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A dozen books to own and read – at least once.

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When Jim Rohn said, “All the information you need to succeed already exists, the problem is you haven’t exposed yourself to it,” it was one of the most challenging and eye-opening statements I had ever heard. I immediately made a lifelong goal to read a thousand books.

I have not reached that goal yet, but I’m eating away at it. I love the hardbound vintage book, but I’m finding that reading on my iPad’s Kindle app provides the perfect strategy to increase my desire to read in spare moments.

Here’s my list of must read books:

1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is at the top of everyone’s list. Written 70 years ago, it’s still the benchmark book for attitude, goal setting, and achievement. Get an original copy (pre 1960), not one of the altered, newly minted, “after the copyright expired” versions. NOTE: Not on this list, but equally important, is the best sales book of all time: How to Sell Your Way Through Life. Written just two years later, this book is an unknown gem. It’s hard to find and a little pricey, but look for it on abebooks.com, bookfinder.com, or ebay.

2. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. The all-time, gem of gems for engaging with self-confidence and connecting with sincerity that contains timeless rules of success. Your Carnegie library is only one third completeuntil you own and read How to Stop Worrying and Start Living and Effective Public Speaking, two books with timeless information on stress relief, positive attitude, speaking skills, and success strategies.

3. He Can Who Thinks He Can by Orison Swett Marden. One of the original ‘self-thought’ and self-help books containing thought gems such as, “Every child should be taught to expect success” and “The world makes way for the man with an idea.” If you want a list of great Marden quotes from this book, underlined by John Patterson, the founder of NCR and the father of American salesmanship, go to www.gitomer.com and enter MARDEN in the GitBit box.

4. Swim with the Sharks by Harvey Mackay. A benchmark and game-changing book for me and millions ofother people in business. It’s full of applicable ideas to make you think and strategies to implement immediately.

5. Small is the New BIG by Seth Godin. One of many Godin books that should be in your library. Not just for the information – he’s much more than that. I don’t just marvel at what Seth writes, I marvel at how he thinks.

6. Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko. Short lessons, tools, and exercises you can easily understand and apply immediately. It recharged my brain, and opened my eyes to a new way to see creativity – by example.

7. What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis. A compelling work that centers around Google as it relates to other businesses. Jarvis compares what Google would do to diverse industries such as hotels, restaurants, schools, and the media. Amazingly insightful and thought provoking – especially if you relate it to your business (as I did).

8. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers tells stories of how, why, and when people became successful entrepreneurs, and how standards were set in the 19th century that are still in place today. But it’s his concept of ‘10,000 hours’ that makes this book an absolute insightful treasure.

9. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson. Jobs had vision, foresight, character, uncompromising ideals, and shrewdness. He was inspirational to all who came within his domain. This is a great story and important to read in order to understand where we are today. I have written about Steve Jobs’ impact on my life. If you’d like to read it, go to www.gitomer.com and enter JOBS in the GitBit box.

10. The Pursuit of Prime by Ichak Adizes, Ph.D. This book addresses the stages every growing business goes through, and what to expect and do in each stage. Compelling because it’s both a game plan for what to do, and a pie in the face for what you haven’t done.

11. Social Boom by Jeffrey Gitomer (hey, that’s me!) and several other social media experts. Business Social Media is not an option, and this book is the ultimate “how to” and “why.” Yes, I have ten other books I hope you buy, read, and implement the lessons from, but Social Boom is my best book for this moment.

12. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. A book that has been canonized by every cross section of the political and business landscape EXCEPT the politician trying to grow government and give handouts. It’s an amazing, compelling read, and has a happy ending for entrepreneurs. May be my favorite of all time. When you’re finished reading this epic novel, I dare you not to starts on Rand’s The Fountainhead.

12.5 There are other imperative non-books. CDs, essays, quote books, and kids books that I also highly recommend. They are, in no particular order, The Art of Exceptional Living (CDs) by Jim Rohn, Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell, A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard, Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, and The Strangest Secret (CD) by Earl Nightingale. You can find all of these gems at www.executivebooks.com.

