Book Review Irresistible Persuasion: The Secret Way To Get To Yes Every Time REVIEWED BY KATY BRANUM

I first came across this book, when tasked to manage a sales team in a small but ambitious business. However, I discovered that Burch provides a fantastic checklist to ensure that your whole business is presenting professionally to existing customers and prospective customers alike.

This book also includes important tips for your sales team on how to engage effectively. Burch provides valuable tips for both the new intern to the sales team as well as the seasoned professional.

Burch is a leading authority on sales, customers, leadership and change. He was recently voted ‘Business Communicator of the Year’ by the UK Speechwriters’ Guild. He frequently contributes to, and presents on TV and radio, helping small businesses survive and thrive. It is therefore not surprising that some of the concepts in this book go beyond your sales and marketing team, and provides solid advice for all managers and directors. It also includes a business concept that is close to my heart, which is, “always look for the win/win” as this is the basis for all good business; a concept that is often overlooked in Curaçao.

Another key insight is that “you cannot plan a journey if you have no idea where you are going.” While this may seem like a strange statement, in essence, it is something that is unintentionally ignored by business owners as they get tied up with day-to-day tasks. Often, business owners tend to focus on the operational parts of the business rather than a longterm vision for their company. It is vital that as a business owner, you have identified your long-term vision and have developed a plan to accomplish these goals. Doing this will allow you to focus and measure what is important and what is not. You will be surprised how easy your day will become once your longterm goals are clear.

Connected to this, is the next great piece of advice, “pick a target and make a list of things that stand between you and victory.” This is fairly straightforward, and a good exercise to do once the previous insight is clarified. The next suggestion is a natural follow-up step: “if you get an opportunity, don’t waste it – make sure you know exactly how you’re going to use it.” You can clearly see how each of these tips link together to really get you and your business humming.

Another key piece of advice is about your people, and the question is asked, “Have you Ambassadors or Assassins working for you?” This is really about two aspects of people management. Firstly, people can be unexpectedly wonderful, if their energies are focused positively and in the right direction, often spending the time clearly explaining to them what we want them to do will greatly help here. Secondly, it is important to remember that no one is born with a bad attitude but that it is a behavior that they consciously choose for themselves. These are issues that can be tackled with a human resources team, once the previous steps are clarified, to make sure that everyone pulling in the right direction.

The final thought that I will leave you with is about prospecting, because sales are core to business success. Remember, “no one is ever, very, very interested.” This is so key, as it quickly identifies who, in your sales funnel, is a validated prospect and where there is more work for your sales team to do.

There are many more gems in this book, so I highly recommend reading it. It’s absolutely full of business wisdom.