4-Hour Workweek For Sales
I’ve decided to offer up a trio of consecutive posts on a book I recently read by Tim Ferriss. I must confess that the idea behind taking it in was to assess time management insight. For those so inclined, this book offers so much more towards a lifestyle changing roadmap.
The next couple of days I’ll highlight specific areas that have relevance to the b2b solution seller from the realms of goal setting and wholesaling. Today, I’ll take three separate pointers that emerged of a more general nature.
Time Management
My original reason for reading, the thrust is that if you share the aspirations of what the author calls the “New Rich”, then you can achieve more than you do at present with just a fraction of the time. Here’s one such couplet to bear in mind when embarking on a task.
- Doing something unimportant well does not make it important
- Requiring a lot of time does not make a task important
Then there’s this over-riding mantra. The same creed, in two flavours.
- Am I being productive or just being active?
- Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?
Velvet Glove Close
The chapters are littered with specific phrases to use to aid getting one’s way. Although I’m not given to proclaim quick-fixes in the pursuit of sales process perfection, this is probably the most juicy overtly selling one.
is that reasonable?
As the author states, any decent person would have trouble in finding anything you suggest unreasonable.
Cold Call Script
This really did whirr my brain. On pp161-2 of my copy, the vexed issue of approaching someone of a “celebrity” nature was tackled.
The context is in asking for personal assistance, but I got wondering how applicable this framework would be if you wanted to grab an audience with a prospect CEO. A leader with who you’d never normally get a chance for a chat. Here’s the rough script, in this case as spoken to a gatekeeper but similar to when put through.
I know this might sound a bit odd, but I’m a first-time author and just read the interview in [fancy publication].
I’m a longtime fan and have finally built up the courage to call for one specific piece of advice.
It wouldn’t take more than two minutes of time.
Is there any way you could help me get through to him?
I really, really appreciate whatever you can do.
This, it is claimed, gets results. In the cacophony of cold-callers, it appears to stand out because it’s human over salesy, apologises for itself and gets the listener on your side.
Whilst it isn’t necessarily transplantable directly into solution selling, it does also seem to be an approach to keep in mind when progressing your more personal, career ambitions.