My Library says goodbye to Selling To The Affluent by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley of The Millionaire Next Door fame.
This book just went out the door to a fine new home in Canada.
Selling To The Affluent by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley, paper, 1991. ISBN: 0070610495
Check out more here Dr. Thomas J. Stanley
or
Selling To High Net Worth Individuals
This is a book that has been positively reviewed by most ambititious sales professsionals. What can you learn? In general what you'll get is best summed up by this quote from a Paine Webber Senior Exec. on the flap, "Dr. Stanley's strategies consider the reall needs of the high income professionals-needs tath go beyonnd any product or service. These needs are psychological and revolve arund the recognition of the individual's extraordinary level of achievements. He provides some terrific insights as to how to solicit and maintain business by unconventional, but highly effective means."
What did I learn from this book?
1. The most successful sales professionals are those that are taking a longer term perspective and build relationships with the affluent by supporting their causes, becoming allies, recognizing the work and achievements of the affluent, and generally finding ways to become indispensible. Emphasis here is on longer term and taking a professional approach and acting in such ways. Stanley calls it being an "apostle for the affluent" not an antagonist.
2. Where to find affluent indivuals? Some are obvious, others less so. In the book, Stanley discusses targetting the following: busienss owners, other affluent sales professionals (how you want to sold?), women, new citizens with wealth particularly Asians, successful authors, people on the move (relocation) who need services and goods, and those who influence the affluent
3. The book is full of case studies and examples that any salesperson can use. How to use the media to influence and reach the affluent, for example. How to set up a "killer" system of referring names of top professionals, service and product providers to the affluent on the move into your area. How to capitalize on recent recognition the affuent have received within their industry or community. These are just a few.
This book is certainly worth reading by every leader and coach of sales professionals and all those sales pro who want to really earn the tiltle of "professional". In many ways Stanley is telling us in the sales and relationship businesses to focus on what the affluent want and need and why they are unique and why they are affluent and others are not as affluent. This psycholgoical "stroking" and transforming yourself into someone who can add real value to decisions they make and lifestyle needs and wants they have. The same could be said about how the organization that supports the sales professional that is targetting the affluent must transform itself too.
Read if as well as others, before you prepare your business and activity plan.
Click on the links above to see other related and recommended books in the same category. More reviews of other useful music memorabilia books, vinyl, cd's and movies coming over the next months. Suggest your favorites in the Comments or email to me. Here's hoping the Stanley book will have a big impact at its new home, a budding stockbroker. Reuse, renew, recycle,... redeux! Giving preowned books-movies-tapes and more new homes.
Posted by BR at March 3, 2006 11:26 AM | TrackBack