The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling
Welcome to “BookSmart” – a new Friday feature that we are going to be trying here on “the Insider”.
As an avid reader and strong believer in the importance of being a life-long learner, it seemed that a regular “book review” article was a natural fit for our blog. Hopefully it will prove to be a helpful resource for readers as well.
Although Booked Solid has been around for a while (first edition was 2006, 2nd edition 2010), it has only been this past year that I finally got around to reading it. It instantly became one of my all time favorite marketing and sales books.
Many of the professional service providers that I talk with started their business because they have a passion for working with and helping other people – and they have marketable expertise to offer others. However, like most small business owners, they soon realized that product/service expertise is not enough. They also need to be, among other roles, a marketer and salesperson for their firm.
Personally, I quickly realized that my marketing expertise would only take me so far – that at some point sales also had to enter the equation. I signed up for a sales seminar, but like many professional services providers, was not happy with the traditional method of selling. The “ABC” (always be closing) method was not a comfortable fit for my personality or my business ideology.
It was at this point that I decided to finally read (actually listen too – great audio book – highly recommended) Booked Solid. In it Michael Port provides an overview of a cohesive marketing and selling plan that is predicated on education, communication, and relationship building. It includes online as well as off-line strategies (something for everyone), and is built on positive interaction rather than pressure selling or interruption marketing.
I have since listened to it 3 or 4 more times, always finding great advice and inspiration to get going. If you have found yourself in the position of being an “accidental” marketer or salesperson, and hate the idea of marketing or selling – this is the book for you!
Your Turn: Have you already read Booked Solid? What are thoughts about it? What other books would you recommend for professional service providers?
Thanks for visiting our blog. As always, comments and questions are welcomed and appreciated.
See Booked Solid on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble (not affiliate links)
Other Book Review Articles:
The Referral Engine – John Jantsch