What does it take to become a sales powerhouse in a competitive market?
Sell It Like Serhant by Ryan Serhant is more than just a guide to selling—it’s a roadmap to transforming your entire approach to business and life. Drawing from his meteoric rise as one of the top real estate brokers in the world, Serhant shares the strategies, mindset shifts, and actionable tactics that have propelled him to the pinnacle of his profession. This book isn’t just for those in sales; it’s for anyone who wants to excel, earn more, and unlock their full potential in any field. Serhant’s advice is practical, no-nonsense, and proven—making this a must-read for anyone serious about success.
Chapter 1: The Birth of a Salesman
Serhant begins by sharing his journey from a struggling actor to a top real estate broker in New York City. He emphasizes that he wasn’t a natural-born salesman; his success came from hard work, resilience, and learning from every failure. This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the book by illustrating that sales success isn’t about talent, but about the ability to adapt, learn, and push through challenges.
Serhant discusses the importance of finding your “Big Why”—the driving force behind your desire to succeed. For him, it was the need to prove himself and escape the financial instability of his early career. This chapter is a motivational kickoff, designed to inspire readers to believe that they, too, can achieve greatness with the right mindset and work ethic.
Key Insights:
- Sales success is not about natural talent but about hard work, resilience, and learning from failure.
- Finding your “Big Why” is crucial for staying motivated and driven.
- Anyone can succeed in sales with the right mindset and work ethic.
Chapter 2: The Power of Yes
In this chapter, Serhant emphasizes the importance of adopting a “yes” mindset. He explains that saying “yes” opens doors, creates opportunities, and builds relationships. By being open to possibilities, even those outside your comfort zone, you increase your chances of success.
Serhant shares anecdotes from his career where saying “yes” led to unexpected and lucrative opportunities. He also highlights the importance of balancing optimism with practicality—being a “yes person” doesn’t mean agreeing to everything blindly, but rather being open to new ideas and challenges.
Key Insights:
- Adopting a “yes” mindset opens doors and creates opportunities.
- Saying “yes” can lead to unexpected and lucrative opportunities.
- Balance optimism with practicality; being open doesn’t mean agreeing to everything blindly.
Chapter 3: Work for the Deal
Serhant dives into the hustle required to close deals in this chapter. He discusses the importance of persistence, follow-up, and going above and beyond for clients. Serhant believes that to succeed in sales, you must be willing to outwork everyone else and be relentless in your pursuit of the deal.
He shares strategies for staying organized, managing time effectively, and maintaining energy levels even when the work gets tough. Serhant’s approach to sales is all about action—taking the initiative, making the extra call, and pushing through obstacles until the deal is closed.
Key Insights:
- Persistence and follow-up are key to closing deals.
- Outworking your competition is essential for success in sales.
- Staying organized and managing time effectively are crucial for maintaining energy and productivity.
Chapter 4: The Master of Follow-up
Follow-up is where the magic happens, according to Serhant. In this chapter, he explains that consistent and creative follow-up is often the difference between a lost lead and a closed deal. Serhant shares his methods for staying top-of-mind with potential clients, including personalized messages, thoughtful gestures, and regular check-ins.
He stresses that follow-up isn’t just about persistence—it’s about adding value every time you reach out. Serhant’s follow-up strategies are designed to build trust and keep the conversation moving forward, ensuring that when the client is ready to buy, you’re the first person they think of.
Key Insights:
- Consistent and creative follow-up is crucial for turning leads into closed deals.
- Adding value in every follow-up interaction builds trust and keeps the conversation moving.
- Effective follow-up ensures you stay top-of-mind with potential clients.
Chapter 5: The Seven Stages of Grief Selling
Serhant introduces the concept of “grief selling,” which refers to the emotional rollercoaster that salespeople often experience when deals don’t go as planned. He likens the stages of losing a deal to the seven stages of grief, emphasizing that it’s normal to feel frustrated, disappointed, or even angry when things go wrong.
However, Serhant argues that these emotions shouldn’t derail you. Instead, he offers strategies for managing the emotional ups and downs of sales, including focusing on what you can control, learning from each experience, and staying resilient in the face of setbacks.
Key Insights:
- The emotional ups and downs of sales are normal and can be managed effectively.
- Recognizing the stages of “grief selling” helps you process setbacks and move forward.
- Focusing on what you can control and learning from each experience are key to resilience in sales.
