I recently read the book The One Minute Sales Person by Spencer Johnson and Larry Wilson. I found this book at a Thrift Store and paid 25 cents for it. I figured that even if I just learned one thing from it, the book would be worth the money I spent on it.
I have to tell you, I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day. I think it’s loaded with nuggets and wisdom that could help any network marketer or sales person take their business to the next level. What I love most about The One Minute Sales Person is that it is told in a parable format and it is really fun and easy to read.
The book is a quick read. There’s no fluff. It probably took me about two hours to read. But don’t let that fool you. The content is amazing. The beauty is the simplicity.
Top Quotes from The One Minute Sales Person
What I want to do in the rest of this post is share some of my favorite quotes from the book. Each quote is in bold and italics. After each quote I will share my own two cents on the quote. The quotes are listed in no particular order. Enjoy.
# 1 Behind every sale is a person. People sell things. No product sells itself. For each transaction there is a buyer and a seller.
# 2 If you treat him or her as a commodity, or as anything but a person, you reduce yourself to a peddler. Treat people with respect. Follow the Golden Rule and treat people the way that you want to be treated. Don’t look at your prospect and think of dollar signs. Remember they are a real person with real wants, needs and desires, just like you.
# 3 I have more fun and enjoy more financial success when I stop trying to get what I want and start helping other people get what they want. When you help others get what they want you will naturally get what you want. Take your eyes off yourself and try to think of things from your prospect’s perspective.
# 4 I am not unconsciously repeating a memorized sales routine. Talk to people in a normal way. Don’t memorize a script or sound like a telemarketer. Have real, natural conversations with people. You don’t want to sound like a robot.
# 5 The more you see yourself focusing on what he wants, the more quickly you will help him buy. Find out what the other person wants and show them how your product or service will fulfill that need. Do that and there is a good chance your prospect will buy.
# 6 I never forget that people hate to be sold, but they love to buy. This advice is so true. Make your prospect/client feel like they are making the decision to buy, not that you are pressuring them into buy something they don’t want or need.
# 7 When you feel you’re being sold you question the intent of the other person and don’t feel that you’re in control of what’s happening. People feel uncomfortable when you are trying to sell them something, especially when you use hype or pressure. Put people at ease, ask questions, identify a need, give them the information they need to make a decision, and let them make the decision to buy.
# 8 People buy for their reasons, not ours. You never know what will motivate the other person to buy. Your objective is to figure that out during the sales conversation and focus on that one thing.
# 9 People can soon sense it when your purpose is to help them. When people know you have their best interests at heart, they will listen to you.
# 10 One of the most helpful values we provide is helping people recognize what they really want. We do that with our ability to ask relevant questions and use intense listening. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Use them in that proportion. Learn how to listen. It will pay you well.
# 11 If he feels he doesn’t have a need, I get out of the person’s office. I never create a need, since that is not in the other person’s best interest. Never try to sell something to someone that they don’t want or need. Pre-qualify people first and identify a need, before you start the selling process. If there is no need, move on to your next prospect.
# 12 You’d be surprised at how many sales people are afraid to ask for action. Always ask for the sale. By no means should you pressure anyone, but most people won’t buy unless you ask them to.
# 13 The most important work I do come after people buy from me. Your real job begins after the sale has been made. Once you make a sale you need to follow-up and provide great customer service. Never treat people like a one-time transaction. Always know the life-time value of a customer and treat them well.
# 14 The majority of sales people seldom contact the people they’ve helped, after the sale has been made. Stay in touch with your customers on a regular basis. Show them that you care. This can lead to more sales and more referrals.
# 15 When I take good care of customers, they take good care of me – with referrals galore. Make people feel important and stay in touch. Do the little things that most sales people don’t do. Do that and you will get plenty of referrals!
# 16 Sales people who feel good about themselves produce good results. Work on your attitude, self-talk, confidence and belief. If you have low self-esteem or low confidence, it will radiate to your prospect.
# 17 Twenty percent of what I do during the day gives me about eighty percent of my payroll. Never forget the 20/80 Rule. Spend most of your time on the few, important tasks. Put the first things first.
