Acknowledgments vii

Introduction

From the Old World to the New 1

Section 1: Two Left Feet

Typical Tactics Are Out of Sync with the Market 25

Section 2: Center of the Universe

Typical Tactics Are Focused on the Wrong Person 55

Section 3: One-Night Stand

Typical Tactics Damage Relationships and Long-Term Potential 87

Section 4: May Cause Headaches, Dizziness, and Internal Bleeding

Typical Tactics Harm Reputations and Create Unintended Consequences 111

Contrarian Primer 137

Pendulum Swing 145

References 151

About the Authors 155

Index 157

Times have changed.

The typical old sales tactics we're all familiar with no longer work. Cold calling gets you nowhere, door-to-door selling is a nonstarter, and today's consumers are too savvy for most traditional scripts and closing techniques. With those tactics, it takes more time and effort to reach fewer and fewer clients. If you're still doing it the old-fashioned way, you're probably barely keeping your career afloat.

If you want to stop treading water and start making sales, The Contrarian Effect has the answer. This sales approach is like no other in history. Not only do traditional sales tactics fail most of the time, we're actually better off doing the exact opposite! It may sound crazy, but it's not just a novel idea; it's a counterintuitive approach to sales that really works.

High technology and instant communication have put customers firmly in control of the sales process. They don't answer calls from unknown numbers; they demand honesty and transparency in the sales process; they are well informed about your product before they deal with you; and they have no patience for pressure tactics like closing questions. No wonder traditional sales methods no longer work.

Whether you know it or not, many of today's best companies have already discovered the contrarian effect. They're giving up high-pressure selling for low-pressure customer interactions. Other companies are ditching the shotgun approach and getting to know specific customers and what they like in order to offer them the exact kind of product they want. These are examples of the contrarian effect in action, and it not only works, it works well.

If you or your organization is in the sales doldrums, it's time to shake things up. Read The Contrarian Effect and discover how profitable it can be when you take the old rules and do the exact opposite.