This book review was written by Eugene Kernes
“Plain and simple, if your prospect
doesn’t trust you, then there’s absolutely no way they are going to buy from
you. And, again, I don’t care how
certain they are about your product; they still won’t buy from you. In fact, if they’re that intent on
purchasing your product, then they simply find someone else who sells the same
thing – a salesperson they trust – and they will buy it from that
salesperson instead. It’s as simple as
that.” – Jordan Belfort, Chapter 1: Cracking The Code For Sales And
Influence, Page 19
Is This An Overview?
The Straight Line System is a method of making sales. There are five elements of the system. 1st: The prospect needs to approve
the product. 2nd: The
prospect needs to trust the person selling the product. 3rd: The prospect needs to trust
the company. Someone who is trying to
sell a product to a person who either does not trust the product, the seller,
or the company, is wasting their time.
To increase the chances of a sale, is the 4th element, the
action threshold should be reduced. 5th:
amplify pain. Prospects want to purchase
products that they think will prevent greater pain. The system is supported by how the
salesperson presents themselves. The
salesperson needs to control their tonality, body language, and emotional
state.
Caveats?
While the benefits of the system are expressed, the
consequences are not shared. The claims
being made about the methods are a rebranding of the consequences of using the
system. Demand and supply are rebranded
as prospect’s approval of product.
Branding is rebranded as trust of salesperson and company. Unethical means of obtaining sales is
rebranded as ethical. Pseudoscience and
confirmation examples are rebranded as science.
Each rebranding provides favorable platitudes toward the author, as the
author is trying to rebrand oneself.
There are short term benefits for salespeople who use the system that
preys on the vulnerable, but there are long term consequences for society.
