The Challenger Sale

Business Club Studies conducted by the Corporate Executive Board have shown that there are really only 5 main types of sales rep profiles:

The Hard Worker Business Club Always willing to go the extra mile (21% of sales reps) Always willing to go the extra mile Doesn’t give up easily Self motivated Interested in feedback and development

The Challenger Business Club Always has a different view of the world (27% of sales reps) Always has a different view of the world Understands the customers business Loves to debate Pushes the customer

The Relationship Builder Business Club The Relationship Builder (21% of sales reps) Builds strong advocates in customer organization Generous in giving time to help others Gets along with everyone

The Lone Wolf Business Club Follows own instincts Self-assured (18% of sales reps) Follows own instincts Self-assured Difficult to control

The Reactive Problem Solver Business Club The Reactive Problem Solver (14% of sales reps) Reliably responds to internal and external stakeholders Ensures that all problems are solved Detail-orientated

Which profile fits you best? Business Club Which profile fits you best? The Relationship Builder The Reactive Problem Solver The Challenger The Lone Wolf The Hard Worker

Business Club One Big Winner

Why The Challenger Out Performs Everyone Else Business Club Why The Challenger Out Performs Everyone Else Offers the customer a unique perspective Has strong two-way communication skills Knows the individual customer’s value drivers Can identify economic drivers of the customer’s business Is comfortable discussing money Can pressure the customer

The Challenger vs. The Relationship Builder Business Club The Challenger vs. The Relationship Builder The Relationship Builder profile focuses on resolving tension in customer interactions to make situations more amicable and positive in encouraging collaboration. Forms good relationships Builds customer advocates Builds cross-functional relationships Can work with anyone Is genuine Is accessible to the customer Gives time to help others Respects the customers time Gets Along with Others Likeable Generous with time

The Challenger vs. The Relationship Builder Business Club The Challenger vs. The Relationship Builder The Challenger profile focuses on building customer tension in customer interactions to push the customer out of his or her comfort zone. Offers unique perspective Uses two-way communication skills Knows customer value drivers Can ID economic drivers Is comfortable discussing money Can pressure the customer Teaches Tailors Takes Control

Business Club Constructive Tension TEACH TAKE TAILOR CONTROL Challenger Reps deliver insight that reframes the way customers think about their business and their needs Challenger Reps seek to leverage constructive tension to their advantage across all dimensions of the sale Constructive Tension TEACH For differentiation TAKE CONTROL of the sale TAILOR For resonance Challenger reps openly pursue goals in a direct but nonaggressive way to overcome increased risk aversion Challenger Reps communicate sales messages in the context of the customer

Business Club Challengers don’t ask customers what they need, they tell them what they need. It is easy to sit down, listen to the customer, find out what they need, then present them exactly what they think they wanted. A Challenger will question the truth behind what the customer wants to buy by teaching them something new they did not know about what they wanted and show them how to obtain that with their product or service.

This is called “Commercial Teaching” Business Club Challengers don’t ask customers what they need, they tell them what they need. It is easy to sit down, listen to the customer, find out what they need, then present them exactly what they think they wanted. A Challenger will question the truth behind what the customer wants to buy by teaching them something new they did not know about what they wanted and show them how to obtain that with their product or service. This is called “Commercial Teaching”

Top 5 attributes of the Challenger … Business Club Offers customer unique and valuable perspective on the market Helps customer navigate alternatives Provides customer with ongoing advice and consultation Helps customer avoid potential land mines Educates customer on the new issues and outcomes

Business Club Positive Neutral Negative 6. Your Solution 2. Reframe Map of services or solutions mapped back to the key teaching points; highlighted path to implementation 2. Reframe First reframe of unrecognized problem, need, or assumption 5. Value Proposition – A New Way A new framework for addressing the problem – implicitly tied to the value proposition 3. Rational Drowning Gradual Intensification of the problem, both in degree and closeness to the customer 1. The Warmer Building credibility by reading their mind, demonstrating empathy Neutral 4. Emotional Impact Psychological features of the problem, or presence in the individual’s workflow, harmonizing the problem Negative

Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Business Club Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Reps only take control regarding matters of money Reps will become too aggressive if we tell them to “take control” What should be the title of this list be??? For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

Three Common Misconceptions About Taking Control of the Sale Business Club Three Common Misconceptions About Taking Control of the Sale Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Reps only take control regarding matters of money Reps will become too aggressive if we tell them to “take control” What should be the title of this list be??? For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Business Club Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Research shows that a challenger rep takes control across the entire sales process, not just at the end. The best time to take control is right from the beginning. For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

Remember, this is called Commercial Teaching Business Club Taking control of the sale is synonymous with negotiation Research shows that a challenger rep takes control across the entire sales process, not just at the end. The best time to take control is right from the beginning. Remember, this is called Commercial Teaching For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

2. Reps only take control regarding matters of money Business Club 2. Reps only take control regarding matters of money Push the customer in terms about how they think about their world and their challenges as well as how to solve those problems For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

This is also part of Commercial Teaching Business Club 2. Reps only take control regarding matters of money Push the customer in terms about how they think about their world and their challenges as well as how to solve those problems This is also part of Commercial Teaching For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

3. Reps will become too aggressive if we tell them to “take control” Business Club 3. Reps will become too aggressive if we tell them to “take control” Aggressiveness uses antagonistic language. Assertiveness uses strong language, but not so strong as to come off offensive. For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.

Discussion Questions: Business Club Discussion Questions: What is something that all sales people can learn from the Challenger Sales Rep. profile? If you are in sales, how can commercial teaching be applied in your industry? How important is sales training for a sales person? What are some counter-intuitive things that are done in sales that you have learn via your training? What is the best sales tip that you have learned from your company? What is the best sales tip that you have learned outside of your company? Describe the most difficult sale you have made (if you are not in sales, then describe the most difficult thing you have done to change someone’s mind to your idea)? What are some other great tips for those who are in sales, and if you are not in sales, how can you apply what someone may learn in sales training to their personal lives or careers? For this slide ask the students to make a title for the three points. Once done click and show the real title.