The Best Book on Professional Selling and Corporate Relations

Between Christmas and New Year's I listened to an audiobook, The Joshua Principle, which came recommended to me.  I can say without hesitation that it is the best book I have ever read on the topic of complex and strategic B-to-B professional selling.  For those serving in University Corporate Relations roles, this is a MUST READ.  Here's the synopsis:

Joshua Peters is a salesman in crisis – after losing a key deal his boss threatens him with the sack and he has doubts concerning his choice of career. His father is a sales veteran who progressed all the way to CEO but with their relationship at an all time low he struggles to help. Then a mentor’s invitation from the other side of the world powerfully transforms everything as Joshua’s mentor sets him on the path to discovering leadership secrets of strategic selling. He applies the principles to the biggest and most complex deal of his life and his journey culminates with a powerful meeting that finally reveals The Joshua Principle.


In the book the author (Tony Hughes) outlines the RSVPselling™ approach as follows:

Relationships: Are you selling at the right level, and so you have positive relationships with the key people? 

Strategy: Do you have an effective strategy for managing the relationships, and do you understand the power-base?
 
Value: Are you uniquely creating compelling business value?

Process: Are you aligned with the buyer and do you truly understand the customer’s process for evaluation, selection, and approval. 

For those of you involved in the profession of complex B-to-B sales (strategic large accounts) or University Corporate Relations, I heartily recommend this book without reservation.  

Buy it.  Read it. Read it again.  Then go implement!