Index
A/B questions, 158
Accenture, 171
account coordinators, 116
activity-based skills, 101
advertising, cold calling as, 124
advisors, 99
advocates, see internal advocates
“aha” moments, 85
AIDA decision-making process, 20
analysts, third-party, 181–182
Andy Paul’s Sales Calculus, 208–209, 211
Andy Paul Uncertainty Principle of Selling
customers’ requirements/decision criteria in, 45–46
and requalifying sales opportunities, 172
and responsiveness of your process, 56
answers
in buying, 12
completeness of, 119
to objections, 166
in selling, 4
appreciation, demonstrating, 214–215
“Are you aware…?” questions, 139–140
attention, overabundance of information and, 28
attitude, for follow-up, 106–109
Atwater, Lee, on perception as reality, 58
audiences, for sales stories, 189, 190
auto-attendants, 215
automatically generated e-mails, 107, 113
B2B customers
content providers for, 178–179
interactions of sellers and, 125
best solution, identifying, 145
Bezos, Jeff, on helping customers make decisions, 3
bingo cards, 112
Black, Joanne, 198
blogs, 181
brain, sensory input filtering in, 58
Bush, George H. W., 58
buyers
exchange of information between sellers and, 4
qualifying, see qualification
see also customers
Buying Phase (New Sales Funnel), 50, 51
buying process
buying visions in, 90
engagement with salespeople in, 49–50
for sellers, 14
uniqueness of customers/prospects in, 22
buying vision (buyer’s vision), 85, 89–93
category qualification, 157–159
close of sales cycle, 21, 71, 197
close ratio, 128
coaching, for prospecting, 130
earning a second call from, 137–138
preparation for, 135
to specialized markets, 135
temperament and success at, 129
collaborative sales engagement tools, 147
colleagues, sales stories of, 185–186
commoditization, vii
communication
with stories vs. data, 191
of value proposition, 185, 187, 198
following up to stand out from, 115–120
competitive sales process, 14, 71–74, 208–209
conflict phase (buying process), 23
consistency, 215
methods for providing/curating, 180–182
providing context for, 178–180
salesperson as provider of, 178–179
tools for delivering, 147
content marketing strategies, 106–107
context, providing
for buyers’ decisions, 178–180
creating value by, 179
with sales stories, 185
control of buying cycle, 12–13
conversation, follow-up as, 107
credibility, building, 141–142
CRM systems, see customer relations management systems
CSO Insights, 171
curious sales type, 32
customer behavior, changes in, 106
customer fit, 144
customer relations management (CRM) systems, 56, 118, 146
customer requirements
in Andy Paul Uncertainty Principle of Selling, 45–46
in buying vision, 90
clarifying offers in terms of, 37
closing questions on, 87
demonstrating understanding of, 40
different approach to meeting, 66
existing customers with new, 134
fit of your product/service with, 144, 145
helping customers understand, 33
identifying changes in, 172–173
killer questions about, 84, 117
listening to, 117
in Most Important Sales Call, 209
in price qualification, 162, 163, 167
qualification based on, 151–152, 160
refining responsiveness to meet, 56
sales stories to clarify, 196
in selling, 4
see also information requirements
customers
attention of, 28
curating/providing content for, 177–182
demonstrating appreciation to, 214–215
disdain for, 204
as focus of sales process, 38
hierarchy of needs for, 212–213
importance of peak experience to, 79–80
importance of responsiveness to, 53–54
as internal advocates, 100
power in buying cycle of, 13–14
presale and postsale states of, 203, 214
responsiveness perceived by, 54–55
in selling process, 173
shaping buying vision of, 89–93
technical experts’ value to, 31–32
truthfulness of, 167–171 wasting time of, 67–69, 117–118
see also B2B customers; specific topics
building relationships with, 212–215
and categorizing customers in presale/postsale states, 203
demonstrating commitment to, 214
in Fit In and Stand Out strategy, 205–206
in Land and Expand strategy, 206–207
between receiving order and delivery, 208–211
salespeople’s role in providing, 203–205
customers’ problems, in sales stories, 186–187
data, communicating with stories vs., 191
decision criteria, 158, 169, 187
decision makers
adjusting speed of selling for, 18–19
differences in process for, 20–21
becoming accomplished in areas that help, 33
competitive advantage from, 47–48
customers’ requirements for, x
margin of incremental value in, 94–95
mental process of, 20
by prospects, effects of selling on, 44–46
by satisficers vs. maximizers, 20–21
