In this book summary of If You’re Not First, You’re Last by Grant Cardone, you’ll find my notes, valuable lessons, and important action steps.

If You’re Not First, You’re Last Summary

There are four options when an economic crisis happens:

• I refuse to play.
• Let’s get back to what we used to do.
• There’s nothing to do, let’s wait it out.
• Go all out to advance and conquer.

Advance and conquer is the only reasonable solution.

Your power base is your friends, family, relatives, peers, classmates, past employers, and essentially everyone you know and who knows you. Build your business through your power base first, not by reaching out to strangers—much more difficult.

Make calls to previous customers or leads to see how they’re doing and if you can serve them in any way. Just make the calls and be active. Don’t try to be cute or over think it.

“Personal visits are the single most powerful method by which you will ever make contact with a client and are guaranteed to advance your position in the marketplace.”

Commit to doing your job and following up with the unsold until they become the sold. If you stop contacting them, you’ll never get the sale.

Make a call to all of your clients to first ask how you can further serve them, and then ask who they know that might be interested in your product or services. That’s the quickest way to multiply your prospects and clients.

Do everything in your power to wow your current customers. That’s the only way you’re going to grow your business in the long-term.

Never try to sell on price. It’s a terrible sales move. Sell on how valuable you, your service, or your product is to them.

Act hungry and make sure everyone knows you want their business. You have to be hungry if you want to be first.

You will never be without work or money if you’re always promoting and marketing yourself. This advertising doesn’t need to cost money, often energy and getting creative is far more effective.

“Time X Actions = Measure of Advance,”  so the more action you take over time is going to directly correlate with your results. Attitude is key to winning.

Every company needs sales to survive. That’s why if you can sell yourself or other products or services, you’ll be good in any economy.

Mini Summary

The only logical solution when the economy is good or bad is to be number one. Because when you’re at the top in your career or business, you have all the advantages and can dominate the market. If you’re not number one, you could be in danger.

A difficult economy can present a lion’s share of opportunity to the people who stay positive and commit to dominating. Your weak competitors will be on the ropes, so you can advance and conquer—only if you have crazy effort and effective sales skills. Look for the opportunity in everything.

Be over the top, get uncomfortable, commit to selling, and do whatever it takes to create your own economy and climb to the top. Work like your dreams and life depend on it, because in a way they do.

Three Favorite Quotes

“Problems are opportunities, and conquered opportunities equal money earned.”

“Anyone can make a product similar to yours, and someone is always willing to sell it for less. The only thing that keeps you above the fray is cultivating, nurturing, serving, and doing everything you can to amaze your current customers.”

“The lifeblood of every organization is revenue, and revenue is generated by sales. Therefore, every organization’s most necessary assets—that alone can determine its success (or lack thereof)—are the sales skills of its employees.”

Action Steps For You

If you don’t want to be number one, then Cardone will show you that you’re in a dangerous position.

Because then you’re expendable in your job or business, meaning you might be out of work or out of business at any moment—and most likely when the economy sours.

So aim for first, it’ll raise your game and be a whole lot more rewarding.

With that as the goal, it’s time to get uncomfortable in how you approach business.

Think outside of the box to get in front of clients. Do whatever it takes to execute the sales tactics above (and in this book) to land the deals. Stay hungry.

If you can commit to personal excellence in your job or business, then you’ll make it through any economy.

And you have way more control over your finances, your career, and your economy than you think. Go advance and conquer as Cardone says.

With the right attitude, killer execution, and enough time, there’s nothing stopping you.

This book is a gold mine if you put it into your daily practice—and I’d call it a must buy for any sales rep or business owner.

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