Tag: The challenger Sale

10 Must-Read Sales Books and One Actionable Step to Master Each Concept

I like that each book covers a different aspect of the sales process, from building relationships and influencing others to closing deals and developing a successful sales strategy.

I’m excited to be back after taking some much-needed time off to focus on being the best first-time dad I could be. #GirlDad #ThankYouForYourPatience

Since it’s been a while, I needed to brush up on my sales acumen so I turned to ChatGPT to discover the top 10 sales books it recommends every salesperson should read. 

For each book, I asked for a one sentence summary and one actionable step I can take this week.

I like that each book covers a different aspect of the sales process, from building relationships and influencing others to closing deals and developing a successful sales strategy. 

I hope this helps someone this week.

  1. “Spin Selling” by Neil Rackham

Summary: A research-based approach to consultative selling that focuses on asking the right questions to understand customer needs and pain points.

Action: Identify your top 5 prospects and create a list of open-ended questions to ask them to better understand their needs and pain points.

  1. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie 

Summary: A classic guide to building relationships, communicating effectively, and winning people over.

Action: Make an effort to remember people’s names and use them in conversations to build stronger relationships.

  1. “The Challenger Sale” by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon

Summary: An alternative approach to selling that involves challenging customers’ assumptions and helping them see their problems in a new light.

Action: Practice re-framing customer objections to help them see the value in your product or service.

  1. “The Psychology of Selling” by Brian Tracy

Summary: A comprehensive guide to the psychology of persuasion, including the importance of self-confidence and the power of positive thinking.

Action: Visualize yourself as a successful salesperson and practice positive self-talk to boost your confidence.

  1. “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini 

Summary: A classic book on the six principles of influence, including reciprocity, scarcity, and authority.

Action: Identify one of the six principles of influence (reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, or social proof) and find a way to incorporate it into your sales pitch.

  1. “The Ultimate Sales Machine” by Chet Holmes

Summary: A guide to improving sales performance and productivity by focusing on core activities and implementing proven strategies.

Action: Create a daily schedule that includes time for core sales activities, such as prospecting, lead follow-up, and customer relationship management.

  1. “To Sell is Human” by Daniel Pink 

Summary: A research-based examination of the changing nature of sales and the skills required for success in today’s economy.

Action: Practice active listening and empathy to better understand your customers’ needs and perspectives.

  1. “The Art of Closing the Sale” by Brian Tracy

Summary: A step-by-step guide to closing deals and overcoming objections, including the importance of building rapport and understanding customer needs.

Action: Role-play different closing scenarios with a colleague or mentor to develop your skills and confidence.

  1. “Pitch Anything” by Oren Klaff

Summary: A guide to creating and delivering high-impact pitches that capture attention and persuade others.

Action: Create a compelling opening statement that captures your audience’s attention and sets the tone for your pitch.

  1. “Little Red Book of Selling” by Jeffrey Gitomer

Summary: A collection of practical sales tips and strategies designed to help salespeople increase their success and achieve their goals.

Action: Identify your top 10 customers and find ways to add value to their experience through personalized communication and offers.

Godspeed selling!

Why You Need A Customer Champion and Three Ideas to Empower Your Champion

If you take nothing from this article, take this: you need someone selling on your behalf when you are not around.

Recent research from Gartner finds when B2B buyers are considering a purchase, they spend only 17% of that time meeting with potential suppliers. Further, when buyers are comparing multiple suppliers, the amount of time spent with any one sales rep is only 5% or 6%.

Brent Adamson, the author of The Challenger Sale, shared in a 2017 article that the average number of customer stakeholders involved in a B2B purchasing decision is 6.8, up from 5.4 in 2014.

With a decreasing amount of time spent with suppliers and an increasing number of customer stakeholders involved in a decision, one of the keys to making progress on a complex sales cycle is to find creative ways to add value even when you’re not in the room. To do this, you need a customer champion in the buying organization. 

Andy Whyte, the author of MEDDIC, defines a Champion as a person who assists you and has power, influence, and credibility within the buying organization. The champion is not necessarily the final decision-maker. Still, this individual has access to the final decision maker(s) and economic buyer(s) and understands the decision criteria and process. 

More importantly, this person has a vested interest in your success which is why “the most critical selling your Champion can do for you is when you are not there.”  You win; they win. 

If you take nothing from this article, take this: you need someone selling on your behalf when you are not around. 

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Three Ideas to Empower Your Champion

Educate your champion on the value of your solution. Your champion needs to know your solution’s good, bad, and ugly elements. The more they know, the more they can play defense and offense when you’re not in the room. As part of educating your champion, they must know how your solution is different from your competition. It is very likely your competitor also has a champion, so getting in front of this helps you empower your champion to succeed ahead of other competing champions.

Match your champion to an internal champion within your organization. Your champion needs to know there is a champion within your organization that wants to get a deal done as much as they do. This individual can be your direct Sales Manager, Director, or VP, depending on the size of your company. The key is to align your champion with someone who also has power, influence, and credibility within your company. This internal champion could serve as an escalation path to help remove blockers when they arise, which is bound to happen in a complex sales cycle.  

Connect your Champion to trusted third-party stakeholders. If it’s an expansion or renewal opportunity, start with internal stakeholders within the buying organization who can advocate for your company. These internal advocates add credibility when you are not in the room. If it is a new prospect and there are no existing relationships, connect your champion to champions at other companies. The key here is for your champion to hear from a trusted third party. The more relevant the third-party connection is to their business and industry, the more impactful the conversation will be to them. 

Godspeed selling!