Spin Selling

For those few professional sales people who have yet to attend a structured sales training course I would certainly concur that SPIN selling is one of the better methodologies out there, for those of you who have been on multiple week long courses, I urge you to look at the date when this book was first published -1988. Much has changed in the world since then, not least the sophistication of your target buyers, the organisations (structure) that they work for and their decision making processes.

I have hired and managed a considerable number of sales people and sales teams, and what I would ask you to consider is - after all these years do you think your competition may have sat through the same sales training course? do you think your prospects may have come across these techniques? Would you prefer to be the one that sells differently to all the rest? I think so.


Unique research into major sales success   July 27, 2003
 29 out of 30 found this review helpful

What made this book unique for me, amongst dozens of other sales books in my collection, is that this is researched based - what Neil Rackham recommends has been proven to work by thousands of other salespeople.

For a psychologist, Rackham sounds like a pretty good salesperson himself, drawing on personal examples of how he has sold clients on research projects. However, the book presents the SPIN model as developed from observing thousands of sales calls in action. The results are convincing - success in major sales comes from following this model.

The SPIN techniques, which centre around a questioning model, go against a lot of coventional sales wisdom, but Rackham can demonstrate how and why his approach works. The book begins by differentiating large and small sales, which most other sales books and training programmes do not, then goes on to explain the research.

This leads to an explanation of the techniques and a great final chapter on 'Turning Theory into Practice'. In one sense, all you need to know from the research is that success largely depends on asking questions that uncover four areas: Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-payoff. But the book is worth so much more for everything else it contains.

For example, if you're in major sales, would you like to know the impact different methods of opening the call can have on the outcome? Or how about how your success rate will be affected by the number of times you ask for the order? What about how to sell benefits and overcome objections?

This all sounds like standard stuff, but the results the research came up with throw up surprising answers to all these questions. If you're in major sales and haven't read this book, there's a very good chance that you were trained in techniques that are actually HINDERING your ability to maximise your sales.

For that reason alone, buy this book and make sure you're not throwing away commission every time you make a call.


A must for those interested in larger sales   May 20, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

This work is just simply fantastic. The research that has been done by Huthwaite is second to none. If you are interested in larger sales this work explains a great deal and also helps put structure and reason behind the process for winning large scale sales. A fantastic work that has changed the way I approach selling. Highly recommended


Salesperson view of SPIN selling books.   May 2, 2002
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

If you are in B2B selling of any description then this book will help. It is based on research and facts rather than adages and stories. The book explains how correct questioning can help you understand where you are in a sales cycle and how to drill down and define those elusive customer requirements. Once you have read the SPIN selling book I would also recommend the SPIN Selling Field Book - the follow up exercises in it will consolidate what you have read. Like all worthwhile achievements it takes a little practice so the exercises help you refine before you introduce this style with your real prospects/customers. Easy reading, interesting and useful. I also believes it complements the Strategic Selling and Conceptual Selling best sellers that encourage professional selling. Take the time to read these books!


Are you a sales over-achiever??   January 11, 2002
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I have attended numerous sales courses and read every book under the sun covering basic sales skills to more complex sales strategy. Rackham and co are the first, in my opinion, to approach the topic from the psychology of the buyer and not primarily the seller. What "pain" does the exec feel, not what product or features should I sell. I moved from selling basic individual life insurance products in SA to major IT solutions all over Europe, Middle East and Africa within 18months. Regardless of what you are selling, where and to whom - this book keeps you focused on what is important i.e. the business drivers of the individual/s and not the organisation alone.

If you are not an over-achiever YET, then buy this book. Simple!!