Who's your favorite sales guru

[KristineS]

Some people swear by Napoleon Hill. I personally like Jeffrey Gitomer.

Who is your favorite sales guru, and who do you feel has helped you take your sales to the next level. If could be someone you've seen in person or someone who's written a book you've read or made a DVD you've seen.

If you make a recommendation, please make sure to tell us how that person has helped you sell. Also, if there is someone you don't think is worth the time or the money, make sure you tell us that as well.

[vangogh]

I actually like the ideas of the Eisenberg brothers about persuasion architecture. They blog at grokdotcom (http://www.grokdotcom.com/). The idea is to consistently make improvements to persuade your customers to buy instead of trying a hard sell approach.

A friend of mine Khalid blogs at Invesp.com (http://www.invesp.com/) and always has good tips on increasing conversions. In fact I think I might have met Khalid at the old forum. If not that one, then another small business forum we both belong to.

I haven't really read many sales gurus. I've mostly tended to read marketing gurus like Seth Godin who also have advice on sales.

[KristineS]

Never been a fan of Seth Godin. Don't really know why, he just doesn't click with me.

[vangogh]

Maybe it's just an online thing. A lot of his stuff resonates with me.

[Marcomguy]

Seth Godin's stuff seems repetitive to me.

Two sales and management authors I like are Jeffrey Fox ("How to be a rainmaker" and others) and Mark McCormack ("What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School"). Both offer sharp, succinct advice that I don't always agree with, but is interesting and often works.

[vangogh]

Seth Godin does repeat himself, but I think the ideas are still good, especially where online marketing is concerned. I think online is very different from offline in how people respond to your message.

[KristineS]

Seth Godin's stuff seems repetitive to me.

Two sales and management authors I like are Jeffrey Fox ("How to be a rainmaker" and others) and Mark McCormack ("What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School"). Both offer sharp, succinct advice that I don't always agree with, but is interesting and often works.

I've heard, vaguely, of Mark McCormack but hadn't heard of the other man. I'll have to check them out.

[Ad-Vice_Man]

I'm a fan of Zig Ziegler.

[ErinWrites]

I just love Dan Pink. "A Whole New Mind" is an awesome read for an entrepreneurial spirit like me (and probably you, too!)

:-) - Erin

[KristineS]

Never heard of Dan Pink either. I'll have to him and his book out.

[orion_joel]

I cannot say that anyone person has really stuck with me that much. While there has been a few that i have found offer good solid advice, i personally have not found any one person to have given anything that made a major memorable difference.

Maybe i am just being to tough on what i am expecting, but i dont know.

[KristineS]

I can't say there's any one person that I always refer to either Joel. There are people who have helped and taught me things though. That's more what the question was aiming at, who do you find helpful, not necessarily who do you follow all the time.