Title: The Unsold Mindset: Redefining What it Means to Sell

Author: Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown

Date of Publication: 2023

Publisher: Harper Collins

Favorite Quote: “The mindset of a great seller mirrors the mindset of a great person.”

Summary:

Most of us dislike being sold to in a pushy, stereotypical way. I can see it coming from a mile away, and it irritates me to no end! Still, I realize persuasion is an important part of sales, and sometimes white lies, the hard sell, etc., will come into play. There’s no other way, right? With that in mind, I chose The Unsold Mindset as this month’s Business Book of the Month, and honestly, it changed the way I think about sales and salespeople.

The Unsold Mindset is the first book by authors Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown, sales leaders, teachers, corporate advisors, and co-founders of Agency 18, a firm that helps companies adopt the Unsold Mindset paradigm. The authors encourage readers to consider a totally new approach and rethink their perception of sales solely as a means of closing a deal. They suggest that great sellers aren’t successful because of what they do, but because of what they think.

The Unsold Mindset is divided into nine chapters: “You Can’t ‘Act’ Authentic,” “Intentional Ignorance,” “Growing into an Unsold Mindset,” “Pathological Optimism,” “Fall in Love, Actually,” “Be a Teammate, Not Just a Coach,” “Transform, Don’t Transact,” “Creative Selling,” “Set Goals on Purpose,” and “The Best Part of the Movie.” There’s a strong emphasis on injecting authenticity, positivity, social awareness, purpose, and intention into selling, and the authors often correlate these concepts to life, not just sales. The Unsold Mindset is full of interesting examples, rich stories, tips, and questions to ponder, all of which bring context and relatability. The book supports the goal of any salesperson—to sell—but does so through a different lens. In the words of the authors, selling “offers a unique opportunity to express ourselves, connect with people, be creative, learn about ourselves (and so much more), and grow from challenges. Best of all, it allows people to further their purpose.” This really is a mindset shift, and one that I can get behind.

Overall, The Unsold Mindset offers an unorthodox approach to old-school selling that applies to life as much as it applies to work. I found it so fascinating that I might leave a box of these in my trunk the next time I’m shopping for a new car, furniture, or bathroom tile. Anyone—salesperson or not—can find a key takeaway here to make their work more fulfilling and, dare I say, successful. Thanks for reading!

The Unsold Mindset is available in print, eBook, and eAudiobook format through the library. You can search the catalog at gailborden.info/catalog to find this and other titles.

 Submitted by: Rebecca Lapinski, Business & Career Services Librarian at Gail Borden Public Library. Please feel free to reach out to me at 847-695-3422 or rlapinski@gailborden.info.