NOTE WELL: This is not THE definitive book list – it’s MY definitive book list. These are books I have read, been inspired by, implemented, and banked. I have a longer list on my website – click on ‘Recommended Reading’ under ‘Sales Help.’

Invest your time reading. It will pay lifelong dividends.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Decisions, decisions – how good at them are you?

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Decisions – either by you, your coworker, your boss, your family members, or your customer – drive your success, your lifestyle, and your attitude.

As you’re contemplating what to do, or how to decide, there are stream-of-conscious thoughts that affect the final choice and the resulting outcome. Whether you’re buying something, working on a project, parenting, or making a sale, there are decisions you have to make that will determine the outcome. Your job is to make the best one, the right one.

Most people think decisions are made based on economics. The price. Most people are wrong. Decisions are made based on a myriad of elements, and price is only one of them. Perceived value is way more of a factor than price.

The majority of decisions you make are based on existing emotion and perception, combined with previous experience – UNLESS you’re in politics, or corporate politics.

Those (political) decisions are made based on what’s popular, what’s likely to be approved, what’s safe (nobody ever got fired for buying IBM), or what’s politically expedient – and almost NEVER based on what’s best for the whole of the country or the company.

If you’re willing to think deeper about the decision making process for yourself, it may help you understand how others make their decisions. Especially if you’re in sales and your income and career are based on the decisions of others. The easiest way to understand the situation and other people is to first understand yourself, and how you make decisions.

Regardless of the decision at hand – yes, no, put off, act, buy, don’t buy, date, or reject – the questions below will help your conscious and sub-conscious mind understand your decision making process AND help you understand the decision making process of others.

Here are some of the thoughts that enter your mind AS you make choices:

  • What’s the circumstance?
  • What’s the reason?
  • What’s the motive?
  • What’s the risk?
  • What are the potential consequences?
  • What are my fears?
  • What’s the reward?
  • What’s the real issue?
  • What’s the real barrier?
  • What’s the money?
  • What’s the perceived value?
  • What’s the measurable value?
  • What’s the social value?
  • What’s the objective?
  • What is my desired result?
  • What am I hoping for?
  • What is the outcome likely to be?
  • What if it isn’t?
  • Who gets hurt?
  • Who benefits?
  • What are the elements?
  • What has been my past experience?
  • What is my experience-based knowledge?
  • Should I counsel anyone?
  • Do I have to decide now?
  • Is this temporary or permanent?
  • Do I trust the other person?
  • What’s the deadline or the urgency?
  • What is my gut telling me?

Keep in mind all decisions involve some sort of risk. Risk involves and creates fear. The greater the risk, the more measured, deliberate, and collaborative the process. It’s always a judgment call, and fear often interferes with sound judgment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The decision to buy is made emotionally, and then justified logically. You make the decision, and then defend it – sometimes to a fault.

The words ‘no brainer’ have always bothered me in the decision-making process. When someone says, “It’s a no brainer” to me, I become alarmed. What they’re saying is, “Don’t think about it, just do it.” Not good. All decisions are ‘brainers.’

To help you on the positive side of ‘decide,’ ask yourself:

  • Am I doing what’s best for myself, or my company?
  • Am I taking the high road?
  • Am I choosing the best value?
  • Am I at peace with myself?

On the negative side of ‘decide,’ ask yourself:

  • Am I making an excuse to do it, even though I doubt the validity of it?
  • Am I justifying it before the facts are gathered?
  • Am I justifying it after the fact, and I knew it was a mistake?
  • Am I procrastinating?
  • Am I saying, “It’s the lesser of two evils?”
  • Am I only getting buy-in before the fact to mitigate blame?

NOTE WELL: Fear of loss is greater than desire to gain. Fear of being wrong is more powerful than risk of being right. SIDE NOTE: Leaders emerge as they become fearless.

As you’re trying to get others to decide on you and your product or service, keep top of mind how you make your decisions. The better you understand yourself, the more powerful you’ll be at ‘getting a favorable decision.’

