Recommended by: WiseSuit Staff 

The Best Validated Sales Methods Available Today. Developed from Research Studies of 35,000 Sales Calls. Used by the Top Sales Forces Across the World.

"SPIN" in this case is the acronym for "Situation Problem Implication Need-Payoff." So what does that mean when it comes to selling?

What is it about a good salesperson that makes the sale? Good closing techniques? Objection handling? Probing skills? These traditional sales techniques, developed in the 1920s, still work today for "low value sales." But what about the "big sales" in our world today? What is the secret there? For one thing, a major sale will require several calls and, more often than not, the decision is made to buy when the salesperson is not there. The book states:

"What's really important is that multi-call sales have a completely different psychology from single-call sales. A key factor is that in a single-call sale the buying decision is usually taken then and there with the seller present, but in a multi-call sale the most important discussions and deliberations go on when the seller isn't present, during the interval between calls."

Neil Rackham's method, like many other approaches, is a 'hurt and rescue' approach. You find their problem and 'hurt' them by exposing the terrible things that might happen. Then you rescue them with your product.

And how do you do that? By asking questions. In fact, there are 4 types of questions that you should ask:

1. Situation questions
   
   In big sales, minimize the small talk and focus on finding background detail that can be used to make sense of the buyer's business situation.
   
   
2. Problem questions
   
   Ask questions to uncover problems which your product can address. A trap here is to dive straight into presenting the benefits of what you are selling. You may know the problem, but they do not! Going straight to the sales pitch will just get you objections.
   
   
3. Implication questions
   
   Instead of telling them the problem they have, the goal is now to get them to see and feel the problem. By asking questions which draw out the implications of the problem, they get to feel the pain that will drive them towards your product.
   
   
4. Need-Payoff questions
   
   Having hurt the target person with your implications, you now give them a straw to grasp at by asking how their pain could be resolved. With careful questions, you can get them to the state where they are asking for your product even before you show it to them.

Here's what one salesperson had to say about Spin Selling:

"Neil Rackham has hit one out of the park with Spin Selling. Turning everything I thought I knew about closing on its head, he provides the power tools for making the most of a sales call."

About the Author:

Neil Rackham is known throughout the world as a speaker, writer, and seminal thinker on sales and marketing issues. Three of his books have been on the New York Times best seller list, and his works have been translated into over 50 languages. He has been Chairman and CEO of three international research and consulting firms.

Category:  Sales