selling styles

SELLING STYLESAverage sellers are concerned with their own product or service and how they - the seller - see it helping the customer

Push Color, Delivery, Usage, CPU, Size, Bits/sec, Cost .....

SELLING STYLESSkilled sellers are concerned with the customer’s needs and how the customer sees the solution

Pull

I need ...Benefits I want ...

Would like solutions ...

Change

I must make sure I note

all this

RESEARCH SHOWS

In successful sales:

Customer talks more than seller

Seller seeking is higher than giving

RESEARCH SHOWS

In successful sales:

Customer talks more than seller

Seller seeking is higher than giving

However, when selling, most people:

Talk too much

Don’t seek enough

HOW STRONG IS THE NEED?

I’ve got a I’ve got a problem problem with the with the present present systemsystem

AA

Our Our present present

system is system is almost almost perfectperfectBB

I need to I need to change it change it immediatimmediat

elyelyCC

I’m a little I’m a little dissatisfied dissatisfied

with our with our systemsystem

DD

HOW STRONG IS THE NEED?HOW STRONG IS THE NEED?

BB

DD

AA

CC

STRONGESTSTRONGEST

WEAKESTI’ve got a problem with the present system

AA

Our present

system is almost perfectBB

I need to change it immediat

elyCC

I’m a little dissatisfied

with our system

DD

CUSTOMER NEEDSIt’s almost perfectIt’s almost perfect

I’m a little dissatisfiedI’m a little dissatisfied

I’ve got problems with ...I’ve got problems with ...

I need to change I need to change it it

immediatimmediatelyely

CUSTOMER NEEDS

STRONGSTRONG

WEAKWEAKNEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEENEEDD

CUSTOMER NEEDSSolution

here has low impact

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEENEEDD

CUSTOMER NEEDSCUSTOMER NEEDS

Solution here has high impact

Solution here has low

impact

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEEDNEED

NEENEEDD

IMPLIED AND EXPLICIT NEEDS

Explicit Explicit NeedsNeeds

ImplieImplied d

NeedsNeeds

NEED

NEED

NEED

NEEDNEED

NEED

STRONG STRONG WANTS OR WANTS OR DESIRESDESIRES

PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

DIFFICULTIESDIFFICULTIESDISSATISFACTIODISSATISFACTIO

NSNS

UNAWARE

CUSTOMER NEEDS

ImplieImplied d

NeedsNeeds


NEED

NEED

NEED

NEEDNEED

NEED

NEED

NEED

VAGUEVAGUE

CLEACLEARR

STRONSTRONGGVAGUEVAGUE

CLEACLEARR

STRONSTRONGG

HOW CUSTOMER NEEDS HOW CUSTOMER NEEDS GROWGROW

Implied Implied NeedsNeeds


VAGUEVAGUE

CLEARCLEAR

STRONGSTRONG

“It’s inconvenient but that’s all.”

“Cost of production has risen by three times the rate of inflation.”

“It become so serious that we’re in danger of having to close down.”

“Well, I suppose it could be useful.”

“It would save us 10% on running costs at least.”

“It’s absolutely essential that we improve our

security”

WHICH NEED IS IMPLIED AND WHICH IS EXPLICIT?

a) I’m dissatisfied with the current cost.b) I want a way to do it that is 10% cheaper.

a) What I need is a faster machine.b) I’ve got a throughput problem with my present

machine.

a) Our productivity is too low at present.b) We want a way to improve productivity in this

area.

11

22

33

I or E?

SITUATION QUESTIONS

SituationQuestions

questions about questions about facts/ facts/ background/contebackground/contextxt

SITUATION QUESTIONS

• More in unsuccessful callsMore in unsuccessful calls

• Best sellers ask fewer but focus Best sellers ask fewer but focus them betterthem better

SituationQuestions

questions about facts/ background/context

PROBLEM QUESTIONS

ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

questions questions about about

problems/ problems/ dissatisfactiodissatisfactions (feelings )ns (feelings )

PROBLEM QUESTIONS

• More in successful callsMore in successful calls

• Inexperienced people don’t ask Inexperienced people don’t ask enoughenough

ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

questions questions about about

problems/ problems/ dissatisfactiodissatisfactions (feelings )ns (feelings )

SITUATION OR PROBLEM QUESTIONS?