If you’d like the list of thoughts that enter into the decision making process, and a list of why people DON’T decide, go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the word DECISION in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Are you the dominant brand, or is your brand bland?

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What’s the difference between you and all of your competition?

Are you different from your competition, or do you just THINK you are? Are you different from your competition, or do you just tell customers and prospects you are?

Or are you different from your competition, and others CLEARLY perceive you as both different and better?

REALITY: It’s not what you think or believe, it’s what your customers do and say.

REALITY: If I ask you what the difference between you and your prime competition is, and your answer is ‘our people’ or ‘me,’ you’re in serious trouble.

REALITY: If you asked your customer what the difference is, what would they say?

  • “Cheaper?”
  • “Closer to my home?”
  • “I dunno, been using them for years.”
  • “Six of one – half a dozen of the other.”

You’re in trouble.

Your reputation is a reality check of where you actually are versus where you think you are:

  • What’s your customer reputation? NOT A SATISFACTION SURVEY. A face-to-face talk. NOT A PHONEINTERVIEW. A face-to-face talk where you ask 100 of your customers what they really think of you, and why they buy.
  • What’s your social reputation? As posted on your business Facebook page by your customer, or as recommended by customers on their social media accounts?
  • What’s your industry reputation? How do both leaders and vendors perceive you in your industry?
  • What’s your community reputation? If you had a town hall meeting of the community, what wouldthey say about you?

Here are more painful ‘reputation’ questions about your company and your products:

  • What are you doing to build it?
  • What are you doing to innovate it?
  • What are you doing to change or enhance your customer’s experience?

Apple is the classic example of a brand, with products that back it up. Their competition is ‘me too,’ and often mentions Apple in their ads. If you brag that you’re ‘just like Apple,’ personally I want Apple. The experience I have in Apple stores is in perfect harmony with the brand they’re portraying.

In the computer industry, the smart phone industry, the tablet industry, and the music player industry, everyone has to start with some sort of comparison to Apple – just like, better than, cheaper than – whatever they say, they mention Apple. Only Apple stands alone not comparing themselves to other products unless it’s a joke. They don’t have to talk about their competition – Apple is the innovator. And they do it at their price.

What’s up in your world? Are you the dominant brand? Are you Amazon? eBay? Jello? Kleenex? Kellogg’s Corn Flakes? Jacuzzi?

HARD QUESTION: Are you comparing your products to the competition, or differentiating yourself from the competition?

HARD QUESTION: Are you trying to justify price, or does your quality reputation precede you?

OUCH QUESTION: Is your brand, product, or service market superior, and you haven’t elevated yourself to that position?

NOTE WELL: Then there are the brands that USED to be #1 and have fallen to #2 or lower. Either by inferior products, inferior service, or disgraced reputation. Blackberry, American Airlines, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft, and Tiger Woods to name a few.

Here are 5.5 interviews you need to do to get the TRUTH from people who are willing to give it to you. In order to get better tomorrow, you gotta know where you are today.

1. Interview customers who love you. They’ll tell you the good stuff.
2. Interview customers who left you. They’ll tell you why, and how to improve.
3. Interview customers who said no to you. They’ll tell you why they chose someone else.
4. Interview loyal employees. They’ll tell you why they love you.
5. Interview departed employees. They’ll tell you why they left you.
5.5 Interview industry leaders. They’ll give you the big picture you may not be able to see.

CAUTION: Leave PR, marketing, and advertising out of the equation, or you may NEVER get to the truth. My recommendation is hire an outside branding company, and at least get a new perspective on the outsideworld (your customers and the marketplace) and the inside world (your people).

After your interviews, here’s what to do:

  • Be realistic as to outside opinions, and how you can create improvement.
  • Create internal excitement about innovation and new ideas.
  • Train and teach attitude, self-belief, and creativity.
  • Give people paid days off just to think and create.
  • Create a sense of self-pride in your people by listening to their thoughts and ideas.
  • Praise and implement new ideas.

RESULT: A new, market dominant, more profitable you.

