The Book That Sparked A Selling Revolution In 1985 one book changed sales and marketing forever. Rejecting manipulative tactics and emphasizing "process," Strategic Selling presented the idea of selling as a joint venture and introduced the decade's most influential concept, Win-Win. The response to Win-Win was immediate and helped turn the small company that created Strategic Selling, Miller Heiman, into a global leader in sales development with the most prestigious client list in the industry. The New Strategic Selling This modern edition of the business classic confronts the rapidly evolving world of business-to-business sales with new real-world examples, new strategies for confronting competition, and a special section featuring the most commonly asked questions from the Miller Heiman workshops. Learn: * How to identify the four real decision makers in every corporate labyrinth * How to prevent sabotage by an internal deal-killer * How to make a senior executive eager to see you * How to avoid closing business that you'll later regret * How to manage a territory to provide steady, not "boom and bust," revenue * How to avoid the single most common error when dealing with the competition.
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Book Description
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About the Author
Robert B Miller brings almost 40 years' experience in sales, consulting and executive management to help clients succeed in the sales arena. Stephen E Heiman has worked in sales development for over 30 years. Latterly he was Miller Heiman's President, CEO and chairman. Tad Tuleja is Miller Heiman's staff writer. They are also the authors of the other Miller Heiman best sellers, Large Account Management and Conceptual Selling. Miller Heiman is a global leader in sales training and its prestigious blue-chip client list is testimony to its success.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
110 of 114 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've been using "Strategic Selling" in my engineering sales practice since the original edition of this book hit the bookshelves. This is a great method for people who don't want to consider themselves "salespeople", but who indeed sell. Engineers, architects, high-tech products sales consultants, and other professionals, will find this to be a low pressure, ethics-based approach to selling. I call it "the engineers approach" to sales because it provides such a methodological approach. For the professional salesperson, it puts into a repeatable process what they have been doing instinctively. But why leave it to chance?
The list of major companies who use the Strategic Selling process to drive their sales is extremely impressive.
66 of 69 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am not a full time sales person, I am a software engineer and researcher who gets involved in some pre-sales consulting. I bought this book to become more educated on the Miller Heiman sales approach that is now standard for all of our sales people. I found this book very helpful and feel as though I now have a basic working knowledge of the sales system we use.The Miller Heiman training is rather expensive so I did not attend the actual classes with our regular sales staff.
The approach of this book came naturally to me. This sales strategy is much like engineering decisions in using continual review of risks and generating ideas to mitigate those risks while simultaneously advancing toward the closing of the project (a sales deal). There are many lists and sublists within the method that are pretty well known by now so I won't try to list many of them here. The terminology is important and very memorable - "Coach", "Economic Buyer", "Funnel", "Best Few", etc.
The book is clear about what it is not and I appreciate that too since sales is not my background. It is not a book of sales tactics, that is, how to literally sell someone something face to face in the "sales event" as the book calls it. The book assumes the reader is an experienced sales person and is already perfecting this skill (a fair assumption). It also does not try to teach skills in deal closure/contracting since that subject is already covered by many other books and is another assumed skill.
What the book does talk about at length is approaching each deal as a unique project that has its own risks, dynamics and yet can be managed within a systematic framework for success. "This entire book can be seen as an analytical machine designed to produce one meticulously tested product - your Alternate Positions list." (p171) The Alternate Positions list is essentially a list of ideas of what things you might try next along with the accompanying rationale for each idea. The ideas are very specific so they can be tested for pass/fail, they are not vague notions. Updated "Alternate Positions" are continuously needed because your current position is assumed to be in need of constant improvement until you win the sale, from beginning to end. When applied to an actual case, the strategy means to shake-out undue sales optimism with realism on specific important aspects of getting THIS deal, not just any deal generally, this one deal specifically.
There are plenty of real life sales examples throughout the book that put flesh on the theoretical framework. I relate to the systematic, risk mitigating approach, but I was reminded of my own shortcomings in reading and managing the dynamics of people who can be fluid, dynamic, fickle, irrational, etc. yet very important to winning the account. This is the sales persons' chosen medium (people skills) and it is more tricky and unfair than dealing with things. However, the engineering, project oriented, framework makes sense in both of these worlds and the book does a great job of prompting sales people to think a bit more like engineers. Relentless information gathering (and analysis for adding to actual knowledge) is the bottom line to succesfully navigating through a complex project of any type.
