Summary of The Patterson Principles of Selling
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Qualities
- Innovative
- Applicable
Recommendation
Author Jeffrey Gitomer’s book’s jacket refers to him as, "the modern leader of salesmanship." Given that splashy buildup, his book has to be an attention-getter - and it is. The contents are displayed in modern, freewheeling big fonts and graphics. The illustrations feature intriguing black-and-white, scratchy images of NCR founder John Patterson demonstrating his eccentric, but fundamental, approach to sales. Something about Gitomer’s book is inexplicably charming, perhaps due to his boyish love of industrial history and his unapologetic idol worship of Patterson, an American sales icon. Gitomer, who "revised and revived" Patterson’s rules, obeys the motto, "Think!" In an era when business intently focuses on maximized sales, why not look to history for some winning answers? Patterson’s "Probable Purchaser" concept is a powerful idea, and the book’s dicta are broad in scope if not deep. getAbstract.com believes Gitomer deserves fair credit for this thought-provoking work of industrial archaeology and encourages salespeople to read his book.
About the Author
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and the column Sales Moves. He presents seminars, speaks at annual sales meetings and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service.