Book Review: “Selling Your Way IN”- The Playbook for Setting Your Income and Owning Your Life
Unlike many sales guides that focus on techniques, “Selling Your Way IN” takes a broader approach. It emphasizes personal growth, smart role selection, and long-term planning, alongside sales skills. I love how this book combines growth techniques with sales tactics. It helps readers outperform their peers. The author shares the principles she lives by and calls them “#Kristieisms”.
These are the top takeaways from the book and the companion workbook that I downloaded:
Hold up that mirror
Know Yourself First. Read that statement again. Let it sink in. People who don’t know themselves will make poor career decisions. Self-awareness is crucial. This is about being honest with yourself. Know your strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits. Identify what drives you, how you like others to reward you, and what drains your energy. There’s no wrong answer. You must find your “Rock Star” traits. Then, pursue a role where you can succeed. Your secret weapon is the one skill in which you consistently achieve better results than your peers.
The top 10% of sales professionals have many traits and these are a few that resonated with me:
Accountability is key. “#ownyourownshit” is a must for owning your income. You must control the controllables.
Disciplined individuals are top performers. Their habits are now automatic, like an athlete’s muscle memory.
“#SowtoGrow”: You should cultivate a growth mindset and commit to continuous learning.
Test and Plan for the Right Fit
The book guides readers to choose the right sales role. It should match their strengths and goals. This holistic approach leads to a successful sales career.
The Hunter/Farmer assessment and your swim lane will help you. They will focus your efforts on the roles you pursue. Don’t treat your career like bad sales “pray and spray”!
Process Before Prospects
The best sellers have a reliable, personalized sales process. She shares a Sales Information Framework with the Ideal Client Profile at the center. There are four key areas you must understand to be successful:
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Product/Service
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Industry
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Strategy
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Tools
She breaks each of these four areas down, information, decisions and actions, so you can build your own process and take it anywhere.
The secret formula is understanding what makes you successful and able to play at the top of your game. It comes down to this question: “What three things do you do to ensure success, no matter the position or company?” There are no wrong answers. But those who want to control their financial and career growth can answer it.