I particularly like the way the book views competition as those who run the race against you trying to get to the sale first, instead of being the ones standing in front of you who must be defeated to surely win the customers business (definitely not a sure approach). Miller Heiman stresses focusing on the prospect from first to last, not the competitor. Competitors and the risks they entail must be managed, but not become the focus. The message is, carry out the Miller Heiman system (run the race) better than they do and you will typically win the business over them.
This is an easy read and really a nice page-turner especially if you're new to sales reading like I am. It's good it's a page turner though because the book is a bit too long and redundant for the ground it covers. It is all useful info but I think at least 15% of the book could be eliminated since it is driving home the same fundamentals over and over again from slightly different perspectives like you were sitting in the classroom. I understand the merits, but my reading time is valuable to me so I subtracted a rating point for failure to streamline the book a bit more. I expect successful complex sales professionals will recognize many of the ideas here, but the information is very well organized and probably a good purchase for anyone connected with sales, especially uninitiated tech types like me.
The approach of this book came naturally to me. This sales strategy is much like engineering decisions in using continual review of risks and generating ideas to mitigate those risks while simultaneously advancing toward the closing of the project (a sales deal). There are many lists and sublists within the method that are pretty well known by now so I won't try to list many of them here. The terminology is important and very memorable - "Coach", "Economic Buyer", "Funnel", "Best Few", etc.
The book is clear about what it is not and I appreciate that too since sales is not my background. It is not a book of sales tactics, that is, how to literally sell someone something face to face in the "sales event" as the book calls it. The book assumes the reader is an experienced sales person and is already perfecting this skill (a fair assumption). It also does not try to teach skills in deal closure/contracting since that subject is already covered by many other books and is another assumed skill.
What the book does talk about at length is approaching each deal as a unique project that has its own risks, dynamics and yet can be managed within a systematic framework for success. "This entire book can be seen as an analytical machine designed to produce one meticulously tested product - your Alternate Positions list." (p171) The Alternate Positions list is essentially a list of ideas of what things you might try next along with the accompanying rationale for each idea. The ideas are very specific so they can be tested for pass/fail, they are not vague notions. Updated "Alternate Positions" are continuously needed because your current position is assumed to be in need of constant improvement until you win the sale, from beginning to end. When applied to an actual case, the strategy means to shake-out undue sales optimism with realism on specific important aspects of getting THIS deal, not just any deal generally, this one deal specifically.
There are plenty of real life sales examples throughout the book that put flesh on the theoretical framework. I relate to the systematic, risk mitigating approach, but I was reminded of my own shortcomings in reading and managing the dynamics of people who can be fluid, dynamic, fickle, irrational, etc. yet very important to winning the account. This is the sales persons' chosen medium (people skills) and it is more tricky and unfair than dealing with things. However, the engineering, project oriented, framework makes sense in both of these worlds and the book does a great job of prompting sales people to think a bit more like engineers. Relentless information gathering (and analysis for adding to actual knowledge) is the bottom line to succesfully navigating through a complex project of any type.
I particularly like the way the book views competition as those who run the race against you trying to get to the sale first, instead of being the ones standing in front of you who must be defeated to surely win the customers business (definitely not a sure approach). Miller Heiman stresses focusing on the prospect from first to last, not the competitor. Competitors and the risks they entail must be managed, but not become the focus. The message is, carry out the Miller Heiman system (run the race) better than they do and you will typically win the business over them.
This is an easy read and really a nice page-turner especially if you're new to sales reading like I am. It's good it's a page turner though because the book is a bit too long and redundant for the ground it covers. It is all useful info but I think at least 15% of the book could be eliminated since it is driving home the same fundamentals over and over again from slightly different perspectives like you were sitting in the classroom. I understand the merits, but my reading time is valuable to me so I subtracted a rating point for failure to streamline the book a bit more. I expect successful complex sales professionals will recognize many of the ideas here, but the information is very well organized and probably a good purchase for anyone connected with sales, especially uninitiated tech types like me.
48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have many years of industrial sales experience, and I started my own manufacturing business with venture capital financing (Big time selling). This book has the best approach to strategic selling that I have encountered. I read it to get recharged and check my practices. I recommend it to all new sales people.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good Book
I needed some guidance with selling and approach and this book definitely fits the bill. It is very strategic and nicely laid out.
