BOOK SUMMARY

The Ultimate Sales Machine:

Turbo Charge Your Business with
Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies
By Chet Holmes
Chet Holmes is brilliant. This is the best marketing book Ive read in ages. Here are some of its
valuable insights:
1. Mastery is a direct result of pigheaded discipline and termination.

2. Implementation, not ideas, is the key to real success.

3. There are companies that are ten times bigger than yours, but theyre not working ten times harder; they are
just working smarter.

4. Stick to the six most important things you need to do every day and get them done.

5. Dont be busy, be productive.

6. Spend at least two and a half hours each week growing your company.

7. Take a look at www.chettime.com

8. Put sales folks on a hot seat in front of other sales people.

9. See if you can say this about your company:

1) All employees perform each aspect of their job with a high degree of excellence and consistency.

2) Results are somewhat predictable because training and skills are consistent.

3) Each supervisor would give a similar answer for each question or problem.

4) Each employee would give a similar answer for each question or problem.

5) Client treatment is similar, no matter who the client deals with in our company or department.

6) All staff members know what is considered good performance or attitude.

10. Well, sir, Im happy to send you the reports. In fact, theyre already on their way. But let me tell you what
happens to people who receive our reports. Either they read the reports and are so impressed with the
information they end up signing up for the web seminar Im talking to you about now. Or theyre in such a
reactive mood, reacting to their business, that they never take the time to read the reports or to improve their
business, and they end up doing nothing. My question to you is: Are you the kind of person who would rather
take action and learn how to double your business? Or are you too busy reacting to your current business to
take the time to learn the skills to improve it?

2008 Donald A. Phin

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11. If you want your training to stick, you must do tests and spot quizzes.

12. Consider going through some of your normal tasks while a technical person shadows you and shows you
shortcuts.

13. Conduct workshops that are really effective meetings. For example, you can do a workshop on What is
something else you can offer the buyer at the point of sale?

14. Have sales people and prospects write down What are the drawbacks of not changing or improving this
behavior?

15. We feel its our obligation to alert you to other services that you might want to take advantage of today. So,
Im just going to list these for you. If you have any interest, I can go into more detail.

16. Salespeople not only want to make a sale, they want to be respected, trusted, obtain referrals, box out the
competition, be perceived as an expert, increase their brand loyalty, and other objectives.

17. Is this your first time to HR That Works? Well, let me tell you about it. Talk about your company and,
while doing so, set the markets buying criteria.

18. Call your salespeople presenters or speakers.

Rep: Im one of the speakers who put on this program. Im going to be going around to all the [type of
business] over the next few weeks and presenting this information. The content takes about 38 minutes to
cover and then usually youll have some questions, so most of these sessions last about an hour. Since this is a
community program, we even come to you. You dont have to travel. But we only do these at a time when
you wont be disturbed, so we can get in and out quickly. Whats a time when you can sit and have a good
educational experience without being interrupted?

Prospect: Well, we start at nine and then all hell breaks loose around hereso either at eight or after five.

Rep: We have another program where we buy you lunch. We call it a lunch-and-learn. You have to eat
anyway, so you might as well learn something while youre eating. In this case, you come to a restaurant. We
rent out a room. You get to sit with several other business owners, have a nice lunch, and get a terrific
education on how to ensure the success of your business. Which would you rather do? Have us come to you
during off-hours or attend our lunch-and-learn?

Prospect: The free lunch sounds good.

Rep: Great. Were doing three of those this week. We have one today at noon at [restaurant name]. Then
there is one on Wednesday and one on Friday. Which day works best for you?

Prospect: Cant do it today, but Wednesday looks good.

Rep: Great. Ill put you down for Wednesday. Now this is a very expensive program for us, but theres no
cost to you. Like I said, we thrive if our local community thrives. So we have only one condition for you
attending. Youve agreed to attend on Wednesday. When we fill up that day, we will start to turn people
away who want to attend. So once you commit, all we ask is the professional courtesy that you attend or at
least give us 24 hours notice to fill your seat if you cant come. Does that seem fair?

