Spin Doctor? No, Spin Sales!Having been in the field of business for numerous years, I won't say how many years, I have decided that you never know it all! There is always something to learn, discover or investigate. So it is with spin sales training. I had never heard of it; and at first, thought someone was playing a joke on me when I was asked to investigate spin sales training. However, it is a valid sales technique and proven methodology which was developed for the sale of complex or high value products and services which would involve significant cost and potential risk to the buyer. SPIN stands for Situation questions, Problem questions, Implication questions and Need-payoff questions. Spin focuses on these four specific types of questions to identify and develop client needs. The situation questions help the salesperson to understand the client's business situation. Problem questions are to find out about the client's dissatisfactions, difficulties or problems with their current situation. The implication questions ask about the effects of the client's situation or problem and need-payoff questions investigate needs so the the client comes to understand the importance and value of solving the problem. Clear as mud? Spin selling is a soft sales technique which enables the customer to draw their own conclusion that you are the man - or woman -for the job. Of course, this is not without some persuasive guidance! The SPIN system is based on developing your questioning techniques to steer the customer toward the sale, and it has four definitive areas. Persons who are a success at selling know how clients make decisions and what they need to do to guide the decision-making process. The buying process is made up of a series of stages, and there are many pitfalls for salesperson from companies to fall into. If a salesperson goes wrong during one or more of these stages, they risk missed opportunities or even worse they completely fail. It is essential that you understand the client's need or needs. Needs come in basically two types each mentally different and requiring a different approach. There is implied need. This is when the client knows there is a problem, but is not ready to act. In this case, the salesperson needs to develop this implied need into a clear and precise need, often called an explicit need. Explicit need is the second type of need, and the client usually recognises the severity and importance of the problem, and thus, the client has the desire to act in order to solve the problem. This is where you, as the salesperson, must present the technical benefits your product or service has that will give the client the result they want. When using the SPIN technique, there is no script or pressuring the business; nor are closing tactics used. Instead, a set of practical skills are used to persuade, to understand client concerns and to maximise competitive strengths. With this approach, salespeople will be more comfortable and will become more effective in persuading clients and prospects to purchase. |