Guided Selling vs. Search Filters in CPQ – Which One Works Best?
Amdrodd Technologies LLC.
Salesforce consultants with focus on SPM, Spiff, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Lifesciences.
?? Guided Selling: A Structured, Intelligent Approach
Guided Selling acts like an interactive advisor, asking sales reps targeted questions and providing real-time product recommendations based on responses. This ensures reps select the best-fit products without having to manually filter through hundreds of options.
? Best for:
?? New or less-experienced sales reps – Helps them navigate complex product configurations
?? Organizations with large or complex catalogs – Simplifies selection and reduces errors
?? Enforcing best practices and compliance – Ensures correct pricing, bundling, and discounting
?? Streamlining the sales process – Reduces back-and-forth between reps and sales engineers
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?? Bonus: Guided Selling can dynamically adjust recommendations based on deal size, industry, region, or specific customer needs.
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?? Search Filters: Fast, Flexible, and Efficient
Search Filters provide direct control to sales reps who prefer to find products manually. Instead of answering guided questions, reps can apply filters like:
?? Product Family
?? Price Range
?? Features & Attributes
?? Availability & Region
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? Best for:
?? Experienced reps – They already know what they need and prefer quick filtering
?? Fast-moving sales cycles – No need for step-by-step guidance, just filter and select
?? Simple product catalogs – Where extensive guidance isn’t required
?? Customization flexibility – Allows reps to filter based on their unique search criteria
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?? Bonus: Search Filters let reps quickly compare multiple products and make data-driven decisions.
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?? Which One Should You Choose?
It depends on your business model and sales team:
? Guided Selling is ideal if you want consistency, reduced errors, and an intuitive selection process.
? Search Filters work best when speed and flexibility are the priority.
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?? The Best Strategy? A Hybrid Approach!
Many businesses combine both:
?? Guided Selling for new reps, complex configurations, and ensuring compliance
?? Search Filters for experienced reps who need quick access to specific products