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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 9, 2020
Good book for sales professionals!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 28, 2014
I was working at a start up consultancy the first time a Request for Proposal (RFP) crossed my path. I believed 100 percent in the value my organization offered and I saw this as a great opportunity to land a really big client. With our great services and our talented team of writers (who I knew could knock this proposal outta the park), how could we possibly lose? Boy what I didn’t know! My CEO wasn’t optimistic and I couldn’t understand why, but she gave the go-ahead, and so the work began. Writing that proposal was a labor of love that radically consumed my time and also the time of a few key players in the organization. In the end we had a killer proposal and with fingers crossed and spirits high we sent it off. Soon after we heard back from the prospect via a courteous note informing us we didn’t win---the job remained with the supplier they were already using.
I’ve forgiven myself for my naivety about that first RFP, but succeeding in the era of Procurement is one of those “fool me twice, shame on me” situations, and like most folks, I’m not fond of playing the fool. I'm also not a fan of doing a ton of work for no return. I applied myself to getting smart about not landing on the vendor grid, RFPs, and all the other challenges of selling in the era of Procurement. Beyond Selling Value, the great book also by Dan Kosch and Mark Shonka, quickly became my primary go-to source for learning.
When Breaking the Rules recently came out, I felt like I’d won the lottery. 111 Tips for Selling Value in the era of Procurement is the subtitle of the book, but my opinion is that “Tips” shortchanges the value of this great book. This is not friendly advice or feel-good recommendations with a few worthy tidbits buried in fluffy content like you find in other books. This is no nonsense strategy; 111 strategies for handling some of the toughest Procurement challenges around. Many of the Tips are geared to help you avoid dealing with Procurement in the first place and can get you right to the decision makers. And if you’ve attended any of IMPAX’s on-site trainings or webinars, you know that these 111 Tips are just a fragment of the knowledge Mark and Dan and their team of global IMPAX trainers have to offer. These guys are out there every day working live deals with clients. They know what the real world of sales is like, and they've brought their experiences and intelligent creativity to the pages of this book, a handbook, really, that every sales professional needs to have.
Thanks to Mark and Dan, these days when I find myself facing an RFP, I know how to recognize the hallmarks that help me decide if this proposal is worth my time and effort. And I know how to efficiently dig for that information if it is not immediately apparent. I know how to uncover the issues Procurement faces, what it’s trying to accomplish, and how I can help Procurement win, which gains me quick access to the CPO (instead of spinning my wheels with a purchasing agent). And when I get in front of the real decision makers, the folks who have the power to offer a fair price for value, I know how to shine. Check out Tip #77 (Stand up and Stand Out!) if you want to know my favorite. Oh, and Tip # 106 (Walk Away), I wish I’d had this knowledge back when I got that first RFP as I really believe it could have changed the rues in our favor. Breaking the Rules reminds you that even when you feel like you have no control, you always have control over the way you react. And that reaction is often what opens the door to winning the sale.
My recommendation is to buy this book, use this book, bring this book to your sales manager and tell him or her to get it into the hands of every sales person on your team. Because when the rules are written to make us lose, those rules simply have to be broken.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 13, 2014
Breaking the Rules is an outstanding follow up to Beyond Selling Value. In our organization, our strategic account managers have to be vigilant to ensure they overcome the vendor trap, and in particular the Procurement Gatekeeping Process. Breaking the rules gives a process of how to avoid or overcome this situation with real life examples that are quickly related to by anyone in the selling arena. The structure and organization of the book makes it a compelling read, and the examples and anecdotes brings it home. Breaking the Rules is a must read for all sales professionals who are continuing to master their skills. I give this 5 stars based on the excellent real life experience and examples in the book, the strong structure and organization to the book, and the conversational writing style which makes it an easy read, with just the right amount of fact, examples, interspersed with a little bit of humor.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 8, 2013
Shonka and Kosch do it again with this innovative and timely resource for those of us selling in the age of procurement. This book has helped my organization learn and accept the fact that the individuals developing the rules seem to be particularly good at stripping our value away. The eye opener for many of us has been that the rule makers are almost never the true decision makers.
“Breaking the Rules” brings new meaning to the concept of empowerment. It’s helping our teams assess opportunities and construct strategies in ways we never have before. Referencing the practical examples in the book of ways to BE BOLD and bring our message of value to the people that truly care about value is transforming the way we work…and the way we look at opportunities. We love the fact that we’ll never look at an RFP the same way again.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 20, 2013
Mark Shonka and Dan Kosch have successfully followed their debut book, Beyond Selling Value, with Breaking the Rules. Once again, we are reminded that value leading organizations and the professionals who represent them need to work harder than ever to get credit for the value and differentiation they bring to customers. We are reminded that success is not driven by "flavor of the day strategies"; but rather fundamental practices of sound selling. Breaking the Rules is full of principles, strategies and approaches that sales professionals may immediately apply to challenging, procurement-driven, opportunities.
Don't be a victim to the circumstances of the situation... be empowered by the personal accountability to take action! An absolute must read for any sales professional committed to being successful!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 19, 2014
Mark Shonka and Dan Kosch have provided an excellent tool for sales professionals with a series of useful tips and examples of real life experiences and compelling results. They define a strategic approach for identifying and getting to the appropriate decision maker with selling methods that emphasize and focus on the value added differences that distinguish you apart from your competitors. They stress the importance of understanding that value is not just about price, but more about the unique services and support you provide which will convince clients that you are the best choice. It is a process that can apply to any organization and especially those departments associated with conducting RFPs and client negotiations.
Lon Brew
Vice President - Franchise Operations
International Dairy Queen Corp.