# 18 We become what we think about. If you think you are a winner, you are right. If you think you are a loser, you are right. Learn how to think positively about yourself.
# 19 Do it your own way and it will probably work for you; do it someone else’s way and it probably won’t. There are thousands of ways to skin a cat. No one technique will work for every single person. Leverage your own talents and abilities whenever possible.
# 20 They do not buy our service, product, or idea – they buy how good they imagine they will feel when they are using them. People buy a drill because they want a hole. People buy a vacation because they want the feeling they will get at the tropical resort. Focus on the benefits of what your product or service has to offer.
# 21 A One Minute Sales Person acts with integrity and honesty because it’s the fastest way to get big results. Always do the right thing. Never lie, cheat, or take advantage of your customers. Say what you do and do what you say. Treat everyone as well as you would treat your own mother.
# 22 There is nothing more exhausting than jumping over hurdles you continue to put in your own way. Don’t be your own worst enemy.
# 23 The more you let other people determine what is important to them and relate what you have to offer to how they want to feel – about what they have bought and about themselves – the more easily you will make sales. Find out what the other person wants and show them how your product or service will help them get it!
# 24 Closing is needed most when you are trying to get people to do something they basically don’t want to do. Asking for a sale and closing are two different things. If you’ve done your job right, all you need to do is ask for the sale and they will buy. If you find yourself trying to convince people to buy, you will put people off and waste your time.
About the Book
The One Minute Sales Person comes in hardcover format and has 110 pages. It was published by William Morrow Publishing on October 1, 2002. The ISBN is 978-0060514921. As of May 2, 2015 it has 65 reviews on Amazon with an average 4.1 rating. You can order a copy here.
Final Thoughts
In summary, I really enjoyed the book The One Minute Sales Person by Spencer Johnson. Overall, I give it a 7 of 10. I think the book is loaded with great selling tips that will help any network marketer or sales person take their business to the next level. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.
What are your thoughts about The One Minute Sales Person? What is your favorite quote mentioned above? Did you enjoy the book? How would you rate the book? Leave a comment below to let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
As I was reading this again, I was taken by #11. It is very wise to not force something on a person who has no need. When we do, it will come back to haunt us. Word carries quickly if you use high pressure tactics and force items on a person. People will not even want you to even talk to them, they will avoid you, because the word will get to them that you forced something down another person’s throat.
If there is no need, it is best to smile and move to the next person.
The last thing I ever want to do is convince someone to buy my product or join my team. If they can’t see the value, they are not a good fit.
It is so incredibly important to take good care of your customers. They are the business honestly because they are what keeps it going via purchases of the products we sell and offering referrals. Strong customer service and good people skills goes a long way to help with creating strong relationships that keep people coming back and sending people your way. I love that I majored in Communications because I have truly learned how speech- verbal, non-verbal, and written all help with making connections. I am a better business person because of it.
Loved the review on this book. I skimmed through it before when I was visiting my cousin this past winter and I think I will grab a copy myself. There are some really valid points and the way he breaks down sales and marketing in a fun and upbeat way makes it an easy read. Something I need more of haha
We could all use some more sales!
I just bookmarked your site for future. Now on wards I will drop by your website whenever I get some free time. I love the first quote “Behind every sale is a person”, this explains the quality of the book.
Thanks for the bookmark. I’m glad you liked my website.
Another great review, haha! I added this to my list, too. I liked #21 the most because it really is a great piece of advice that is surprisingly not used very often. He’s got the right idea!
Yes, this is another great book for anyone looking to sharpen their sales skills.
I just knew this book looked familiar, and then I looked at our bookshelf, and there it is. I did read this some time back, and I am going to read it again. From the many quotes you put here, I am just enthralled in discovering more wisdom in those pages.
It is such a down to Earth book that seems to just tell it like it is. It is true that in sales, we can be our own worst enemies. This comes from our thought processes, and actually trying too hard to sell, instead of just have a conversation. It is very true that people don’t like to be sold, but they like to buy. Just put it in front of their noses without pressure and get prepared to collect their money.
I love this book. I love how Spencer Johnson really keeps things simple and gives solid and practical tips on how to be a better salesperson. Everyone in network marketing should read this book!