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A sales methodology is a set of principles salespeople use to shape their approach to individual stages of a sales process. There are different methodologies to adopt as disciplines, including SPIN selling, Challenger selling, and more. To choose which method to follow, you must clearly define your sales process and ideal buyer, test methodologies, and evaluate your results. Implementing a consistent methodology will ultimately improve your sales data and client retention.
During the entirety of your sales process, sales methodologies act as a distinct strategy to support your relationship with prospects and get you closer to a sale. The different types of methodologies all act as regimens that target the different influences of a customer’s decision making process. You can adopt various methods throughout your sales process to effectively address the problem, solution, or relationship-centric values of your customer.
The five steps to successfully identify and implement a sales methodology are:
In addition to these steps, you’ll tailor your methodologies to your lead’s priority and the sales stage they're in. For example, if you’re in a lead nurturing stage with an executive-level lead who wants to be hands-off, SNAP selling may be preferred, which prioritizes simplicity and quickness. You’ll use your insight of the selling style your lead responds to best from their customer profile to get the result you want: closing the deal and satisfying your lead.
Adopting a methodology in hand with a qualification framework to qualify your leads, then sales techniques to close them, will strengthen your selling. Though they differ in how and when you use them, together they create consistency in how you interact with your leads. Implementing a new methodology, or methodologies, into your sales process can be intimidating but there are best practices salespeople can use to make it easier, including surveying methods used in your industry.
The most common methodologies typically come from modern practices and were coined by popular industry experts. They all vary slightly and you may find you behave within some of these parameters already. This includes the SPIN, SNAP, GAP, MEDDIC and NEAT method, the Sandler System, and Challenger, Inbound, Consultative, Solution, and Conceptual selling. Before you implement one, below we have their ideal use cases and why they work as a selling method.
Who Should Use It: Businesses that offer a simple or inexpensive product or service.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead qualification
SPIN selling is a simple framework that focuses on working with your prospect to get to the core of their problem or need quickly. This methodology is based on the idea that clients look for solutions to problems and that is the key motivator in their decision making process. When practicing SPIN selling, you focus on the situation your prospect is in, including the problems they face and the consequences of them.
Here are the key components of SPIN selling and when it's most effective:
The SPIN methodology is most effective during the discovery phase of your sales process since it requires a holistic understanding of the prospect’s needs before even entering a conversation about purchasing your solution. This methodology very clearly uncovers and isolates the core problems your prospect deals with and the consequences of not solving them in a timely manner. You then use that information to strategize how to sell your solution.
Who Should Use It: Salespeople whose clients are high level executives.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead nurturing, deal closing
Like its namesake, SNAP selling is a methodology that focuses on providing solutions quickly by keeping it simple. SNAP selling takes into account that your prospect has responsibilities outside of the problem you’re there to solve so you don’t risk losing interest during a lengthy sales process. To minimize the chance of your prospect feeling overwhelmed, SNAP prioritizes simplicity and showing your value as a partner.
The acronym of SNAP selling consists of the following:
SNAP selling works because you take on the responsibility of guiding your prospect through the sales process. The role you play as a salesperson using SNAP is a subject matter expert in both the problem the prospect has and the solution they need. This technique gives you the opportunity to earn their trust and take the reins on providing a solution efficiently and effectively.
Who Should Use It: B2B salespeople who offer complex products or services to customers.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead nurturing, deal closing
The Challenger methodology is a technique that places the salesperson as the teacher and authority figure in the sales relationship. The salesperson should know the industry they sell in just as well, if not better, than their client. With that knowledge, challengers can direct their prospects into making decisions based on facts rather than relying on just relationship building.
Challenger selling involves the three following steps:
Challenger selling works great in more complex selling cycles or processes. Most complex purchases naturally take a lot of time and research on the buyer's part. Using the Challenger selling methodology, you’ll offer the prospect a unique perspective of their values, budget, and needs to help overcome stagnant decision making using proven results.
Who Should Use It: Businesses that require heavy interaction between salespeople and leads throughout the sales process.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead nurturing
The Sandler System methodology prioritizes building a relationship that is mutually beneficial to both you as a salesperson and your prospect. Through three stages, the Sandler System guides you to first build and sustain a relationship, then qualify the opportunity, and finally close the sale. Within these three stages, you take seven steps to create a low-pressure and consultative environment for your lead.
The Sandler System includes the following steps:
The Sandler System methodology has become a regular practice for salespeople because it treats the salesperson and their prospect as equals and aims for both to see benefits mutually. At any point throughout the process the salesperson is able to raise concerns openly regarding budget, timeline, or anything else they might need clarity on as the lead does the same. Ultimately, trust is built when transparency is encouraged and expected.
