The Sandler Selling System, created by David Sandler in 1967, prioritizes building genuine relationships and trust between salespeople and prospects. Instead of relying on aggressive sales tactics, the Sandler approach encourages sales reps to act as consultants and ask crucial questions during the qualification stage to determine if their product or service is a suitable fit for the potential client.
Unlike traditional sales methods that focus on closing, the Sandler process places greater emphasis on qualification. This approach, when effectively implemented, can lead to improved sales metrics such as deal size, margin, and forecast accuracy.
The Sandler Selling System consists of three stages - building a relationship, qualification, and closing the sale - which are further broken down into seven steps: bonding and rapport building, establishing expectations, identifying pain points, discussing budget, understanding the decision-making process, presenting a solution, and sealing the deal.
1. Bonding and Rapport Building
The first step in building a relationship is establishing a bond with the prospect by creating an environment of open and honest communication.
2. Establishing Expectations
During this step, roles and expectations are set to lay the foundation for a comfortable and efficient business relationship.
3. Identifying Pain Points
This step marks the beginning of the qualification stage, where the focus shifts to uncovering the prospect's challenges and how the product or service can address them.
The Sandler Selling System can have a significant impact on sales performance, especially when leadership is committed to the process and sets an example for their team. By fostering a culture that promotes continuous improvement, organizations can see impressive results.
The Sandler techniques are highly effective because they are based on real psychological principles of communication, as noted by experts like Schmidt. By teaching sales reps to ask thoughtful and meaningful questions, they can build stronger relationships with prospects and ultimately close more deals.
Now that a rapport has been established and expectations have been set, it's time to dive into the qualification process and uncover the prospect's challenges.
This can be a challenging stage to teach sales reps, but it is crucial for identifying the suitability of the product or service for the prospect's needs.
To address any concerns about being overly aggressive during this stage, Schmidt recommends approaching it with a positive mindset - by asking deeper questions, you are demonstrating genuine interest in the prospect's success.
4. Discussing Budget
In the Sandler Selling System, budget is addressed during the qualification stage rather than at the end. This allows for determining if the prospect is willing and able to invest in the product or service before spending time trying to sell it to them.
5. Understanding the Decision-Making Process
The final step in the qualification stage of the sales process is understanding the decision-making process of prospects. This involves gaining insight into the who, what, where, why, and how of their purchasing process.
Moving on to the closing stage, this is where the product or service is presented as the solution to the prospect's problem. The proposal should address their specific needs, including budget and decision-making process, incorporating information gathered during the qualification stage.
After presenting the proposal, it's time to finalize the sale. This involves establishing next steps to prevent losing the sale to competitors or buyer's remorse.
Now that the Sandler Selling System has been thoroughly explained, you may be wondering how to implement it in your company.
To equip your sales team with the Sandler Selling System, they can enroll in training courses offered by Sandler Training, either online or in-person. It is worth noting that integrating new training into your team's existing processes can be challenging, but there are methods that can facilitate the process.
Sandler Training representative, Schmidt, recommends incorporating the methodology into your team's current sales process. This entails recognizing which elements of the Sandler Selling System correspond to each stage of the sales process and utilizing them efficiently to enhance execution.
For instance, during every sales stage, the Sandler Up-Front Contract™ can be employed by sales leaders, asking their representatives, "What does your up-front contract sound like for your next call?" This reinforces the use of the Up-Front Contract™ throughout the sales process.
Furthermore, for stages like the Pain Funnel™, managers can ask relevant questions, such as during the "Discovery" or "Qualification" stages, to reinforce the utilization of the Pain Funnel™. This assists sales representatives in effectively identifying and addressing the prospect's pain points in the sales process.
The Sandler Selling System is not the only sales system available, but it is renowned for its efficiency in comprehending and qualifying prospects. With this system, you have the necessary resources to sell to the right individuals and achieve success in your sales process.