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 Prospect: Sure.

Rep: Great. Write my phone number on your calendar so if you need to reschedule, youll have it handy.

19. When you sell, you break rapport, but when you educate, you build it. When people feel they are being sold,
they automatically resist you.

20. Make a presentation idiot-proof for the salespeople. For example, you can give them a PowerPoint story or
use a 3-ring presentation binder that stands up on a desk. Conduct a webinar on The Five Most Dangerous
Trends Facing _______________. As part of the story, find market data that makes your product or services
much more important. Consider using Empire Research Group www.empireresearchgroup.com.

21. When hiring salespeople, try to get people with high influence and high dominance.

22. About half of the salespeople Ive worked with over the years gave up after a single rejection. They would
call a client, the client would say no, and the salesperson would never call that person back. Very few, perhaps
only 4 percent to 5 percent, keep trying after four rejections. Yet, as you learned from the previous chapter,
Ive found that it takes about 8.4 rejections to get a meeting. And what makes the difference between people
who will face that rejection one time and quit or 40 times and never quit is determined purely by the strength
of their ego. You must set up the expectation to salespeople that they will receive rejection and not to take it
personally.

23. When interviewing: relax, probe, attack. Ask the following questions:

What events or influences from your childhood shaped who you are today?
What are some of the biggest challenges in your life? They need not be work-related.
What was the toughest sale you ever made? (Make sure you ask for all the details and step-by-step
specifics of this experience.)
Tell me about a time in your life when the odds were stacked against you but you overcame them
and succeeded.
Tell me three or four things of which you are most proud.
Have you ever practiced and reached a high level in any area beyond just getting by in life?
How would your best friend describe you?
Of everyone you know, who has the most faith in you? Why?
What are your best memories?
What is the last self-help book you read or CD you listened to or DVD you watched?
Why did you leave your last three positions?
Where you unhappy? Why?
Tell me about a disappointment or disagreement youve had with a boss and what happened?
Name two weak points of previous bosses.
Name two instances when a supervisor criticized you.
Do you feel lucky?

Ask candidates to rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 10 in these areas:

Ambition
Confidence
Ability to face rejection
Establishing rapport
Qualifying skills

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 Ability to create desire in your prospects
Closing skills
Time management
Presentation skills
Strategic thinking
Market knowledge
Self-improvement
Getting around gatekeepers.

24. You seem like a nice person, but I only have one opening. I need a real superstar. While Im sure you would
do well in many endeavors, this is a very competitive industry and I doubt your particular skills and
personality will hold up in this position. To be truthful, I dont get the impression youre really a superstar. It
takes an insurance salesperson a lot of time to build up income, but the rewards are fantastic if you get a big
book of business. And the ongoing clients provide residual income. But the salespeople were always given the
incentives to get new business. We reduced the percentage that the rep could make from residual business
each year. So for the first year, salespeople earn 30 percent commission on all business. For the second year,
they continue to earn 30 percent on new business but earn only 20 percent on the ongoing business from the
clients firm the previous year. The third year and thereafter, new business is still 30 percent but ongoing
business drops down to 10 percent. The new business is where the bucks are, so reps have a powerful
incentive to get new business all the time.

25. I wish I had more than one position because I really like you. But Ive only going the one position and Im
wondering if youre really the right fit.

26. Sales Superstar Wanted $50K to $300K

Dont even call unless you are the best and con prove it. Earn $50K if youre average. $150K if youre good,
and $300K plus if youre great. This is in the [type of industry here], but we hire star performers, not
backgrounds. You or oldif you have the stuff, well know. Will train someone who has everything we
want. Small base, but huge performance rewards to get you to $300K and beyond each year. Must be
awesome at opening doors and getting appointments from a cold start. Must be highly self-motivated, a
terrific presenter and communicator, and a barracuda closer. Come and build your own empire within our
fine, progressive company. We have a superb reputation and need real stars to bring in the best accounts.
Email rsum to:

27. Five Most Dangerous Trends Facing the Insurance Industry:

1. Diminishing revenues as a result of soft markets.

2. A diminishing talent pool coupled with significant retention concerns.
3. Increased competition from payroll providers such as ADP, Ceridian, and
PayChex, as well as from big houses such as AON and Marsh.
4. Direct sales and internet sales by underwriters.
5. Client expectations of something more than just an insurance policy.

