These are the customer stakeholders that your high performing reps target which are referred to as Mobilizers. Not all of the profiles are equally useful-some excel at rallying their organizations around a purchase and ultimately driving consensus. Challenger and Sense Making operate independently, where Challenger is based on a supplier-out view, capturing how the best sales reps explain what makes their offerings distinctive and powerfully sharing your capabilities with the customer.
What You Should Do Differently: Their research shows that customer stakeholders fall into one of seven distinct profiles.
#Book review the challenger sale how to#
Similar to SPIN Selling, it focused on the interactions and discussions with the customer and how to approach and nurture the relationship for success. However, CEB Sales research reveals that true advocates rarely exist. The Challenger Sale was another great read on sales and sales tactics. Faced with the task of building consensus, sellers often turn to advocates/coaches in the customer organization. Shortcoming: CEB Sales research has documented that senior decision makers are increasingly unwilling to make a decision without broader organizational consensus. Customers likely focus on a limited set of negotiables-mostly driven by price-Challengers help broaden the customer perspective.Ĭommon Rep Approach-Reps either try to find the “true” decision-maker (or economic buyer) who can overrule an indecisive group, or to find an advocate (or coach) who can guide them through the organization and champion their solution internally. What You Should Do Differently: Prepare to take charge of the buying process and focus the conversation. Shortcoming: Customers control the interaction and often force price-based negotiations, or delays decision making. Common Rep Approach: In a customer interaction, reps often err on the side of being too passive, avoiding tension at any cost to make situations more amicable and encourage collaboration.