1 Do all your people use the machine?

2 Do they find it hard to use?

3 What difficulties do you meet in performing this operation?

4 How do you feel about your cost levels?

5 How many people do you employ here?

S or P?S or P?

KEY FACTS ABOUT THE PRESENT SITUATION

INCLUDE:

• Hotel has 3,000 ashtrays• 350 replacements needed each monthPresent ashtrays are:• small (8 cm diameter)• cost £140 per 100• made of thin glass with enamel finish• shallow dish shape• without cigarette rests • olive green

Did Did you you find find out?out?

PROBLEMS WITH PRESENT ASHTRAYS INCLUDE:

• Delicate glass - high breakage rate

• Small size - easy to take as souvenirs

• Burns to furniture through lack of cigarette rests

• Enamel is easy to scratch/chip and quickly looks old

• Shallow dish is easily knocked over

• Cost (£140 per 100) is high

• Replacements are custom made, with a 3 month wait

• Color is unsuitable for changes in decor

• Difficult to clean

Did you Did you uncoveruncover

??

WHY SHOULD I CHANGE?

Problems

Dissatisfaction

Difficulties

MoneyEffort

Cost of present Cost of change

Disruption

Time

Skilled sellers help the customer to recognize the ‘weight’ of the problems

IS IT WORTH IT?

Savings

Solutions

BenefitsHidde

n Extras

Cost

Value or usefulness as perceived by the

customer

What the customer has to ‘pay’ for a

solution

Hassle

Risks

Skilled sellers help the customer to think through the overall ‘worth’ of the solution

OPENING THE CALL

• Identify yourself and your company

• Establish the purpose of the call

• Gain customer agreement for you to ask questions and make notes

OPENING THE CALL - RESEA

Research shows:

• There is no one ‘best way’

• A ‘canned approach’ does not work

• Successful people use a flexible approach

‘ROLEPLAY’

Roleplays are not an Roleplays are not an acting testacting test

SO, IT’S OK

To sound awkwardTo pause for thoughtTo refer to notesTo be yourself

RESPONDING TO IMPLIED NEEDS

ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

RESPONDING TO IMPLIED NEEDS

Solution Solution “Here’s how we can help”

for example for example ““Yes we Yes we dodo have that have that problem”problem”

ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

IMPLICATION QUESTIONS

ImplicationQuestions

ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions



ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

questions which extend/ develop the

need by linking it to other potential

problems


- high technology- high technology- high value- high value- selling to decision - selling to decision makersmakers

especially especially important important

in:in:

questions which questions which extend/ develop the extend/ develop the

need by linking it to need by linking it to other potential other potential

problemsproblems


ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

SituationQuestions

GENERATING IMPLICATION QUESTIONS

ACCOUNTSACCOUNTS SALESSALES

CostsCosts• directdirect

• indirectindirect PeoplePeople• bossboss• peerspeers• subordinatessubordinates

Other departmentsOther departments

Third partiesThird parties• supplierssuppliers

• customerscustomers• publicpublic

TimeTime

Implied

Needs

PROBLEMS

ProblemProblem

ProblemProblem

ProblemProblem

Problem

Problem

ProblemProblem

ProblemProblem

Solution

Solution

SolutionSolutionSolution

Solution

SolutionSolution

Solution

Solution

SOLUTIONS

NEED-PAYOFF QUESTIONS


ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds

Need-payoffQuestions

SituationQuestions

questions about questions about the utility or value the utility or value

of a solutionof a solution

NEED-PAYOFF QUESTIONS


ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds


SituationQuestions

- identify ...- identify ...- clarify ... Explicit - clarify ... Explicit NeedsNeeds- extend ... - extend ...

questions about questions about the utility or value the utility or value

of a solutionof a solution

THE SPIN® MODEL


ProblemQuestions

ImpliedNeeds


S

I

N®

P

SituationQuestions

ExplicitNeeds

A logical framework but not a rigid sequenceA logical framework but not a rigid sequence

