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Consultative Selling Resources?

by TheBigBee
15 replies
Hi,

I am a newbie to the forums. I am no newbie to selling, as the one call close is what my entire sales career has been based on heretofore.

Consultative selling will allow me to sell / close bigger sales. In short, I want to sell quality over quantity. To that end, what free resources can the members here recommend to me so as to get a primer into consultative selling? I'm not interested in spending money in "mind over matter" programs, and I've been cold calling for 12 years, so not afraid of that. Looking for contrasts with consultative selling vs. one call close (always be closing) tactics.

Thanks for any information shared!

EDIT: If I am asking a restaurant owner for $5,000, what would be an optimal sales process? Engage, send e-mail (beautiful collateral), schedule follow up call, offer solution, ask for the sale?
#consultative #resources #selling
  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham is a great resource to start with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Look for my videos. That's what I teach.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      At the risk of sounding like a dime store whore...my book is on Amazon. Just click the link in my signature.

      Spin Selling has the framework of what you need. Really, I think it's the best book for what you want.

      But my book gives lots of information on selling local advertising, which is what we are doing here.

      For phone cold calling, Kanigan's material is the best I've seen, and cold calling isn't covered in Spin Selling.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        At the risk of sounding like a dime store whore...my book is on Amazon. Just click the link in my signature.

        Spin Selling has the framework of what you need. Really, I think it's the best book for what you want.

        But my book gives lots of information on selling local advertising, which is what we are doing here.

        For phone cold calling, Kanigan's material is the best I've seen, and cold calling isn't covered in Spin Selling.
        'Tis for face-to-face selling as well, but thanks.
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        >> For Agency Founders: The Fast Shortcut To Selling SEO, Leadgen, Webdesign & Other Services
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        • Profile picture of the author David Miller
          Consultative selling and cold calling are NOT mutually exclusive.

          What are you going to do? Call someone and say...this isn't a cold call, I want to have a discussion, be your pal, invite you over for pastrami and pickles? Pose for a family picture with you?

          Cold calling is simply prospecting. What you do after you establish interest may be consultative, it may be something else. But you still need to get there first.

          ---------------------
          Sorry....I misread what the OP? was saying.
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          • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
            Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

            Consultative selling and cold calling are NOT mutually exclusive.

            What are you going to do? Call someone and say...this isn't a cold call, I want to have a discussion, be your pal, invite you over for pastrami and pickles? Pose for a family picture with you?

            Cold calling is simply prospecting. What you do after you establish interest may be consultative, it may be something else. But you still need to get there first.

            OK, just to make everyone happy. Spin selling does not cover prospecting. It cover the methodology of asking questions. But not specifically prospecting.
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            • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
              Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

              OK, just to make everyone happy. Spin selling does not cover prospecting. It cover the methodology of asking questions. But not specifically prospecting.
              From reading his post...I figured he has the prospecting part all worked out.
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              • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
                Originally Posted by Dan McCoy View Post

                From reading his post...I figured he has the prospecting part all worked out.
                Dan: Um....how dare you point out the obvious to me?

                You're right. For some reason, that part of his post was deleted from my mind in the three seconds between reading it and replying. In fact, the only reason I don't delete that post, is that the next ones will look funny.

                OK. In that case, just read Spin Selling, and also Major Account Sales Strategy. Both are huge contributions that will cover pretty much everything.

                Oh, and my book isn't bad either. But the Neil Rackham books are about the best I've seen for consultive selling.
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            • Profile picture of the author John Durham
              Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

              OK, just to make everyone happy. Spin selling does not cover prospecting. It cover the methodology of asking questions. But not specifically prospecting.
              I understand. Its an age old sales principle, I talk about it at length in my 1st directory report, what Im referring to is how people brand 100 year old elementary sales techniques and give them names, coming across like the concept was just invented yesterday and is cutting edge.

              Not aimed at you specifically.

              You may not be aware of the hilarious sense of hierarchy people attach to the words "consultative selling" around here... Its a joke really.

              Even commodity salesman consult.
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              • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
                Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

                I understand. Its an age old sales principle, I talk about it at length in my 1st directory report, what Im referring to is how people brand 100 year old elementary sales techniques and give them names, coming across like the concept was just invented yesterday and is cutting edge.

                Not aimed at you specifically.

                You may not be aware of the hilarious sense of hierarchy people attach to the words "consultative selling" around here... Its a joke really.

                Even commodity salesman consult.
                I'll be honest with you here. I just don't see the difference between "Consultive selling" and selling anything at high levels. It's just advanced selling to me.

                Yeah, I hear "consultive selling" sometimes and wonder what they mean.
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      • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        At the risk of sounding like a dime store whore...my book is on Amazon. Just click the link in my signature.

        Spin Selling has the framework of what you need. Really, I think it's the best book for what you want.

        But my book gives lots of information on selling local advertising, which is what we are doing here.

        For phone cold calling, Kanigan's material is the best I've seen, and cold calling isn't covered in Spin Selling.
        Why no kindle version of your book? I read everything on my phone at lunch these days.
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        Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by Aaron Doud View Post

          Why no kindle version of your book? I read everything on my phone at lunch these days.
          Not idea why no Kindle version. I'm having my guy work on it as we speak.
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          One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

          What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    It kills me all the names people put on this stuff...
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  • Profile picture of the author Rearden
    Stephen Schiffman's work is a good start.

    Amazon it.
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    David Duford -- Providing On-Going, Personalized Mentorship And Training From A Real Final Expense Producer To Agents New To The Final Expense Life Insurance Business.
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  • Profile picture of the author TyBrown
    Another $.02 for Spin Selling. Great book.
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