About Author
John Beyers McDermott
John Beyers McDermott with many years successful experience in marketing and selling- from Sales Representative to Chief Executive- always been recognised for his strengths in selling, marketing and ability to interact most effectively with people at every level. These qualities are born of his ability to sell himself-market himself. The late Nelson Mandela was the epitome of such great aptitude.
As a result, John has throughout his lengthy business career in a widely diverse spectrum of business fields and sizes of operations, including his own, consistently achieved the highest sales figures, concluded the most/biggest contracts and won the greatest number of special achievement awards. Resulting from the foregoing John was inspired to embark on writing a book ‘’Selling Yourself as a Way of Life’’ second edition, and thereby able to share with all and sundry such success.
He attributes these exponential successes to total commitment, proper ethics/behaviour, honesty, being adaptable, tolerant, patient, genuinely caring, a good listener, neither boring nor overbearing and most importantly, having impeccable manners which were drummed into him by his late mother at a very young age. ‘’Manners Maketh Man-Manners Maketh Woman.” Politeness and good manners are essential to humanity, be it in business or with family and friends. These traits have been the foundation of John’s life.
John's mother was of Cape-Afrikaans stock- the Beyers lineage - and his father an American diplomat. After schooling at Michaelhouse in the Midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal, he attended a naval academy in the US before returning to South Africa and studying at the University of Cape Town. John travelled the world extensively and has four daughters and a son from two previous marriages, along with seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
A very keen sportsman, he has entered and completed numerous Comrades Marathons, as well as extreme cycle challenges such as the Cape Argus and Tour de Natal. John goes to the gym on a regular basis, walks a great deal and loves the outdoors. He follows all sports, especially rugby and cricket, and occasionally plays a round of golf, although never setting the course alight!
John McDermott presently resides in Cape Town.
Preface
A Bit About This Book
This book is as much about developing one's Social/Life Skills as it is about enhancing one's abilities in the art of Selling as the latter is conventionally perceived. The pages that follow thus contain advice - born of my long and varied experience - that would apply equally across the entire spectrum of society, from the seasoned and urban-savvy business veteran to the newly matriculated rural youngster confronted with the challenges posed by Western corporate culture. The key to success in any endeavour, vocation or profession, lies in the ability to 'sell yourself' or, in other words, being able to interact with people at all levels so as to be liked by others. This requires being adaptable, tolerant, patient, genuinely caring, a good listener and neither boring nor overbearing.
The winning formula encompasses many aspects, including what to DO and NOT DO in given situations: here lies the key difference between this book and all the others I've read - plus all the seminars I've attended - during my over half-century of being successful in many spheres of business-related activities. They all tell you what to do, but I set out to show you HOW to go about realising these transformations, by helping you to understand what selling is actually about. This has nothing to do with changing your 'inner self' - you are who you are and that's how it should be - but from my personal experience I'm able to offer many tips and techniques on how you can improve/refine yourself and thereby increase your chances of coming out on top in your chosen field. That said, there are two chapters specifically dedicated to the art of selling products, services and the like!
Selling - in the broad sense of the work - is as old as Man and covers a magnitude of issues in our strivings to enhance our inter-personal relationships. The fundamentals always remain the same, however, as there is no rocket-science involved in being able to interact appropriately and correctly with others.
I set out to write this book in a manner that is straightforward together with appropriate emphasizing cartons, while the advice I give is based on logic and common sense. These attributes combine to make "Selling Yourself as a Way of Life" easy to read, absorb and - most importantly of all - easy to apply on an ongoing, daily basis. Its vision is to transform you into the Perfect Salesperson through a spectrum of teachings that, in broad strokes, covers:
You and yourself- the image you project, as well as your self-image- you tell on yourself
Selling Yourself- How to do so
How to sell- a host of visionary ideas for you to put into practice
Practical tools-from compiling a C.V. to preparing a strategic plan
Lifetime values - the pitfalls of being over ambitious and egotistical
The perfect salesperson-a summary of what it takes
Case studies- be inspired by John’s own experiences
Success principles- a daily checklist of what to do and not do
The following are important traits to achieve the above:
Cleanliness/Grooming
Attire
Voice/Language
Manners/Courtesy
Etiquette/Chivalry
Injudicious use of cell-phone
Smart wheels-motor vehicle
Punctuality
Communication frontline
How to prepare and behave at an appointment
Follow-Up
Entertaining and essential social skills
Sportsmanship
How to stimulate sales
Ten Commandments of Selling
When you lose a sale, don’t lose the lesson
Hallmarks of a good salesperson
Attributes of a good salesperson
More ways of self-improvement
Further striving for success
Making appointments
Compiling CV/Preparing for a job interview/ How to behave at interview
Presentations
Sales seminars
How to write a business letter
Manning stands at trade shows
Telephone techniques and useful tips
Preparing a strategic plan
The lifetime value of an existing client
Affirmation summary on what it takes to be the Perfect Salesperson
Case Studies
Success principles
This book's mission is to be "for all and sundry, to teach us how to behave with our fellow beings, be they family and friends, be it in the workplace or with marketing and sales".
For the millions of our unemployed in South Africa, I trust my book will contribute to a larger percentage finding work, that they will be more successful after reading my book, irrespective of their vocation.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVE WHAT YOU DO!
To succeed at selling you must be passionate, otherwise you will fail.