Your Two Big Challenges When Implementing Challenger Selling
Peter Strohkorb
Sales & Marketing Consultant to growth-minded B2B Services Businesses | Australia, USA, Online | Global Salesforce Sales Influencer | 100+ LinkedIn Recommendations | 2 Books | 200+ Sales Articles | ?? Now Click Below ??
Once again, a caveat first: I have nothing against sales methodologies. In fact, I think they are extremely useful in increasing the sales productivity of a large variety of salespeople across many sectors.
What I find slightly disturbing is how every now and then there is what seems the "shiny new thing" that comes along that is often hyped as the latest tool to really drive up sales results.
But how new is "new" ?
There is a chapter in my book, The OneTEAM Method, where I propose that there may fundamentally be nothing new about the Challenger Sale methodology, compared to, say, Neil Rackham's SPIN selling from the 1980s.
Now that may at first glance a bit far fetched, but doesn't the Challenger Sale still propose to make the prospect feel uncomfortable about their status quo, only to subsequently offer relief through our solution? Are we not still meant to confront them with the consequences of the wrong action, or in fact inaction, in order to motivate them to purchase from us ?
"Your baby is ugly."
Is the Challenger Sale more than just saying out loud: "Your baby is ugly." ? Of course it isn't. After all, we don't want to offend our buyer, we merely want to surprise them with our superior knowledge and insight so that they accept us as their trusted advisor to the exclusion of our competitors.
However, the terms 'Challenger Sale' itself does not seem to be exclusive. I note that I have variously heard versions of the Challenger Sale described as "The Provocative Sale" and "The Disruptive Sale". So it seems that it is not a unique proposition, really.
And then, finally, in my humble opinion, the Challenger Sale is not at all trivial to implement as there seem to be two huge challenges to executing the Challenger Sale:
1. The Skills Challenge
It takes a special kind of person to actually pull off challenging a prospect's opinion and perceptions without causing offence. In my invitation-only Executive Round Table discussions my business leader guests often quote that only about 20% of their current reps are even potentially capable of executing a Challenger Sale scenario. That means that 80% are stuck in their old 'features and price' approach, they are like old dogs not wanting to learn new tricks.
2. The Challenger Challenge
You need something that is both significant AND insightful to challenge your prospects with. But we live in an era where anything can be researched online and information is at your fingertips. With this instant and deep access to information there are precious few facts and concepts that have not been already thought of. Hence, it is difficult to find something contrary and interesting to challenge your prospects with that your competitor has not already also thought of.
Over To You
So, in your own experience, how novel, sophisticated and revolutionary is the Challenger Sale really ?
What results have you seen ?
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About Peter Strohkorb
Peter Strohkorb is the CEO of Peter Strohkorb Consulting International, a published Author, an international Speaker and experienced Executive Mentor, as well as a popular Executive MBA guest Lecturer.
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Old school sales lad - Business strategist - Development - sales & Marketing (Self-employed)
9 年"the Challenger Sales is not a sales methodology but a business process" so it is in the form it is a steady rudiment where step one leads to step two? my perception is that it is a way of doing sales, based on how concrete and solid you are about yourself first, then your product. it needs savvy guts to face endless reactions from the clients' side, how can that be put into a process?
VP @ Alliant. Financial Institutions Insurance.
9 年A sales rep must earn the right to challenge what a prospect is doing today. Otherwise, a prospect's guard is still raised and a rep will put off many potential clients.
Managing Director | Australian Institute of Company Directors
9 年Peter, having read the Challenger Sale book I would agree that this is not new. However, what CEB did identify is that the consistently 'high performers' were what they term as Challengers in that they teach, tailor and take control. We have started implementing this approach and can certainly say that it resonates with our customers as we are able to demonstrate a much deeper understanding of their business, their needs and challenges.
Sales & Marketing Consultant to growth-minded B2B Services Businesses | Australia, USA, Online | Global Salesforce Sales Influencer | 100+ LinkedIn Recommendations | 2 Books | 200+ Sales Articles | ?? Now Click Below ??
9 年Hello Peter, Yes, I guess the basis for selling is the fact that we are dealing with people, and people have not fundamentally changed since Neil Rackham's SPIN methodology.