Personal branding. Rockstar performance. Hustle and Grind. Such are the latest buzzwords and attitudes across several industries. But beyond being buzzwords, there must be real action behind these ideas in order to achieve success. Otherwise, they are only rhetoric and hot air.
In a culture filled with self-proclaimed leaders, masters, and motivators – I, like many, am weary of what crosses my path. I’m not one for self-help material, and I certainly don’t grab for business-minded how-to books.
The reason why is because the average person writes a “how-to” book for one of two reasons:
- They subconsciously are trying to solve their own mystery. Their own lack of understanding.
- They are trying to make a buck.
With Brandin Wilkinson, however, Author of ReThink Selling, the title and description of his book grabbed my attention:
The reason why we only know 20% of sales is because we’ve been conditioned to believe that the majority of sales success is due to strategy and skill. This simply isn’t true. Success is 80% mindset and 20% skill. Our training is backwards. We must focus on the 80% in order to be what we perceive to be successful.
Now, I don’t know about you, but that flips the script.
Meet Brandin Wilkinson, Author of ReThink Selling
When I first met Brandin, it was virtually on an industry forum. He and I had shared comments on a blog before corresponding in private. Brandin had just released his new book and was seeking out some PR, and chose to send me a copy.
By the way, that is the best way to get your book and your name out there. Send your book to people. Don’t force them to buy it.
Brandin went from being an accidental Automotive Sales Professional to General Manager of a 55+ team in six short years. He was named one of the Top Automotive Professionals in North America under the age of 40 by Automotive News. From there, an opportunity opened up to partner in with a Chrysler Franchise, where he increased the new sales volume 61% in 3 years.
Brandin began his career in automotive sales with a skeptical view of salesmen in general.
“I hated, well strongly disliked, salespeople,” he admits. “Sleazy, greasy, slimy, and dishonest were words that came to mind with the profession.”
But something happened as Brandin moved his way up the ladder in his dealership. He realized that simple, authentic, and focused strategies yielded surprising results. Some of these strategies were in line with traditional thinking, drawing on proven methods of personal success. Others were a clear departure from what many professionals see as the ‘right way’.
Now Brandin’s main focus is on his new venture, ReThinkU Performance Coaching (ICF Certified), where he is maximizing the professional careers of Managers, C-Suite Executives, and Business Owners through personal performance.
ReThink Selling: Why you only know 20% of Sales
For a book seemingly aimed at salespeople, ReThink Selling doesn’t offer much in terms of practical every day tips for increasing sales. Actually it doesn’t offer anything like that.
Instead, Wilkinson shares with readers his personal story, and the things he did to change himself from the inside out.
Wilkinson doesn’t dance around the need for diligent work when it comes to working on ones self. This isn’t a granola, feel-good story – it’s a call to action.
It’s a call that’s been getting a lot of attention in professional circles, as well. Wilkinson credits LinkedIn as the driving force for a lot of his book sales.
“I’m not the kind of guy to really put myself out there or jumping on the bandwagon of personal branding,” he says, “but LinkedIn is really what has sold the book.”
“I’m a little bit active on Instagram, I do a little post daily and stuff like that. But it’s really those relationships and the network that I have on LinkedIn that drove up sales on the book.
“Put in the work,” Wilkinson says, “and you’ll likely reap the benefits. “
Those benefits come in a variety of ways, says Brandin, and they’re interconnected.
“Now I’ve been able to see the benefits of meditation, having a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset, parking my ego at the door. I used to have a really high ego because of the quick success that I had in sales.”
Once he had cut through all that, Brandin says everything began to chance.
“It’s funny because I used to be so concerned with performance and money and all that kind of stuff. Once I stopped worrying about that and focused on this personal development avenue, all the finances and success is actually amplified as a byproduct.”
Not a Self-Help How-to Book
Don’t mistake ReThink Selling for a self-help how-to book. Brandin may focus on personal development, but he doesn’t disregard the day-to-day realities of Life. He wrote the book with salespeople in mind, so it has a pointed focus on that practicality.
“I put a little guide in there. If I’m a salesperson, here’s how I would map out my day today. I also get into things like compound interest, using those financial strategies in life, and then the last chapter’s just dedicated to resources.”
ReThink Selling is packed with an immense amount of information that focuses on the intangibles that lead to your personal success. Things that in turn impact your professional success.
Brandin says,
“The book is for anybody that’s looking to grow their professional life through personal development. I don’t think you can have one without the other, so I think it’s truly a universal guide for anyone looking to enhance their professional career through personal development.”
“What I’m finding is that if you provide the value to people over a consistent period of time, and you’re authentic with it, then people are going to come back full circle and they’ll support you.”
About the Show and Podcast
The podcast featured in this post is the result of a conversation Brandin and I had in October 2018 on my live weekly broadcast – AC ON AIR. The podcast is an edited portion of the original live stream recording. For more information about our weekly program, follow this link.
