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

I can think of 5 business books everyone should read, this is number 1

There are two types of people who want to absorb this book: salespeople and business owners or executives. If as a salesperson, you've found yourself getting "beat up" by prospects and customers, this book teaches you in simple and easy to understand language how to not only put an end to getting beat up but how to also make the sale. If as a salesperson, you find yourself spending inordinate amounts of time with customers who are difficult to work with, this book reveals how to work with only the best customers - and make more money while you do it. If as a salesperson your commissions are slim because your selling price is too low and you haven't been able to sell at a higher price, this book will expose exactly how to raise your selling price and your commissions. If you are a business owner or executive, you will want to read this book for two critical reasons. One, you will learn how to put an end to your salespeople's whining and complaining about losing the sale to low-price competitors. You'll FINALLY KNOW HOW TO CALL THEIR BLUFF! No longer will your salespeople be able to "snow" you with their inability to sell. Now, you will be able to "call the shots" they way they really are so that your salespeople produce results instead of excuses. Two, you will learn exactly how to keep your business out of bankruptcy and move your business away from break-even mode to high margin, high profitability mode. On my end, I wish someone would have pointed me to this book when I first got started in sales so that I could have saved myself years of hardship. On your end, you'll be glad I recommended that you get this book for yourself so that you too are able to save years of hardship.

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,

Those of us who have read Steinmetz's How to Sell at Prices Higher Than Your Competitors (first published in 1992) were delighted to learn that he has co-authored a new book with William T. Brooks. The need for Steinmetz's insights is even greater now than it was 13 years ago, especially given the focus in this book on margins. Of course, this presumes that margins have been accurately measured, as have been those of competitors. For many of who read this book, I suspect, one or both assumptions are incorrect. Frankly, I am astonished by the nature and extent of ignorance and/or misunderstanding of margins. The consequences are predictable. Consider these statistics which Michael Gerber cites in The E-Myth Mastery: "Of the 1 million U.S. small businesses started this year [2005], more than 80% of them will be out of business within 5 years and 96% will have closed their doors before their 10th birthday." These are indeed chilling statistics. Now consider this one: The average life expectancy of all businesses in the U.S. is 7.7 years. The reasons are varied, of course, but one of the most common is to sell a product or service for less than its total cost to produce or provide. If decision-makers in companies (regardless of size or nature) do not know exactly what the given costs are, they sure as hell don't know what the margins are. Anyone who challenges that statement are urged to re-read the statistics just cited. Steinmetz and Brooks carefully organize and then present their material within 19 chapters, followed by an appendix, "The Premium Price Seller's Ready Reference Guide." (This appendix all by itself is worth far more than the cost of the book.) What especially impresses me about their approach is primary emphasis on effective application of the strategies and tactics recommended. To me, the word "downsizing" is frequently misapplied. The more appropriate word would be "right-sizing." Within the frame-of-reference within which Steinmetz and Brooks present their observations and recommendations, the key word is "right-pricing." Their expertise is based on dozens of years of real-world experience with thousands of different companies. They are determined, indeed passionate about helping decision-makers to answer questions such as these: 1. What is the total cost of what we sell? 2. Given that, what must our margins be? 3. What are general guidelines on how to price? 4. How can service be a decisive competitive advantage? 5. Why should we avoid those whose purchase decision is based solely on price? 6. How can we sell at higher prices with lower volume and thereby increase profits? 7. What are "the two cardinal sins" of selling? Why? 8. What are the indicators of over-pricing? 9. What are the indicators of under-pricing? 10. How to close on a sale when price is the only remaining barrier? The observations and recommendations which Steinmetz and Brooks offer in this brilliant book are, however, essentially worthless unless and until

I just received this new book and read it cover to cover over a three day period. The authors do an excellent job of demonstrating the effects of discounting on profits, and why it is considerably better to sell less volume at higher prices. After all, the function of a business is not to be huge, but to be profitable. Numerous examples are given. Once this is established, the authors go to great lengths to show how salesmen should behave in order to get these higher prices, and the tricks that customers and purchasing agents pull to try to force us to give big discounts. If you are a B2B sales pro, this book is well worth your time to read it, and the $20 investment.