Cambridge Business Association
Counter-Intuitive Selling
Book

Counter-Intuitive Selling

Mastering the Art of the Unexpected

Bill Byron Concevitch
Kaplan Publishing, 2007
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Editorial Rating

6

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • For Beginners

Recommendation

Bill Byron Concevitch believes that to make it as a salesperson, you must distinguish yourself from the pack. So, he suggests changing your behavior and doing something different simply because it’s different. He mixes tried-and-true sales advice, such as making sure you’re talking to the person who actually makes the purchasing decisions, with razzle-dazzle. His style is folksy and informal, almost associative, and he’s a great believer in mnemonics, acronyms and list making – each chapter ends with a list of “successful seven” action steps you can take to reinforce his suggestions. Some of his ideas may be more than “counterintuitive” – they’re probably counterproductive. (For example, that assistant who puts your call through because you convince him or her that the boss is expecting it will not make the mistake a second time.) But his book is a useful reminder to question your assumptions and to get out of your day-to-day rut. getAbstract recommends this book to both new and experienced salespeople, and their managers, who want to branch out and retrain themselves.

Summary

Practice to Succeed

Salespeople carry what’s become a burden of respected traditions, hallowed by decades of accepted practice. Almost every sales organization uses the same training techniques and partakes of the same ethos – even though they don’t work. Try this simple experiment: Whatever you see most salespeople doing, do the opposite. Thwart the expectations of your customers and prospects. Change your routine. Watch yourself quickly break away from the pack.

Analyze your behavior and techniques. Take notes during sales calls. Write down exactly what happens, in what order. Draw a diagram of where the participants sit. Highlight significant statements. After the encounter, review your notes from the point of view of an objective outsider – “go to the balcony” to get a new perspective. Next, consider what action steps you need to take to close the deal. Visualize your next meeting. Try to see it as clearly as if you were watching a movie. Imagine the objections your prospect may raise, then decide exactly what you’ll need to do to respond to them.

To inculcate a new behavior, establish “behavioral triggers.” For example, if you eat cereal for breakfast every...

About the Author

Bill Byron Concevitch is an executive at a firm that develops software for call centers and specializes in training sales professionals.

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