Customer Reviews

Consultative Closing: Simple Steps That Build Relationships and Win Even the Toughest Sale

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Often, salespeople - even those who already practice "consultative" selling - are reluctant to ask for the sale because they don't want to jeopardize a client relationship they've worked hard to develop. Yet, the whole point of developing the relationship is to generate sales. Sales trainer Greg Bennett offers a solution to this conundrum in the form of his "mini-steps" sales approach. He explains how salespeople can break the sales process down into small, actionable steps, to help the client buy into it and advance the sale, without appearing self-serving or pushy. His system reworks existing sales practices, so some of his concepts may feel familiar, but he points out that many salespeople, and even sales managers, are too comfortable living in "Maybe-Land." He advocates taking up permanent residence in "Reality-World" by asking for an answer, even if that answer is "no." We encourage those who want to refine their consultative-selling techniques to read Bennett's book.

Drawn from decades of selling situations and experiences, this book lays out a 3-part method to improving professional sales:

1. Working from a set of mini-steps to achieve buy-in
2. Recognizing that "no" is always better than "maybe"
3. A set of mini-steps for after the sale

The book also has a wonderful story on replacement window-buying, and having just lived through that "process," I found his insights spot on.

Unfortunately, the book has several minor weak points that keep it from the 5-star rating:

* Out of 200+ pages, only 10% cover the 3rd and final step in the method (post-sale mini-process).
* There is significant repetition (a paragraph or two on how clients and salesmen want to avoid conflict must be in every chapter at least once).
* Large parts of the book are written specifically for the small business owner; other sections clearly just for the dedicated salesman or sales manager. Depending on your role, you can skim.

That said, the first two out of three steps are incredibly well developed and very powerful tools. Thus, four stars.

J. Avellanet, Co-Founder of Cerulean Associates LLC

Greg Bennett is a entertaining speaker and writer. We had him speak at our annual sales meeting and I bought his book for my entire sales team. Best investment I ever made.

Greg produces a blog called "The Ugly Pond" which is one of the few sales related blogs I subscribe to and anticipate receiving each month.

Greg writes in a easy to read and concise manner and is very entertaining. If you don't invite him to your next sales event you are missing out on a very insightful and entertaining opportunity.

Buy this book then contact Greg. I'm sure that after talking to him you will be as excited as I am about adopting his sales strategy and following his blogs.

Enjoyed the idea of the mini steps. It was a refresher for things I been doing for years. It is a great reminder of things to do!