Review: Unlimited Sales Success

Review by Richard Pachter

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Amacom Books. 272 pages.

If you wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle, could you do so by reading a book? How about watching a video or listening to an audio program?
Of course not, yet sales books always seem to be popular, with new ones appearing with startling regularity.
One of my longtime favorites is Soft Selling In A Hard World by Jerry Vass. I read it upon my boss’ recommendation several lifetimes ago. Its consultative approach immediately appealed to me. But as many times as I studied and performed the recommended exercises, it wasn’t until I started making actual sales calls that it became real for me.
Fortunately, this is implicit in most sales books; far from providing a rote formulas or recipes, the best of them offer a strong framework and rich toolbox of tactics to apply to a variety sales strategies. But until you’re actually trying to apply the lessons in a real and usually unpredictable setting, it’s just a lot of dreams and theory.
This book is no different in that respect. But it distinguishes itself from the pack by Tracy (abetted by his son). Their writing is sharp and clear, and very relatable. The style is personal and the persona is quite personable.
Brian Tracy’s written tons of books on sales, marketing, presentation and more. He occasionally recycles stories (like the one recalled herein about finding an effective sales close, and then refusing to do callbacks), but he’s an authoritative and experienced guy, and this book is a superb summary of his ideas and principles.
Is it a substitute for experience? Of course not. But before you get on your bicycle — or shortly after you begin peddling — it’s valuable to know how to navigate down this difficult path.
 
Here’s an excerpt: “When I began my sales career, I knew nothing of the skills and techniques you are about to learn. I did not graduate from high school. I worked at laboring jobs for several years. When I could no longer find a laboring job, in desperation, I got into straight commission sales, cold-calling one office after another in the daytime and houses and apartments in the evenings.
I got the three-part sales training program that is common worldwide: ‘Here are your cards, here are your brochures, there’s the door.’
If I didn’t sell, I didn’t eat. I got up every morning at six and was waiting in the parking lot when people came to work at eight o’clock. My sales results were terrible. I was making just enough sales to eat and to pay for a small room in a boardinghouse. I had holes in my shoes, empty pockets, and no future.
A Life-Changing Event
Then I did something that changed my life. I went to the top salesman in our office, a man a few years older than me who was selling ten times as much as anyone else. And he wasn’t even working very hard! He always had a pocketful of money. He went to nice restaurants and nightclubs. He drove a new car and lived in a beautiful apartment.
I took a deep breath and went up to him and asked him outright, “What are you doing differently? How is it that you are making so many more sales than me, or anyone else?” He looked at me with surprise and then said, ‘Well, if you want some help, show me your sales presentation and I will critique it for you.’
Now, I admitted that I had heard there was such a thing as a ‘sales presentation.’ But it was like the far side of the moon, something I had never actually seen in reality. I told the top salesman that when I called on customers, I simply said whatever fell out of my mouth.
He said, ‘No. No. No. Selling is a profession. It is both a science and an art. It follows a logical, orderly process from the first step through to the closing of the sale and the satisfied customer. Let me give you an example of a sales presentation.’
He then sat me down and asked me questions, commenting as he went along, exactly as if I were a prospective customer for our product. Instead of talking continually, as I did when I got in front of a prospect, he asked questions in a logical sequence, leading from the general to the particular, from qualifying me as a prospect through to closing the sale. It was different from anything I had ever experienced.
From that day forward, instead of talking continually, I asked better questions of my potential customers and listened closely to their answers. And my customers reacted to me differently. And I started to make sales, and then more and more sales. I began reading books on selling and listening to audio programs. I began attending every sales seminar I could find. And each time I learned and applied something new, my sales went up, and up, and up. Within a year, I was earning ten times as much income. My whole life changed forever.“

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Club Reviews: UNLIMITED SALES SUCCESS

 Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy.

