Do It! Selling: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Land Better Clients, Bigger Deals, and Higher Fees

Corporate consultant Newman (Do It! Speaking) delivers an energetic resource for business-to-business salespeople looking to move ahead. To scout potential clients, Newman recommends perusing lists of the top local or national companies related to one’s target demographic (e.g., those who work with women executives might consult Fortune magazine’s “Best Workplaces for Women”) and reaching out to individuals in upper management. The “five tips for first contact calls” include inviting a prospect to open up by asking them “what have you done to get to where you are today” and demonstrating the value of one’s services by either challenging the prospect’s thinking or sharing stories of how one has helped previous clients. Elsewhere, Newman encourages readers to gain clarity on a prospect’s objectives by asking such questions as “what specifically are you hoping to gain from our work together,” and to win over wavering prospects by following up with insights or ideas tailored to their business needs. Though Newman doesn’t include much in the way of research studies, success stories, or other supporting evidence, the many enumerated lists (“17 great answers to ‘how much do you charge?’ ”; “7 things sales pros must do daily”) provide a lean, easily digestible overview of how to seal the deal. This gets the job done. Photos. (Self-published)