SOLD

This interview is on my third and latest book titled SOLD. Here, I will share why this book is able to garner a lot of positive feedback and resonate strongly with readers.

How is SOLD different from other books about sales?

Surely, there are many books talking about every aspect of sales in the market. While some of the contents are timeless, many are too generic, if not outdated. Many of these books are also written by authors who are unfamiliar with the buying and selling culture in Singapore, making the methods and techniques inapplicable for the local scene. SOLD, however, is written in a localized manner, bringing to life examples and case studies close to the hearts of sales professionals in Singapore.

Which aspect of sales does this book cover?

SOLD talks about five key areas that make up the sales cycle: prospecting, rapport building, objection handling, getting referrals, and of course, closing. The reason why I placed the chapter on getting referrals before closing is because I believe that regardless of whether a sale is closed or not, the sales professional should always make an attempt to ask for referrals.

Just curious, how did you come up with the title SOLD: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Anything?

Unknown to many, the mock title was initially Modern Sales Strategies. I felt that it was too passive and misaligned with how the content was written; bold and controversial. I bounced the title off some friends, and they suggested that the title should contain an ‘action’ word. Therefore, I settled for SOLD. As for the subtitle Everything You Need to Know About Selling Anything, I actually came up with it while I was bathing. It sort of flashed across my mind and I had no shadow of a doubt it was going to be the subtitle.

What is one thing you are most satisfied with in this book?

Frankly, I am satisfied with everything about this book, perhaps because I was heavily involved in every stage of the publication. The manuscript went through seven rounds of editing. The cover was thoughtfully designed. The interior layout was designed such that reading is a pleasurable experience. The overall feel is clean, modern and sleek. But if I really have to point out just one thing I’m most satisfied with, I guess it will be the dedication page. If you are wondering what’s so special about this page, get SOLD.

Where can we get a copy of SOLD?

This book is available in selected bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia. If you would like an autographed copy, you can purchase it from me direct. I will personally sign it and mail it out to you. Just drop me an email here.

* Jacky is a professional coach accredited by the International Coach Federation. He is also a conference speaker, corporate trainer and author of three books (and counting). 

Hiring for Performance

It was a pleasure to have Steven Lock, author of Hiring for Performance with us. Steven is a certified MBTI and DISC practitioner, and has extensive experience in building high-performance teams throughout Asia.

What made you decide to write this book, Steven?

I wanted to put the focus on team performance back on the team members instead of the team leader. The conventional focus on teams has always been on the leader of the team. However, my experiences and observations have convinced me that the focus on team performance should be on the team members instead. I wanted the book to be an educational guide for managers and leaders to re-focus their attention on the individual team members, because the team members are the ones who determine whether a team succeeds or fails. An effective and successful leader is one who is able to coax the best out of each member of the team, for the benefit of the entire team.

How will this book benefit your readers?

Most managers and leaders I have met want their teams to be productive, efficient and effective. However, many don’t know how they can help their team reach peak performance. Hiring for Performance highlights strategies and approaches that will help managers and leaders select the right people for their organization and create self-directed, self-managing, and self-learning organizations.

How has this book helped you in your career?

It is a distillation of my experiences and observations over the last decade. The strategies and approaches mentioned in the book have helped me select and hire the right candidates for my organization, and enabled me to build up the team into a highly productive, effective and efficient organization.

Where, or how, can I get a copy of Hiring for Performance?

This book is available in all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia, including Kinokuniya, Popular, MPH, Times and Amazon. The e-book version is available on Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobobooks, Scribd, and Indigo.

* Steven Lock is a High Performance Strategist with FutureTHINK! Training & Consultancy (www.futurethink.com.sg). Connect with Steven on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

The Leader’s Manual

I had a moment to catch up with Jacky, myself, on his first book The Leader’s Manual. In this interview, I need to take on two roles, the Jacky interviewing and the Jacky being interviewed. It turned out to be more difficult than I thought.

Tell us Jacky, what got you started?

I always wanted to write a book and be an author. It was something on my bucket list, something that I want to accomplish in my lifetime. However, it didn’t happen until the desire to write became the need to write. After I decided to set up a coaching practice three years ago, I realized that having a book to position myself as a topic expert is a must. After all, if no one knows what you are good at, it is as good as not being good at anything, especially when you want to make a full-time career out of it.

What was the toughest part about publishing a book?

From the moment I typed the first word to holding the published book in my hands, it took me nine months. The Leader’s Manual contained nearly 70,000 words and I took three months to complete the first manuscript. That was tough, I thought, until the next stage came. The editing phase was nightmarish. The editor I worked with was a disappointment. He had an uncanny ability to change words spelled correctly into other words that were wrong. He also missed words that were obviously wrong grammatically. I ended up having to check his work after each editing, about five times. Finally, I reached a stage at which I was no longer able to spot any mistakes, not because there were none, but because I was sick of checking his work. Therefore, in the production of this book, editing was the toughest. It would have been a lot easier if I’d had a good editor.

Then, what was the easiest part?

The easiest part was paying the publisher, I guess. It was an amount I had already set aside for publishing this book. In fact, there were three stages at which payment was required. The first was when I engaged the publisher, the second was when I gave the green light for printing, and the final stage was when payment was made before the books were delivered to me. Each of these stages was like a milestone, an indication that I was getting nearer to becoming an author.

So, does having a book help you in your career?

Yes it does, to a certain extent. Until today, I still have people approaching me on social media asking about my coaching, because they have read, or came to know about this book. I also get requests for talks at insurance companies, where I can usually sell a good number of books. I think that having a book not only helped me when I first started coaching, but it also opened many other opportunities indirectly. That is why I always encourage people to write and publish one book in their lifetime, at least. It opens doors, allows you to meet more people, and it is a refreshing experience.

Where can we get a copy of The Leader’s Manual?

This book is available in selected bookstores in Singapore. It is also available in most libraries. Of course, if you would like an autographed copy, you can purchase it from me directly. I will personally sign it and mail it out to you. Just drop me an email here.

* Jacky is a professional coach accredited by the International Coach Federation. He is also a conference speaker, corporate trainer and author of three books (and counting).