We met up with Williams Goldstein to ask him about his new book The Dark Art of Selling: Influence and Persuasion. This book pitches itself as a no-holds barred exposé to selling and reveals the strategies utilized by the top salespeople in business. With decades of experience growing small businesses into national leaders in their industry, Goldstein knows a thing or two about selling. With that said, William, I wanted to ask a few questions for our readers.
Let’s start with this, how did working on this book compare to your first?
Well, my first book How To Focus: Improve Your Concentration, was certainly easier to write if only because it was a shorter work. I wanted to share my techniques for being so focused, which is key to success in any field and something that has broad appeal. I think it’s safe to say we’re all living in a world full of distractions. But, my new book is a little more focused, explaining the secrets to selling for business professionals. It is a more detailed work and dives into the means of building connections, the techniques that generate sales, and the strategies that work.
Writing a book is always a time consuming process. You would think with this being my second work, that it would be easier. Despite having an understanding of the process and having already gone through it, it wasn’t any easier. I think part of that comes from the pressure of wanting the second book to be even better than the first. I do think The Dark Art of Selling is better written than the first and readers will enjoy it, but it did take me longer to put together.
What is your real-life work schedule like when writing?
Well, I definitely spent more of my time working. I don’t have the benefit of setting aside my normal work to focus exclusively on writing that a full-time writer might have. As a business executive, there are always other areas of life that take precedence. Writing this book meant quite a few late nights putting my thoughts together. I still had clients to attend to during the day and even released an app, during the same time frame.
I think if you’re going to be a writer you have to be willing to dedicate that extra time, but it’s always rewarding when you finally release it.
So tell me about your new book, The Dark Art of Selling. What can readers expect from it?
Well, most books on sales focus on sales scripts and tricks you can use to talk people into buying. They are full of dirty techniques and strategies, which rely on pressure tactics that often leave the buyer with remorse. That’s why I call sales a dark art. Despite what readers would assume, however, you won’t find any of those tacky old styles in this book.
Actually, The Dark Art of Selling focuses on ways you can connect with buyers and build genuine interest. The methods in the book employ proven methods of selling. These include influence building strategies that generate interest and persuasion strategies that are primarily about eliminating buyer risk. These means of selling actually take advantage of psychological realities, including natural bias. The end result is more sales and a long lasting customer relationship. Hopefully, by shedding light on the methods that really work, you won’t have to always dabble in the dark arts, which only bring short term gains.
It’s interesting that you say that, what do you mean?
Well, most sales professionals view the close as the end goal. I don’t feel that at all. Actually, the decision of a prospect to buy is just the beginning. The most successful companies today take care of the customer long after the sale.
That sounds great, but getting away from the book, what can you tell me about the person behind the book?
On a professional level, I’ve grown several small companies into huge ones. You don’t do that without the ability to sell. I am currently on the board of the country’s fastest growing staffing company in the medical industry, StaffHealth. On a more personal level, I’m the father of a beautiful young boy who I adore. I think it’s important that we remember that whatever we do in business, the reason we do it is for our loved ones. Life is all about the relationships we build along the way. I had my child at an older age and I’m not getting any younger, which is why I think it’s definitely important to impart the knowledge I’ve gained, both to him in my personal life and to my colleagues in my professional life.
Is sharing your knowledge something you’ve thought about while writing this book?
Certainly, I think that when we are open about what we’ve learned in life and willing to share that knowledge with others, we leave behind an even greater legacy. Many successful people hoard their secrets and hold them close, but that isn’t what I choose to do. It benefits the community more when you are willing to share your knowledge with others. Ultimately, there’s only two ways to learn. You can do it right the first time or you learn the hard way. If I can guide someone on the right path, maybe it’ll save them a lot of the difficult lessons I had to learn.
I don’t think that giving this information away is going to harm my business at all, but it might benefit someone else’s. These days my whole focus is on helping others. My business is furthered by helping others find the right role for them or the right person for the role. The patients benefit from finding the right caretaker. Really, I feel we all benefit by lifting one another up. Not only does helping others build your network of people, but it only improves your influence. I talk about that in the book, actually.
So you’re not worried at all about revealing all your secrets to successful selling?
No. Like I said, building a network of people in your professional lives can never hurt. What makes a company successful is its ability to solve problems.
Wow, that’s a positive way of looking at things. Well, where can people find your book?
If you’d like a print version, it is available now on Amazon.com and through major bookstores. If you’re a Kindle Unlimited Member you can actually download it for free. So, there’s no reason not to check it out.
You really do believe in giving knowledge away. Let me ask you this, are you working on another title and, if so, what can we expect from you, William?
Yes! I’m actually working on another title as we speak. It’s another book that will be of interest to business leaders and entrepreneurs. I haven’t finalized a title for it yet, but you can follow me on social media or check out my website WilliamGoldstein.Press for updates.