I have read all of Brian Tracey's books and like his writing very much.  But I am not a sales professional so I had some apprehension about reading this book and its application to me.  But yesterday as soon as the book arrived in the mail, I picked it up and started reading.  And to my surprise, I quickly learned that many of the principles Tracey shares are applicable to any profession, not just sales. At that point, I could not put the book down.  I will say right up front, that the book was useful to me up to about page 150 and after that Tracey spends time on the "nuts and bolts" of successful selling.  But again the first 150 pages were worth the time and the read.
Let me share, by way of review some of the points I picked out that apply to any and all professions:
We are reminded that the Law of Cause and Effect says that for every effect there is a cause or a series of causes (in every profession).
The Law of Cause and Effect shows us that success is not a matter of luck.
Tracey constantly, throughout the book, reminds us that if we find out what successful people do and do those things we too can be successful.
We learn that as our world changes, we too must change to be successful.
In all professions, it is a reality, that there are more sellers than buyers.  Competition is fierce!
To be, or remain, successful we must be prepared.  We must always do our homework.
Credibility has never been more important.  Credibility comes from trust.
Self-confidence is a vital psychological tool of success.
Tracey quotes a Marine saying, "Adapt! Adjust! Respond!  Good advice for any profession.
We are reminded that no matter how successful one becomes in any profession, they started at the back of the line.  We have to work our way to the front of the line!
We can learn any skill we need to learn in order to achieve any goal we set for ourselves.
Self-esteem is the "reactor core" of your personality that determines your levels of optimism, self-respect and personal pride.
Les Brown says, "if you want to be successful, you've got to be hungry."
Ambition is the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
Anything less than a commitment to excellence is the acceptance of mediocrity.
Your level of ambition and your determination to be the best in your field is the nitroglycerin that causes your potential to explode over time.
Success requires that we overcome the fear of failure which is the single biggest obstacle to success.
Successful people are continuous learners.
The quality of your thinking largely determines the quality of your life.
We make a huge mistake when we think we work for someone else rather than ourselves!
Tracey talks about personal strategic planning as a way to increase our ROE. ROE is return on energy.
Tracey encourages the use of the GOSPA (goals, objectivies, strategies, plans and activities) method of strategic thinking and planning.
In any profession, we need focus and concentration.  Focus means we are clear about what we are trying to accomplish. Concentration means we have a single-minded focus on doing the things that lead to success.
Successful people choose to be around positive people.  They know that negative people can bring you down emotionally.
Tracey quotes Abraham Lincoln, who said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other factor."
Top sales people (and I would submit to any profession), are referred to by their clients as friends, adviser, teachers.
Everyone in every profession must have a good reputation. Without that,  NO success!  Your reputation is your key business asset.
Over and over throughout the books, Tracy reminds us of the importance of the skill of asking good questions.
William James has said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."
With that I close by saying again, this is a GREAT book for any professional! Doug Newberry-Antioch, Tennessee

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was broken down nicely.  Easy to read format while telling the reader everything they needed to know about business and ownership all over the globe.  Also, reminds us that technology is our friend & we should embrace it. Terri Bryant-Davie

I have had the pleasure of reading, listening to and seeing Brian Tracy in his seminars on sales, personal development and other areas of growth for many years. His work is well researched, practical and has shown proven success in his stories and my own use of his principles.
In some ways, it is a highlights version of his many sales programs including “The Psychology of Selling” (which is summarized in Chapter 1), Advanced Selling Techniques (which is included in several chapters) and others as well.  He sums up the principles well in bullet point form, making it easy to comprehend. 
The book, “Unlimited Sales Success”, is a practical primer in successful sales techniques, one that focuses on the “12 Simple Steps for Selling More than You Ever Thought Possible”.  The consultative selling approach is well explained and they explain the principles in a very easy to understand manner colored with stories from real sales.  The many questions they put in our hands are also very valuable tools.
In sales, going back to the fundamentals from time to time can be very valuable, and this is such a book to help do that. Overall, I found the book to be excellent in achieving its purpose—educating both experienced and new salespeople in how to be very effective in a very structured manner.  I highly recommend it! Randy B. Lichtman-Miami

What an excellent primer for serious sales persons. Every chapter has learning pearls that any one selling products to ideas can benefit from. All throughout "The Wolf of Wall Street" I kept on seeing Brian Tracy's concepts in actual practice. Marvin Stein MD-Coral Springs

