Sun Tzu Strategies for Selling: How to Use The Art of War to Build Lifelong Customer Relationships How to Use The Art of War to Build Lifelong Customer Relationships

by Michaelson, Gerald; Michaelson, Steven

• ISBN13: 9780071427302
• ISBN10: 0071427309
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-10
• Publisher: McGraw Hill

Summary

Winning sales tactics from the greatest strategist of all time Through his bestselling books and popular seminars, Gerald Michaelson has established himself as the world's leading interpreter of Sun Tzu's timeless strategies for the modern business audience. InSun Tzu Strategies for Selling, the author of the bestsellingSun Tzu: The Art of War for Managersinterprets the theorist's classic battle strategies specifically to help salespeople win on the increasingly competitive sales battlefield. Packed with brilliant insights that will help anyone who sells prevail over any competitor, this new translation ofThe Art of Warincludes special notations underscoring the relevance of Sun Tzu's writings to sales strategy. It also transforms Sun Tzu's wisdom into contemporary sales advice, object lessons, and real-life "how-tos," such as: Get your strategy straight Win without fighting Have a unique selling proposition Know your competitor Aim for big wins Learn from lost sales

Author Biography

Gerald A. Michaelson has held every field and headquarters sales and marketing position during his business career. A former national vice president of the sales and marketing division of the American Marketing Association, he presents his seminars on Sun Tzu to business audiences around the world.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Book One Applying Timeless Wisdom	1	(112)
Part I Personal Strength Wisdom	3	(38)
1 Meet the Enemy	11	(3)
2 Knowledge Leads to Victory	14	(4)
3 Be Professional	18	(6)
4 Occupy the High Ground	24	(5)
5 Be an expert	29	(2)
6 Understand Selling as a Process	31	(3)
7 Be Organized-Have a System	34	(3)
8 Get Better and Better	37	(4)
Part II Planning Wisdom	41	(22)
9 Get Your Strategy Right	45	(4)
10 Will without Fighting	49	(5)
11 Know Your Competitor	54	(3)
12 Aim for Big Wins	57	(2)
13 Learn from Lost Sales	59	(4)
Part III Wisdom for Initiating Action	63	(28)
14 Seize the Initiative	67	(4)
15 Feed the Funnel	71	(4)
16 Sell from Strength	75	(3)
17 Teamwork Works	78	(4)
18 Time and Timing Aid Victory	82	(2)
19 Be a Gorilla-or Be a Guerilla	84	(2)
20 Take Calculated Risks	86	(2)
21 When Things Go Wrong	88	(3)
Part IV Wisdom for Structuring the Sale	91	(64)
THE FIRST STEP: CREATE A NEED	95	(20)
22 Set the Stage	97	(7)
23 Ask Questions and Listen, Please	104	(8)
24 Turn Problems into Opportunities	112	(3)
THE SECOND STEP: MAXIMIZE THE NEED	115	(8)
25 Scope It Up-or Down	116	(3)
26 Tip the Scales	119	(4)
THE THIRD STEP: FILL THE NEED	123	(32)
27 Offer a Unique Selling Proposition	127	(3)
28 Do the Extraordinary	130	(5)
29 Work the Advantages	135	(3)
30 Whining Is the Best Option	138	(4)
31 Be flexible	142	(3)
32 Watch for Buying Signals	145	(7)
33 Build Long Term	152	(3)
Part V The Wisdom of Practical Experience	155
Wise Lessons	157	(4)
Assess, Understand, Implement	161	(2)
Plan, Sell, and Win	163	(6)
Keep Your Word	169	(2)
Success at the High Ground	171
Book Two The Art of War by Sun Tzu	113	(112)
Index	225