The New Power Base Selling: Master The Politics, Create Unexpected Value and Higher Margins, and Outsmart the Competition

Four Stages of Sales Proficiency

The Holden Four Stage Model brings great selling to life by examining it through five dimensions:

1. Intent

2. Focus

3. Relationship

4. Value

5. Knowledge

Intent

In terms of intent, Stage I Emerging Sellers want simply to be considered. Making the short list is cause for celebration; they merely want to survive today and grow into the job. Think about when you might have been at this point in your career. Stage II Solution Sellers differ in that they want to make a sale. In fact, many of these individuals would sacrifice longer-term customer loyalty in favor of a short-term revenue win, particularly at the end of the quarter, when the pressure to close orders becomes intense. Each sales situation is the main event for these sellers. However, they often lack an objective and quantitative approach to determining whether they should pursue an opportunity. They essentially go after anyone—or anything—that’s warm and breathing.

Stage III Compete Sellers want to “own” the customer department where purchases are being made. They place the emphasis on repeat sales and work to develop a long runway of business. In contrast to Stage II Solution Sellers, they use written criteria to answer the following questions:

• Should I pursue this business?
• Can I win this business?
• Will winning lead to more business?

Stage IV Customer Advisors carry the thinking even further. They want to “own” the account, seeking the lion’s share of the business. These people ...