If you want to learn my secret for long-term brand, name recognition, and loyal customers, go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the word NAME in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

The Eiffel Tower: An iconic monument and a critical lesson.

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We went to visit the Eiffel tower again. Our fourth visit in five years.

What do you know about the Eiffel Tower?

When it was built it was, to say the least, the most controversial structure of all time. Hundreds protested it, criticized it, campaigned against it, said it was a disgrace to architecture, and predicted it would be the ruination of Paris.

The story is fascinating. You can read about its history on Wikipedia, where I learned, “Some of the protestors eventually changed their minds when the tower was built. Others remained unconvinced. Guy de Maupassant supposedly ate lunch in the Tower’s restaurant every day. When asked why, he answered that it was the one place in Paris where one could not see the structure.”

EPILOG: The tower was built to world acclaim. It’s one of the most impressive structures in the universe. It’s not just stunning to look at, it’s also inspiring to be in its presence. An estimated 10 million visitors a year visit to admire its glory. It is the heart and soul of Paris, France, and it’s the symbol by which the city has been known for more than 100 years.

At the base of his tower there’s an amazing statue to honor Gustave Eiffel. Interesting to note that NONE of the people who criticized him have statues at the base.

How much more wrong could the protesters and critics have been?

Were they trying to build up or tear down? Encourage or discourage? Encourage or disparage? In hindsight, the critics seem contrite, shallow, self-serving, prejudiced, and baseless.

Kind of like today’s critics.

Call it what you will, a naysayer, by any other name, is just that.

  • Is it an opposing point of view, or criticism?
  • Is it a ‘pundit,’ or a critic?
  • Is it ‘commentary,’ or just criticism?
  • Is it an ‘op-ed column,’ or criticism?
  • Is it a ‘panel discussion,’ or criticism?

And what are these people really saying?

  • Are they debating? Or discussing and deciding?
  • Are they blaming ‘it’ or ‘them?’ Or are they offering answers and taking responsibility for the remedy?
  • Do they talk about what they WILL do? Or what someone else DIDN’T do?
  • Did they talk about what didn’t happen, who’s wrong, and why it won’t work? Or did they offer their ideas about what could be?

Do these critics (pundits) ever offer answers, ideas, or recommendations?

Critics try to label the ‘wrong-doers’ into a group for easier identification – unions, teachers, liberals, conservatives, left, right, or in your familiar terms: the competition or the purchasing department.

THINK ABOUT IT: It’s never everyone is it?

And of course, today’s world paints criticism as some sort of pious, politically correct, and necessary element of society. REALITY: People criticize to suit themselves, further their agenda, or even make the sale.

In the late 1800’s, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius said, “Pay no attention to people who criticize. No statue was ever erected to a critic.” And in the late 1960’s, the great Glenn W. Turner added, “But the people they have criticized, many statues have gone up.”

Makes me stop and think. I hope it does the same for you.

Got statue? Or are you just criticizing?

How much of your time is wasted criticizing other people, their ideas, or their thoughts? And how could you be investing that time to build your own monument? Your own Eiffel Tower.

YOUR REAL JOB: Convert your criticism to answers, resolve, solutions, and responsibility. You’ll be thought of as a thinker, make more sales, build stronger relationships, earn a better reputation, be seen as a resource, and be a happier person.

Dale Carnegie, author of the 70-year bestseller, How to Win Friends and Influence People, nailed it in 1915 when he penned his most dominant principle, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain (and most fools do).”

There should be a law that says all criticism must be followed by a solution, an answer, a resolve, or an idea. That would shut a lot of people up – or at least make them think and see the positive side of things.

FOOTNOTE: Apple just released the much anticipated iPhone 5. The critics lined up to tell you how it ‘falls short’ or ‘disappoints’ or some baloney about speed or connectivity or maps or keyboard. They gave it three and a half stars. Meanwhile Apple, in spite of the jackass critics, has sold ten million phones in the first 30 days for $400 a device. Do that math. I wonder how much critics earn?

