Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
The Little Red Book of Selling summary
Jeffrey Gitomer
Brief summary
The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer is a practical guide that offers salespeople valuable tips and strategies to improve their selling skills. It provides actionable advice on building relationships, creating a compelling pitch, and closing deals effectively.
Table of Contents
The Little Red Book of Selling
Summary of key ideas
Unleashing the Power of Selling
In The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer, we delve into the dynamic world of sales with a set of practical principles to boost selling power. The book begins with a fundamental premise: people don't like to be sold, but they love to buy. Therefore, the first task of any salesperson is to understand the needs and desires of potential buyers, and to position their product or service as the answer to these needs.
Gitomer then presents the concept of value, arguing that a product's or service's value in the eyes of the buyer is what really drives sales. Therefore, salespeople should focus not just on what they're selling, but more importantly, on how it brings value to the buyer. To achieve this, Gitomer emphasizes on understanding, connecting with, and serving the buyer rather than simply trying to make a quick sale.
Building the Trust Factor
Gitomer puts a strong emphasis on building trust and rapport with clients. He argues that people buy from people that they like and trust, and therefore building these relationships is crucial in sales. He provides tangible advice for fostering relationships, such as keeping promises, being reliable and taking a genuine interest in the client's needs and concerns. Gitomer refers to this as the 'Yes! Attitude', which involves approaching sales with positivity, persistence and a can-do approach.
He goes on to stress the power of testimonials and referrals in enhancing credibility. These powerful elements, according to Gitomer, allow customers to speak on behalf of your product or service, making a convincing case for potential buyers. The author prompts to consistently seek feedback and use it to improve service quality and foster customer satisfaction.
Tactics for Effective Selling
In the section 'How to Sell Value', Gitomer provides comprehensive strategies for demonstrating value to potential buyers. He proposes focusing on the emotional needs of the buyer, since emotion often trumps logic in purchasing decisions. He also suggests showing the product or service in action, as well as providing evidence of its benefits, to convince the buyer of its value.
Gitomer also covers the importance of resilience in sales, pointing out that dealing with rejection is part of the job. He advises salespeople to remain persistent and positive in the face of rejection, and to always be ready for the next opportunity. Gitomer’s mantra 'No doesn’t mean No, it just means Not Yet' embodies this resilience, encouraging salespeople to push forward and never give up.
Nurturing Self-Belief
Towards the end of the book, Gitomer discusses the connection between personal belief and sales success. He impresses upon readers that self-belief, bolstered by knowledge and preparation, is the key to persuasive selling. Gitomer argues that salespeople who believe in the value of what they're selling, are confident, positive, and enthusiastic, are the ones who can win over customers and close deals successfully.
Wrapping up, The Little Red Book of Selling offers an action-focused approach for salespeople seeking to increase their selling power. Gitomer’s pragmatic insights and principles spur readers to seek deeper understanding of their customers, to build trusting relationships, and ultimately to deliver value that will have their customers lining up to buy.
How do we create content on this page?
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Little Red Book of Selling about?
This book provides practical and effective strategies for sales success. With a focus on building relationships and providing value to customers, Jeffrey Gitomer shares valuable insights and tips for anyone looking to improve their sales skills. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or just starting out, this book offers valuable advice that can help you achieve your sales goals.
The Little Red Book of Selling Review
The Little Red Book of Selling (2004) by Jeffrey Gitomer is a practical guide for anyone looking to improve their sales skills. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Packed with proven sales strategies and techniques, it provides readers with actionable advice to boost their selling abilities.
- With its emphasis on building relationships and understanding the needs of clients, the book offers valuable insights into the art of effective selling.
- The author's engaging storytelling and humor make the content entertaining and relatable, ensuring that readers won't find it boring.
Who should read The Little Red Book of Selling?
- Sales professionals looking to improve their selling techniques
- Business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to boost their sales performance
- Individuals interested in learning effective strategies for persuasion and influence in sales
Categories with The Little Red Book of Selling
Book summaries like The Little Red Book of Selling
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
32 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Little Red Book of Selling FAQs
What is the main message of The Little Red Book of Selling?
The main message of The Little Red Book of Selling is to create value for customers and build strong relationships to achieve sales success.
How long does it take to read The Little Red Book of Selling?
The reading time for The Little Red Book of Selling varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Little Red Book of Selling a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Little Red Book of Selling is a must-read for anyone in sales. It provides practical strategies and insights that can help improve sales performance and build lasting relationships.
Who is the author of The Little Red Book of Selling?
The author of The Little Red Book of Selling is Jeffrey Gitomer.
What to read after The Little Red Book of Selling?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Little Red Book of Selling, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
- The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
- The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
- Business Adventures by John Brooks
- The Most Important Thing by Howard Marks
- More Money Than God by Sebastian Mallaby
Featured Titles
- A Beginner's Guide to the Stock Market
- An Attempt To Repair America's Broken Credit System
- Common Sense on Mutual Funds
- Confessions of an Economic Hitman
- Death by Meeting
- Early Retirement Extreme
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Foundations of Real Estate Financial Modelling
- Fundamentals of Risk Management
- How to Become a Rainmaker