We're on a. brand new book this week which is Anthony Iannarino's 'Eat Their Lunch: winning customers away from your competition' author of 'The Only Sales Guide You Will Ever Need'. You can tell from reading the book that Iannarino is a good salesman. 

We've read the first 3 chapters and so far, it is a really great book and we've enjoyed it. It's really well suited to people who sell to a Me Too market - and whether or not people admit it, a lot of the IT industry is a Me Too market. 

This book is not only for the new business salesperson, but for account managers looking to win wallet share across an acocunt in competitive environments. 

What's interesting about the book so far, is that it's different to a lot of the other sales books we've read. What a lot of the other sales books will talk about is understanding a prospect's need and then differentiating yourself from your competitor by linking them back to the product that you sell. Which this doesn't do and a different viewpoint and insight is good. 

Introduction: 

Anthony makes a point that you don't have to kill your competition to beat them. You don't win by focusing on your competition, you win by focusing on yourself and the end user prospect. He also talks about how there is no deal worth your integrity or your character - which we are in full agreement with! Add more value to the end user and you'll win. Anthony talks about how you can't create doubt about your competitors - it makes client resistant. The problem with rubbishing your competitor is that you're also telling your prospector that they're an idiot.  

Chapter 1: You Are The Value Proposition

Anthony uses the word 'displacement' - you have to look at accounts and think actually, why is there an opportunity for displacement? 

Anthony lists reasons why an account you're dealing with might not be complacent. 

He also makes the point of if you're waiting around for the moment when change takes place, you won't win. What you have to do is compel a client to make a change. And he explains this using levels, which are really useful.

Anthony makes a beautiful point which we love which is 'However, it is even more important to know that a great salesperson with an acceptable product beats a poor salesperson with an excellent product'. As a law of average, this is very true. 

The exercise at the end of the chapter is brilliant and it is in our diaries to carry out this exercise. 

Chapter 2: Capturing Mindshare

This is an extension to the first chapter and Anthony questions why people go through the trouble of getting through a client's door and then don't take the time to get all the money out of them that they can. This is the predilection of new business hunters, to win and move on.

Anthony absolutely nailed his comments on the trusted advisor. He's referring to how you need to be perceived as the person who knows more about the service that you offer than they do. 

He gives an example that couldn't be more apt for our industry and that is super trends. He talks about the importance of looking at the bigger picture and using the super trend to drive the sale and he's 100% right. 

Once again, there's an exercise at the end of this chapter that we've put time in our diary to do. We would very highly recommend this book. 

Chapter 3: Creating An Opening Through Nurture Campaigns

The process in this chapter was beautiful, a process that most of us know but rarely carry out. If you're writing your 2019 business plan, we would buy this book just for this chapter! 

This chapter is about making a statement to your client that you're starting this game in a different way to everyone else. 

There's also a workflow for canvassing clients in different kinds of mediums. 

This book is a me vs. the wo