ART OF SELLING INTANGIBLES

Rating:
Summary: IF YOU'RE A ROOKIE, YOU MUST READ THIS!!!
Review: LeRoy Gross is simple, straightforward, and profound. Everyone who sells investments should read this book. I don't mind posting this because I know that most of you are lazy and won't read the book, so my sales will continue to skyrocket! A select few will join me.

Rating:
Summary: IF YOU'RE A ROOKIE, YOU MUST READ THIS!!!
Review: LeRoy Gross really hit the nail on the head when he wrote this book. It is an honest, straight-forward book on how to survive as a stockbroker at a major firm.

Gross cuts through the fluff by stating that all stockbrokers are salespeople first in the eyes of management. Therefore, you are expected to produce - IMMEDIATELY. And, he gives you the tools and techniques to produce immediately.

I liked the chapters where he talks about setting goals, having a clean desk, creating a product worksheet, having a hook when you cold-call and making marks on prospecting information. He gives valuable techniques to maximize selling time and reduce administrative, non-selling time.

I also liked his chapter on finding, moving and placing money. It is not enough to find people and transfer their assets: you also have to place their money so that it generates fees and repeat commission. He suggest covered calls, managed money, special situation stocks and one-time commission sales. He also touches on the fact that stockbrokers who depend on one-time commission sales, such as mutual funds, will continually have to find new clients. Not an appealing prospect when you are older.

I wish that I knew about this book when I was a rookie. It would have saved me countless hours of frustration and chaos. For all you rookies out there, if you don't like what Gross says in his book, you should think twice about going into the business.

Rating:
Summary: Should Be Mandatory Reading at Brokerage Firms
Review: Leroy Gross shares awesome tips, practical wisdom and straight advice on how to generate financial sales. He covers everything from goal-setting, planning your day, sales worksheets, money placement, prospecting, cold-calling, etc...

Even though the financial industry has changed a lot, the actual mechanics of working in a brokerage firm have not. Whether you call yourself a stockbroker, investment consultant, financial advisor, financial planner or whatever, you still have to bring in business and generate commissions and fees. This book will help dispel any romantic or idealistic notions of financial sales.

If you want to become a producer really fast, Leroy Gross will show you how to do it.

Rating:
Summary: Pragmatic Companion to Warm, Fuzzy Advisor Books
Review: Recently an A. G. Edwards branch manager told me the biggest misconception new financial advisors have is they don't understand the vital importance of salesmanship. This book is a needed companion to polished, warm & fuzzy financial advisor books like Nick Murray's "The Excellent Investment Advisor." Gross' book would help a rookie build a business from scratch. This book is the straight stuff, very much by-the-numbers. Written in 1988, it is dated at times, yet, still very valuable. This covers basics of running an office and building a client base. This book would be at its best combined with Murray's book mentioned above (or West & Anthony's "Storyselling for Financial Advisors") and Sy Harding's "Riding the Bear" (which would give one the market knowledge to be an effective advisor). Buy this book!