simplifying selling to enable, 34–35
and types of buying behavior, 19–20
defensiveness, 153, 165, 169, 172
deficits, lead, 125–128, 132–133
deliberate practice, 129
delivery, customer service before, 208–211
delivery schedule, for VBP activities, 146
desire, follow-up attitude and, 107
detail, in sales stories, 184–185, 192
differentiation
how you sell as basis for, x, 5–6
for maximizers, 19
in qualification process, 153–158
as responsibility of salespeople, ix-x
responsiveness as basis for, 54
with sales stories, 183–184, 198
and value in competitive sales process, 71–73
discovery phase (sales process)
and educating customers in qualification process, 158
four-question structure in, 191
Peak/End selling in, 85
pricing information in, 161–162
sales stories in, 196
disdain for customers, 204
disinterest, statements of, 143–144, 167–168
disqualifying prospects
strengthening pipeline by, 171–172
and vicious sales cycles, 153–154
domain expertise, 66, 85, 92, 101
doubt, creating, 93
earning customers’ business, 215
East of Eden (John Steinbeck), 195
educational seminars, prospecting with, 135
Einstein, Albert, on understanding, 37
e-mails
automatically generated, 107, 113
to customers after sales, 204–205
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, on words vs. actions, 204
emotions, storytelling and, 183–184
empathetic sales type, 32
entrepreneurial prospecting mindset, 130–131
escalation procedures, 214
existing customers, prospecting with, 134
expectations, customers’, 208–209
expertise
in sales stories, 187
extraordinary customers, 100–101
extroverted sales type, 30, 31
features-and-benefits statements, 196–197
first calls
after receiving orders, 208–211
earning second calls vs., 138, 139
first impressions, 57
first interactions
providing value in, 40
and filtering of sensory input by brain, 58
positive, 84
Fit In and Stand Out strategy, 205–206
balanced approach to, 145
No-Lead-Left-Behind policy on, 110–114
sales growth from, 105
standing out from competition by, 115–120
forecasts, overcommitting to, 169–171 “
The Future of IT Sales,” 31
Gartner Group, 31
Genius.com, 125, 178–179
get-backs, 116
Getting Things Done (David Allen), 8–9
“Global Brand Simplicity Index,” 35
goals, for sales interactions, 66
Golden Rule, 213
good news/bad news conundrum, 6
Harvard Business Review, 118
Hazlitt, William, on first perceptions, 59
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, 44–45
Hulu, vii
IBM
5-Call Close at, 20
market share of, 98
responsiveness at, 43, 52–53, 55, 56, 84–85
IDC, 74
ignorance, dealing with objections via, 164–165
Immutable Multiplier Effect, 113
improvement
inbound sales leads, 111–113, 118–120
independent thinking, 23
industry knowledge, 116
information
for customers with buying visions, 93
ease of getting, 99
quantity of time and, 28
in responsiveness formula, 43–44
as sales focus, 38
salespeople as providers of, 177–180
from sales stories, 195
time as cost of getting, 48
in Value Based Persistence, 145–147
information requirements
aligning selling resources with, 15
in buying cycle/process, 14, 179
in decision-making process, 20
responsiveness to, 5
and salespeople as content providers, 178
information road maps, 180
“Inside the Mind of the B2B Buyer” study, 125, 178–179
insights, providing
and delivering value, 92
in introductory e-mails, 139–140
with killer questions, 140–141
in Peak/End selling, 85
with sales stories, 185
inspiration, from sales stories, 198
interactions, see sales interactions
interest
changes in customer’s level of, 172–173
and statements of disinterest, 143–144, 167–168
internal advocates, 90–91, 100, 189–191
and balance of power in buying cycle, 13–14
and customer behavior, 106
empowerment of customers by, 177
and lead deficit, 127
product research using, 111–113
IT industry, buying decisions in, 74
Journal of Direct Marketing, 112
killer questions, 116–117, 140–141
King of the Peaks, 88
knowledge-based skills, 101
Land and Expand strategy, 206–207
lead deficits, 125–128, 132–133
leads
following up on, see following up
marketing-developed, 106–107, 111–112, 125, 138
No-Lead-Left-Behind policy, 110–114
self-developed, 138
very next physical actions in responding to, 10–11
Linked In, 135
links to valuable content, 181, 204–205
listening, 141
losers, disqualifying, 153–154, 171–172
manufacturing process, selling vs., 8
marketing, 106–107, 112–113, 124–125
marketing-developed sales leads
content marketing strategies vs., 106–107
and number of leads needed for pipeline, 125
second calls with, 138