FEATURES - DEFINITION

Characteristics of product or service. For example:

“It costs £4,200” “We have four machines

in this range”

BENEFITS

• How a product can be used

• A cost advantage of a feature

• Showing how you can help the customer

• Showing the value of your product

• How a feature meets a need

A AND B BENEFITS

A How a product or feature can be used or can help the customer

B How a product, feature or advantage meets an Explicit Need expressed by the customer

RELATIONSHIP TO SUCCESS

AHow a product or feature can be used or can help the customer

17.5% of seller’s behavior - only moderately related to sales success

A How a product or feature can be used or can help the customer


B How a product, feature or advantage meets an Explicit Need expressed by the customer

5.0% of seller’s behavior - very strongly related to sales success

RELATIONSHIP TO SUCCESS

ADVANTAGES AND BENEFITS

A dvantages - How a product or feature can be used or can help the customer


B enefits - How a product, feature or advantage meets an Explicit Need expressed by the customer

5.0% of seller’s behavior - very strongly related to sales success

BENEFITS - DEFINITION

How a product meets an Explicit Need expressed by the customer. For example:

“You have said you need fast turnaround - here’s how we can

give it to you ...”

ADVANTAGES - DEFINITION

How a product can be used or can help the customer. For example:

“Because of ...you can ...”

IMPACT OF F A B OVER THE CYCLE

high high persuasipersuasive powerve power

low low persuasipersuasive powerve power

contactcontact contractcontract

SPIN® FORMImplied Needs

Explicit Needs

Date:

Name:

Joint call number

SituationQuestions

ProblemQuestions



Benefits

Advantages

Features

Assumes that the customer has already made a favorable commitment:

COMMON CLOSING TECHNIQUES - ASSUMPTIVE

CLOSE

I’m I’m impressimpress

eded

I’m I’m impressimpress

eded

Then when Then when would you would you like us to like us to deliver it?deliver it?

Then when Then when would you would you like us to like us to deliver it?deliver it?

SellerSeller

CustomerCustomer

COMMON CLOSING TECHNIQUES - ALTERNATIVE CLOSEOffers the customer a choice between alternative commitments:

I like I like your your

productproduct

I like I like your your

productproduct Would you Would you prefer us to prefer us to

deliver it next deliver it next Tuesday or Tuesday or

would Thursday would Thursday be better? be better?

Would you Would you prefer us to prefer us to

deliver it next deliver it next Tuesday or Tuesday or

would Thursday would Thursday be better? be better?

SellerSeller

CustomerCustomer

AMERICAN AIRLINES CLOSING STUDY - How often should you close?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 1 2 3 4

% of % of calls calls

resultiresulting in ng in salesale

closes per callcloses per call

• Salespeople were trained to use more closing techniques - the result was ...

EFFECT OF PRICE ON CLOSING

Cheap goods - sales rose

UP 4%

EFFECT OF PRICE ON CLOSING

• Salespeople were trained to use more closing techniques - the result was ...

so...• Closing techniques work best in getting small

commitments from the customer

Cheap goods - sales roseExpensive goods - sales fell

UP 4%

DOWN

21%

THE THREE STEPS IN THE THREE STEPS IN CLOSING A SALE ARE:CLOSING A SALE ARE:

Check you have

covered key customer concerns

Summarize Summarize the the

benefitsbenefits

Propose an Propose an appropriate appropriate commitment commitment

from the from the customercustomer

WHY DOES ‘A’ MEET TEN TIMES AS MANY

OBJECTIONS AS ‘B’?

Seller A Seller B

WHY DOES ‘A’ MEET TEN TIMES AS MANY OBJECTIONS

AS ‘B’?

Is it due to: the product? No. ‘A’ and ‘B’ both sell the

same product the customer? No. Both sell to similar

customers A’s style? Most likely explanation

Seller A Seller B

THE MOST COMMON REASONS WHY CUSTOMERS RAISE

OBJECTIONS

The seller has offered a solution which:• doesn’t meet a need• has insufficient value to the customer

In other words ...• There is a mismatch between perceptions:

– the strength of the need – the seller’s capability to meet it!

