John Livesay is a child of the Abundance generation. They are not a set demographic with an exact age, race or regional context. They are a way of thinking, a psychographic. To John, things are more valuable as they become abundant. When one of his ideas starts to get used by a client, the idea grows in value; it doesn’t slip through his fingers.
In business, he competes with players from the Scarcity Mindset generation. They are everywhere. This generation sees value where there is scarcity. High demand and low supply equals higher prices and profits. Their world is ruled by supply and demand. They see the pie of life as shrinking. “Keep it close to your vest” is their prevailing wisdom.
Fear is a primary tool in the Scarcity Mindset and faith is the dominant asset in the Abundance Mentality. This is an age-old battle, but it lies at the heart of all of today’s conflict, both personal and professional.
In 1980, Alvin Toffler predicted the rise of people like John when he wrote The Third Wave. Here’s what he said:
“We are the final generation of an old civilization and the first generation of a new one, and that much of our personal confusion, anguish and disorientation can be traced directly to the conflict within us, and within our political institutions, between the dying Second Wave civilization that is thundering in to take its place.”
Better Selling Through Storytelling is a walk through John’s mind. I advise you to wear good shoes. To take this walk and derive the book’s true value, you need to subscribe to the Abundance Mentality. You’ll need to believe that customers are by their nature loyal and reciprocal. You’ll see others’ successes as something that is great—not something to envy or resent. You will have to view the pie of life as abundant; there is always enough to go around.
If you read this book with a Scarcity Mindset, you’ll scratch your head wondering how John has reached his plateau of success. You’ll see his generosity as foolish, risky, and vulnerable. You’ll question his ability to lead salespeople in a dog-eat-dog world. You will miss the subtle nuance of his relationship advice, distracted by the infinite trust that John bestows on his customers to do him right.
The following book will take you on a journey that will enlighten you and change the way you approach selling and your sales career. John takes you into the art and importance of storytelling to not only sell your product, your business or yourself, but to build rapport, relationships, and trust; integral to successful selling today. Throughout, John takes you back to your personal center, to know where you are psychologically, what you are feeling, and how to handle adversity and rejection if and when you experience it. This is important, so don’t skip over these sometimes difficult but integral steps in your path to success.
John brings his incredible career, life, and coaching experience together with all he has learned from guests on his podcast, peers, friends, and clients. This book is his way of passing on the knowledge or, as I like to say, sharing the love.
Sales is not a career, it is a symptom. You were born to convince, delight, and keep customers. It is not a game. It’s a core competency combined with a conviction effectively communicated to your clients and prospects.
There are various levels of intelligence you need to reach for potential: intelligence, emotional intelligence, and spiritual intelligence. This book seeks to offer all three.
Tim Sanders
New York Times bestselling author of Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends
timsanders.com