How to Sell More: Tools and Techniques from Harvard Business Review

The Best Sales Reps Avoid “Talkers”

By Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, and Nicholas Toman

Brent Adamson is a managing director, Matthew Dixon is an executive director, and Nicholas Toman is a research director at Corporate Executive Board.

You call on a new customer and have an incredible sales conversation. You learn this person is fairly senior, he can network you with nearly anyone in his organization, he loves your products, he’s upfront and honest, he’s willing to dish the dirt on what’s really happening inside his company, he’s got some skin in the game and is personally on the hook to deliver business improvement, and he really wants to help you win this business!

A deal is all but certain.

Most salespeople would lock ...