As a blogger, I read and participate in many blogs other than my own.  There is one rather large community geared around dental-related topics.

Recently, a member of this group started posting excerpts from Robert Nelson’s “The Greatest Sales Training In The World.”  Nelson’s book is based on the all-time best seller “The Greatest Salesman in the World,” by Og Mandino.  The dentist who is posting this work is calling it, “The Greatest Dentist in the World.”  He is trying to share with other members of the group some strongly positive messages and personal development techniques.  Being an avid reader of motivational material, I immediately recognized the writings and wondered how well they would be received by this particular group.  It’s a fantastic book and could be applied to just about any profession.  After all, we are all selling something.  A business is not a business until a sale is made.  I inwardly applauded this dentist for developing his own thinking and willingness to share it with others.

The responses he received, however, were, not to my surprise, rather sad.  Most of the other dentists made fun of him.  (For some reason, this reminds me of a Christmas story about a reindeer.  Hmmm.)  Anyway, the ones who didn’t make fun of him, disagreed with him!  Interestingly, the dentists who disagreed with the techniques spouted in the book to help one become a great salesperson are the same dentists who, in other forums, are complaining about low productivity.  Is anyone surprised here?

There is an old motivational tenet that says that, while you certainly need to learn a certain set of skills in any given occupation, if you want to become really good at what you do, work on yourself.  In other words, to become a better dentist, become a better person.  I can personally testify to this theory because as I have become a better person, I have become a better writer, speaker, and consultant.  So don’t disagree with me, until you’ve tried it. 

While there are many books and courses out there that will help you become a better person, books written by sales trainers tend to be the best.  Why is that?  Because truly great salespeople know that success is not about using the best line on a customer, or using manipulation in any way.  Great salespeople know that success is about developing lasting, trusting relationships.  Great salespeople know that if they come across as being all about the sale, they will lose.

When you’re reading a book with suggestions on how to improve yourself or your approach to others, don’t try to decide if you believe what the author is saying.  Instead, pick a couple of suggestions, and try them.  Take them out for a spin and see if they work.  I strongly recommend The Greatest Sales Training In The World, and anything by Brian Tracy.

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