How to Sell at Margins Higher Than Your Competitors : Winning Every Sale at Full Price, Rate, or Fee

I originally read this book about 8 years ago, at a time when I was very unsure of how to handle pricing conversations with customers. At the time, I was "cracking" (subtly indicating I wasn't confident in my price, a term I learned from this book). That, in turn, was causing customers who were not very price sensitive to feel obligated to negotiate hard on price. In addition, I didn't have a sense of how to communicate business value outside of price. Its hard to remember now, but at the time every time I sent off a quote I used to negotiate with myself, fearing that the price was too high and that the customer would be scared off.After reading this book, I raised prices and stopped cracking. The results were spectacular (admittedly, I work with a very unique product, so my product was particularly amenable to this approach). This book absolutely changed my business, and as a result it changed my life. Sounds melodramatic, but it is true. I highly recommend it. I think it is a clear way to think about business and sales, especially at a time when more and more business is based on unique intellectual property, where price is a secondary concern. I never talk about price anymore (beyond stating it as a fact), but I have a ton to talk about in terms of business value, and that is all I need.

This is a small but detailed book and one I recommend to any sales manager charged with getting margins up. A bonus with the book is a complete addenda that lists all the ways professional buyers will mistreat (beat up ) a seller in order to get him to crack on price. if you have been there as a sales man you will recognize some of these immediately! Buyers lie in order to get you to lower price. If they could get it from someone else at a better price, why are they still talking to you (unless they can't get delivery, quality, service or they are not allowed). The authors discussion of the price buyer is excellent and thorough. What I appreciate about the book is that it is more than a list of what happens, they then give you tactics that are useful in the sale. I have been at this a long time, and never knew the breadth of tactics in this book. I have already been able to use a few in the last few days to great results. (What do they say about the old dog, new tricks?) Their one chapter analysis on setting prices gives the practitioner immediate tools to help decide where you should stand. They are dead set against letting the market determine price - you have to. An essential book for your sales library.

This book was GREAT, my yellow highlighter really got a 'workout' with this one. When I started in a sales rep position, it was always so easy to just drop the price a 'bit' and take the easy way to get the sale, this book does a great job presenting the facts and figures that show you how much you need to increase your sales to overcome even a slight dip in margins, the math is really a eye opener, at least it was for me. It really makes you think twice before you drop that price. This book is a must for anyone in sales, especially if you are in a highly competitive market or selling a lot of units.

I'd say that conceptually the main idea is simple. But because most companies instinctively act with emotion and not logic in regards to pricing, the principle needs to be brow beaten in us before we'll act in our best interest. I'm committed to protecting margin at all costs.

Much of this book is a sales pitch about the importance of making higher margins on sales. This I already knew and believed, and why I bought this book in the first place. After all of the good reviews, I will have to go back and re-read this, as I didn't get a clear answer as to how to compete in online business channels when competitors are slashing prices. My company has no issue with service, quality and delivery, returns, etc.. We ship next day, the highest quality products and answer customer service questions almost immediately. I wanted a book on HOW to make bigger profit margins not the importance of them. I will re-read this book again to see if there was something I missed...

I'm both a buyer and sales person in my small business. I saw myself as a buyer using some of the tactics described an I saw myself as a seller having pricing fears as were described.I highly recommend that any business read through the author's math on how much extra product/service must be sold just to make up for a 10% price decrease.Trust the math!Business will go broke by raising prices but few business actually go bankrupt because their prices are too high.

This is an extremely well written book. Lots of Tips. Great insight into how buyers try to get you to reduce prices. I have purchased 5 copies of this book and given them to all of the people with direct influence on pricing, negotiation and financial decisions in the company. Once you understand and begin applying the principles, the margins just go up. The book will change your whole outlook such that you don't feel guilty turning down business that is only price based. This is probably the most significant business improvement book I have read in the last 5 years,

Well written, direct and to the point. Explores many real world scenarios and continues to stress the importance of not folding on price at the slightest hurdle, rather repetitive on this but that is the whole point of reinforcing the principals. Richard N.Z 2016