Published 14 days ago by Holly
Great Book! Crappy Production.
This is a time-tested and true classic on the principles of strategic selling. A must have that has received constant accolades since it first hit the shelves so many years... Read more
Published 19 days ago by mattman0ttawa
bweiner
I haven't finished reading the book yet but so far it presents some interesting ideas and good approaches on sales in general. Read more
Published 1 month ago by bweiner
If you are in B to B sales, this is the book you hoped for...
I recently purchased this book due to a recommendation from a colleague. I've been in Real Estate Sales for 15 years and always thought of myself as a (very) good salesperson, but... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Charles
Good Sense
I think that this book is very sensible. You realize where you have weak points and where you have strengths like coaches.
Published 4 months ago by Emily
Great content, awful Kindle conversion
I'm 50% through this really helpful business book which I'm reading on my Kindle. But I seriously need to complain that whomever did the conversion to the Kindle version was super... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kish
Great for large b2b selling.
This is a great high level overview of selling in a b2b situation. The strategy from the book is to identify the players and their roles. Read more
Published 6 months ago by G. F. Hackley
Only for school
I wouldn't read this if I hadn't needed it for school. I did not enjoy reading it, but it did have a few helpful points.
Published 7 months ago by A. Crowder
Required reading for all sales people in our company
The classic. If your sale is the complex sale (multiple decision makers, large dollars, lenghty sales process), then this book is your sales bible. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Randy Thurston
Very good for the price
The best used book I have bought on Amazon.com so far. Excellent conditions, doesn't even look used.
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Published 23 months ago by G. Thomaz
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
An old Greek legend tells how the ruler of Crete, King Minos, has an underground maze, the Labyrinth, constructed near his palace to serve as an escape-proof prison for the infamous Minotaur-a ravenous monster who is half man and half bull. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
current sales objective, normal selling cycle, specific sales objective, complex sale, selling event, many sales representatives, buying roles, sales objectives, buying organization, sales proposal, sales training programs, buying firm, sales situation Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Buying Influences, Economic Buyer, Strategic Selling, Sales Funnel, Alternate Positions, Complex Sale, Even Keel, Single Sales Objective, Best Few, Ideal Customer Profile, Response Modes, Action Plan, User Buyers, Personal Workshop, Above the Funnel, Degree of Influence, Technical Buyers, Doris Green, Dan Farley, Miller Heiman, Overconfident Mode, Revised August, Roller Coaster Effect, Win-Results Chart, Euphoria-Panic Continuum New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
An old Greek legend tells how the ruler of Crete, King Minos, has an underground maze, the Labyrinth, constructed near his palace to serve as an escape-proof prison for the infamous Minotaur-a ravenous monster who is half man and half bull. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
current sales objective, normal selling cycle, specific sales objective, complex sale, selling event, many sales representatives, buying roles, sales objectives, buying organization, sales proposal, sales training programs, buying firm, sales situation Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Buying Influences, Economic Buyer, Strategic Selling, Sales Funnel, Alternate Positions, Complex Sale, Even Keel, Single Sales Objective, Best Few, Ideal Customer Profile, Response Modes, Action Plan, User Buyers, Personal Workshop, Above the Funnel, Degree of Influence, Technical Buyers, Doris Green, Dan Farley, Miller Heiman, Overconfident Mode, Revised August, Roller Coaster Effect, Win-Results Chart, Euphoria-Panic Continuum New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 8
books:
See all 8 books this book cites
15
books
cite this book:
See all 15 books citing this book
- Strategic Selling: The Unique Sales System Proven Successful by America's Best Companies by Robert B. Miller on 17 pages
- New Strategic Selling (Miller Heiman Series) by Robert B Miller on 7 pages
- Conceptual Selling by Stephen E. Heiman on 4 pages
- Security Services by Leadership Inc. in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
- Information Systems by Robert K. Wysocki in Front Matter
See all 8 books this book cites
- Hospitality Sales: Selling Smarter by Judy A. Siguaw on 5 pages
- Telesales Tips From The Trenches: Secrets of a Street-Smart Salesman by Joe Catal on page 149, and page 214
- Staying Small Successfully: A Guide for Architects, Engineers, and Design Professionals by Frank A. Stasiowski on page 78, and Back Matter
- Sales Management: Concepts and Cases by Douglas J. Dalrymple in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work by Julie Jansen on page 249
See all 15 books citing this book
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