Marlowe, Christopher, on first perceptions, 59
Maximum Value sales process, 80–82
Melville, Herman, on first perceptions, 59
memorable peak experiences, 84–88, 98–101
memorable sales stories, 189–193
memorizing sales stories, 192, 193
MIT Lead Response Management Study, 110–111
Most Important Sales Call, 208–211
motherhood-and-apple-pie qualifying questions, 157
multiplier effect of qualification, 154
National Automobile Dealers Association, 18
needs-and-deeds relationships, 212–215
negative selling, 93
Netflix, vii
networking events, 134, 195–196
New Sales Funnel, 47, 50–51, 166–167
newsletters, 205
No Excuses Sales Zone, 6
No-Lead-Left-Behind policy, 110–114
No More Cold Calling (Joanne Black), 198
definition of, 165
just-suppose method for dealing with, 164–165
as questions from customers, 165–166
statements of disinterest vs., 167–168
offers, clarifying, 37
open mindedness, 107
opportunities
buying and sales cycles in, 12–13
creating game plans for, 173
information road maps for, 180
qualifying, see qualification
see also pipelines
orders
customer service after receiving, 208–211
and purpose of selling, 7
Ortigue, Stephanie, on filtering of sensory input, 58
pain point, in sales stories, 186–187
The Paradox of Choice (Barry Schwarz), 78
Peak/End rule of selling, 78–88
and importance of peak experience, 79–80
and Kahneman’s Peak/End rule, 78–79
and last sales interaction, 86–87
and peak experience in sales process, 80–83
peak experience(s)
buying vision as, 90
sales stories as, 199
performance standards, for responsiveness, 55
permission-based marketing, 112–113
physical actions, in selling process, 8–11
methods of strengthening, 171–173
overcommitting to forecasts of, 169–171
poor qualification and size of, 152–154
postsale state, customers in, 203, 214
Power of First Perception, 59–61
practicing sales stories, 192–193
presale state, customers in, 203, 214
pricing information, disclosing, 160–162
proactive sales prospecting, 126, see also cold calling
proactive transparency, 19
problem solver sales type, 32
product knowledge, 116
product qualification, 158, 159
creating strategy for, 127–131
customer requirements in qualification and, 156
effectively using time for, 129–131
necessary amount of, 128
planning for, 134
Story-Question-Listen method in, 137–142
Value-Based Persistence in, 143–147
prospects
push back on price by, 163
see also disqualifying prospects
breaking out of vicious sales cycles with, 153–154
and dealing with objections, 164–168
identifying decision-making type in, 18
poor, sales results of, 151–153
of previously qualified prospects, 172–173 price, 160–163
strengthening sales pipeline with, 169–173
qualifying questions, 144–145, 157, 158
questions
in buying, 12
in decision-making process, 20
sales leads as, 119
in selling, 4
to shape buying vision, 92
see also Story-Question-Listen method
quotas
disqualifying prospects to meet, 171–172
methods for meeting, 118
prospecting to meet, 128
and use of selling time, 151
reader inquiry cards (bingo cards), 112
receiving mode, 117
reductive method of product qualification, 158
rehearsing sales stories, 192–193
relationship building, 212–215
requalifying prospects, 167, 172–173
requirements, see customer requirements; information requirements
resolution phase (buying process), 23–24
and creating peak experiences, 84–85
customers’ perceptions of, 54–55
and effects of selling on decision making process, 44–46
formula for, 44
and pace of buying cycle, 14–15
for providing content, 179
sales results and, 44
to satisficers vs. maximizers, 18–19
setting standard for, 115
and Valued Based Persistence, 144
responsive sales type, 32
retelling sales stories, 189–191
return on investment (ROI), 205–206
return on time invested (ROTI)
and exchange of time in sales interactions, 27–29
and planning for interactions, 67
for satisficers vs. maximizers, 17, 18
risk, buyer’s remorse and, 210, 211
ROI (return on investment), 205–206
ROTI, see return on time invested
Ryan, Rex, on teaching concepts, 7
sales, 91
increasing, 132
see also winning sales
sales calls
attitudes about, 106
as investment of customer’s time, 27
sales cycle(s)
stalls in, 21
sales engagement tools, 147, 205
and competitive advantage from decision making, 47–48
and value of sales leads, 106–107
sales improvement plans, 33
sales interactions
providing value in, 40
small details of, 101
sales-is-a-numbers-game approach to selling, 157
sales leads, see leads
sales management issues, 35–36
sales opportunities, see opportunities
sales opportunity pipelines, see pipelines
