Book review
Frank Bettger describes profoundly experiences to succeed in selling.
Bettger's book, How I raised myself from failure to success in selling, is deserving of a
five-star rating, because he explains and shows the real facts in salesmanship, the
impediments and the success in the same time. Bettger relates his own experiences as a
salesman; his intentions are that every new salesperson should take his book as an advice and
should follow all the rules he gives. The author relates about enthusiasm in job,
confidentiality, how to remember and to not forget costumers, and how to be organized.
Furthermore, Bettger increases a hope for those who believe that salesmanship is their
vocation and gives them more interest to continue this career.
Frank Bettger was a baseball player at his 20's; one day he had a big accident at one of
his arm and from that moment he ended his career as a baseball player. After that he decided
to do something different, so he started to sell life insurance. This job did not make him happy
until one day he heard a poem which made him to continue this career. One of the things was
that he started to put more enthusiasm in his work and to see things differently. He's routine
at work was to call people and to convince them to buy life insurance. Unfortunately this was
not enough; to make people to believe him he started to talk with more enthusiasm, to put
more questions, and to be organized. These changes raised his income, but more than
that he started to sell life insurance more than he did before. He believes that working with
enthusiasm is one of the biggest steps in a sale career. "Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and
you'll become enthusiastic!" (15)
After a while when his experience grew Bettger discovered and learned, in the
same time, that to be confident is what most of the people like. Asking questions made him to
believe that the interviews are more productive and consistent. The author found that asking
a question "is the only way to get people to think!" (62) Some of the questions that he used, in
one of the biggest contracts of his life, where what ambitions, hopes and objectives from that
interview the costumer is expecting. All these questions made his business to be
prospering and to grow as he wanted. The author knew that people like to make business, but
they also like that some questions to remain without answers. In his book Bettger gives six
things that salesmen should learned to approach the question method. The most important is
"Enables you to help the other fellow recognize what he wants. Then you can help him decide
how to get it." (62)
Equally important from Bettger's experience is to remember names and faces in many
cases. The best way to memorize these is to remember three words: impression, repetition,
and association. He is convinced that if a salesperson memorize these things will be much
easy to remember names and faces avoiding the salesman to talk too much. Impression is to
get a clear interest in someone's name and if is hard to be memorized do not be afraid to ask
the person again. Repetition is when having a conversation with somebody that person's name
is repeated at short intervals to make sure the brain is going to catch it. Association is when a
face is associated with a picture or with the person's business. Sincerity and honesty make
a businessman to be believed and to increase his reputation. "If you want to be welcome
everywhere, give every living soul you meet a smile, from down deep inside." (128)
Again Bettger shows that costumers are the main point to make a sale; sometimes just
using the business card can make the business to prosper. If a salesman is remember and is
calling a costumer after a wile is a good way to make that man to do not forget the new
business that he made. Many costumers like to share their happiness and success in business
with other friends or neighbors; they will not forget, and they will tell to the other people
about their new friend and about what he did for them. "New costumers are the best source of
new business...new costumers." (164)
Similarly important is to be self-organized; making appointments and keeping them in
a note book makes a salesman to be more organized and to have everything in the right place.
The time is very important in this business, not only for the salesman but especially for the
costumers. Many businesspeople are too busy to accept a strange visitor without to have an
appointment and without to know what it his business about. Bettger's suggestion is to make
appointments with a week before, to make sure a confirmation will be received in the
meantime. The author said that the following rule is good to memorize "First, sell the
appointment, second, sell your product." (144)
Otherwise Bettger became a good salesman after he had reading The
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. This book was his inspiration to act with enthusiasm,
to be confident, to remember names and faces, to be self-organized, and to not forget his
costumers. All those people who not have success in their work should read Bettger's book;
he relates everything they need, not only how to succeed but more than that how to not be
afraid to fail when a sail does not work. To be a salesman is not easy it just needs enthusiasm
and power to succeed in this business. Bettger said "take one thing at a time, and give a
week's strict attention to that one thing; leaving all the others to their ordinary chance." (191)
