Selling Today: Building Quality Partnerships (8th Edition)

This number-one selling, introductory text embodies the changing nature of personal selling today. It shows readers how to master vital relationship-building skills and apply modern sales automation technology to achieve long-term success in the field. It makes concepts come alive by applying them to scenarios from real companies throughout, and comes with one of the most comprehensive support packages available for a text of its kind. This text emphasizes investing in quality, secured relationships that yield repeat business and referrals and details developing a personal selling philosophy, as well as developing strategies for relationship, product, customer and presentation. For professionals, entrepreneurs, managerial personnel, customer service representative and sales personnel.

Dr. Barry L. Reece, Professor Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Dr. Reece has devoted more than three decades to teaching, research, consulting, and the development of training programs in the areas of sales, supervision, human relations, and management. He has conducted over 600 seminars and workshops for public and private sector organizations. He has written several textbooks and articles in the areas of sales, supervision, communications, and management. Dr. Reece was named "Trainer of the Year" by the Valleys of Virginia Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development and was awarded the "Excellence in Teaching Award" by the College of Human Resources and Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Dr. Reece has contributed to numerous journals and is author or co-author of twenty-five books including Business, Human Relations—Principles and Practices, Supervision and Leadership in Action and Effective Human Relations in Organizations. He has served as a consultant to Lowe's Companies, Inc., First Union, WLR Foods, Kinney Shoe Corporation, Carilion Health System, and numerous other profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Gerald L. Manning Des Moines Area Community College

Mr. Manning has served as chair of the Marketing/Management Department for more than 30 years. In addition to his administrative duties, he has served as lead instructor in sales and sales management. The classroom has provided him with an opportunity to study the merits of various experiential learning approaches such as role-plays, simulations, games, and interactive demonstrations. Partnership Selling: A Role Play/Simulation for Selling Today, included in the eighth edition of Selling Today, was developed and tested in the classroom by Mr. Manning. He has also applied numerous personal selling principles and practices in the real world as owner of a real estate development and management company.

Mr. Manning has served as a sales and marketing consultant to senior management and owners of over 500 businesses, including several national companies. He appears regularly as a speaker at national sales conferences. Mr. Manning has received the "Outstanding Instructor of the Year" award given annually by his college.

Keeping Current in a Changing World

Throughout the past decade, Professors Manning and Reece have relied on three strategies to keep current in the dynamic field of personal selling. First, both are actively involved in sales training and consulting. Frequent interaction with salespeople and sales managers provides valuable insights regarding contemporary issues and developments in the field of personal selling. A second major strategy involves extensive research and development activities. The major focus of these activities has been factors that contribute to high-performance salespeople. The third major strategy involves completion of training and development programs offered by America's most respected sales training companies. Professors Manning and Reece have completed seminars and workshops offered by Learning International, Wilson Learning Corporation, Forum Corporation, Franklin Covey, and several other companies.