Far too many people in business spin their wheels chasing leads that just will not pick up the phone or return calls. In the beginning of your interaction, it seemed the prospect was initially ‘hot’ for your services. You sent literature. You did your song and dance. Now, nothing. The prospect has turned cold to all attempts to further the selling process.

Why?

Because they suffer from a serious case of salespressuritis: a fear of being sold.

The cure for this ailment is a simple one. Avoid selling in the first place. I don’t mean stop all interactions. I mean toss out the gimmicky, 1980s talk-your-head-off, push-for-a-close techniques the ‘gurus’ of the past preached. Gimmicky sales pitches DON’T WORK in big ticket corporate sales. They never have and never will. There are two reasons for this.

First, today’s market is far too sophisticated. Second, the old school, fast-talking, outsmart-your-listener techniques don’t work if you are selling anything over a few hundred bucks.

The key to sales success in today’s market is less talking and more listening.

Let me explain. Around 1992 or 1993 I came across a small case of booklets labeled, Xerox’s Professional Selling Skills System III. The sales model was unlike any sales system I had ever seen before then. I read every page of the system. Listened to the cassette recordings. Completed the sample scenarios and case studies. In taking all these steps I had no clue if my efforts would pay off or not. The promises of the system seemed somewhat outrageous. But I reserved judgment and like Mikey… I tried it.

The results? My sales doubled and my confidence quadrupled. I became the top salesperson in under 30 days at that company where I had previously been struggling just to keep my job because of winging the sales process. Pretty impressive stuff.

Here’s an overview of the Xerox selling system:

1. Uncover an EXPRESSED NEED or desire for the benefits you provide. If your prospective won’t acknowledge a need, then they won’t buy from you. The chance of a successful outcome is next to none. You actively listen for an expressed need for a change. A complaint that your client doesn’t like their current situation isn’t good enough. Have you ever met someone who complains about their lot in life but refuses all attempts or suggestions for help? Your prospect may be the same way. According to Xerox, if they don’t acknowledge wanting a change in their situation you might as well forget about trying to sell to them.
2. Memorize a number of PROBES for different situations and attitudes (see #5 below).
3. Actively listen and verbally SUPPORT positive remarks about your services.
4. Follow a specific structure for CLOSING (this is bad because you are focusing on what you want–a sale–instead of focusing on honest and open communication).
5. Listen for attitudes of indifference, acceptance, skepticism, outright objections, and stalling… and then use specific techniques for handling each attitude type. The techniques vary according to attitude you encounter.

Here’s something that may surprise you though. I DON’T recommend using the Xerox Selling System.

Though effective compared to “winging it”, the Xerox sales model is a tedious process to use. And worse, it’s easily fouled if you forget one or more techniques. But that isn’t its biggest danger. The biggest danger is the Xerox selling system often causes objections where none existed before.

How? By encouraging you to follow a bunch of predetermined steps and encouraging you to force replies from your listener, to move them towards a close. People aren’t stupid. They will notice your efforts to move them along. Even if you don’t articulate a desire to close, they will notice the pressure. Not good.

That’s why I started looking for something that’s just as effective but less mentally taxing — for the client and for me. What I found though isn’t a single selling system. It’s a combination of two. SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham (available through Amazon.com) and Reverse Selling by Ari Galper (available at unlockthegame.com).

SPIN Selling makes the process of needs-based selling much easier to use because there are only four elements to focus on: situation, problem, implication, needs.

Since it’s such a simple selling model (way simpler than Xerox’s) and all of my client interactions are by phone, I’ve broken the SPIN Selling process down into individual tabs in Microsoft One Note. One tab for each of the SPIN elements. I also have tabs for initiating follow up calls. Basically each step is one or more questions to determine the client’s interests and needs, not a collection of lame sales closing gimmicks.

Fortunately I learned early in my selling days that asking questions and listening are more effective than any canned sales pitches. Pushing people to do stuff they don’t want to do is just plain ineffective. Not to mention mentally draining. SPIN Selling confirmed what I had discovered on my own.

As effective as SPIN Selling is, it’s isn’t strong enough on its own. Just like the Xerox system, the SPIN Selling method has holes too. Reverse Selling plugs those holes.

Here’s what I mean.

The underlying focus of Spin Selling is closing. “Sharpening Your Skills” (chapter 12 of SPIN Selling Fieldbook) with the aim of closing the sale is a disaster for consultative selling. Preparing a bunch of features and benefits in advance and then ‘vomiting’ that noise onto a client is the main cause of skepticism and objections. Don’t do it.

Reverse Selling forces your attention on determining if you and the client are a true match or not. And if not you simply say so and thank them for their time. The focus is NOT selling or closing. It’s helping people. That’s what’s missing from SPIN Selling.

That’s why I recommend using Spin Selling only for its structure: situation, problem, implication, needs. And when it comes to determining what to ask during a call, I recommend adapting the Reverse Selling, “no sales pitch” mindset.

When you focus on the needs of the person you are speaking with, you eliminate all selling pressure from them. They will detect your sincere concern for their needs and a willingness to help, instead of an ‘always be closing’ mentality.

In addition, by merging the two selling systems, you’ll develop a selling structure that presents you as a competent and concerned professional. And the best part is, by tossing out old school sales pitches you make it easy, even a joy for others to pick up the phone and talk with you.