Solution selling
When products or services are hard to describe, intangible, have long sell cycles, or are expensive, chances are they're difficult to sell. In situations like this, conventional sales techniques not only don't help, they may in fact hinder success. Solution Selling is a process to take the guesswork out of difficult-to-sell, intangible products and services. It enables sellers to make the way they sell as big an advantage as their product or service. After reading this book, salespeople and sales managers will be able to use a well-tested model that guides them through the process of selling. No more smoke and mirrors, blind luck, or high-pressure selling. Just a step-by-step system that ensures a higher rate of success for salespeople and a higher probability that the buyer's expectations will be met.
Stats for nerds
5recommend
12mentions
11people
2007–2020years
50% recommend50% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Solution Selling, M Bosworth.
Lead Customer Development, C Alvarez
- For the question "What are some of the best books to learn from that you recommend for a young startup founder?", I decided to transcribe the answers.
.
"Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future" - http://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804...
"Republic" - http://www.amazon.com/Republic-Hackett-Classics-Plato/dp/087... (classic, feel free to grab a PDF)
"The Principia : Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" - http://www.amazon.com/Principia-Mathematical-Principles-Natu... (classic, feel free to grab a PDF)
"Thinking, Fast and Slow" - http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/...
"Molecular Biology of the Cell" - http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Cell-Bruce-Alberts/d... (different edition, forgive me; free through NCBI, thanks jkimmel!)
"Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age" - http://www.amazon.com/Dealers-Lightning-Xerox-PARC-Computer/...
"The Supermen: The Story of Seymour Cray and the Technical Wizards Behind the Supercomputer" - http://www.amazon.com/Supermen-Seymour-Technical-Wizards-Sup... (note: "that one's particularly good")
"Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories" - http://www.amazon.com/Hateship-Friendship-Courtship-Loveship...
"The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership" - http://www.amazon.com/Score-Takes-Care-Itself-Philosophy/dp/...
"The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time" - http://www.amazon.com/Beak-Finch-Story-Evolution-Time/dp/067...
"The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison" - http://www.amazon.com/Constitutional-Convention-Narrative-Hi...
"The Art Of War for Lovers" - http://www.amazon.com/The-ART-WAR-FOR-LOVERS/dp/0671000632 (fixed! sorry about that...)
"Hold 'em Poker: For Advanced Players" - http://www.amazon.com/Hold-em-Poker-Advanced-Players/dp/1880...
"Solution Selling: Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets" - http://www.amazon.com/Solution-Selling-Creating-Difficult-Ma...
"The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition" - http://www.amazon.com/Endurance-Shackletons-Legendary-Antarc...
"Winning" - http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Jack-Welch/dp/0060753943/
I wish he had answered in text. That would have made things easier :) However, I'm still very happy to have some new additions to my reading list!
- Mike Bosworth - Solution Selling - it talks all about consultative selling, listening and walking prospects through a 9 steps process from introduction to close
- As I'm getting more into sales I've just read a couple of books about the topic.
SPIN Selling is one of them but as an engineer I liked Solution Selling by Michael Bosworth even more, as it gives you a similar, but even more detailed process to follow.
http://www.amazon.com/Solution-Selling-Creating-Difficult-Ma...
- It is possible he is using you to learn. Dealing with that is very common in consulting.
There are a few things you can do.
- Find out who will be making the decision. Insist that you will provide more information as you meet the decision makers. - Find out what alternatives they are considering. Use this knowledge to better position yourself. - Explain that are many important details still to be considering that will be addressed as you continue the project.
I am very rusty. But read about Solution Selling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_selling
- This is a good sales process overview. Startups typically face two additional challenge with their early sales: they can't be sure if they have the right product (or an adequate feature set) and they can't be sure if they have the right message. They may also lack sales skills but early adopters are more tolerant of that if they can figure out what you have. Two good books on technology sales process that are worth reading for additional background are
Spin Selling by Neil Rackham
Solution Selling by Mike Bosworth
Related
2009–2024
Customer centric selling
5 recommend · 7
SPIN selling
52 recommend · 85
The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing
11 recommend · 20
New Solution Selling
4 recommend · 9
Customercentric selling
2 recommend · 8
Mastering the complex sale
4 recommend · 32
Selling the wheel
5 recommend · 9