I can only agree with the previous reviewer. This is the best, most comprehensive book on selling I've ever read. And I've read quite a few! I'm a middle aged, self employed English woman who runs a creative arts- based business, so who would have thought that a book squarely written by, and presumably aimed at career salesmen in America would have any relevance to me? And yet I found so may insights into the psychology of selling, and practical strategies that I can use in my own business, that I've already taken some advice from the book in the few days I've been reading it, and seen good results already.The tone of the book is very easy to read and entertaining, and the authors throw in many anecdotes - some funny, some thought provoking, as well as a few alarming statistics- to make their points throughout. And indeed, as was said by an earlier reviewer, the back section alone makes it a worthwhile investment, with a long list of "what the client will say to intimidate you/ get you to drop your price" and corresponding things you can say to counter their arguments and win the sale. It's pack full of useful information.Unusually for a book on selling, the authors don't push you to get the sale 'at any price' but urge you instead to see the bigger picture, and see the effect of prices and selling techniques throughout your own firm, and indeed the effect that profit margins can have on an entire industry sector. Altogether a thought provoking, educational and intelligent read, with the very real promise of increased profitability if you take their advice!The only thing that might get you slightly peeved on occasion is that, almost exclusively, the examples given are American companies, and the authors are apt to assume that you, gentle reader, must be American too. Luckily this is most prevalent in the earlier chapters, but as the examples they give are so clearly general in application, I doubt it will both you much. And of course, if you do happen to be American, it won't bother you at all :)I urge you to buy this book, if you are a business owner, a salesman, or even someone who just wants to sell some cakes for charity! It's a really, really good. When I've finished reading it, I plan on re- reading it again very soon, to soak up all the info that I missed the first time around!

I work in digital marketing, while this book is written with more traditional salesmen in mind, it's principles are absolutely transferable and invaluable.I started marking pages I wanted to re-read and basically bookmarked the entire thing! Really valuable tool, more than once I've flicked through it before sending off proposal documents or going into pitches.

Very good. Succinct in style and worthwhile.

Die Autoren Lawrence Steinmetz und William Brooks erläutern, welche Vorteile es hat, einen höheren Preis zu verlangen als die Konkurrenz. Es gibt einen offensichtlichen Grund, der aber gerade für Verkäufer nur sehr schwer zu erkennen ist: Der Preis ist eine Aussage über die Qualität einer Leistung. Dies stimmt. Ich selbst habe erlebt, wie ein Interessent das für ihn schlechtere Produkt kaufte, weil er der Meinung war, dass das bessere Produkt einfach zu billig sei. Es war wirklich zu preisgünstig.Die Autoren zeigen auf, welche Auswirkungen es hat, wenn der Preis und damit die Gewinnmarge reduziert wird .Mit einfachen Dreisätzen wird hier jedem Verkäufer Wissen vermittelt, die viele zumindest in konkreten Verkaufssituationen zu vergessen scheinen. Des Weitern bittet das Buch jedem Verkäufer konkrete Hilfe in Verkaufssituationen an und hilft die Verhaltensweise von Einkäufern zu analysieren.Nach dem Lesen dieses Buches wird jeder Verkäufer etwas länger überlegen, bevor er mit dem Argument "Ich kann nichts verkaufen, weil wir teurer sind als die Konkurrenz" auf seine Firma mit der Bitte um eine Preisreduktion zu geht. Es wird auch jedem Verkäufer helfen, über andere Verkaufsargumente nachzudenken als über den Preis. Übrigens zeigt dieses Buch auf, dass gerade der Preis nur in extrem seltenen Fällen der ausschlaggebende Grund für oder gegen einen Kauf ist.Das Buch ist so geschrieben, dass es gerade für Verkäufer des Abends im Hotel oder während der Reise im Flugzeug gut und einfach zu lesen ist. Dies ist ein weiterer Pluspunkt für dieses Werk.Ein Buch, das ich jedem Verkäufer als Jahresendgeschenk empfehle.

There a lots of ideas inside, on how you need to focus at with your sales. Not all of them are useful for your particular business - but anyway, it gives you always another point of view. I have really enjoyed reading it. For sure I will reread some chapters.