GET THE BOOK, THE SELL

 

The Sell (2015) by Fredrik Eklund

Summary:

You often hear of salesmen so skilled, they could sell anything to anyone. While that may not be entirely true, some people just seem to have a knack for convincing others to buy whatever they’re selling, whether it’s the proverbial vacuum cleaner, a dodgy penny stock or a pricy New York City penthouse.

What is it that makes these people so good at selling? What’s their secret?

As Fredrik Eklund, who is truly one of these people, will show you in these blinks, what you’re selling is not the product – you are the product and the brand. By being genuine and funny, and making sure your appearance is always immaculate, you’ll already have taken the first steps to becoming more successful in both business and in life. But there’s a few more things you must master to be truly successful, and these blinks will show you just what they are.

In this book, you’ll learn

- how Fredrik Eklund became the number one real estate agent in New York;

- why you should spend ten percent of your commissions on your wardrobe; and

- why you should bring up your grandmother in your next sales meeting.

The key message in this book:

You're your own brand and product, so be the best person you can be. Stay authentic, take care of yourself, learn from your mistakes and surround yourself with positive team members that you treat well. Don't focus your life on work, either – take vacations and remember to have fun. You won't just advance your career, you'll become a better and happier person.

Actionable advice:

Use the model of alternative costs.

The next time you're trying to decide if a new car or laptop is worth it, use the model of alternative costs. Weigh any new investments against the value you'd gain if you did something else. If you spend three hours on the train every day, you’ll lose money if your phone dies and you can’t charge it. It’s more expensive to hire a driver than pay the train fare, but you would then have a mobile office where you could recharge your phone and relax, while saving the cost of taxi rides in between. Alternative costs are an important model to calculate if investing in an improvement in the office or elsewhere will actually pay off.