Chapter 6: You Need to Get FKD
Serhant explains his philosophy of getting “FKD”—Follow-up, Kindness, and Determination. These three principles are at the heart of his sales approach. He believes that following up consistently, treating everyone with kindness, and being determined in your pursuit of success are the keys to building a successful sales career.
Serhant shares examples of how these principles have played out in his own career, from winning over difficult clients to building long-term relationships that have paid off in unexpected ways. He emphasizes that while sales is often seen as a cutthroat business, kindness and determination are what set the top performers apart.
Key Insights:
- Follow-up, Kindness, and Determination (FKD) are the core principles of a successful sales career.
- Consistently following up and treating others with kindness build long-term relationships and trust.
- Determination is crucial for overcoming obstacles and achieving success in sales.
Chapter 7: The Four Tenets of Work
In this chapter, Serhant outlines his four tenets of work: energy, focus, passion, and urgency. He believes that these tenets are essential for anyone who wants to excel in sales or any other field. Serhant explains how to cultivate each of these qualities in your daily work, from staying energized and motivated to maintaining laser focus on your goals.
He also discusses the importance of creating a sense of urgency—not just for your clients, but for yourself. Serhant argues that acting with urgency is what drives progress and ensures that you’re always moving forward, even when faced with challenges.
Key Insights:
- Energy, focus, passion, and urgency are the four tenets essential for success.
- Cultivating these qualities in your daily work helps you stay motivated and productive.
- Acting with urgency drives progress and ensures continuous forward movement.
Chapter 8: Be the One Who…
Serhant encourages readers to strive to be the person who always goes the extra mile, who is reliable, and who consistently delivers results. This chapter is about building a reputation as someone who can be counted on, no matter what. Serhant explains that being “the one who” in your field—whether it’s the one who closes the toughest deals, the one who never gives up, or the one who always finds a solution—sets you apart from the competition.
He shares stories from his career that illustrate the power of going above and beyond, and how doing so has earned him the trust and loyalty of his clients. Serhant emphasizes that reputation is everything in sales, and that being “the one who” is the key to building a lasting and successful career.
Key Insights:
- Strive to be “the one who” goes the extra mile and delivers consistent results.
- Building a reputation as someone reliable and solution-oriented sets you apart from the competition.
- Reputation is crucial in sales; being “the one who” is key to long-term success.
Chapter 9: How to Fail Smarter
Serhant believes that failure is an inevitable part of success, but it’s how you handle failure that makes all the difference. In this chapter, he explains how to “fail smarter” by learning from every setback and using those lessons to improve your approach. Serhant shares his own experiences with failure, including deals that fell through and mistakes he made along the way.
He emphasizes the importance of resilience and adaptability in sales, arguing that those who can bounce back from failure and apply what they’ve learned are the ones who ultimately succeed. Serhant’s advice is to embrace failure as a necessary step on the path to success and to view each setback as an opportunity for growth.
Key Insights:
- Failure is an inevitable part of success, but handling it well is what sets successful people apart.
- Learning from setbacks and applying those lessons leads to improvement and growth.
- Resilience and adaptability are crucial for bouncing back from failure and achieving long-term success.
Chapter 10: Do It Right NOW
Serhant closes the book with a call to action: do it right now. He argues that the key to success is taking immediate action, rather than waiting for the perfect moment or overthinking your decisions. Serhant shares his philosophy of “ready, fire, aim,” where taking action comes first, and adjustments are made along the way.
This chapter is all about seizing opportunities and not letting fear or doubt hold you back. Serhant emphasizes that success comes to those who are willing to act quickly and decisively, even in the face of uncertainty. His final message is clear: if you want to succeed, you need to start taking action right now.
Key Insights:
- Success comes to those who take immediate action and don’t wait for the perfect moment.
- The philosophy of “ready, fire, aim” encourages taking action first and adjusting along the way.
- Seizing opportunities and acting quickly and decisively is key to achieving success.
Conclusion
Sell It Like Serhant is a powerful guide for anyone looking to excel in sales or any other field. Ryan Serhant’s no-nonsense approach, combined with his actionable strategies and motivational insights, makes this book a must-read for those serious about achieving their goals. Serhant’s journey from struggling actor to top real estate broker is a testament to the power of hard work, resilience, and a relentless commitment to success. His advice is clear: if you want to succeed, you need to work hard, stay determined, and take action—right now.
Personal Opinion: Serhant’s book is more than just a sales manual; it’s a blueprint for success in any field. His emphasis on action, resilience, and building relationships is timeless advice that applies to everyone, regardless of industry. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to push beyond their limits and achieve greatness.
