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High Trust Selling Todd M. Duncan Thomas Nelson Publishers Nashville, TN 2002 248 pp. $22.99 (hardcover)
www.thomasnelson.com
Keywords Sales, Selling, Trust, Personal selling, Marketing strategy
Review DOI 10.1108/07363760410514030
I must admit that when commencing my review of High Trust Selling I was somewhat skeptical that this book could make a real contribution to the improvement of personal selling. However, I quickly changed my opinion: The book does make an important contribution in the development of professional salespeople. High Trust Selling provides the reader with a sound guide and considerable insight into the nature and process of professional selling.
As the title suggests, Todd Duncan focuses on explaining how to win and maintain the trust of clients that is essential for professionalism in personal selling. He deals with these issues by structuring the book in two sections. In the first seven chapters, Duncan explains how to lay the foundation, at an individual level, to become a trustworthy salesperson. In the following seven chapters he extends this to building a trustworthy sales business.
When laying the foundation for becoming a trustworthy salesperson, the book demands that the reader take stock of the reasons for his or her pursuit of a career in selling. The author addresses many of the psychological aspects with which individuals must comes to terms about themselves prior to embarking on a sales career. Motivation, personal failure, commitment, fulfillment and success are some of the issues that are covered. Mr Duncan challenges the reader, in a most confronting manner, to think deeply about whether he or she has, or can acquire, the sort of personality and vision that are needed to gain customer trust and thus success in selling.
Although the earlier chapters of the book explore aspects having to do with the personality of the individual salesperson, the author does not ignore the practical side of personal selling. This is encapsulated in seven "Laws":
(1) The Law of the Iceberg explains that...