Books

Procurement relief! Salespeople can unlock the mystery of  procurement price pressure and bidding wars for less than the price of a dinner. Negotiating with Backbone is the first negotiation book of its kind that doesn’t teach ‘manipulative tricks’–rather it focuses on winning strategies that turn into orders.  Buy it, read it, bank it.

–Jeffrey Gitomer, author, Little Red Book of Selling

“It comes as no surprise that evolving procurement organizations are placing increasing pressure on supplier salespeople. Holden distinguished among price, relationship, and value buyers; then offers down-to-earth practical approaches for successful business results. The entire sales organization will learn from Negotiating with Backbone; after all, Holden’s been there, done that!”

–Noel Capon, R.C. Kopf Professor of International Marketing, Columbia Business School; coauthor, Sales Eats First

“This is a must-read for sales, sales management, and even executive management. The recent evolution of procurement to negatively impact seller margins and therefore sales commissions with complex buying behaviors is real! Holden provides detailed steps to recognize and address these strategies and tactics to maximize profitability. More than a book, it’s a reference guide that should be at your fingertips to use daily to coach and mentor  the sales organization. It will with me.”

–Lewis Miller, CEO and President, Qvidian

Co-founders of Holden Advisors, Dr. Reed Holden and Mark Burton, have released a thought-leading book that illuminates new pathways to pricing success. With ten simple rules, Pricing with Confidence demonstrates how managers can deliver both healthy profit margins and robust revenue growth while kicking their dreaded discounting habit. It’s a simple matter of linking the prices you charge to the value you deliver so your company can customize offerings for various types of buyers and differentiate your products from the competition.

“A must read for everyone involved in our company’s pricing operations, from new-hires to experienced pricing veterans. We use the 10 simple rules presented by Reed and Mark every day in an industry rife with cut-throat price discounters to extract maximum value out of every transaction. Pricing With Confidence clearly illustrated the pitfalls of some common, misguided pricing practices and armed us with the tools we needed to weed them out at Cypress. For those looking to take full advantage of the powerful multiplier effect that a disciplined pricing practice can have on your profits, Pricing With Confidence is a great place to start!”

-Ray Casey, Director of Pricing, Cypress Semiconductor

“Establishing ‘go-to-market confidence’ is one key lever in driving business results today, and Reed’s work establishes the foundational layer for organizations that are serious about controlling their profit destiny.”

-Thomas Jacobson, Global Managing Director Price and Profit Optimization, Accenture

“Pricing is the only ‘P’ of the four P’s of marketing that impacts the bottom line directly, yet it’s the least understood and focused on by business leaders. Pricing is so critical to a business, I now wonder why an entire course on the subject wasn’t required (or offered) as part of my MBA!”

-Verne Harnish “Growth Guy,” CEO Gazelles

“The Pricing Team at Maritz used a ‘book report’ approach by having each member of our team reporting on a chapter of Pricing with Confidence and highlighting the areas applicable to Maritz. We have used the book as a guide as we develop a strategic plan to improve pricing, heighten our focus on value to our clients, and improve the bottom line at Maritz.”

-Alicia Behrndt, Vice President, Global Financial Services, Maritz Holdings Inc.

“Before reading Pricing with Confidence, we had the ability to set accurate rates. Now, with the aid of the ideas and strategies discussed in the book, we have the knowledge to use pricing as a competitive advantage to increase both revenue and profits.”

-Chuck Meintel, Vice President – Unum US Pricing