Smarter Selling: Next generation sales strategies to meet your buyer’s needs – every time

Smarter Selling: Next generation sales strategies to meet your buyer’s needs – every time

by Keith Dugdale, David Lambert
Released May 2008
Publisher(s): Pearson
ISBN: 9780131370401

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Everyone sells.  Some people sell ideas, some sell services and some sell products.  Whatever you sell, this book will help you do it better, and feel better about doing it. 

“Every now and then, you read a book that turns accepted wisdom on its head and shows a new way.  This is one of those books.”

Rick Adkinson, CEO, Private Capital

"If you read SPIN Selling, you should read Smarter Selling.  This book completes the jigsaw of buyer influences through addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of the sales process.  This critical dimension provides a means for real differentiation."

Chris Greaves, Sales Director (Northern Europe), Ipswitch Inc.

“The tools this book introduces and the mindset change it drives will make a significant impact on the relationship and sales success of most organisations.”

Peter Savoff, General Manager, Hotels, Anthony John Group

“If your organisation relies on deep and sustainable relationships to drive profits, then applying the methods outlined in this book will undoubtedly contribute to better performance.”

Paul Hodgson, Founder and Managing Director, Sustainnovation Pty Ltd

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Praise for Smarter Selling
  3. Financial Times Prentice Hall
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. About the authors
  6. Introduction
  7. I Owe U – next generation sales strategies
    1. Selling today
    2. Next generation selling
    3. The I Owe U sales journey
    4. Customer or client
    5. Key messages
  8. How other people really see you
    1. Why you need to know how others see you
    2. Who you are
    3. The Octagon™ Behavioural Assessment
    4. What are you going to do next?
    5. Finding out what other people really think
    6. Key messages
  9. Understanding and changing your relationships
    1. Types of relationship
    2. Knowing where you are with a relationship
    3. How to change your relationships
    4. A matrix of relationships
    5. Key messages
  10. Understanding and adapting to buyers
    1. Different organisational approaches to buying
    2. Buyer types and their influence
    3. Roles
    4. Personal preferences
    5. Key messages
  11. Building rapport and trust – the I Owe U approach
    1. Control and structure
    2. I Owe U
    3. Key messages
  12. Uncovering real needs
    1. Personal power
    2. Introducing SHAPE
    3. Surface (the facts)
    4. Hunt (for challenges)
    5. Adjust (to signal direction)
    6. Paint (for positive future outcomes)
    7. Engage (to move to action)
    8. Summary of SHAPE and tools to assist your learning
    9. An easier SHAPE
    10. Common areas for questioning
    11. Spicy Questions
    12. Value-Sheets
    13. Key messages
  13. Moving to a higher level
    1. Different levels of conversation
    2. Getting from level 1 to level 4
    3. Key messages
  14. Cementing credibility and trust
    1. Confirming the situation
    2. No proposals
    3. Proof
    4. Key points
  15. Presenting your ideas for positive impact
    1. Audience
    2. Structure
    3. Delivery
    4. Pulling it all together
    5. Q&A
    6. Visuals
    7. Key messages
  16. Getting smarter – putting I Owe U to work
    1. And the journey continues
  17. Summary of key messages
    1. Chapter 1 I Owe U – next generation sales strategies
    2. Chapter 2 How other people really see you
    3. Chapter 3 Understanding and changing your relationships
    4. Chapter 4 Understanding and adapting to buyers
    5. Chapter 5 Building rapport and trust – the I Owe U approach
    6. Chapter 6 Uncovering real needs
    7. Chapter 7 Moving to a higher level
    8. Chapter 8 Cementing credibility and trust
    9. Chapter 9 Presenting ideas for positive impact
  18. Your Octagon™ behavioural assessment
    1. Scoring your answers
    2. Calculating and interpreting your score
  19. Your Octagon™ action plan
    1. A process for planning your actions
  20. Buyer Feedback Tool
  21. Blank planning sheets
    1. Understanding your relationship with a key buyer
    2. Planning form for taking your buyer through the different levels of thinking
  22. Recognising SHAPE questions
    1. Exercise 1
    2. Exercise 2
    3. Exercise 3

Product information

  • Title: Smarter Selling: Next generation sales strategies to meet your buyer’s needs – every time
  • Author(s): Keith Dugdale, David Lambert
  • Release date: May 2008
  • Publisher(s): Pearson
  • ISBN: 9780131370401