Diagnosis is the key to sales -- that's the fundamental idea conveyed throughout "The 'I Hate Selling' Book." Boress advises that anyone selling professional services should act like a doctor -- diagnose the problem, prescribe a solution and learn whether the patient is committed to solving the problem you diagnosed.

Boress calls this a "Sales Examination," and it's this concept that not only gives Boress' book its value but also makes it easy to understand and to apply the concepts discussed. (Attorneys, accountants and consultants get paid to diagnose issues and offer solutions, so doing this in a sales call is second nature for most.)

Allan Boress has the right idea. His diagnosis format is clear, straight-forward and honest, and anyone who sells professional services and then performs the service itself can benefit from what Boress has to say.

Boress did, however, make a huge mistake adding the chapter on telephone prospecting, because it's clear he is neither experienced in, nor an advocate for, cold-calling to get appointments. The advice is terribly out of date and really should not be followed at all. (I'll bet big bucks his publisher made him add this chapter so it would sell more copies.)