The Contrarian Effect : Why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite

Take the traditional sales model, which is outdated and needs a serious makeover, and turn it on its head by applying the advice in The Contrarian Effect: Why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite . Find an entirely sound approach to building better client relationships and closing more sales by doing the exact opposite that conventional sales advice dictates. Re-examine the most well-worn sales tactics in the business and discover specific and actionable strategies and principles that will help you close more sales today. The Contrarian Effect: Why it Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: From the Old World to the New......Page 14 Sign of the Times......Page 18 Birth of a Salesman......Page 20 We’re Not in Kansas Anymore......Page 24 Caution: You’re in the No-Spin Sales Zone......Page 25 Follow the Leader......Page 33 For Your Consideration......Page 36 Section 1: Two Left Feet: Typical Tactics Are Out of Sync with the Market......Page 38 The Biggest Loser......Page 39 Pitches, Pitches, Everywhere......Page 41 Mother May I?......Page 45 Bull’s-Eye......Page 48 The Usual Suspects......Page 50 Reasonable Doubt......Page 52 Groundhog Day......Page 55 The Little Engine That Could......Page 60 The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker......Page 68 Oompa, Loompa, Doopity Dee......Page 71 Easier Is Not Always Better......Page 74 It’s All Fun and Games Until.........Page 79 Customer Bill of Rights......Page 80 Can’t Buy Me Love......Page 81 Membership Has Its Privileges......Page 83 Bless Your Heart, You Pathetic, Spineless Jellyfish......Page 86 Indecent Proposal......Page 88 Coffee Is for Closers......Page 91 Opening Doors and Opening Possibilities......Page 93 Section 3: One-Night Stand: Typical Tactics Damage Relationships and Long-Term Potential......Page 100 It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint......Page 102 Just Sign on the Dotted Line for Me......Page 104 The Need for Speed......Page 107 Do You Want Fries with That?......Page 111 Right on Time......Page 112 What’s a Boy to Do?......Page 114 One Size Fits All......Page 115 Herding Cats......Page 117 Heard It through the Grapevine......Page 121 Section 4: May Cause Headaches, Dizziness, and Internal Bleeding: Typical Tactics Harm Reputations and Create Unintended Consequences......Page 124 Whistle-Blower......Page 126 No Man Is an Island......Page 128 I Can Quit Anytime......Page 129 Ignorance, Error, and Immediate Interest......Page 132 The Red Pill or the Blue One?......Page 135 That’s What Makes the World Go Round......Page 137 Winners and Losers......Page 138 Pushing Rocks Up a Mountain......Page 140 Everyone’s Doing It......Page 142 The Full Monty......Page 145 Radical Transparency......Page 146 Nothing Less Than the Best......Page 147 Contrarian Primer......Page 150 Be Like Mike......Page 155 Pendulum Swing......Page 158 Leader of the Pack......Page 160 Good to Great......Page 162 References......Page 164 About the Authors......Page 168 Index......Page 170

Times have changed.

The typical old sales tactics we're all familiar with no longer work. Cold calling gets you nowhere, door-to-door selling is a nonstarter, and today's consumers are too savvy for most traditional scripts and closing techniques. With those tactics, it takes more time and effort to reach fewer and fewer clients. If you're still doing it the old-fashioned way, you're probably barely keeping your career afloat.

If you want to stop treading water and start making sales, The Contrarian Effect has the answer. This sales approach is like no other in history. Not only do traditional sales tactics fail most of the time, we're actually better off doing the exact opposite! It may sound crazy, but it's not just a novel idea; it's a counterintuitive approach to sales that really works.

High technology and instant communication have put customers firmly in control of the sales process. They don't answer calls from unknown numbers; they demand honesty and transparency in the sales process; they are well informed about your product before they deal with you; and they have no patience for pressure tactics like closing questions. No wonder traditional sales methods no longer work.

Whether you know it or not, many of today's best companies have already discovered the contrarian effect. They're giving up high-pressure selling for low-pressure customer interactions. Other companies are ditching the shotgun approach and getting to know specific customers and what they like in order to offer them the exact kind of product they want. These are examples of the contrarian effect in action, and it not only works, it works well.

If you or your organization is in the sales doldrums, it's time to shake things up. Read The Contrarian Effect and discover how profitable it can be when you take the old rules and do the exact opposite.