Who Should Use It: B2B salespeople who sell solutions that require collaboration between the buyer and seller during the sale.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead qualification, lead nurturing
The GAP selling methodology focuses on your prospect’s problems and pain points rather than the benefits of the product or service you provide. This technique requires you to locate the gap between your prospect’s current situation and where they want to be. You’ll then use that knowledge to sell your product or service as a solution to the real problem.
GAP selling includes the following directives:
The GAP methodology is problem-centric and requires you to be patient in pitching your product or service. GAP selling is a collaboration between you and your prospect and allows you to earn the trust of your prospects because you value getting them to where they want to be rather than just making a sale.
Who Should Use It: Salespeople looking to grow their clientele and strengthen their lead generation strategies.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead generation, lead qualification
Inbound selling is a methodology that focuses on attracting leads who are in the market for a purchase directly to you. Instead of using targeting outreach strategies, you’ll allow leads to naturally move through stages from strangers to qualified prospects to clients. It’s through this progression that you prioritize understanding their pain points, why they’re in the market, and educating them about your solution.
Below are the phases of Inbound selling:
The leads that are reaching out to you have probably done their own research and are well into the buying process. When used with a heavy marketing strategy, this Inbound methodology is a less intrusive technique that connects you with leads who are already very interested in your product or service. You can take advantage of this head start to begin lead qualification.
Who Should Use It: Salespeople who have strong industry knowledge that can provide tailored solutions.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead generation, lead qualification
Consultative selling values the relationship between the salesperson and their potential client by prioritizing the prospect’s problem and how it can be solved. Whether or not the solution for your prospect is your product, Consultative selling uses research and active listening to present the prospect with all the resources to solve their problem and make a purchasing decision.
Here are the four steps of consultative selling:
The Consultative methodology relies on value-add selling over product selling. Your role in Consultative selling is to be a subject matter expert (SME) in your field and help find a solution for your prospect's needs. This methodology is directly reflected in the use of consultation calls and their overarching motive of being that SME who’ll pitch a customized solution using their knowledge of what exactly the prospect needs.
Who Should Use It: Businesses whose product or service can be personalized to specific needs.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead nurturing, deal closing
Similar to consultative selling, Solution selling focuses on your prospect’s pain point and needs over pushing your product or service. This methodology prioritizes adjusting your product or service to fit the needs of your prospect rather than convincing the prospect to change to fit your solution.
Below are the six steps of solution selling:
Ultimately, when you implement a Solution selling methodology, you aren’t selling the specific features and benefits of your product but rather the fact that your solution will solve their problem over time. This is something you’ll be able to commit to since you’ve taken the time to understand their needs fully and you’ve created a customized solution just for them.
Who Should Use It: Salespeople who sell a complex service to multiple decision makers.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead nurturing, deal closing
Conceptual selling is built on the idea that customers make purchasing decisions based on their conception of the solution rather than the literal product or service. Each customer ultimately buys a product for their own reasons. To find out what that conceptual influence is, the salesperson must understand the perspective of their prospects through research.
Conceptual selling includes these five elements:
To use the Conceptual selling methodology successfully, you must be a great active listener. When it’s your priority to listen and advise your clients based on their preset feelings or attitudes, you assume the role of a trusted advisor. This works with multiple decision makers because you take the time to understand each one of their influences. This strengthens your relationships and builds lasting relationships that will increase customer retention.
Who Should Use It: B2B salespeople who sell complex products or services to large corporations.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead qualification, lead nurturing
The MEDDIC methodology is a sales model with a focus on targeting only qualified leads. Using MEDDIC requires an understanding of who the key players are, what they’re decision making process is, and what influences them to make purchases. This methodology banks on the idea that the better you qualify customers, the more likely you’re to make the sale.
The following are the components of MEDDIC selling:
The MEDDIC methodology helps you clearly define your ideal buyer. You'll then use those metrics to qualify who you target and avoid spending time nurturing the wrong relationship. Once you get this heightened understanding of who you’re selling to and what they’re priorities are, you lower the risk of losing the prospect to a complex sales process.
Who Should Use It: Salespeople who need to automate their qualifying process.
Sales Process Phase It Complements: Lead qualification
NEAT selling is another methodology that has a focus on qualifying your prospect. In any order, and at any point throughout your sales process, you’ll revisit conversations about the prospect’s needs, economic impact, authority in the decision making, and their ideal timeline for a solution to be implemented. This’ll make sure both you and your prospect are on the same page with expectations.
