Secrets for success and learning how to get what you want

Ten years ago, Fredrik Eklund moved to New York City from his native Sweden with nothing but a worn-out pair of sneakers and a dream: to make it big in the city that never sleeps. Despite having no experience in real estate and no contacts, Fredrik fought for success and transformed himself into the best seller in the most competitive real estate market on the planet, brokering multimillion-dollar deals for celebrities and charming TV audiences as one of the stars of Million Dollar Listing New York. In The Sell, Fredrik shares his secrets in his unique, inspiring guide to selling your most important asset: yourself.

According to Fredrik, even if you don’t consider yourself a salesperson, you’ve been in sales your whole life. Whenever you influence or persuade someone to give you something in exchange for what you’ve got – whether it’s a luxury home, a great idea at work, or your profile on Match.com – you are selling. And if you know how to sell right, you can live your dream. In The Sell Fredrik reveals his tips and tricks for success and getting what you want out of life.

Intrigued? Then the contents list below – and a short extract from each chapter – should seal the deal!

Contents

Introduction: Make ’em want what you’ve got

‘My story is evidence that anyone can sell what they’ve got, against all odds, and reach the very top. I designed this book to make you the best you can be and to take you to the very top of whatever you can dream.’

Chapter 1 Be You: forget selling – begin by finding yourself
‘How you connect with people using your charm, intelligence, authenticity and humour is a barometer for how well you persuade, inspire and gain confidence. People trust what’s genuine.’

Chapter 2 Know What Fuels Your Fire: clarify your drive for what makes you work
‘There are plenty of reasons to work but there is only one powerfully motivating reason to work – and that’s to find fulfilment.’

Chapter 3 Shadow a Winner: get ahead by being a protégé
‘When I began my career, I did what many neophytes do: I sat alone and tried to figure it out for myself. That was short-sighted and silly. The best way to be successful is to learn from other successful people.’

Chapter 4 Dress the Part: make yourself as beautiful and appealing a package as possible
‘If you get up in the morning and don’t fix yourself up and walk out the door not looking your very best, it’s like presenting your Christmas gifts in a brown paper bag. No matter what’s on the inside, the presentation ruins it.’

Chapter 5 Train Like a Prizefighter: work out, eat right and get your beauty sleep
‘Who has the time to sleep well, eat well, exercise and be able to work a fifteen-hour day? You do! With some planning, it’s really quite simple.’

Chapter 6 Make ’Em Smile: cultivate your charm and sense of humour
‘I believe that the first thirty seconds of meeting someone sets the tone for the rest of your time together. Yes, you have thirty seconds to capture someone’s attention. Since a lot of people have asked me how to attract people and get people to like you, let’s go to Freddy’s Charm School.’

Chapter 7 Expand Your Reach: find an audience brilliantly, strategically and inexpensively
‘Stop looking at social media as a little circle of friends and family and instead as a new global network of buyers of whatever it is you’re selling.’

Chapter 8 Pitch Perfect: learn to accentuate the positive (about yourself and what you have to offer)
‘Everyone you meet wants to know how you can benefit them, which needs you are fulfilling. Remember, every person on the planet wants to leave the meeting feeling better, not worse.’

Chapter 9 Make the Sell: align the hopes and needs of all parties and close the deal
‘When someone wants something from you, use time to your advantage by delaying things a bit. Tick tock, tick tock. Give the negotiation some breathing room. The trick is not letting too much time pass.’

Chapter 10 How to Win Friends and Influence People to Want to Work with You: find, hire and manage great people
‘In case no one’s ever told you this, you are a combination of the five people you spend most time with. Translation: your success depends on connecting with other people who are everything you want to be.’

Chapter 11 F*ck! Stop the Press: learn how to use the media to get attention
‘Before you do anything else, set a Google alert for your phone. If you implement the ideas in this chapter, you’re going to get noticed, and Google will happily remind you that your bold-faced efforts are working.’

Chapter 12 What to Expect When You’re Expanding: getting bigger, better and more efficient
‘The speed of the team is the speed of the lead horse, but good delegation can translate to a 20 per cent increase in profitability.’

Chapter 13 Fail Up!: handle the ups and downs of life (and business)
‘There’s a saying in Sweden, ‘A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.’ Any journey to your dream destination will be filled with waves, squalls, wind and maybe the occasional shark. Remember that failure and frustration as the stepping-stones to success.’

Chapter 14 Eat, Pray, Cash In: relish the best in life and generate even more business
‘The hardest part of success is learning when to start enjoying it, but you must start. Knowing how to enjoy success is actually the secret to becoming even more successful.’

Epilogue: From Me to You
‘I want you to be the best you can be and my hope is that the words here have inspired you and you’ve realised that with these secrets and some commitment, you can and will reach your highest dreams.’