Reviews of "You Can Compete"

By Bob Phibbs

$24.95

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* 2004 Independent Publisher Award Winner

* 2004 Benjamin Franklin Award Finalist

“Packed with practical ideas on how an independent full service restaurant owner can change his or her business, attitude and management style. If your operation is leaking water, this book can bail you out.”
  - Restaurant Hospitality September 2004

“If you're not weak of heart-this will work. his book tells it like it is and is like having lunch with a mentor once a week. Bob tells you exactly what to do in sales training, hiring, pricing, marketing and just plain out how to compete against whomever your competition happens to be. Many thoughts are one or two pages on what to do. Some of it hit's the number head on. Sometimes it's a pep talk.

Example: Bob talks about if an employee doesn't work out in a short time or constantly comes in late to FIRE THEM. This is a correct way to handle your business; it's just that many a storeowner are WIMPS. "We're all family here". yeah, right. When it comes down to "who doesn't get a pay check this pay period-cash flow sucks" see who volunteers. YOU.

If this book does nothing else than to make you a STRONGER manager it will be worth a 100 times more. I give seminars to jewelers on pricing and sales commissions. I felt so strongly about the value of this book that I ordered 50 copies to give out to my attendees this June in Vegas."
  - David S. Geller, May 2004

"Few retailers won’t find something to make them glad they spent some time with this book."
  - Food Management , September 2003

“A Wake-up call for the small business owner! Bob Phibbs takes running a small business seriously and he takes customer service VERY seriously. Best of all, he explains his principles well, without being condescending or preachy. This concise, well-organized book lays out the basics of "killer" marketing and customer service that can make your business stand out above the competition. You Can Compete will light a fire under the complacent or discouraged business owner, as it provides a much needed motivational wake-up call for every independent business trying to stay afloat in corporate America.”
  - James Barnes Editor, Independent Publisher, June 2004

"I am giving your book to my dealers I serve who sell our products -this will be their holiday gift. I have targeted dealers who I think could benefit from the message of focusing on other issues besides price in running their business...developing lasting impressions on customers, how to differentiate themselves from other retailers in the Atlanta market, and avoiding discounting in their sales".
  - Anne King, District Sales Manager, North Georgia & East TN

“There is simply not enough I can say about this book. It is an easy read that is not bogged down with anecdote after anecdote trying to make the same point over and over again as so many self-help books are. Phibbs make his points with short, concise, relevant vignettes that more often than not pack an A-ha! punch. Any independent business person with a lick of sense who hopes to compete with the big box retail vampires will have Phibbs' book - not on their bookshelves, but in hand. Personally, I've always believed the little guy could compete, but how? Phibbs tells you exactly how You Can Compete is filled with his expertise in an organized, personable package that would almost make you feel as if Phibbs was your own personal consultant. You could not ask for a better guide for success than You Can Compete.
  - J. Hamland (Long Beach, CA United States)

“I am in the process of negotiating the purchase of a small retail garden center in a metropolitan area. This is my first foray into retail. After acquiring a copy of another book - a vacuous read - Amazon suggested your book. Thank goodness! I found your book to be filled with practical, tested solutions. I intend to incorporate many of your ideas into the critical path I'm developing to guide my first year on the job.”
  - Josh Hinerfeld, HortiSource, LLC

“I'm recommending your book to everyone. How quickly I can forget. I used to do a lot of what you wrote about when I was a younger salesperson and even in motivating people in various organizations. You refreshed many things and you were wonderful with explicit examples. (Sometimes a little overwhelming when you think of the zillion details it takes to come close to doing it right.) I came up with a heading for a review: ‘YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO LOSE BUT THE SALE!’ I'm referring to your assertive and creative approach that few, too few, would allow themselves to engage in. But when you consider you have nothing else to lose but the sale if you don't do some of these things, at least you didn't let that potential buyer just walk away.”
  - Bill LaPoint, Publisher, The Blade

“Congratulations on writing a readable, highly useful and well-packaged book.”
  - Bob Robbins, Jenkins Group, Inc.

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