NEAT selling prioritizes these four items below:
The NEAT methodology works well within the qualification phase in your sales process. It might even remind you of qualification frameworks like BANT. However, the questions don’t have to be in order since NEAT selling is a flexible method that doesn’t prioritize one qualification over the other. This methodology allows the conversations and relationships to naturally evolve without forcing information from the prospect.
Identifying and understanding the different styles of sales methodologies is necessary before adopting one of your own. Once you feel you have a strong grasp of each methodology and their ideal use cases, you then can take the appropriate steps to implement it into your sales process. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to select and apply a sales methodology effectively.
Choosing which methodologies to adopt into your selling strategy requires you to first have a solid understanding of your sales process and ideal customer profile. Only after you’ve defined each can you begin matching methodologies to individual stages of your sales process. Always be open to feedback on your use of methodologies and be prepared to evaluate and even readjust as you evolve as a salesperson.
A sales process typically has 3–7 definitive steps that make up the lead generating, nurturing and deal closing phases. These steps can include performing lead generating activities, creating and proposing a sales pitch, and handling objections. Creating and sticking to a standardized sales process with any combination of the following seven steps will make your results more testable.
With a clearly defined sales process, you immediately increase consistency in your customer experience. You can begin studying the type of customers you interact with. Once you’re confident in that, you can identify and implement a methodology to help navigate your client through your chosen sales process.
Read our ultimate guide for a more detailed overview of what to expect in a sales process. In the article you’ll find the most common stages, sales process terminology, and how to map one yourself.
Your customer profile is a compiled list of your customer’s socioeconomics, behavior, company details, geography and more. Businesses and salespeople build customer profiles to holistically understand the behavior and decision making of their customers. Below are all the categories of customer data a profile can be made from:
Once you’ve understood who your customers are, you can begin matching potential methodologies to the values and motivators of their profile. If you find your customers are usually high level executives with busy calendars and little patience, consider a methodology like SNAP that caters to making the purchasing process as simple as it can be for the customer.
For more insight into customer profiles, including a step-by-step process on how to build one, a free template, and benefits, check out our guide on how to create a customer profile.
Once you’ve defined your sales process and the type of customer you’ll take through that process, you’ll now strategize which methodologies to adopt. It’s easiest to just begin matching a methodology to each stage of your sales process. You can have a different method attached to each stage or one method to multiple, as long as you align the style of methodology to the desired outcome of each stage.
A method like inbound selling might fit into your lead generating stage if you’ve already invested in an extensive marketing strategy. Sandler or MEDDIC selling can work in your lead qualifying and nurturing phase as you build trust through conversations around both parties' expectations. Your prospects might respond best to challenger tactics throughout the entire process. Continue matching like this until you feel confident in practicing these methodologies out in the wild.
Since the sales methodology you choose directly impacts how you interact with your prospect, it’s important to consider their responses. While making the sale is still a win, openly ask your client for feedback afterwards. Ask them what they enjoyed and if they felt supported and knowledgeable throughout the process. Look at this conversation as an opportunity to get real insight into your client’s world and see how you can get even better.
If you’re interested in automating this process, you can send out a survey to your customers post sale. That way, you can have their written feedback stored in your CRM to refer back to in the future. If you do choose to do this, personalize it as much as you can or add a discount incentive so the survey isn't lost or forgotten in their inbox.
After I made a staffing placement with a new client, I’d host a feedback meeting and invite anyone who was involved in the hiring process, including hiring managers and team leads. I encouraged feedback, asking my clients to tell me what they thought of this staffing experience. They often appreciated the opportunity to discuss what they liked and what they’d want to be different next time, and even told me that it made me stand out as a vendor.
After you’ve worked through a methodology or two and discussed feedback from clients you can now evaluate the results. Consider tracking sales metrics like closing percentages, client retention, and how long it takes to close a deal. Your sales CRM is the most effective place to store and evaluate this data.
If you’re implementing more than one method into your sales process, start with only one at a time so you can accurately measure the effects before adding more. This way you create a baseline of metrics. Once the data reflects a newly implemented method, take note if you see a concerning decreases. React by transitioning into another methodology and begin the implementation process again. Do this until you feel confident and see the ideal upward trend of metrics.
Ultimately, implementing a new sales methodology into your sales process can be trial and error. Luckily, you have the opportunity to match methodologies with individual stages of your sales process. No matter which method, or methods, you choose, enforcing a sales methodology will improve your selling.
