It has been a while since I’ve done a true book review, but I could not help myself. The Ultimate Sales Machine by late, great Chet Holmes had me gripped from the title alone.
I don’t usually read accolades or the fluff on the covers, only a summary if one is provided. This had a 1 paragraph sentence that I knew would speak to me. The book is (obviously) about sales, but it incorporates so many marketing tactics that I wouldn’t have been let down if it was called a “The Ultimate Marketing Machine” either.
The Outline
Chet draws out 12 key strategies for implementing The Ultimate Sales Machine using real-world stories drawn from his prior experience. He touches on everything from billboards and direct mailers to cold calling and techniques for getting Fortune 500 CEO’s on the phone.
Since so much of this is my background I ripped through the book in record time, finishing the last 100+ pages on a single day! He talks about the necessity of “piggheaded determination” and how discipline is so key in sales, which I completely agree with. You cannot be successful in sales (of any kind) without determination and he does a fantastic job of citing examples and using analogies from his karate background to illustrate this.
If you are looking for internet marketing tips, this isn’t the best book for that. It was written in 2007 before internet marketing was as widely used as it is today. He has a few tips, but for the most part he sales and marketing tactics are through the mail and more importantly the phone. Too many people today don’t know how to use a phone, but that’s a rant for another time!
Two of the most important points Chet covers are (in my opinion) headlines and how to stand out from the crowd. Headlines are a simple point, but he continues to talk about them and use them in examples throughout the entire book. In essence, you could write the best book in the world, but if the title sucks, nobody is going to read it.
Standing out from the crowd is not a new concept, but he gives some great examples of times when he wasn’t afraid to take risks to get attention. You will never be able to close sales if you can’t people’s attention. He does a fantastic job of explaining this in long-form through examples and subtle hints.
Who Should Read This Book
If you participate in any form of sales or marketing, you would be a fool not to read this. If you sell anything at all (even just pitching yourself as a small business owner), this is worth your time. CEO’s, VP’s, and strategic planners at the high levels need to understand all these concepts as well. There are many ideas that can be implemented to help a sales force that is large or small.
Finally, I know I have many furniture business readers… YOU ALL NEED TO READ THIS. I couldn’t help but think back to my time in the furniture industry and relate all of these techniques into that model to improve them. Chet Holmes is a very “Joe Reimels” type of guy that is intense, but that has great information.
Why You Should Read This Book
The Ultimate Sales Machine teaches fundamentals about sales and marketing. It teaches you how to get in front of your key audience. Many small businesses or marketing companies have great products, ideas, and services. But few know how to get in front of more, ideal, and large customer.
This book gives you the tools to do just that and much more!
You can pick up a copy of The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies
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Thanks for the book Jim Blaylock, I really enjoyed this!
Have a great day!
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