How to Sell Better Without Screwing
Your Clients, Your Colleagues, or Yourself
by Tim Hurson and Tim Dunne
Published 2014 by Portfolio, a division of Penguin books
Everyone knows that the first rule of sales is “always be closing.” But what if the less time you spend trying to close, the more time you can devote to helping people solve problems and seize opportunities? And what if following the new rule of sales, “always be useful,” results in more business?
If you sell and if you aim to sell better, you need to know about the stranger’s dilemma. A stranger doesn’t have the leverage of instant credibility. So it’s not surprising that a wide range of sales tactics, tools, and closing techniques have been developed as a substitute for credibility. Their purpose is often to wrangle a commitment to buy, even when buying may not be in the best interests of the client.
“Hurson and Dunne have produced an intelligent, easy-to-understand guide from which professional and novice sales folks alike will gain a great deal of comfort.”
— Booklist, July 2014
“Hurson and Dunne do an admirable job of equipping sales professionals with effective strategies… from creating scripts and establishing credibility, to securing the meeting and setting criteria. They show how to capitalize on every step from the waiting room to small talk, maximizing opportunities to learn about a potential client and their needs. These easy-to-apply principles and tools help deliver real value to prospects and increase the odds for sales success.”
— Publishers Weekly April 28, 2014
“You won’t read this book swinging in a hammock; you’ll read it sitting at your desk with pen and paper in hand. This book is a resource that will help you work through and chart a clear path to success, not just dream about it. If you are seriously intent on helping your clients see bigger and better possibilities, this book will help you get there.”
— Ian Percy, Reg. Psych, CSP, HoF, CPAE author of The Profitable Power of Purpose and Going Deep
The approach advocated in Never Be Closing is designed to overcome the stranger’s dilemma, but in a very different way. This book isn’t just a catalog of techniques to wrestle money out of a client’s pocket. It’s a comprehensive strategy that starts with a well-researched process for identifying and solving problems. It shows you how to access your creativity to establish and maintain relationships that will be truly useful for both you and your clients over time. In a very real sense, this book will show you how to become less of a stranger.
“Never Be Closing is filled with creative strategies and invaluable tools to help you drive more sales. If you’re serious about being successful, it’s a must-read.”
— Jill Konrath, author of Agile Selling and SNAP Selling
“Tim Hurson has done it again. He turned the world of creativity on its head. Now he’s done the same for selling. This is one book you’ll never be closing.”
Steve Shapiro, Business Innovation Consultant, and author of Best Practices Are Stupid
Never Be Closing expands on the principles of Tim Hurson’s first book, Think Better, by offering a simple and repeatable Productive Selling framework to make the most of new opportunities. From getting your foot in the door to delivering the perfect sales pitch to debriefing after a meeting, Hurson and Dunne have an all-encompassing plan to improve your sales results, including:
Eight Paths to Credibility, proven methods that establish your authority to ask key questions that reveal your client’s issues, challenges, and goals.
Q-Notes, a powerful strategy to make your notes doubly useful — to both record and guide your sales meeting.
Three-Act Structure, a creative way to design the sales conversation to explore client needs, offer solutions, and deliver value.
“We live in the age of ‘Personal Branding’ where (everything) is about selling, whether it’s a new idea, product, service, or our talents. We’re selling all the time whether or not our official job title has ‘sales’ in it. Never Be Closing is the master class we all need to excel in this most fundamental, yet truly powerful skill.”
— Rosemarie Lanard, Vice President, Employee Engagement, McGraw Hill Financial
“F. W. Woolworth said, ‘I’m the world’s worst salesman so I have to make it easy for people to buy.’ He’d have loved this book. It’s all about the sweet spot where people, process, and purpose come together to make sales that are a success for everyone.”
— Wally Bock, Leadership coach and author of Three Star Leadership
Never Be Closing is a game-changer. It doesn’t present tactics for cold calling, turns of phrase to overcome objections, techniques for closing, or manipulative conversational gambits. Never Be Closing is about selling better, a creative problem-solving approach that is more productive for both the seller (whether a professional or an “accidental” sales person) and the client. In fact, Never Be Closing may be the first book on selling that people will want to show their clients.
Hurson and Dunne show that outstanding selling isn’t just about mastering the art of persuasion. Instead, the most successful selling comes from a sincere interest in your clients and their needs. These methods will enable you to sell more effectively than ever before.
“Never Be Closing breaks new frontiers. It will appeal to both the beginner salesperson and the seasoned pro. Each chapter contains take-away nuggets to use over and over in multiple sales situations. Don’t wait! Turn the advice into action before your competitors do.”
— Preston Diamond, Managing Director, Institute of WorkComp Professionals
“Applicable far beyond traditional sales. Hurson and Dunne present a structure and then provide invaluable techniques to help you use problem-solving no matter what sales situation you encounter.”
— Mark Savan, President, Fortune Brands Windows & Doors