Review of ACT! 2000 Fast & Easy (Paperback)

Flip quickly through the book and you will see one of its strengths -- screen shots on every page illustrating every step described. Yet it isn't one of those ten minute quick and easy guides with pictures; these screenshots are illustrating how to use the program effectively.

The sellingpoint for me: The instructions on customizing the forms comes right at thebeginning of the book! So it helps you set up ACT for your own needs rightfrom the start. Other books hold this information until right at the end,treating it as an option rather than the essential task it is.

Product Description
ACT! 2000 Fast & Easy provides you with an easy, visualway to learn this popular contact management program. Step-by-step,screen-by-screen, this book provides precise guidance new usersneed. It also introduces experienced users to the new features of thisnew version.

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Review of Power Direct Marketing: How to Make It Work for You (Hardcover)

This book is the greatest book i read in my life. it is very easy to read,contains alot of things you will not find it in any book. the book is thegood ref. to any one working in marketing, and i hope every one read thisbook and University set this book to be studied .

Product Description
Filled with an explosive blend of critical thinking and practical know-how, Power Direct Marketing promises to motivate, inspire and educate you on how to become a better direct marketer. From planning a direct response effort (including setting objectives, timetables, and budgets), to targeting the best prospects; from making offers that guarantee responses to developing creative approaches that sell, acclaimed author Ray Jutkins will show you how to make your direct marketing ideas come to life.Praise for Power Direct Marketing, Second Edition:"This book is like getting an expert in a box who is deeply interested in your business and whom you can consult again and again. Ray Jutkins writes in a personal, engaging style that grabs and holds.Wisdom and experience for the taking." -- Ruth P. Stevens, Director, Direct Marketing, IBM Software Group"There are lots of books about the science of direct marketing and Power Direct Marketing has science, too. Ray Jutkins does a better job than most sharing the emotional core and heart of this fascinating business . . . it's chicken soup for your direct marketing soul." -- Robert C. Hacker, President, The Hacker Group, Ltd."I nominate Ray Jutkins as the official 'clarifier' of the direct marketing industry. Ray has the unique capability of making complicated procedures seem simple . . . and he presents his knowledge with a magical combination of clarity and good humor. The 'Direct Marketing Schedule' alone is worth at least ten times the price of this book." -- Herschell Gordon Lewis, Chairman, Communicomp and best-selling business author"Direct, crystal-clear, this book is, in my view, the 21st century playbook for marketers.As sure as sunrise, as personal as a pinch, Ray's 8ight Point Market Action Program targets my marketing intentions with outrageous precision. It yields me enhanced market penetration and higher profits. It is my marketing bible." -- Burt Dubin, Marketing Director, Personal Achievement Institute"For years I've treated the first edition of Power Direct Marketing as my direct response bible, and Ray Jutkins as my guru. The second edition expands beyond the fundamentals and neatly links Ray's proven ideas with E-mail, the Web, fax, and other electronic media that are revolutionizing direct marketing today. I recommend it highly." -- Bob Bly, author, Business to Business Direct Marketing"Ray's explanation of the basics and the analysis of the reasons why, are, as usual, right on the target--He's done it again only its easier to follow with all the back-up you'll ever need." -- Robert O. Pollard, President, Webtrend Direct, Inc.

From the Back Cover
Filled with an explosive blend of critical thinking and practical know-how, Power Direct Marketing aims to motivate, inspire, and educate readers about successful direct marketing. Acclaimed worldwide for his unique ability to turn abstract concepts into concrete and actionable ideas, author Ray Jutkins engagingly describes how direct marketing works and shares his top secrets on how to make it work better. Power Direct Marketing includes valuable, insightful information on every step of a direct response effort, from thorough planning (including setting objectives, timetables, and budgets), to targeting the best prospects; from making offers that guarantee responses to developing creative approaches that sell. Examples drawn from real direct marketing strategies illustrate the keys to successful campaign execution.The revised second edition includes brand new information on using E-mail, websites, and other high tech tools for direct response efforts; ample new case studies of successful direct marketing methods in action; and a slew of new examples, hints, tips and tricks-of-the-trade drawn from the author's huge arsenal of direct marketing experience.Whether you are still learning the ropes or are a seasoned direct marketing pro, Ray Jutkins will encourage and excite you. Power Direct Marketing will make your direct marketing ideas come to life.

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Review of Managing for Sales Results: A Fast-Action Guide to Finding, Coaching & Leading Salespeople (Hardcover)

My only beef about this book is its title.It should be "Leading for Sales Results".

It is rare with all the "me too" books out there to see something that delivers.Mr. Marks does just that.It's a book I simply couldn't put down.

Leadership has become quite the buzz word lately.You can't pick up any business magazine without seeing a relevant article.But most of it just transposes the word leadership for management.While Mr Marks book is still a top down management style vs my training in Dynamic Governance--it brings some of the concepts to light.

I won't go through the book on a one by one line item--but a few ideas will entice you to purchase.

Ideas on where to find salespeople using "Guerrilla" tactics are not new but bear repeating.Prospecting is very important to me.I often cold call an office to receive not an inquiry for a product, but an interview.If cold calling is important to you, and you are cold called upon--there you go.Look for places where people use this skills but may be underpaid and opportunity challenged.The author suggests Nordstroms, where they probably not only have the skills but a professional wardrobe.

In interviewing, evaluate how the person thinks about his/her purchases.If you market a product with a one time close cycle and your candidate is a slow, think it over, take your time kind of sales buyer--they may have trouble pushing a prospect to purchase differently than their own style.The Japanese have a saying, "as above so below".Its amazingly basic but I never thought of it that way.

