What is the difference between selling and marketing? Often people don't know that there is a difference.

So I am glad to see Matt having authored two books - "A Guide to SELLING Managed Services - faster, easier & for greater profit" and "A Guide to MARKETING Managed Services - faster, easier & for greater profit." (http://www.ambitionmission.com). Now I am not going to give you the spiel how anybody that wants to make a profit by providing managed services should buy his books and bla bla bla (well but you really should), but I want to talk about how surprised I was when I first picked up the "SELLING" book and started reading.

I am a voracious reader and have a garagae full of books to show for it. Many times I have picked up a book that was touted a "best-seller" or made other promises to be worth my time reading - please understand, if I find one item in a book that I learn from or can take away, I am a happy customer - but often it is empty promises and I feel cheated, not so much for the money, but my time wasted getting through the pages.

Having known Matt for several years, I didn't know what to expect (you should know he is from the New Jersey area and ALWAYS wears a suit and tie, and therefore not to be trusted!), and I was immensly thrilled after turning the first couple of pages.

Matt's style is to lay out concepts in a logical, easy to grasp approach, straight-up and no time wasted on fluff to fill white space. He presents ideas, concepts and philosophy in an interesting, sensible style, covers pros and cons, and provides examples and analysis. I do not want to re-hash the contents of his books here, you can find out more at http://www.ambitionmission.com.  I have only read the "SELLING" book, but I expect the "MARKETING" book to be of the same caliber, and I am certain it will not turn you off.

Having worked in the IT industry and having been a sales professional all his life, Matt shares valuable knowledge nuggets on selling Managed Services. If you are one of the IT guys that has sucessfully resisted getting involved with sales, I highly recommend Matt's guide book. It is interesting, painless and to the point. (And I bet the MARKETING book is too). You will walk away with new ideas and action items that can be implemented with your customers, without having to wear a suit and tie (sorry for the pun, Matt ). Then again, when you read chapter 17 in "A Guide to SELLING Managed Services - faster, easier & for greater profit" on APPEARANCE, you may want to spend some thoughts on how your customers perceive you and how you would like to be perceived. You may even find out why customers ask you to fix stuff while you are there to discuss a proposal!

An execellent book worth the read, "A Guide to SELLING Managed Services - faster, easier & for greater profit", is not a dry book on sales methods - you will find it surprisingly refreshing AND relevant to your bottom line.

Matt Makowicz presenting his latest book "A Guide to MARKETING Managed Services - faster, easier & for greater profit" at WPC in Houston