salespeople
attitudes toward follow-up in, 107–108
customer service provided by, 203–205
customers’ opinions of, 117
differentiation as responsibility of, ix-x
presale/postsale categorization by, 203, 214
prospecting strategy and strengths of, 128–129
as providers of information, 177–180
responsibilities of, 126, 130–131
self-improvement for, 101
sales process
best, x
competitive, 14, 71–74, 208–209
identifying peak experience in, 80–83
identifying type of decision maker in, 16–17
price qualification in, 161–162
and requirements of customers, x
see also discovery phase (sales process)
sales quotas, see quotas
sales results, 44, 113, 151–153
sales stories, see stories
satisficers, 17–18, 20–21, 198–199
Schwarz, Barry, on Peak/End Rule, 78, 86
self-developed sales leads, 138
self-directed questions, for VBP qualification, 144–145
self-improvement, 101
sellers
as advisors, 99
definition of value for, 65–66
exchange of information between buyers and, 4
role of, 3
cold calling vs., 124
as continuous process, 204
controlling follow-up, responsiveness, trust, and value in, 36–37
and decision making by buyers, 16–21
and decision-making process, 44–6
differentiation based on method of, 5–6
impact of your decision making on, 19–20
modifying sales type to improve, 30–33
negative, 93
sales activity vs., 132
sales-is-a-numbers-game approach to, 157
sales stories in, 198
serving vs., 99
Uncertainty Principle of, 45–46, 56, 172
winning sales as focus of, 38–40
customers in, 173
influencing buying cycle with, 13
ingredients in, 8
“very next physical actions” in, 8–11
selling time
disqualifying prospects to maximize, 171–172
sales quotas and, 151
sensory input, filtering of, 58
service calls, 203
service orientation, 108
serving, selling vs., 99
setup phase (buying process), 23
Seuss, Dr., on fitting in, 205
Shakespeare, William, 131
Shopping Phase (New Sales Funnel), 50, 51, 106–107
Siegel + Gale, 35
silence, from customers, 68, 172–173
skills
activity-based, 101
deliberate practice for improving, 129
for improving follow up, 105–106
knowledge-based, 101
SlideShare, 182
small businesses, prospecting by, 130
speed
of follow-up, 111
in responsiveness formula, 44
Steinbeck, John, on compelling stories, 195
Stewart, Potter, on defining obscenity, 55
and curating/providing content for customers, 177–182
number of, 186
shaping buying vision with, 92
Story-Question-Listen method, 137–142
building credibility and trust with, 141–142
and earning second calls in cold calling, 137–138
and first vs. second calls, 138–139
strengths, aligning prospecting strategy with, 127–129
support, providing, 100
Surround With Activity to Regain Momentum (SWARM) strategy, 132–133
surveying customers, 166
Talent is Overrated (Geoffrey Colvin), 47, 129
temperament, 129
testimonials, 198
thank-you notes, 101
third-party information, 178, 180
this-one-or-that-one approach to discovery, 196
as cost of getting information, 48
and customers’ attention as commodity, 28
and pace of buying cycles, 14–15
and value in competitive sales process, 74–75
wasting customers’, 67–69, 117–118
see also return on time invested (ROTI)
time frame
for delivering content, 179
for following up, 108–109, 111, 115, 118–119
for making Most Important Sales Call, 210–211
time limit, on sales stories, 184, 186
trade shows, 196
and responsiveness, 61
truthfulness, of customers, 167–171
Uncertainty Principle of Selling
and customers’ requirements/decision criteria, 45–46
and refining responsiveness to meet requirements, 56
and requalifying sales opportunities, 172
unconditional support, 100
unconscious perception, 58
validation, sales stories for, 197
and creating memorable peak experiences, 98–101
of information in VBP plan, 146
opportunities for providing, 3
and Peak/End rule of selling, 78–88
planning/preparation for delivering, 66–67
price qualification and, 160–161
of sales leads, 106–107, 111–113
of salespeople vs. technical experts, 30–32
in sales stories, 187
and shaping customers’ buying vision, 89–93
and wasting customers’ time, 67–69
Value-Based Persistence (VBP), 143–147
value proposition
aligning customers’ decision criteria with, 158
amplification of, 191
sales stories to communicate, 185, 187, 198
specificity of, 156
VBP (Value-Based Persistence), 143–147
“very next physical actions,” 8–11
vicious sales cycles, 152–154, 170
videos, 182
“What do you do?” question, 194–196
winning sales
margin of incremental value for, 94–95
and overcoming objections, 164
and shaping buying visions, 91
wisdom, providing, 92