How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger: A Book Review

How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling" by Frank Bettger is a book dealing with the sales techniques. Despite being first published in 1947, the techniques outlined in the book continue to hold their relevance in this ever-evolving world of sales. As an accomplished insurance salesman himself, the author shares the insights he gained from his own first-hand experience in this book. The instructions given in this book are not merely the ideas and opinions popped up in the mind of the author while sitting and thinking inside a room, but they are the "tested" ideas in the practical world.

Much of the tips and the content of the book share the same ideas presented in the works of Dale Carnegie. Since they were good friends, brought up in the same era and came from the same school of thought, it is quite understandable that they share a similar opinion regarding the techniques in influencing people. However, there is one contradictory view between Bettger and Carnegie. Carnegie is in the opinion that the "people skill" is more important than the technical knowledge in order to succeed. But Bettger, in one of the chapters in this book, states that we are in the age of specialization. And he suggests that one should always thrive towards specialization because the specialized one will ultimately win in the sales business. While both perspectives have merit, it is safe to say that the blend of "people skill" and specialized knowledge is the recipe for the success in modern sales.

The book is full of eye-opening, real-life stories placed relevantly in the chapters. It contains undeniable tips and techniques to boost sales. Most of the self-help books contain tons of information and after finishing the book, the readers find it confused as to what to make out of all those enlightening information. The best part of this book is that this book, not only contains important information but also shows the readers how to use the information contained in the book. It is a must-read book for the people in the sales business; especially the ones engaged in the insurance sales business will find it one of the most important sources of knowledge for their professional advancement.

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