A recent blog entry on my website was a article on dread.Salespeople live their lives in dread because of prospecting, yet managers pick their battles and don't push it.As the author points out, prospecting is discussed during the interview and is given lip service by the candidate, but no follow through.As a manager if you allow that to happen, you are more at fault than the salesperson.Marks "call to action" is so simple and step by step, you don't have any more excuses.

Nothing here is hard to implement.One easy "take away" I will implement in my sales training and coaching is the C-Letter or commitment letter.It simply says as manager you agree to give the employee all the tools they need to succeed.The employee agrees to use those tools.This letter becomes a talking point in follow up evaluations.

Follow up evaluations are explained in wonderfully simple detail.This is a great read and one of the very few I'd heartedly recommend.



Product Description
Ron Marks puts his decades of experience in the field of sales leadership to work to spell out an effective, profitable management method for the most important and unique employees in any business: salespeople.With an intelligent and easy to understand argument for the kind of leadership that motivates salespeople and instantly useful practical tips to improve productivity, reduce turnover, increase employee satisfaction, and ensure that you hire smart instead of hiring often, this book proves that there is a much quicker route to effective management than years of trial and error.

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Review of Creating the #1 Sales Force: What It Takes to Transform Your Sales Culture (Hardcover)

This is a systematic and detailed sales management guide. It takes the reader step-by-step through the process of sales culture conversion, to improve long-run sales-force performance. Stressing evolution rather than revolution, the approach taken is realistic and practical. It should prove useful for sales executives who are ambitious enough to spearhead change, and adept enough to apply the author's numerous insightful suggestions. Short case studies and a glossary are included.

Paul Francis Musgrave, author of Indispensable Marketing Strategies - How to Outwit Your Competition, Attract and Retain Customers, and Multiply Your Profits - Marketing Strategy Secrets for Profitable Small Business Management



Product Description
The results are impressive: most companiesusing the author's sales culture conversion process have experienced 12 to 15 percent sales growth in the very first year, and continued growth thereafter!CEOs, sales VPs, and business owners are nervously facing business conditions that are rocking the foundations of their traditional sales models. This is the story of how firms such as Honeywell, Cleveland Golf, Bridgestone Tire and Sports, Nautilus Group, StorageTek, and others have successfully created the #1 sales force in their respective industries by transforming their sales cultures. Based on decades of experience in the field, Jim Kasper's groundbreaking book walks readers through a systematic ten-step process for sales culture transformation and the inherent creation of a #1 sales force. Companies using his sales culture conversion process have posted higher total sales, reduced turnover, achieved greater productivity, and improved internal communication. One company that used Kasper's approach saw a return on investment of 20 times conversion cost; another reduced its sales cycle times by 46 percent!Each chapter of Creating the #1 Sales Force is centered around a case study from a well-known company. Readers will learn from the executives of these companies how to create the best organizational environments for sales growth. Three distinct sections make up each chapter: •An evolution memo written by the sales executive of the case-study example provides practical advice on sales culture evolution. •The 30,000-foot view is the big-picture executive summary outlining the key concepts for the chapter. •Evolution activities provide the framework for applying the sales culture transformation. As one corporate executive said: "Many books address change management, but there are no books on how to change a sales culture that will result in creating a #1 sales force." Jim Kasper's book fills that gap so readers can effect real change and, in the process, experience higher sales, stronger ROI, and more efficient sales rep productivity.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Creating the #1 Sales Force: What It Takes to Transform Your Sales Culture (Hardcover)

Review of Creating the #1 Sales Force: What It Takes to Transform Your Sales Culture (Hardcover)

This is a systematic and detailed sales management guide. It takes the reader step-by-step through the process of sales culture conversion, to improve long-run sales-force performance. Stressing evolution rather than revolution, the approach taken is realistic and practical. It should prove useful for sales executives who are ambitious enough to spearhead change, and adept enough to apply the author's numerous insightful suggestions. Short case studies and a glossary are included.

Paul Francis Musgrave, author of Indispensable Marketing Strategies - How to Outwit Your Competition, Attract and Retain Customers, and Multiply Your Profits - Marketing Strategy Secrets for Profitable Small Business Management



Product Description
The results are impressive: most companiesusing the author's sales culture conversion process have experienced 12 to 15 percent sales growth in the very first year, and continued growth thereafter!CEOs, sales VPs, and business owners are nervously facing business conditions that are rocking the foundations of their traditional sales models. This is the story of how firms such as Honeywell, Cleveland Golf, Bridgestone Tire and Sports, Nautilus Group, StorageTek, and others have successfully created the #1 sales force in their respective industries by transforming their sales cultures. Based on decades of experience in the field, Jim Kasper's groundbreaking book walks readers through a systematic ten-step process for sales culture transformation and the inherent creation of a #1 sales force. Companies using his sales culture conversion process have posted higher total sales, reduced turnover, achieved greater productivity, and improved internal communication. One company that used Kasper's approach saw a return on investment of 20 times conversion cost; another reduced its sales cycle times by 46 percent!Each chapter of Creating the #1 Sales Force is centered around a case study from a well-known company. Readers will learn from the executives of these companies how to create the best organizational environments for sales growth. Three distinct sections make up each chapter: •An evolution memo written by the sales executive of the case-study example provides practical advice on sales culture evolution. •The 30,000-foot view is the big-picture executive summary outlining the key concepts for the chapter. •Evolution activities provide the framework for applying the sales culture transformation. As one corporate executive said: "Many books address change management, but there are no books on how to change a sales culture that will result in creating a #1 sales force." Jim Kasper's book fills that gap so readers can effect real change and, in the process, experience higher sales, stronger ROI, and more efficient sales rep productivity.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Creating the #1 Sales Force: What It Takes to Transform Your Sales Culture (Hardcover)