28. We must think in terms of the lifetime value of a client and adjust marketing programs accordingly.

29. Create an ad with an executive facing the camera and two lawyers about the pounce on him.

30. Ask: How can we be distinctive? What can we do to stand out and stop people in their tracks? As Seth Godin
would say, How do you become purple in a crowd of black and white?

31. Make your direct mail envelopes colorful and have copy on the front of them.

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32. Anytime you issue a press release, provide data.

33. Next time you go to a tradeshow, throw a party.

34. At the next tradeshow, come dressed as the HR or insurance doctor or detective.

35. Produce data WOWs for HRstatistics regarding turnover, HR being #4, talk about the failure rate in the
industry or the growth rate in the industry. There are more memberships in SHRM and more degree
programs. Let the HR person know that their career is at risk. Talk about the size of the employment law bar.

36. On a call, never apologize or thank the prospect for their time. If possible, always try to stand up during your
presentation. In making a presentation:

Make it exciting.
Move fast as the wind.
Make it a dynamic and compelling experience.
Know the material cold.
Draw some conclusions for your audience.
Dont read the bullets mindlessly.
Develop the patter between the panels covered below:
State of the industry, how time have changed
Five trends that could put you out of business or send you to the stars
Some solutions everyone should know to succeed
How you can be ahead of the pack in every way.

37. Instead of calling it a presentation, call it an executive briefing.

38. Do a presentation on the Five Most Dangerous Trends Facing Manufacturing. As you know, we rely on the
manufacturers to be successful. To that end, we have commission a study and found that you have some
serious problems. To help make certain that manufacturers are successful, we are now making this
information available at no cost to you.

39. Here are six simple steps to get your dream clients:

1. Choose your Dream 100.

2. Choose the gifts.
3. Create your Dream 100 letters.
4. Create your Dream 100 calendar.
5. Conduct Dream 100 follow-up one calls.
6. Present the executive briefing.

40. For statistical information, consider going to www.zapdata.com.

41. This is a free [your industry] community service sponsored by our firm as a way to give something back to
the market. This executive briefing contains more than $3 million in research; its boiled down to a bullet-
style, fast-paced outstanding education on how to increase business in this scary period of rising competition
and [fill in other pain point here]. Call for your free executive briefing today. The clock is ticking and youre
losing money.

42. Send a calculator with the HR That Works Cost Calculator document.

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43. Once you set an appointment, forward three communication pieces: 1) one to confirm the appointment and
sell the heck out of the content, 2) a brief one-page letter from another executive whos seen the material, and
3) a worksheet that requires prospects to fill in the blanks.

44. Have a whole bunch of teasers such as ______________ is the single most important trait shared by HR
executives who earn more than $100,000 per year.

45. The Insurance Jungle or the HR Jungle.

46. What is your biggest personnel problem? What would it be worth to you if this problem could be fixed
forever? What would it cost for you not to fix this problem?

47. So, when do we sign you up?

48. Figure out some type of bonus products we can supply companies. Were so sure this program is going to
help you, were going to give you $2,000 in bonus products. Take this program and use it. If you feel its not
more than 100 times worth the investment, let us know and you can get a complete refund. For your trouble,
you can keep the $2,000 in bonus products.

49. Does your HR department have its own vision, mission, and goals? Is it a strategic partner? Are they viewed
as an income producer or a cost center?

50. Record your auto-suggestions to your subconscious.

Its a great day today.

Success comes to me easily.
Im a millionaire.
I attract great partners.
Sales come easily to me.
It is easy and fun being successful.
I only think positive thoughts.
Im in perfect health.
I have a wonderful family.
I have great relationships.
I am spiritually grounded.
I love to make sales calls.
I love to cold call in the morning.

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