Over on the LinkedIn Solution Selling Alumni group Tim Sullivan asked “Solution Selling includes a structured dialogue model for consultative, diagnostic conversations with customers, called the 9-Block Vision Processing Model. Have you used the 9-Block, and did you find it effective?”

I couldn’t wait to give “my 2 cents” on this one:
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(This is an independent recommendation. I have not and will not accept sponsorship/advertising/paid-for-plugs on SalesItch)

In part 1 of this series, we went over the basics of sales methodologies. In this part I share my experiences in integrating the methodology “Solution Selling” into my day-to-day activities.

What is Solution Selling? The easiest way to answer that is to say that it is sales methodology delivered through a book, audio book or training course. SPI the makers of Solution Selling explain that it is;
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Change the dictionary definition of “Sell” – leave a comment, pass the word on

I’m passionate about the sales profession and I am ready to take action against anything that supports the negative stereotypes about sales people.

Take the following Concise Oxford English Dictionary definition of “sell” (edited to include just the directly relevant points) :

verb 1 hand over in exchange for money. 3 (of goods) attain sales. 6 persuade someone of the merits of.
Their definition barely touches on what selling as a profession – your profession – actually is. Consider the following;
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Double your chances – target senior management

If you attribute any kind of ratings to the probability of your opportunities closing successfully, depending on where they are in the sales cycle, for example, “Pain admitted by sponsor – 25%”, then you have probably wondered whether these ratings actually mean anything or whether they are there to allow your manager to do all sorts of fancy projections for board meetings (come on, you wouldn’t really be so cynical would you?).
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(Read “Part 1 of 2 : Sales has an image problem” first!)

Today’s sales professional should be proud to be an important, highly-skilled value creator.

Sales’ current PR problem stems from stereotypes that were formed before “consultative” sales methods were introduced when, on the whole, sales really was a predatory, combatitive, money grabbing, win/lose affair.

Sales professionals as value creators
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