Gitomer’s Greatest Hits

Sales guru and best-selling author Jeffrey Gitomer introduces readers to “manifesto selling,” which he designed to align with 21st-century buyers’ preferences. After describing and debunking what he regards as the myths of traditional sales, Gitomer explains that instead of pitching prospects, manifesto sellers give them great new ideas. 

It’s not the close. It’s the open.Jeffrey Gitomer

Gitomer reveals that his system relies on what he calls his groundbreaking, fundamental principle: Nobody likes to be sold to, but everybody likes to buy.

Gitomer is a familiar expert offering a fresh selling mind-set. A multimillion-selling author, he never stops cranking out titles, which might suggest you could just as easily read one as another. Not so. Most of his books are New York Times or Amazon bestsellers, and it seems unlikely people would keep buying his works in vast quantities if he didn’t deliver new ideas and at least some value – as per his strident belief regarding a salesperson’s first duty – and with every title. Because Manifesto Selling is, according to Gitomer, a collection of his most powerful and most forward-thinking sales ideas from a variety of his books, it seems the ideal place for a Gitomer beginner to begin and for a Gitomer veteran to get reacquainted with the master’s methods.

A Non-System of Selling

Manifesto sellers, Gitomer maintains, don’t manipulate or pitch prospects; they provide them with great new ideas – much as the author does for his loyal readers with this volume.

Gitomer intends manifesto selling to be innovative. He says it helps salespeople build relationships with prospects. It is meant to protect profits, engender trust and avoid conflict-laden bidding wars. Manifesto selling prospects buy on the basis of perceived value, not according to which vendors feature the lowest prices – which means they must cut their profits to the bone. 

If you want to build wealth, first build a wealth of knowledge. Jeffrey Gitomer

Gitomer advises that this heavily social strategy encompasses social engagement, social media and social selling. Thus, he urges you to create social outreach and branding complete with online messages, tweets and other posts that your recipients will share or retweet. He encourages you to establish long-term relationships that cut out your competitors and to build and maintain your credibility and personal brand.

Gitomer is adamant that you must engage with social media. He insists, too, that successful salespeople are relentlessly social, but should remember that their attractiveness to customers depends entirely on the value they offer. Like many authors in this field, he cautions you to deal only with the most senior executives. Always, Gitomer asserts, start at the top.

Internet and Social Media

Because the manifesto sales approach replaces the traditional selling process, it relies heavily on the internet, social media and the latest communication tech. To increase their visibility, manifesto sellers must become easy to find online. They should supplement their word-of-mouth promotions with what Gitomer – defaulting to the cheesiest, catchiest option – calls “word-of-mouse.”

The main reason salespeople fail or reach only a level of mediocrity is that they don’t concentrate on the customer’s outcome; they’re only focused on their own income.Jeffrey Gitomer

Because manifesto sellers understand that Facebook is the most populous nation on Earth, they use it to broadcast their sales messages to the planet. Manifesto sellers use social media, email and text to connect with customers. Today’s clients turn more quickly to their apps, the author reminds you, than to the internet. Because of this, sales and sales growth are rapidly shifting to apps.

Manifesto sellers move beyond posting text. The most advanced salespeople, Gitomer notes, promote themselves with podcasts.

Podcasting is growing exponentially, and the new leaders will emerge by the spoken word more than by the written word. Jeffrey Gitomer

Manifesto sellers understand that texting is the new instant response mechanism; that is, Gitomer advises – as he risks losing the comprehension of any reader younger than 30 – what the fax used to be. Manifesto sellers avoid cold calling. They connect with prospects via LinkedIn and send customers links to their single-page websites.

Successful Salespeople

Successful salespeople, Gitomer explains, are disciplined, motivated and talented. They know their customers and their products inside and out.

Make all decisions based on the person you seek to become.Jeffrey Gitomer

The only way to learn how the best salespeople stay on top is to ask them. What counts most to them, the author says, is delivering worth, benefits and assistance to their customers. His idealized version of a successful salesperson encompasses enthusiasm, self-belief, presentation skills and unyielding ethics.

Gitomer divulges that “manifesto” means a declaration of intentions. Manifesto sellers treat each day of selling as if it were their first day of selling and treat customers like royalty. They are smiling, approachable, passionate and confident. They handle customer needs personally. They convince without pressure. They always, always, always ask for the sale.

Relentless Optimism

Jeffrey Gitomer’s other best-selling sales books contain nuggets that he adapts here to align with his manifesto sales strategy. That the author rehashes parts of older works – and that he offers little truly new thinking – should not dissuade you from diving in, especially if you haven’t read Gitomer’s earlier books. He provides a 21st-century upgrading of classic sales advice, adapted for the social media age.

While Gitomer promotes himself relentlessly, his advice remains practical common sense and easy for ambitious salespeople to follow. He urges salespeople of every age to vest heavily in social media and to put customer service foremost. While this guidance is hardly groundbreaking, Gitomer frames it as part of any sensible salesperson’s acceptance of new modes of selling. Embrace them, Gitomer urges, or be left behind.

In sales, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.Jeffrey Gitomer

Jeffrey Gitomer’s New York Times bestsellers include his Sales Bible; Little Red Book of Selling; Little Black Book of Connections; and Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude. His other books include Little Book of Leadership; Getting Your Way; Go Live!; Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless; and, believe it or not, many, many others.