This book is a me vs the world book - Anthony Iannarino 'Eat Their Lunch' Chapters 1, 2 & 3

We're on a. brand new book this week which is Anthony Iannarino's
'Eat Their Lunch: winning customers away from your competition'
author of 'The Only Sales Guide You Will Ever Need'. You can tell
from reading the book that Iannarino is a good salesman. 


We've read the first 3 chapters and so far, it is a really great
book and we've enjoyed it. It's really well suited to people who
sell to a Me Too market - and whether or not people admit it, a
lot of the IT industry is a Me Too market. 


This book is not only for the new business salesperson, but for
account managers looking to win wallet share across an acocunt in
competitive environments. 


What's interesting about the book so far, is that it's different
to a lot of the other sales books we've read. What a lot of the
other sales books will talk about is understanding a prospect's
need and then differentiating yourself from your competitor by
linking them back to the product that you sell. Which this
doesn't do and a different viewpoint and insight is good. 


Introduction: 


Anthony makes a point that you don't have to kill your
competition to beat them. You don't win by focusing on your
competition, you win by focusing on yourself and the end user
prospect. He also talks about how there is no deal worth your
integrity or your character - which we are in full agreement
with! Add more value to the end user and you'll win. Anthony
talks about how you can't create doubt about your competitors -
it makes client resistant. The problem with rubbishing your
competitor is that you're also telling your prospector that
they're an idiot.  


Chapter 1: You Are The Value Proposition


Anthony uses the word 'displacement' - you have to look at
accounts and think actually, why is there an opportunity for
displacement? 


Anthony lists reasons why an account you're dealing with might
not be complacent. 


He also makes the point of if you're waiting around for the
moment when change takes place, you won't win. What you have to
do is compel a client to make a change. And he explains this
using levels, which are really useful.


Anthony makes a beautiful point which we love which is 'However,
it is even more important to know that a great salesperson with
an acceptable product beats a poor salesperson with an excellent
product'. As a law of average, this is very true. 


The exercise at the end of the chapter is brilliant and it is in
our diaries to carry out this exercise. 


Chapter 2: Capturing Mindshare


This is an extension to the first chapter and Anthony questions
why people go through the trouble of getting through a client's
door and then don't take the time to get all the money out of
them that they can. This is the predilection of new business
hunters, to win and move on.


Anthony absolutely nailed his comments on the trusted advisor.
He's referring to how you need to be perceived as the person who
knows more about the service that you offer than they do. 


He gives an example that couldn't be more apt for our industry
and that is super trends. He talks about the importance of
looking at the bigger picture and using the super trend to drive
the sale and he's 100% right. 


Once again, there's an exercise at the end of this chapter that
we've put time in our diary to do. We would very highly recommend
this book. 


Chapter 3: Creating An Opening Through Nurture Campaigns


The process in this chapter was beautiful, a process that most of
us know but rarely carry out. If you're writing your 2019
business plan, we would buy this book just for this
chapter! 


This chapter is about making a statement to your client that
you're starting this game in a different way to everyone
else. 


There's also a workflow for canvassing clients in different kinds
of mediums. 


This book is a me vs. the wo