Mega-Selling: Secrets of a Master Salesman

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

These two books share an informal, chatty style and the ability to make
difficult goals seem achievable.

Mega-Selling has the edge, with Cowper’s powerful accounts of his
personal experiences adding strength and credibility. Cowper’s master
plan includes such secrets as planning, preparation, visualization, and
persistence. He tells us of his rise from no sales of any size to
multimillion-dollar sales, conveying confidence that it can be done. He
stresses the importance of knowing everything about all aspects of the
sales situation: the product, the prospect, the prospect’s business,
risks, etc. His motto is, “You don’t earn a living, you learn a
living.”

Whereas insurance sales forms the backdrop for the strategies and tools
for success presented in Mega-Selling, most of the examples in The Eight
Best Practices of High-Performing Salespeople are drawn from the wider
world of financial planning. In contrast to Cowper’s believable tone,
Trainor sounds just a touch artificial and preachy. The glue that helps
the reader bond with the author is missing, making it more of a struggle
to internalize the eight best practices. Nonetheless, these strategies
are clearly presented and supported by strong examples.

The principles presented in both books are easily transferred from
insurance and financial planning to the sale of any other service or
intangible. The pair make a great course in selling skills.