The Contrarian Effect

Why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite

By: Michael Port, Elizabeth Marshall

Narrated by: uncredited

Times have changed.

The typical old sales tactics we're all familiar with no longer work. Cold calling gets you nowhere, door-to-door selling is a nonstarter, and today's consumers are too savvy for most traditional scripts and closing techniques. With those tactics, it takes more time and effort to reach fewer and fewer clients. If you're still doing it the old-fashioned way, you're probably barely keeping your career afloat.

If you want to stop treading water and start making sales, The Contrarian Effect has the answer. This sales approach is like no other in history. Not only do traditional sales tactics fail most of the time, we're actually better off doing the exact opposite! It may sound crazy, but it's not just a novel idea; it's a counterintuitive approach to sales that really works.

High technology and instant communication have put customers firmly in control of the sales process. They don't answer calls from unknown numbers; they demand honesty and transparency in the sales process; they are well informed about your product before they deal with you; and they have no patience for pressure tactics like closing questions. No wonder traditional sales methods no longer work.

Whether you know it or not, many of today's best companies have already discovered the contrarian effect. They're giving up high-pressure selling for low-pressure customer interactions. Other companies are ditching the shotgun approach and getting to know specific customers and what they like in order to offer them the exact kind of product they want. These are examples of the contrarian effect in action, and it not only works, it works well.

If you or your organization is in the sales doldrums, it's time to shake things up. Listen to The Contrarian Effect and discover how profitable it can be when you take the old rules and do the exact opposite.

©2008 Michael Port (P)2008 Gildan Media Corp

must read

must read for anyone looking to change the way people sell for the better. perfect for service professionals and personal trainers. this will give you the mindset needed to start focusing on the client instead of your sales, and lead to longer lasting and more profitable relationships.

Mind blowing for Sales Professionals

This was a stellar book and just reinforces everything I've been teaching over the past 5-10 years. This isn't just sales or marketing related, this is about relationships and modern business practices. This book nails it! As a sales & marketing professional, consultant and coach I'll be highly recommending this for all my clients and their teams!

Required Listening!

Yes, everything you've been taught about sales in the past is wrong! Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall share insights into typical sales strategies and then they skillfully show why the old school ways are no longer the best approach. The cold calling, the old closing techniques, and the meet-my-target-or-else mentality don’t work as well as they did in an interconnected, customer-is-king world.

This book is a manifesto for a new, effective way of making sales. The authors use "real world"companies and individuals to show the importance of building relationships, building a reputation as a trusted adviser, and sending relevant, targeted offers.

If you want to succeed in sales, you need this audio!

if only audible hada return policy....

yes- it's that bad.

Very Basic. Common Sense

What disappointed you about The Contrarian Effect?

I LOVE Michael Port. His youtube videos are great, and Booked Solid is the best book I've ever read. This one was a waste of money. Very basic common sense advice. Don't buy unless you're a very beginner in the field of self-help.