Spin selling

S: Situation
P: Problem
I: Implication
N: Need Payoff

Customers become more cautious as the decision size increases. Purchase price is one factor that increases caution, but fear of making a Public mistake maybe even more important.

Situation questions include how long have you had your present equipment? Could you tell me about your company’s growth plans?

Problem questions consist of how has impacted you? Is this operation difficult to perform? Are you worried about the quality from your old machine?

Implication questions include how old is problem affect your future profitability? Or what effect does this rejection rate have on customer satisfaction? Essentially it is used to take a customer problem and explore its affects or consequences.

Need payoff questions consist of what it be useful to speed this operation by 10%? Or if we could improve the quality of this operation how would that help you? Need payoff questions have a very strong relationship to sell success.

The author states and is convinced that closing techniques is no longer valid for large complex cells although for smaller, single coal cells, it could be helpful.

J Douglas Edwards states that he favors the magic number of five saying that you haven’t done your job if you quit without asking for the order at least five times.

A probing strategy for the larger cell must certainly start buying covering implied needs, but it can’t stop there. Successful questioning in the larger cell depend more than anything else on how imply needs are developed how they are converted by questions in two explicit needs.

Almost everyone we call one has problems, but that doesn’t mean they will buy. The real skill is how you grow those problems big enough to get them to commit action.

The purpose of questions in a sales call is to uncover implied, needs to develop them into explicit needs.

The most important thing to remember about really big sales is that you only play a small part in the selling. The real selling goes on in the account when you’re not there when the people you originally sold to go back and try to convince others.

It is better to use benefits than features.

The author sites an experience in which he met Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry, and asked him what was one principal for successfully learning, a new skill, and without hesitation, he said work on one thing at a time. Which is also cited in Benjamin Franklin‘s autobiography. In 1771.

There’s no one best way to open a sales call.

The research show that the traditional distinction between open and close questions doesn’t predict success in larger sales. Instead, they recommend the spin sequence.

In major cells, the most effective type of benefit shows how your product or service meet an explicit need expressed by the customer.

In larger cells, an effective closing technique is better thought to be a way to obtain commitment.

Stop thinking about your products in terms of their features and advantages. Instead think of each product in terms of its problem-solving capabilities.

The author sites these studies within the appendix. He mentions that the outcome of the studies might be skewed by the author in effect. The Hawthorne effect is a conclusion that you can get a short term increase in productivity just by giving people attention. ( )

Well written and to the point, but unfortunately still felt like a homework:( Very theoretical first half, but quite enjoyable second half of the book, including the tips on how to put the SPIN theory into practice. ( )

Short and to the point. An excellent approach to selling. Clearly presented in the Audible.com version I listened to. I'd love to know why most books are 4 and 500 pages with most of it unnecessary and a waste of readers' time. ( )

A great book on Sales. Really enjoyed the insight on "Implied Need" & "Explicit Need. A methodical approach. I thought this book was a breath of fresh air compared to other books on selling. I highly recommend. ( )