JOYFUL SELLING

A business coach urges her colleagues to take a new approach to selling their services.

Rockwood makes it clear from the opening pages that her book’s audience is limited to one profession: her fellow coaches. “It’s not for those who are selling tangible goods, like books, trinkets, or toilet plungers,” she explains. For her intended readership, she offers a guide for applying the framework of coaching to the process of selling its services. Along the way, it allows coaches to lean into their skills—building connections, presenting opportunities for growth, helping clients to reach their own conclusions—instead of spending their energy trying to reach large numbers of people, many of whom aren’t potential candidates for coaching. Rockwood contrasts traditionally “masculine” and “feminine” approaches to sales and argues that people of all genders would benefit from aspects of both styles, noting the advantages of relying on emotional connection instead of massive lead generation. She offers numerous examples from her experience selling services and helpfully provides plenty of moments of putting the techniques she recommends into action. The book covers the practical aspects of pricing, taking payment, overcoming objections, and closing a sale, all within the contours of a coach-led experience. The book is comprehensive but not sprawling, concisely guiding the reader through the process of selling. (Rockwood mentions a paid course she offers that explores the topic in more detail and features additional resources on her website.) The information is actionable, easy to understand, and written in a clear, engaging style. As it is intended for trained coaches, its references to alignment, energy, transformation, and intentions are appropriate in a way they might not be for general readers. For its target audience, it will be an effective tool for developing selling skills, and other readers may still find some of its concepts useful.

A well-crafted argument for treating sales as an integral part of coaching.