Free GitBit: If you’re looking for a change of language to launch your new ‘criticism-free’ lexicon, I’m making available eight pages of positive quotes and ideas from Dale Carnegie. Go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the words CRITIC in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Drill or hole? What are they buying – and what are you selling?

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A guy walks into a hardware store and says to the clerk, “I need a drill.”

Clerk says, “Well, not really. You want to make a hole.”

If you’re in retail and your customer comes in and says, “I need a drill,” or “I want a drill,” or “Where are the drills?” you, the salesperson, begin some response dialog.

REALITY: He didn’t come for a drill. He needs a hole.

Now you may have heard some version of ‘drill-hole’ in your career, but you have never heard what the situation is, how to address the buying motive, how to take control of the sale, how to gain trust, and how to create a vision of “outcome” in the mind of the buyer.

HERE’S THE REAL LESSON: (And it can be applied to ANY sales situation where the buyer is wanting a service or a product and needs your help to “find the right answers and achieve the required or desired outcome.”) If you ask, “What kind of drill are you looking for?” you’re asking an annoying, self-serving, time wasting, price-based question. Zero value to the customer. Wrong direction to close a value sale.

It’s likely the customer has NO IDEA what kind of drill he wants – and you, in your sales brilliance, are gonna point out the “drill aisle” and be done with it. You smile and say, “They’re in the hand tool area over by the wall” or “Here’s what’s on sale.”

NO! This is your opportunity to become an advisor rather than a traffic director. So far you don’t know WHAT KIND OF HOLE THE CUSTOMER NEEDS.

  • How big (what diameter) of a hole are you drilling?
  • What kind of material are you drilling into?
  • How deep is the hole?
  • Are you drilling inside or outside?

If you’re trying to show the customer the 3/8ths inch drill ‘on sale’ and the customer needs a half-inch hole, you’re gonna have an unhappy customer. If you know it’s a half-inch hole through a wooden post, you can recommend the right drill, and also tell them they need a “starter hole” with a smaller drill bit to ensure a perfect outcome.

OK, you get it! Drill – hole – want – need – outcome.

But how does this apply to you and your sales?

Well, it applies to every sale that everyone makes – including yours:

  • I need a filling in my tooth. No, you want to be healthy and pain free.
  • I need copies. No, you want to send a proposal in color that reflects your image and wins the sale.
  • I need a new roof. No, you want to have no leaks, and enjoy quality of life.
  • I need a credit card. No, you don’t have cash, or you don’t want to spend your cash.
  • I need tickets to a concert. No, your favorite group of all time is playing and you have never seen them before. It’s on your bucket list!
  • I need to find a restaurant. No, you need to eat.
  • I need new tires. No, how do you use your car now? How many miles are on your present tires? City or highway driving?
  • I need a flight to New York City. No, why are you going? What will you do after you arrive? Where are you staying?

NOTE WELL: Just because you don’t have what the customer needs, does not mean they no longer need it.

If I call a hotel to book a room and they say, “Sorry, we’re full,” I respond, “Oh, I guess I don’t need a room after all.”

Think past ‘sale’ to ‘genuine need and desired outcome.’

What does the customer need or want to do AFTER the sale is made? And how can you show him or prove to them that you have the answers, and you are the best choice to create the best outcome? A happy ending, if you will.

That’s what the customer is really buying: OUTCOME.

  • It’s not what it is (a perceived need) – a drill.
  • It’s not just what it does – makes a hole.
  • It’s the desired outcome – the result of drilling the hole.

As a salesperson, if you’re looking to successfully sell at your price, build a relationship, and earn a referral, you better stop selling the features and benefits of your product, and look to what happens after the sale – after the customer takes ownership.

GOOD NEWS: If you are able to find (by uncovering and asking for) the desired outcome, and agree that your answer, your solution, or your idea will be the best one – the customer will buy.

GREAT NEWS: When the outcome comes to pass, the customer will tell Facebook what happened.

Want insight on buying motives – to help yourself answer the question What makes me want to buy? Go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the word EMOTION in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].