presents a sobering look at some of the trends that define the Information Age and their impact on salespeople and customers.
Introduction to the Six Hats	13	(8)
Describes the rationale for the Six Hats and the concept of principles, processes, and tools as the components of sales competency.
The First Hat: Astute Planner	21	(12)
Describes the power of collecting useful information and shows you how to collect useful information about your customers and competitors.
Astute Planner: Part II	33	(20)
Presents the principles and processes for creating powerful territory, account, and sales plans.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	49	(4)
The Second Hat: Trusted Friend	53	(16)
Describes the power of positive relationships to provide a salesperson with a competitive advantage, and presents principles and processes for making your customers comfortable with you.
Trusted Friend: Part II	69	(16)
Presents principles and processes for developing these aspects of a relationship, including the Nine Commandments for Ethical Salespeople.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	81	(4)
The Third Hat: Effective Consultant	85	(18)
Presents the concept of becoming a consultant to your customers by knowing them better than anyone else does, and then provides principles and processes for doing so.
Effective Consultant: Part II	103	(18)
Shows you how to use questions to understand your customers at deeper levels and provides Seven Rules for Constructive Listening.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	117	(4)
The Fourth Hat: Skillful Influencer	121	(20)
Describes the concept of sales as a set of step-by-step processes and focuses on the principles and processes used to make a powerful sales presentation.
Skillful Influencer: Part II	141	(18)
Presents principles and processes for mastering the most crucial aspect of selling, closing the sale.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	155	(4)
The Fifth Hat: Adept Human Resources Manager	159	(20)
The resource you manage is you! This chapter presents powerful principles and processes for proactively moving in positive directions: goal setting, focusing on your strengths, and the Ten Commandments for Good Sales Time Management.
Adept Human Resources Manager: Part II	179	(24)
To be effective in the high-stress Information Age, you need to know how to handle the negative forces pressing on you. This chapter presents principles and processes for handling failure, adversity, information overload, and negative thinking.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	199	(4)
The Sixth Hat: Master Learner	203	(12)
Becoming good at continuously growing, developing and changing yourself is the ultimate success competency for the Information Age. This chapter presents principles and tools to master that competency.
Master Learner: Part II	215	(27)
Describes the trademarked Menta-Morphosis process for continuous personal growth.
Application: Using the Six Hats to Turn Challenges into Opportunities	239	(3)
Index	242