Learn How to Sell
WITHOUT Compromising Who You Are
With Selling From Scratch
Whether you’re selling million-dollar yachts or trying to sell your kids on eating their broccoli, great selling comes down to communication.
That’s the most difficult component for sales managers and trainers to teach new or seasoned salespeople. And it’s the one component that can make or break you in sales.
I’ve been selling most of my life. For years, I did what most salespeople do; I relied on charm, hope, and luck to hit quotas.
It took a long time, but through lots of learning and hard work, I uncovered a better way.
I don’t want other people to waste as much time and energy as I did, trying to sell without knowing how to do it efficiently and consistently.
So I wrote Selling From Scratch.
It’s as accurate today as it was when he said it all
those years ago.
those years ago.
Whether you’re selling million-dollar yachts or trying to sell your kids on eating their broccoli, great selling comes down to communication.
That’s the most difficult component for sales managers and trainers to teach new or seasoned salespeople. And it’s the one component that can make or break you in sales.
I’ve been in sales my entire adult life. For a large part of it, I did what most salespeople do; I relied on charm, hope, and a lot of luck to hit quotas.
It took a long time, but through lots of learning and hard work, I uncovered a better way.
I don’t want other people to waste as much time and energy as I did trying to sell without knowing how to do it efficiently and consistently.
So I wrote Selling From Scratch.
A Sneak Peek Into Selling From Scratch
I learned the hard way so that hopefully, you don’t have to.
Here are some of the lessons and ideas that I’ve picked up and adapted from invaluable resources, sales coaching, brilliant peers, and lots of personal experience and reflection
- Sales truly is a noble, valuable, and necessary profession.
- Any personality type can sell and do it without changing who they are.
- Knowing who YOU are will help you sell better than you ever thought possible.
- You don’t need to be liked to close deals; you need to be trusted.
- Don’t be afraid to ask uncomfortable questions; they lead to more honest conversations.
- You have standards, too; neglecting them leads to paying the PITA tax!
- Yes, you can handle objections BEFORE the pitch and before they become objections.
- Improvement comes from tracking.
- You can do everything right and still lose the deal.
- You don’t have to be perfect, but you should always be prepared!
I learned the hard way so that, hopefully, you don’t have to.
Here are some of the lessons and ideas I’ve picked up and adapted from invaluable resources, sales coaching, brilliant peers, and lots of personal experience and reflection.
- Sales truly is a noble, valuable, and necessary profession.
- Any personality type can sell and do it without changing who they are.
- Knowing who YOU are will help you sell better than ever.
- You don’t need to be liked to close deals; you need to be trusted.
- Uncomfortable questions lead to more honest conversations.
- You have standards, too; neglecting them leads to paying the PITA tax!
- Handle objections BEFORE the pitch—and before they become objections.
- Improvement comes from tracking.
- You can do everything right and still lose the deal.
- You don’t have to be perfect, but you should always be prepared!
What People are Saying
Jeremy Pope
“I love the zesty feeling this book gives about sales. You SHOULD be able to feel great and clean about everything you do in sales… I've been training sales for 15 years. If you're looking for something that will make you feel clean instead of hyped, I recommend this book.”
J. Ivey
“This book gave me a new appreciation for those in sales. The process in this book is awesome. Every person in sales should at least give this approach a try. Looking at sales as ‘how can I help’ and not ‘how can I make quota’ is a good starting place… The principles, process, and practices apply to more than just people who identify as being in sales. Everyone can benefit from this book.”
Curt Swindoll
“I'm a fan of John's work here. In a world that wants to condense the work of sales into a soul-crushing, one-size-fits-all experience, John puts people first--on both sides of the sales table. I highly recommend his work.”
Michael Perrone
“This book totally revamped the way I approach my interactions with others, both in and out of a sales role. John does an excellent job of redefining what it means to work in a sales role that is value-driven, genuinely empathetic, and practical in every sense. Game-changer.”
Amazon Customer
“If you have anxiety around sales, if sales has ever stopped you from pursuing a dream OR if the "traditional" sales culture tends to turn your stomach, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Thank you for writing this book and for showing us that there's a better way!”
James O'Donnell
“This is a great book for anybody in sales and anybody NOT in sales. The HUMAN element to sales makes this a must for anybody that doesn’t want to appear to be salesy. Cannot recommend this book enough.”
About John “Small Mountain” Hill
John has been selling for over 20 years. He’s sold everything from cheap perfume to high-end medical devices.
Like many in sales, he spent years relying on charm and hope to hit quota every month. But when the stakes were high, he realized there had to be a better way. He signed up for sales coaching, took a DISC assessment, and never looked back.
Since then, John has been an avid seeker of improvement in sales and personal development. He eventually realized his passion lies in teaching others to sell better, so he created a methodology called Sherpa based on six key traits that help salespeople find more success. His company, Adapted Growth, uses this method to coach salespeople and teams in improving communication and building process-driven strategies to help them hit their goals.
When he’s not working, John enjoys spending time with his partner and daughter, biking, martial arts, poker, and traveling. He and his family currently reside in Fort Worth, Texas.
