Accelerants: Twelve Strategies to Sell Faster, Close Deals Faster, and Grow Your Business Faster
Product Description
-Many sales processes don-t work anymore–period. But companies don-t know exactly what-s not working, or why, or what needs fixing. What-s worse, many companies are in denial that their processes are broken and will not support what they need to do going forward.-
Today it’s tougher than ever for sales, marketing, and business development organizations to keep improving their revenue and profits. Potential clients want to see salespeople less and less, real decision makers hide behind skilled gatekeepers, and even when you actually reach them, they have impossibly short attention spans. Sales and closing cycles get longer, margins get thinner, and customers keep raising the bar – demanding more value, cheaper prices, and better service. Michael Boylan’s Accelerants offers a powerful solution to these impediments to growth. Giving business leaders the tools to diagnose what is hindering revenue growth, Boylan first identifies twelve constraint… More >>
5 Responses
7.31.2010
This book’s overall message is so important that I’ve given away many copies. Sales messages are often too long, driven by PowerPoint, and unfocused. Boylan’s constraints are necissary to understand before any sales or marketing effort, for example how does the market perceive your product and your company? How do your employee’s view you and the product they are trying to sell? Perception is reality, especially engrained beliefs in prospect’s minds. Acceleratants reminds us to think about these things when we craft all of our interactions, communications, and market messages.
The critical reviews here correct here: the author spends far too much time pitching himself, offers little on the `how to’ side, and gives us no help outside the book (such as a good website or further reading references,like other books. However if the structure and content of this book are only good enough to make us think about our restraints and how to overcome them, then for me it was valuable.
Most companies really make the same claims, few offer proof. Accelerants’ message about “metric the message” is just one example of some good advice. Cut sales “canned” presentations by half and encourage interactions and questions. Target decision makers and address their needs before your own. None of this advice is new or earth shattering, but these items are seldem followed, at least consistently. Follow this book up with “ROI Selling” and other targeted `how to’ books, e.g. “Value Forward Selling,” and you’ll have not only the strategic view but also the tactical tools needed for success.
Rating: 4 / 5
7.31.2010
I do not know Mr. Boylan personally, but the concepts and ideas that thus far have made up the body of his work: (The Power To Get In, TEETH – Does Your Value Proposition Have Any?, and most recently Accelerants) have left a lasting impression on me and I have worked hard to incorporate his very practical advice into my daily business dealings as a sales professional. In fact, I attribute fifty percent of my annual income to following specific steps laid out by Mr. Boylan in his books. If you take your organization’s sales approach seriously – and unfortunately not everyone does – I would highly recommend that you consider implementing his no-nonsense methodologies into your sales framework. For those who cannot afford his organization’s custom training options, Mr. Boylan has in my opinion given more practical, tangible value in his books than almost any other sales author in print, BUT you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and do the following work: Assess Your Status, Design Your Future, Charter Your Course, Metric The Message, Access The Castle, Deliver The Ultimate Presentation, Paint the Financial Picture, Hold Your Ground, Conduct the Concert, Harmonize for Gold, Calibrate for Success, and Complete the Circle of Integration.
Jack Welch once said that the key to business success is understanding the difference between what’s going on and what we wish/think/hope is going on. Mr. Boylan knows what’s going on when it comes to complex strategic sales. It’s up to the reader to put his principles to the test and not only profit from them but to morally and ethically be a more solid corporate citizen by being a good steward of others time.
Rating: 5 / 5
7.31.2010
I had the opportunity to attend a small group setting with the author – all I can say is ‘WOW!” His summary of only two points from his 12 possible processes was impressive – if you get the chance to interact or with Michael Boylan you will not be disappointed!
I will definitely purchase his other two books based upon reading this one and his in-person presentation -
This book is not recommended for corporate culture types – you will be scared away – frankly the rest will appreciate the business you leave behind!
Rating: 5 / 5
7.31.2010
This book builds upon “The Power to Get In” very nicely and summarizes that book in Accelerant #5 (Access the Castle). If you had to pick one book or the other, go with this one as this chapter alone is worth the price of both books.
There are a ton of sales books on the market today, but a limited number really outline an actionable system to produce consistently at a high level. I strongly recommend this book to anyone thinking of getting involved or already involved with selling products, services, or ideas to other businesses. Executives would benefit themselves by reading it too as there is a lot to be learned about why your sales organization doesn’t consistently grow revenues or meet their targets on a regular basis. In the investment arena, the information and processes contained in Accelerants could be the difference in meeting (or exceeding) analysts’ and customer expectations.
Rating: 5 / 5
7.31.2010
Mr. Boylan insights about how to close sales faster are astounding. He shows you how to create deeper stronger relationships with the senior executives in your prospects that takes you down a straight forward path insuring they clearly understand your companies’ key deliverables. His approach turns upside down some of the old tried and true principles of sales 101. This book really digs into the psychology of the sale and shows you simple tools to win bigger deals faster in a style of respect and integrity.
Accelerants provides a clear step by step analysis of how to sharpen your sales and marketing effectiveness in an increasingly competitive landscape. I found a number of things I could do to help understand my prospects better and close some opportunities that were “stuck” before I finished the book.
The principles are simple common sense that have eluded many of us in our traditional PSS tools that try’s to get customers to tell us where they have pain. His step by step approach of understanding the basic buying needs and personalities of prospects is so logical they will clearly compress the sales cycle. How could some of these ideas and solid strategies eluded us for so long before being put in print?
Rating: 5 / 5