The Rival

A debut guide that shows how to succeed in business while really trying.

In this primer for budding entrepreneurs, Von Seeger lays out some ground rules for success, taken from what he calls his “well-executed career.” Von Seeger, a multi-lingual native of Germany who’s worked for many years as a salesman, mainly for telecommunications companies, writes that he intends this compact guide as “a tool for those seeking to learn and follow in my footsteps.” The most important ingredients in his recipe for sales success, he says, are relationships, confidence, and “emotional intelligence.” It also helps, he says, to know in detail what one is selling, to study the competition, and to let honesty, integrity, and a do-unto-others attitude guide one’s business relationships. Along the way, he offers tips on job interviews, resumes, and tactics for establishing all-important business connections. He sprinkles the text with examples from his own career to illustrate his points, such as when he got face time with hard-to-reach executives by befriending their assistants. He also tells the story of a German businessman who threw his sales reps’ desks’ contents out the window when he found them sitting in the office during work hours instead of getting their feet on the street. Von Seeger has produced a concise how-to guide about getting ahead in business, especially sales, that will be particularly useful to those just starting their careers. His liberal use of examples from his own life helps illustrate his ideas for how to get ahead. He occasionally falls back on clichés (“knowledge is power, and the devil is in the details”), but in general, his writing is clear, crisp, and to the point. At times, though, he appears to contradict himself; for example, he warns against “greed and lack of respect for team members, colleagues, and partners,” but also condones the firing of 80 percent of sales reps who aren’t premium producers.

Common-sense, if not earth-shattering, advice that should come in handy for anyone wanting to prosper in sales.