I'm a sales professional and also a reader of most of Brian Tracy's books. With that said, I was fairly impressed by the information Brian and Michael put together in this book. Truly gives you a realistic view of what sales readily is today. Many of the old school thinking just doesn't apply anymore. Not only does Tracy tell you what doesn't work, he gives you ideas on what does work and how to go about executing these ideas. We're all in sales whether we like to admit it or not. This book is a must read for those of us who take selling seriously and are looking to take our profession to the next level. David Mesas-Miami

“Unlimited Sales Success” might be a good book for those just starting out on their own, but for those of us who have done some research already on sales and entrepreneurship, this book is really pretty elementary. I can see its usage as an undergraduate textbook in a course on marketing and sales.  There are “Action Exercises” at the end of the chapter, that reinforce and review what was covered in the chapter.
Probably the most relevant chapters for me would be “Time Management for Sales Professionals”  and the epilogue, “Seven Secrets to Success in Selling.” Good tips for sales, and for life management in general! Betty Hubschman-Whitsett, North Carolina

I have been in real estate sales for more than thirty year and have found the new Brian Tracey book to be by far the best book ever on the market, not only for sales but for approaching and dealing with others in every walk of life.  Everyone is in sales from a child first swapping a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in kindergarten to those working at the highest corporate levels.You give and get.  Every page of this book has some useful idea for helping you to move ahead in your career.  Those in public service and employees working in stores and businesses should find that they will have an easier time of assisting those who want to buy or purchase their products if thy follow even a tenth of the messages here..
I especially liked the chapter where Mr. Tracy discusses treating your customer/or client as a doctor would see a patient.... discuss the issue first and determine what the patient feels they need or how they feel, then examine the options, and develop a trusting relationship while determining the plan to accomplish what is needed.
This book is so good and so full of hundreds of positive ideas that I am going to pass it on to my co-workers.  This book is so great  that I feel it is worth reading twice to absorb the details which is exactly what I am going to do. Jeannett Slesnick-Coral Gables

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian and Michael Tracy seems to be the perfect manual
for anyone currently in a sales career, just beginning one, or just thinking about starting one.
It is a well thought out organized masterpiece that treats sales as an art and science
rather than just another job.
The book is written from the experiences of the authors. It focuses on the law of cause and
effect, therefore it makes sense to emulate their examples.
Their tips give logical, inspiring and motivating steps for success.
Unlimited Sales Success is well worth the investment of money and time spent reading it. Margot Byrnes-Miami

Everyone is a salesman.
I am a small business owner.  While my company provides services, not products (in the "widget" sense), I am constantly cajoling my employees that "everyone is a potential client" and that sales and marketing, while not normally considered a high priority is truly a "24/7 job".
Many people in my line of work don't consider themselves as a seller, don't work on their elevator pitch, don't spend time developing prospects.  I think that is a mistake.  While the Brian and Michael Tracy don't open any revolutionary doors in Unlimited Sales Success, the book provides a very nice outline or overview of some of the fundamental principles of selling.  Even if one sells all day for years, a refresher on what is the goal and how you can work to achieve it is always beneficial.
What the book did for me was help me to refocus on some of the simple, yet important elements of selling, presenting, and closing.  Sellers can get lazy off of success, or discouraged by consistent failure.  Regardless, the "12 Simple Steps" allow the reader to reflect on their selling technique by focusing on steps that, while important, are easily overlooked.
Again, Unlimited Sales Success is not bleeding edge sales theory.  It proves, however, that a simple, well-written presentation can often be just the thing to close the deal. Scott D. Rembold-Coral Gables

Brian & Michael Tracy have hit a home run with Unlimited Sales Success.  They make it simple to understand and outline all the basic secrets of great sales professionals. They start with simple tips on how to just go out and sell, keys on building relationships and the most important step of all, which is asking for the sale.
The book is fun to read, easy to absorb and a great tool for anyone who wants to be a winner in the world of sales. Trisha Molina-Miami Springs

I follow Brian Tracy on Social Media, and was a bit disappointed that he did not discuss more on this aspect of sales and relationship development.  Great basic information guide that is sure to help you develop the key skills required to succeed as a professional consultant (aka salesperson).  Highly recommend. Doramary Russell-Coral Springs

