Introduction

American business is changing, and the sales profession is changing with it. As corporations downsize, as more women and multicultural customers enter the market, as millions leave the false security of big companies to start their own firms, millions more people are reinventing themselves as entrepreneurial salespeople. If you count yourself among this group, this book is for you.

I've always been an innovator, and my own industry—real estate—is changing dramatically. The ever-growing popularity of the Internet alone has revolutionized the way we do business and the way consumers buy, sell, and finance their homes. A salesperson today needs a lot more than a sharp suit, good people skills, and a smile. Salespeople need an almost-magical blend of planning, innovation, street smarts, technological know-how, and dedication.

The good news is that you don't need to be the Swiss army knife of sales. You just need to know how to assemble and manage a team of talented individuals who can work together to function like a Swiss army knife of sales, and in this book, I show you how.

By the time you finish this book, I believe you'll resolve to either be the best salesperson in your field or give up sales and go into another line of work. If you don't enjoy the sales profession, that's no disgrace. Just find what it is you love in life and go for it. But if you are one of those people who, like me, loves to sell, then this book is for you. I can make a good salesperson better ...

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