Salesperson’s behavior ...

... most probable customer response?

EFFECT OF FEATURES, ADVANTAGES AND BENEFITS

ON THE CUSTOMER

Features

Advantages

Benefits

EFFECT OF FEATURES, ADVANTAGES AND BENEFITS ON THE

CUSTOMERSalesperson’s Most probable behavior customer response

Features

Advantages

Benefits

Price concerns



Features

Advantages

Benefits

Price concerns

Objections



Features

Advantages

Benefits

Price Concerns

Objections

Support/approval

CALCULATOR WATCH

• Addition • Division• Subtraction• Multiplication• Mark-up or mark-down %

Plus• Melody alarm • 24 hour (military)• Backlight for night viewing• Month, date, day of the week• Full six-digit readout displays hours, minutes & seconds• Chronograph with lap timer (in 1/100’s of a second)

Sale price£9.95

Sale price£9.95

OBJECTION PREVENTION vs HANDLING

Objection HandlingObjection Handling

Implied NeedImplied Need

ObjectionsObjections

AdvantagesAdvantages

UnsuccessfulUnsuccessful

THE ORIGIN OF OBJECTIONS

Perception of NeedImportant

Unimportant

Perception of CapabilityHigh

Low

TWO TYPES OF OBJECTION


Unimportant


Low

VALUE

ISSUE

CAPABILITY ISSUE

VALUE OBJECTIONS - AIM


Unimportant


Low

Proven success model

Price

Slick packaging

Proven success

model

Price

Slick packaging

Computer tracking

Computer

tracking

VALUE OBJECTION

VALUE OBJECTIONS - MEANS


Unimportant


Low

Proven success model

Price

Slick packaging

Proven Proven success success

modelmodel

PricePrice

Slick Slick packagingpackaging

Computer tracking

SSPPIINN

ComputComputer er

trackingtracking

VALUE OBJECTION

CAPABILITY-CAN’T OBJECTIONS - AIM


Unimportant


Low

Networking

Price

Laser output

ErgonomicsNetworkinNetworkin

gg

PricePrice

Laser Laser outputoutput

ErgonomiErgonomicscs

CAPABILITY CAN’T

CAPABILITY-CAN’T OBJECTIONS - MEANS


Unimportant


Low

Networking

Price

Laser output

ErgonomicsNetworkinNetworkin

gg

PricePrice

Laser Laser outputoutput

ErgonomiErgonomicscs

CAPABILITY CAN’T

CAPABILITY-CAN OBJECTIONS - AIM


Unimportant


Low

Technical Technical supportsupport

PricePrice

CustomizeCustomized systemd system

Hardware Hardware compatabilicompatabilityty

PricePrice



Hardware Hardware compatabilcompatabil

ityity

CAPABILITY CAN

CAPABILITY-CAN OBJECTIONS - MEANS


Unimportant


Low


PricePrice

AcknowledAcknowledgege

DemonstratDemonstrate capabilitye capabilityShow proofShow proof


Hardware Hardware compatabilicompatabilityty

PricePrice



Hardware Hardware compatabilcompatabil

ityity

CAPABILITY CAN

OBJECTION PREVENTION vs OBJECTION PREVENTION vs HANDLINGHANDLING

Objection HandlingObjection Handling

Implied NeedImplied Need

ObjectionsObjections

AdvantagesAdvantages

SupportSupport

BenefitBenefit

Explicit NeedExplicit Need

Implication &Implication & Need-payoff QuestionsNeed-payoff Questions

UnsuccessfulUnsuccessful SuccessfulSuccessful

GETTING RESULTS FROM SPIN®

No magic - just hard work

Work to improve - or skills will get rusty and declinerusty and decline

Practice one skill at a time

Choose easy accounts to try new SPIN® skillsskills

selling styles

Documents

throughput problem

customer talks

present situation

customer push color

seller seller seeking

present machine

gain customer agreement

diameter cost