Having worked for seven years as a course developer at the national training center for a Fortune 350 sales organiazation, I often saw things that made me cringe. Integrity and ethics of the sales force were sometimes taken to the edge to get the deal.
As new books come across my desk from various sources, I was intriqued by the title and concept of The Hourglass Principle: Maintaining Your Integrity in Sales and Life by Managing the Middle by Ray Kelly III (Bethany Press International. 2009).
Book Description
In The Hourglass Principle YOU, the sales person, are that central point in the middle in which all the grains of sand flow. The difference is that in sales the grains of sand are information. All the information from your company that needs to be conveyed to a customer or prospect flows from you, the sales person, to the customer. Likewise, all the information from your customer flows from you to your company. That central point of information is YOU. How you choose to use that information flow defines who you are as sales person but also as a human being. It defines the type of sales person and the reputation you will carry throughout your sales career. In sales, there is no way to separate your career personality from your personal life. The two will always be linked together.
Being in the middle of a sales deal is where every sales person wants to be. In that position they have the ability to influence the direction of a deal and establish priorities that are the most important to the customer. Being in the middle allows the sales person to sway the customer to focus on their strengths versus their competitors strengths. It is crucial for sales success that you be the central point for any major sales opportunity.
There are eight pillars of being in the middle that are your keys to success.
- Be trustworthy.
- Keep your integrity. Direct your moral compass.
- Become a person others want to follow.
- Treat as you want to be treated.
- Admit your mistakes.
- Ask questions.
- Finesse not fight.
- Timing is everything.
The Hourglass Principle was designed to keep you focused on what is in the center of the deal you are working and the center of your life. It is a focal point for the central core that defines you as a sales person and as a human being. If used as a continual mental reference then you will be able to keep your priorities intact. You will be able to focus your energy on what is truly important in your career and in your livelihood by not sacrificing moral values.
About the Author
Ray Kelly has been a top producing sales person for his entire 25+ year career. He has sold to both consumers and Fortune 50 companies. His experience extends across many sales domains. Ray is a Christian, who is married, with two children, and believes there is no need to sacrifice your moral ethics to win a deal. Ray has successfully managed multiple sales forces and employed the tactics in this book to create success for himself, those he has managed, and his employers. Ray has often been called a Rainmaker by his executive management team for his ability to be in the middle of major sales opportunities and to make sales happen. Customers enjoy Rays forthright attitude and ability to work on their behalf within his own organization. The Hour Glass Principle was designed to encourage sales integrity throughout the world of sales. Ray Kelly Consulting was created to assist corporations and individual sales people in understanding that they do not have to violate their ethics, moral code, personal worth, or selfesteem in order to have success in sales. Ray Kelly Consulting provides coaching to sales professionals and sales managers worldwide about the enormous benefit of being able to successfully manage the middle of any sale without sacrificing their integrity. For more information about this book, including the ability to have Ray speak to your corporate sales team or church service about the concepts discussed in The Hourglass Principle.
For more information about The Hourglass Principle and/or Ray Kelly, please visit TheHourglassPrinciple.com.
Would you like a FREE copy of this book? Please post your comment on this blog by Friday, September 25. Your name will be entered into a random drawing (US residents only).
1 response so far ↓
Mark Kurtz // September 25, 2009 at 11:57 am
Talk about timing! I had breakfast with a friend today and we talked at length about this as it also relates in a huge way to ministry… Thanks Karen!