Neil Rackham: SPIN sales

SPIN sales - a system developed by the British psychologist and researcher dealing with marketing issues, - Neil Rackham. At its core, as explained in the book "SPIN Selling", published in 1978, lies precisely the certain sequence of four types of questions, allowing the sales person to understand the client. The analytical approach is to conduct consultations that will logically lead to a study of the needs of customers for the development of solutions. Using Rackham's methodology, it is necessary to disclose "potential needs" and develop them into "obvious needs" that the seller is able to resolve. Despite the fact that the schedule in the book "SPIN-sales" looks somewhat outdated, its content remains topical. And today the material is useful for almost any specialist in the sales of goods and services.

Four types of questions

Situational. Every good seller starts selling by asking questions that help understand the client's current situation and focus on revealing certain problems. But this should not be abused, as sometimes inexperienced sellers do. This can "scare off" the client. Do not ask questions to disclose information that is easy to obtain, before the negotiations began.

Problematic. They are designed to identify the client's problem, such questions are more often asked by experienced sales people. The reason is obvious. Beginners, as a rule, hope to cope through situational issues, and the client's problems are seen as a threat. An experienced salesperson understands that difficulties can be useful to him.

Extractive. These are questions about the effects, meanings or consequences of customer problems. They are closely related to the success of sales, but more difficult than situational and problematic. The seller delves into all the potential difficulties that can arise if you do not take timely steps to correct the problem.

Guides. They can be especially useful when negotiations are conducted with the main persons. Questions focus the client's attention on the solution, not on the problem.

SPIN sales tend to be large sales that require multiple meetings and discussions before any contracts are signed and goods or services are exchanged. Although the method can be used for smaller sales, where the whole cycle tends to go much faster. But even before outsourcing sales, sellers should plan ahead, what they expect from a meeting with the client.

There are interesting discussions of general knowledge relating to "overcoming objections". When the book "SPIN-sales" was written, there were already many common sales training methodologies focused on ways to "overcome an objection." After analyzing more than 35,000 sales outsourcing, Rackham and his team, consisting of 30 researchers, were able to dispel some myths and develop measures that would lead to successful transactions. Rackham argues, based on experience and research, that most objections occur when the sales process is concentrated to a large extent on the features and benefits of the product / service. Conversely, there are fewer of them when a professional seller looks for a product / service connection with obvious needs, describing its advantages from this point of view. The deal turns out to be successful when the client sees advantages for himself.

The technique of selling SPIN many companies in the 1980s changed dramatically. Although, of course, today some critics agree that one of the first models of consultative sales is somewhat outdated. Indeed, it is ideal for identifying the needs of the client, but not specific enough to gain a competitive advantage. The reason is that the modern world, although it does not ignore the needs, but as a whole no longer lives in a society oriented towards them.

But in any case, the book "SPIN-sales" remains the best-selling of publications on business.