Radio Sales Café

This week's poll question is a two-parter:

1) What is the single best book on advertising that you have ever read?

2) What is the single best book on selling that you have ever read?

Please post your replies below. Thank you!

Best advertising book ever...."Positioning" by Al Reis and Jack Trout.

Best Advertising Book: Wizard of Ads by Roy Williams
Best Sales Book: Little Red Book of Sales by Jeffrey Gitomer

Several on advertising........The Wizard of Ads series by Roy Williams; Positioning; Guriella Marketing;

On Sales.........Jeffrey Gitomers, The Sales Bible; How I raised myself from failure to success in selling, Frank Bettger;

One of the best books I have enjoyed for advertising has been "The Radio Equalizer" by Brian Maloney...

And...one of the best on selling has been..."Masters of Sales" by Ivan Misner...a very good second place would be "Positioning" by Jack Trout...

John Harper
WMEL Talk Radio
Cocoa Beach/Melbourne, Florida

The single best book I have ever read about radio advertising is "David Can Still Beat Goliath..Radio Advertising is David's Slingshot". It is the most complete and in depth look into radio and how to use it properly that I have ever read. What I really enjoy about it is that it can be read by sales reps and clients both. To me that makes it a very valuable tool.

As I read through the books listed already, I have most of them and indeed they are all great books...one other that helped me immensely is The Accidental Salesperson by Chris Lytle...lot's of good stuff, especially for someone who is first getting into the biz. Also let's not forget Zig Zigler, and my two favorites Better Than Good and Secrets of Closing the Sale.

Green Eggs and Ham. Second is 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising... written by a guy that HATES advertising sales people. Clients for Life. You can Negotiate Anything (Herb Cohen) ANYTHING written by Dr. Herb Tru. Acres of Diamonds (If I have to tell you who wrote it... you'll never get it). How I Raised myself from Failure to Success in Selling.

Least favorite: Wizard of Ads series. Great writing and some good etherial, just have never seen any rubber meeting the road in those books.

No question about it...best Advertising book around is Roy Williams' "Wizard of Ads". As far as a best book on selling...I'm still searching.

Number 1 is easy. The "33 Ruthless Rules of Advertising" is required reading for everyone on my sales.

Number 2 is not so easy. Lots of books covering lots of subjects. I love Paul Weyland's Local Direct advertising. Almost anything by Zig Ziglar, but let me recommend one you may not have heard of before. "Getting Past No" by William Ury. Very good book on negotiating.

I'll echo the thoughts expressed, and toss in Martin Lindstrom's "Buy-Ology". Interesting to learn that the warnings on cigarette packs actually increase the longing for cigarettes by smokers. Now we can make a negative a positive for our clients, too.

The best book, for both questions, is Herb Cohen's "You Can Negotiate Anything."
I literally counld not sell, until I read this book.
"Power is Perception".

Joe Lyons

1 - I've always been a fan of The 22 Immutable Laws Of Marketing (Reis and Trout) and The 22 Immutable Laws Of Branding (Reis and Reis). But personally, the single best piece on advertising I've read is "How to create advertising that sells" by David Ogilvy.

As for #2 - I'm not a big fan of Zig...and I haven't found a book on selling that I've actually liked.

1. Brandsformation: lots of good tips for advertisers in an easy to read and concepts presented clearly.

2. How to Win Friends and Influence Others: I don't know if you consider this a sale book. But the concepts taught in this book should be taught in schools! I read some passages to my husband, who is a manager. . . and he has said they have helped him deal with issues at his work that he would have handled differently if I had not read him some of the key points. "The main one build people up don't tear them down!" Just an overall good look at how people think, react, and how well positive reenforcement can benefit a person and company! I highly recommend for all!

I just fininshed "Nice Girls DO Get the Sale" by Elinor Stutz and I recommend it as a resource from women sellers. Got it for under $3 on Amazon + shipping. It's about relationship building with clients and getting results.

From RSC member Dan Deeb: Answer to BOTH questions ..... the BEST books on advertising and advertising sales that I have read in 40 years of radio is Successful Local Broadcast Sales by Paul Weyland.

Bettger's book was given to me by Jerry Papenfuss early in my sales career. In addition to owning the radio stations in Winona, Jerry also sold Harvestore silos. He understood and practiced the fundamentals himself.

I remember Jim Williams having fun with Green Eggs and Ham - using it to illustrate the "15 nos."

Corbett challenges us to see ourselves and our clients from their perspective, something too many sellers fail to appreciate, to the detriment of their credibility and performance.

Not familiar with Herb Tru or Acres of Diamonds - had to Google them both. Will have to pick up Acres - looks like one I'll enjoy. (Don't understand your reticence concerning the author, as though being a Christian pastor is some sort of handicap.)

I've found some of the Wizard's writings to be of very practical benefit over the past decade or so. His "Most Common Mistakes in Advertising" is a great presentation for educating clients and helping them understand and manage their expectations.

BTW, put me down for one of the first copies of "Mad Dogs" - or whatever title you settle on - when you get around to reducing your wealth of experience and insights to writing. (You really should, you know! :>)

Bill,

Ever read Frank Bettger's "How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling"? It's a classic.

Chris Lytle's "The Accidental Salesperson" is also quite good, the author having been a radio ad salesperson at one time.