Dave Stein's Blog: An Independent Perspective on Sales Training and Sales Effectiveness

This post is about one of the most important business books I have ever read.  In fact, depending on your company’s circumstances, it might be the most important book you ever read.

First, a bit of background

I met Paul O’Dea (left) back in 2002 when I delivered a keynote speech in Dublin for 300 technology senior executives.  At the time, Paul was involved with the Irish Software Association.  As the result of that meeting, also attended by Donal Daly (now CEO of The TAS Group) and Aidan Stack of Enterprise Ireland, the very successful program for Irish CEOs, SalesSTAR, was born.

I worked closely with Paul, who ran the SalesSTAR program, for a number of years until it died a natural death a few years ago.  (Nearly every targeted technology CEO in Ireland had successfully passed through the program.)   Paul and I continue to contribute individually to the International Selling Program jointly run by Enterprise Ireland and The Dublin Institute of Technology.

Paul’s background is impressive.  I’m writing about a book, not Paul, but you should know that Paul is a world-class business strategist.  His firm, Select Strategies, has consulted with Expedia, HP, and a host of smaller companies.  Paul’s leadership as a business owner, director, and chairman has driven a number of companies to, let us say, very successful outcomes.

The Business Battlecard is a truly unique book.  Here is the endorsement I provided to Paul prior to publication:

“Without a solid go-to-market strategy in place, nothing layered on top—not a sales methodology, nor a partnership, nor a marketing campaign—will get the job done.  In the Business Battlecard Paul serves up a practical solution from soup to nuts—the step-by-step, proven path on which the senior management team can collaborate to ensure every steop taken is not only forward, but a step in the right direction.  This book is a ‘must-use’ for every small company CEO.”

For all its valuable insight and relevant case studies, the book is written in plain, concise and powerful language.  Plus, the graphics throughout the book, including the templates for working sessions, are wonderful.  All Paul’s hard work on this book has paid off,  big time.

If you’re a sales leader and you know your CEO’s business strategy is flawed (or non-existent), you’ve got to start there first.  This book is the tool to get your company headed in the right direction.

The book is not on Amazon, but can be purchased here.

Picture by Shane O’ Neill, Jason Clarke Photography, April 2005, Dublin, Ireland.

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