I enjoyed Brian Tracy’s Unlimited Sales Success, 12 Simple Steps for Selling More than you Ever Thought Possible.  While much of what Brian provides in the book is somewhat basic material, the fact is so many salespeople are not following the fundamentals.  This book would clearly re-energize a sales team and assist in refocusing people who are in the sales profession.  While I understand much of what is in this book is taken from his previous books, I have not read them myself and enjoyed the book.  I would recommend it for anyone who is currently in or is about to enter the sales profession.
John Lyon-Barre, Vermont

This book was very timely for me, as I am in the process of launching my first entrepreneurial business and in every business you have be a salesperson as well as wearing many other hats.  The information provided in the book is very straightforward and for a logical person it is a great way to understand all the necessary steps for unlimited selling.  We all have many tools in our toolbox but usually fall back on our go to tools.  While this is okay, each new tool that we employ in our daily routine becomes a new go to tool and increases our ability to be the best we can at what we do.  Learning gives us confidence and increase our energy around different parts of the sales process that may have us stuck.  
Building trust with a potential customer, Understanding our potential customer's needs, and Understanding what we have to offer will either make you a perfect fit or put you in the position to make a recommendation to your potential customer that may not result in your sale but will increase your customer's trust that you are honest and looking out for them.  Understanding who your customer is and how you serve them, is what differentiates you from others.
If you want to learn simple steps, that are given from the beginning to the end of the book, that will help you in your goals, read this book now!  It is easy to follow and will help you understand how to consciously identify and assist your potential or existing customers. Bari Schanerman-Miami

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NEXT BOOKS: Planet Entrepreneur AND Unlimited Sales Success

Two books to read and review this time! If you're interested, click the link to sign up on the upper left of this page.

First up is Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum's Guide to Business Success Around the World by Steven D. Strauss, USA Today’s small business columnist and more.

Here’s what he says about the book: “I wrote it with several co-authors from the World Entrepreneurship Forum. I am more excited about this book than almost any other I have written in a while, for a few reasons:

First, I think (hope!) it is very interesting. It looks at the explosive growth of entrepreneurship around the globe ('regular' entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, green entrepreneurs, etc.), and how they are changing the world, right now, radically, and for the better.
Second, at a time when the world is so divided, it is nice to share a book that is positive, hopeful, and looks at ways and ideas that link us together.
We are living in a world of incredible challenge and changes, and for both the entrepreneur and potential entrepreneur alike, this also means it is a world of ample opportunities. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of e-commerce and social media, there are now, today, more markets, tools, and opportunities for entrepreneurs than ever before. Even better: we are now also living in a world more predisposed to entrepreneurial solutions than ever, and we need those solutions—not just to create the Next Big Thing, but to solve the Next Big Problem. Every issue that individuals, communities, and nations face offers the entrepreneur the chance to make a difference. For anyone ready to embark on a mission to solve problems, create communities, build businesses, tap technology, and think entrepreneurially, this new world is teeming with opportunities for success.”

You can read an excerpt and find out more about the book here.

Next is Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Tracy is a longtime sales trainer and guru, and this is a very solid primer on sales basics and more.

Here’s a brief description:

“If there were a single great "secret" to being an elite sales professional, surely one of the millions of attendees of Brian Tracy's sales seminars would have spilled the beans by now. There isn't a secret. But there is a set of consistently successful selling techniques that most companies don't teach their salespeople, and which most entrepreneurs and independent sales pros think they don't have time to learn. Based on more than 40 years of selling experience - in virtually all product categories and market conditions, Unlimited Sales Success shows that these proven sales skills are learnable - by anyone. Highlighting practical, time-tested principles including: the psychology of selling: your own mindset is just as important as your customer's; personal sales planning and time management: whether you work for yourself or someone else, great planning equals great success; prospecting power: get more and better appointments; consultative and relationship selling: position yourself as a partner with the account; identifying needs accurately: you'll know how to arouse their interest and overcome objections; influencing customer behavior: learn what triggers quick buying decisions; closing the sale: the five best methods ever discovered; and more. Unlimited Sales Success is loaded with eye-opening facts and exercises, peppered with stories of great selling techniques in action, and organized into a use-it-now approach that will help you become a top sales professional-starting today.”

You can read more about it here.

You can review both books or choose one. The deadline will be generous, so no worries.

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