There are several benefits of using a sales methodology, including having intently qualified leads, useful sales data, and higher customer satisfaction. Some results might be instant while others you’ll see in time and reflected in reported metrics. Ultimately, implementing a crafted sales methodology will enhance your clients' buying experience.
No matter which method or methods you use, it’s normal practice to revisit conversations about the prospect’s budget, need, authority, and timeline. This determines the qualification of a lead and the viability of a successful sale. At every stage of the sales process, sales methodologies encourage transparency from all parties. Using this information, you’re able to qualify, and requalify, your prospects constantly to increase your chances of closing the deal.
Implementing a consistent sales methodology helps you gain more control over your sales process. The more control you have in your sales process, the easier it is to measure results. When you adjust methodology tactics, you can track the increase or decrease of success in performance data. You can use your sales CRM to track metrics including your close and customer retention rates.
When you adopt a sales methodology that caters to the needs, values, and personalities of your leads, the sales process is typically an enjoyable experience for them. Your leads will appreciate you using a methodology that takes into account their priorities and how they wish to be interacted with. This’ll increase the likelihood of them renewing their services with you and be a returning customer. The right methodology will help you attract, satisfy, and retain your clients.
The benefits of adopting a sales methodology into your sales process are indefinite while also providing real measurable results. With the most common methodologies, their benefits, and how to implement them above, we’ve also listed the best practices and tips below.
While you’re implementing a new methodology into your sales process, there are key tricks to see the success you’re after. This includes evaluating methodologies in your industry, being attentive to your leads, starting with condensed versions of a method, and checking in with your prospects. The best part of adopting a sales methodology is the opportunity to mold and shape it to fit your selling style.
Take time to research if there are methodologies commonly used in your specific industry, and try to understand which seem to beckon the results you’re targeting. You can discuss this with peers or do research yourself. Let this influence the methodology or methodologies you choose to experiment with first.
The most sure way to successfully match a methodology to a client is through active listening. When you’re having valuable conversations with a lead about their needs, their authority, and budget, it’s important to demonstrate you’re paying attention. The information they’re sharing with you is key in uncovering their priorities and buyer style.
It might be intimidating to jump head first in a brand new sales methodology, especially if it’s the first time you’re consciously implementing one. Consider breaking down the methodologies you’re testing into their most simplified forms. For SNAP selling, start with solution-centric activities like proactively preparing materials for your lead. It’s a simple way to cater to your lead's trust in their vendors while also building your own confidence before adding complexities.
Similar to the feedback step in the implementation of a new sales methodology, it’s important to keep a pulse on your prospect’s experience with you. Relationships are undeniably critical in sales and all methodologies encourage open communication between the parties involved. Casually check in with your prospects during meetings or calls and encourage them to express any concerns they may have.
Keeping any of these practices in mind will help streamline your implementation and use of methodologies while also building your confidence as a salesperson. As long as you’re doing your research and are comfortable with trying new approaches, you’ll see the results you’re after.
A sales methodology is the behavior behind a framed approach in sales, whereas a sales process is the definitive procedure you follow. Though the two are inherently different, your sales methodology and sales process should work together to strengthen your client relationships and improve how you deliver solutions. The sales process stages are “what” you’re doing to close a sale and a methodology is the “how.”
Sales techniques are deliberate actions salespeople take within their sales process to get their lead to take some kind of action in return, like giving referrals in the lead generating stage. You can use sales techniques and methodologies together. You might use a method like Inbound selling or NEAT to get your prospect to the deal closing stage but you’ll use a
sales closing techniquelike assumptive closing to get your prospect to actually sign the contract.
A sales qualification framework is a guide salespeople use to qualify leads through a series of questions. Typically in a
discovery call, frameworks use a set of questions, in a specific order of priority, to mark a lead as viable in a single conversation. While methodologies have similar components like discussing budget, they’re flexible and flow through a sales process and not just one conversation. Use both to ensure full transparency between you and your lead.
There are many different sales methodologies that can shape your approach to sales. Identify which method resonates with your desired outcome the most and implement their tactics. These methodologies all prioritize different things, like being customer, solution, or problem centric. So, begin adapting any one or a combination of these sales methodologies into your sales process and see how your business grows and your deals close faster.
Allyssa is a sales writer with a background in B2B sales and account management. After earning her degree in English and communications, she spent her selling career supporting Fortune 1000 IT and finance companies including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Credit Karma. As a staff writer for Selling Signals, her specialties include lead nurturing, lead generation, and sales software topics. When she's not writing or updating articles, you can find Allyssa writing poetry, traveling, or picking up any new creative hobby.
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