Just Read It!

MOTOR-VATORS

For The Salespeople Destined for Greatness

By Lou Vickery and Jason Will

A Book Review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, October 20, 2019

Reader Note:  Words appearing in BLUE mean they are links to web sites

Disclosure:  I was honored to be asked by the author to proof read a couple of the chapters of the book prior to its publication.

This is a very different kind of book.  The authors have captured the backbone of a sales career and what makes the difference between being an average sales person and a great sales person.  Using the 80/20 Rule, it is the difference between being in the 80% who do 20% or less of the selling as compared to being in the 20% who do 80% or more of the selling. 

What is so unique about this book and based on my over 30 years of being a real estate broker/trainer is that you could take any chapter of the book and turn it into a course in sales for any sales office and your sales team would be the better for it.  For sales agents, I could think of no better way than to read something positive before you start your day.  You could turn to any chapter or any page and you will have accomplished starting your day on a positive instructional note.

There are so many “wallable quotes” (my term) meaning you could create a wall poster of quotes by people who should know what they are talking about and you wouldn’t have enough wall space in your home to post them all.

I love this book; said by a retired sales person.  My only negative comment which is actually a positive comment is that the book DOES NOT ONLY APPLY TO PEOPLE IN SALES as we typically define that term.  EVERYONE IS IN SALES!  Most people don’t realize they are in sales but everyone IS in sales.  If you are applying for a job, you are selling yourself.  If you have an idea worthy of consideration, you are selling that idea to someone.  If you have a significant other (hate that phrase) you CONSTANTLY are selling something to each other.  In other words EVERYONE IS SELLING SOMETHING MORE THEN THEY REALIZE.  I say this because this book is NOT just for people in SALES, it is for everyone.  As I read it, I envisioned teenagers who are still in school reading it and benefiting from its content BEFORE they hit the job market.

It would be impossible to read this book and not have it affect your sales career in a positive way!  Think about that for just a second.  What if this book could help you make just one more sale?  How about 10 more sales?  The number of sales is unlimited when you know what you are doing and that is the purpose of this book – to help you know what you are doing and why.

Who should read this book?  Everyone over the age of 13.  Might be a bit much for anyone younger to fully grasp.

Would I read it again?  This is a great question since I am retired.  The answer is YES I would read it again, especially a little bit a time because it is so positive and encouraging.  As stated above, the book applies to everyone, including retirees like myself.  How can you NOT be motivated when you read quotes by people who know what they speak of?

Would I refer the book to friends and family?  Absolutely!

Would I give it as a gift?  Absolutely!  This would make for a great gift for anyone of any age, especially teenagers and people actually in the business of selling products or services.

United States of Trump

THE UNITED STATES OF TRUMP

How The President Really Sees America

By Bill O’Reilly

A Book Review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, October 20, 2019

Reader Note:  Words appearing in BLUE mean they are links to web sites

Special note:  This book was written by a polarizing figure (Bill O’Reilly) about a polarizing figure (President Donald Trump) and therein lies the pity in that some people will see one or both names and make a decision NOT to read the book.  That would definitely be their loss, hopefully not your loss, as you can learn something from almost every book you read but you can’t learn anything from the books you decide NOT to read.

I have read all of Bill O’Reilly’s books and they are all very well written and he routinely documents facts referred to in order to differentiate the facts from his personal opinion.  What makes this book unique is that it was written based on O’Reilly’s personal knowledge of Donald Trump as a result of their relationship.  O’Reilly is quick to point out that their relationship is not one that would be considered as a friendship but rather an acquaintance of two New Yorkers.

I found the book difficult to put down.  It represents the views of an “insider” in regard to someone being in the news media.  O’Reilly sheds light on a lot of subjects throughout the book that someone like me may have had a glancing knowledge of because it was covered or mentioned on his show or on other news shows.  His insights from someone who “knows” President Trump and should be fascinating for anyone following politics.  They should also be beneficial to understanding the news media and why things have happened in the past both good and bad.

It is very difficult to comment on the contents because no matter what I say, 50% will either hate what I say or love what I say based on their personal politics and/or hatred or support for Donald Trump.  The one overriding theme of the book demonstrates on just how bias the news media has been towards Trump and anyone supporting him.  I defy anyone to say they could be accosted by such negativity on a daily basis for well over three years and remain as functional as Trump has done.

Biggest take away for me was that the news media complains about people no longer trusting them but they have given the people no reason to trust them when they are obviously so bias.  What people tend to overlook is that what goes around, comes around.  Meaning, what may serve the media well today may look entirely different when the media turns on a Democratic President in the future.  They have only reported on Russia, Russia, Russia and since that subject is dead, they have turned to impeachment completely overlooking the robust economy, job reports, low unemployment, good trade deals and the fact that we are no longer engaged in heavy military fighting around the globe.  You may not like President Trump the man but that should be no reason to overlook the good that he has done for America but that is what the media has done.  They may never regain the full trust of Americans ever again.

Who should read this book?  Actually, everyone but I know someone won’t even attempt it.

Would I read it again?  Probably not, a second reading would not add or subtract what I have taken away from the book.

Would I give it as a gift?  I would love to but won’t as it really counts on a person’s politics as to whether they would attempt reading it or not.