Selling Services: The ABC of Professional Selling
- 2h 21m
- Clifton Warren
- Taylor and Francis
- 2024


More than ever, our economy relies on the service industries – but selling services is far different from selling tangible products.
This book demystifies the selling of intangibles and teaches the required skills to grow any professional service business. Leveraging his 30 years’ experience, leading sales expert Clifton Warren offers 26 lessons to help readers navigate the selling of complex and intangible solutions. Each chapter covers an important concept from A (Accountability) to Z (Zigzagging) in a concise and readable format, including a "to-do" action list that makes the book both a workbook and a study guide. By successfully applying the steps discussed in each chapter, professionals will substantially improve their performance and results, and anyone looking to drill down into specific topics will find additional resources to explore.
B2B sales professionals in banking, insurance, finance, and other services, and small business owners such as lawyers, architects, and engineers, as well as professionals transitioning into sales roles, will appreciate the thorough and easy-to-follow guidance that this book provides.
About the Author
Clifton Warren is the principal of Clifton Warren Consulting. His firm trains professionals to market, sell, and win new clients across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. He is the author of three books: Financial Services Sales Handbook, Cross-Selling Financial Services, and Rain Maker Pro. His monthly newsletter and podcast attract professionals globally. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Henley Management College, London and is a certified management consultant. Originally from California, he lives in Melbourne, Australia.
In this Book
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Introduction
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A – Accountability: Breaking Through Your Natural Ceiling
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B – Beliefs: Making the First Sale to Yourself
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C – Client Centered: Maximizing Your Vital Few
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D – Discipline: Maximizing Your Strengths
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E – End Results: Knowing What You Want
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F – Focus: Finding Your Doughnut
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G – Goals: Aiming High to Hit High Targets
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H – Habits: Acquiring the Tools for Success
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I – Ideas: A Versatile Clean Four-Letter Word
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J – Jargon: Understanding Market Buzzwords
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K – Knowledge: Getting Smart About Selling
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L – Listening: Be All Ears
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M – Marketing: Promoting and Selling Your Offering
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N – Niche: Becoming Someone Special
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O – Observational Marketing: Paying Attention to Your Market
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P – Prospecting: Getting Meetings with Prospective Clients
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Q – Questions: The Other Side of Listening
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R – Referrals: Leveraging Existing Relationships
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S – Service: Your Process for Turning Prospects into Clients
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T – Time Management: Getting Stuff Done
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U – Upgrading: Staying Sharp
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V – Value Selling: How to Avoid Competing On Price
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W – Win-Win: The Ethical Way to Sell
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X – X Factor: Developing your Personal Power
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Y – You: Packaging your X Factor
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Z – ZigZag: How to Recover from Setbacks
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Reading Material