Summary:
A concise yet comprehensive guide to the revolutionary sales system of strategic selling, proven successful by some of the best companies in the world and updated for the 21st century by author Stephen E. Heiman.
Book Genre:
Business/Management
Main Topic:
The New Strategic Selling outlines a unique sales approach that is focused on building strong relationships, creating value for customers, and ultimately closing deals.
Key Ideas:
- Creating a mutually beneficial relationship between buyer and seller, rather than just making a sale.
- The importance of understanding the customer’s needs, goals, and decision-making process.
- Collaborating with a team to create a holistic, customized solution for the customer.
- Continuing to nurture the relationship with the customer even after the sale is made.
Main Parts and Summary:
- Part One: The Conceptual Sale – This section introduces the concept of strategic selling and the idea that buyers and sellers must work together to achieve mutual success. It also outlines the four key elements of strategic selling – customer needs, competitive strategy, buyer influence map, and tactics.
- Part Two: The Strategy – Here, the author delves deeper into the mindset of the modern buyer and strategies for understanding their needs. It also covers how to develop a unique competitive strategy for each individual customer.
- Part Three: The Tactics – This section focuses on the practical implementation of the strategic selling system. It includes techniques for analyzing the buyer’s decision-making process, building strong relationships, and creating a compelling value proposition.
- Part Four: The Programs – The final part of the book discusses how to integrate the strategic selling system into a company’s overall sales strategy. It also covers ways to monitor and measure the success of the system, and how to continually improve and adapt it for success in the future.
Key Takeaways:
- Successful sales require collaboration and a focus on building relationships with customers.
- Understanding customer needs and creating a tailored, customized solution is crucial for success.
- A team approach to selling, with each member bringing their unique strengths, is highly effective.
- Continual adaptation and improvement of the strategic selling system is necessary for sustained success.
Author’s Background and Qualifications:
Stephen E. Heiman is a sales expert and founder of Miller Heiman Group, a global sales training and consulting firm. He has over 50 years of experience in sales and has worked with some of the world’s top companies. He has also authored several other best-selling books on sales and management.
Target Audience:
This book is ideal for sales professionals and business leaders who are looking for a proven and updated sales approach that focuses on building relationships and creating value for customers.
Publisher and First Publication Date:
The New Strategic Selling was originally published by Warner Books in 1985 and was revised and updated in 2003 by Warner Business Books.