The Golden Apple: How to Grow Opportunity and Harvest Success

211 Pages·2006·0.77 MB·English

by  Kathy Aaronson

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The Golden Apple
How to Grow Opportunity
and Harvest Success
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Kathy Aaronson
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Additional Praise for
The Golden Apple
“Kathy really ‘gets’ that everyone is selling something in life . . .
and often the hardest thing to sell is ourselves and our ideas.
This book is essential for anyone intent on building a gratifying
career.”
—Anne Marie Kelly
Vice President, Marketing & Strategic Planning, Mediamark Research
Board Member, Advertising Women of New York
“Here in one neat package is an indispensable guidebook for any-
one who wants to succeed whenever you have an idea to convey,
problem to solve, or negotiation to complete.”
—Drex Heikes
Editor, Los Angeles Timesmagazine
and Deputy Editor, Los Angeles TimesSunday Opinion section
“Kathy Aaronson’s Golden Apple is inspirational, motivational,
and will help you transact more business than you ever thought
possible.”
—Lynne Segall
Vice President, Associate Publisher, The Hollywood Reporter
“The Golden Apple is very smart and a must-read for today’s
success-driven professional.”
—David Cohen
Vice Chairman, Interscope/Geffen/A&M
“The Golden Appleis highly recommended to anyone who wants
to increase their market value and income earning capabilities
fast.”
—John J. Kilcullen
President and Publisher, Billboard
“Refreshing . . . a great read . . . Kathy cuts through the theories
and reinforces how important the human element is in the sell-
ing process.”
—Toni Nevitt
President, eMedia and Information Marketing, VNU Business Media
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“Read The Golden Apple on the plane to your next sales call.
You’ll be richer on your way back.”
—Kelly Roman
Sales Director, VNU-US Literary Group
“Here is an easy-to-follow, easy-to-understand, easy-to-implement
career action program—a very compelling read.”
—Craig Besant
Vice President, Tribune Interactive
“Kathy understands that success in business and, more impor-
tantly, in life is all about building solid relationships. The Golden
Applesums up everything you need to know about how to sell
yourself and your product in today’s competitive environment.
It’s a must-have for your library!”
—Beth Sestanovich
Publisher, LA Weekly
“Don’t let fear hold you back. This book will show you how to
succeed each and every time you hear the word ‘no.’”
—Polly Anthony
President, Geffen Records
“Applying Kathy’s lessons to your work and to your life will help
you create your own personal road map to success.”
—Thomas P. Woerner
Publisher, Brandweek
“This is thebook to read to succeed in the modern and very com-
plicated world of sales. Kathy Aaronson has always stayed
ahead of the sales curve and shows you how to in The Golden
Apple.”
—Adam Schaffer
Publisher, Tradeshow Week
“Kathy teaches you the most valuable lessons of sales and mar-
keting. After 20 years, I still use her pearls of wisdom and pass
them along to sales managers coming up through the ranks.”
—Janet Suber
Executive Director—Los Angeles, Condé Nast Media Group
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“Whether you’re an experienced salesperson or someone just
entering the workforce, The Golden Appleprovides a wealth of
strategies that will guide you to success in your career.”
—Michael A. Alicea
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, VNU Business Media
“Kathy gives you the sum total of what you need to know to build
a lifetime of long-term and dynamically loyal relationships.”
—Gale Hollingsworth
Western Regional Sales Director, Black Enterprisemagazine
“Here is your blue ribbon guide to success in business and life.”
—Jim Casella
Vice Chairman, Reed Business Information
“Kathy Aaronson at eight developed ‘kid courage,’ which she’s
used to create ‘Sales Athletes’ and a business empire.This book
is smart and sensitive; we’re fortunate that Kathy’s so sharing of
herself with us. I urge everyone interested in personal and ca-
reer excellence to get into this fast and enjoyable read.”
—William Becker
Chairman, Kodak Theatre/The Chicago Theatre
“Every bite the reader takes from The Golden Applewill nourish
them with the motivation and action steps needed to fulfill their
professional goals.”
—Ron Wilcox
Executive Vice President and Chief Business and Legal Affairs Officer
Sony BMG Entertainment
“Sometimes do you feel you don’t fit in?Kathy Aaronson’s book
will show you how to celebrate and market your uniqueness and
value.”
—Greta E. Couper, Ph.D.
Alumni Career Services, Pepperdine University
“Kathy Aaronson has captured the essence of what makes for
success—knowledge, persistence, and the ability to ‘read’ peo-
ple and respond to them in a positive and affirmative fashion.”
—Peter A. Young
President, Digital Printing Systems, Inc.
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“A perfect book for setting a positive and productive work cul-
ture. I’m buying copies for my entire sales team!”
—Anthony Andrade
National Advertising Manager, Dow Jones
“Here in one place are the ABCs to get you on the path to suc-
cessand keep you moving in the right direction.”
—Perry Grayson
Vice President—Western Region, Hachette Filipacchi Media
“I took a bite of Kathy Aaronson’s The Golden Appleand can say
people who read this book will gain knowledge in how to suc-
ceed in business. People with limited resources will be able to
expand their horizons with this valuable book!”
—Steve Elish
Vice President/Group Publisher, Back Stage Publications
“Kathy Aaronson inspires me, and this book is a great extension
of her amazing advice and counsel.”
—Christie Barnes Stafford
Los Angeles Account Manager, Wiredmagazine
The Condé Nast Publications, Inc.
“In The Golden Apple,Kathy shares her skill in teaching others
how to be sensitive to, and capitalize on, the opportunities
around us all. Buy two or three copies, because once you read it,
you’ll pass it like a fine vintage to your best friends.”
—Mel Snyder
Managing Director, ProClinical, Inc.
”In a time when the evolution of the media industry has created
an environment of innovation-by-necessity, we’re fortunate to
have resources like The Golden Appleto rely on. Kathy Aaronson
continues to light the way for business development profession-
als who look to raise the bar on behalf of their brands.”
—Charles Weiss
National Advertising Director, Back Stagemagazine
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The Golden Apple
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The Golden Apple
How to Grow Opportunity
and Harvest Success
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Kathy Aaronson
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright © 2006 by The Sales Athlete, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning,
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Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at
http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their
best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically
disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No
warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials.
The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You
should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author
shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not
limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
For general information on our other products and services or for technical support,
please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at [phone],
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appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about
Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.
The Sales Athlete®is a servicemark/trademark owned by Kathleen Aaronson.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Aaronson, Kathy.
The golden apple : how to grow opportunity and harvest success /Kathy Aaronson.
p. cm.
ISBN-13 978-0-471-77782-3 (cloth)
ISBN-10 0-471-77782-X (cloth)
1. Selling. 2. Customer relations. 3. Relationship marketing.
4. Consumer satisfaction. 5. Career development. I. Title: How to grow opportunity
and harvest success. II. Title.
HF5438.25.A218 2006
658.85—dc22 2005034538
Printed in the United States of America.
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