How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling Book Summary

Book Summary

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Brief Summary

Being a salesperson is a road full of rejections and failures, but your enthusiasm for your job will pay off sooner or later. Being in sales just isn’t a quitter’s game. Also, a sale is more about a client than about you. Why should someone buy your product? Put yourself in their shoes and you’ll start listening more than pitching. It’s all about making them feel important, and even if they reject you, don’t just walk away. Go the extra mile and find out why. At the end of the day, it’s all about how persistent you are.

About the Author

Frank Bettger was an American baseball player turned salesman and self-help author. His career in sales was marred by setbacks, especially at the age of 29, when he failed as an insurance salesman. However, by the age of 40, Frank had become one of America’s best salesmen.

He has written 7 books, of which How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling became an international bestseller. Frank gave credit for his success to Dale Carnegie, a renowned self-help author.

Topics

Career & Success

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Key Insights

Contrary to popular belief, being a salesperson is more about engaging with people in a meaningful way than throwing at them savvy and clever sales pitches. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger is a remarkable read that gives you the right tools to be a successful salesperson.

While enthusiasm should be the basis of your professional motivation, the success of your sale depends on how well you listen to your clients. Ask yourself, are they honest with you. If no, have you inquired about the real reason why they rejected you? You’ll be surprised how much honesty can help you secure long-term sales. Also, are you up to date with your products, your competitors’ products, and market trends? Make it a point to address these questions if you’re a salesman.

‘Fake it till you make it’ is a real thing

Put yourself in the shoes of a salesperson. You go to ten people and try to sell them a product. What do you think will most likely happen? Nine out of ten people will reject you, and most of them will cut you off before you even make a pitch. That sounds depressing. So, how do salespeople cope with all these rejections?

It turns out that fake it till you make it isn’t just a popular buzzword — it’s a real thing. Today, research tells us that if you fake smile when you’re feeling down, you’ll eventually feel better. Similarly, salespeople always remain enthusiastic about their job. They never let rejection put them down. No matter how much they’re hurting inside, they’ll have a smile painted on their face and be enthusiastic about it.

The same happened with Frank Bettger, a baseball player turned salesman. He was fired from the team because he lacked the ambition and excitement on the pitch. But then, he faked the enthusiasm and got in the hang of it to the extent that he became a source of inspiration for his team and was able to negotiate for better pay.

Make the conversation about the client

Being a salesperson is more about listening than talking. Sounds counterintuitive, right? People assume that you sell products by asking them to buy your product. It’s the opposite of that. You need to connect with them first and understand their motivations.

You learn their motivations by asking them questions. If you’re selling screen protectors, don’t start the conversation with screen protectors, start it by asking the person what phone they use and how much they value it. This serves two purposes. First, your client feels heard, and isn’t that the start of all good relationships? Second, you’ll know how to lead the conversation subtly towards a sale after you’ve listened to what the client has said.

At one point, Frank Bettger talked to one of his clients for over six hours in one go. The client was so impressed by Frank’s dedication towards his clients that he bought the product immediately. That’s the power of having meaningful conversations.

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