ABC=Always Be Cramming

July 24, 2020 1:01 PM

I may be getting an interview for a high end job in my field, which is sales. This company says they would like to hear my thoughts on/familiarity level with "major sales theories." What books/methods/theories/gurus do you think they will have in mind? I want to spend the weekend cramming this info into my brain pan so I can be ready.

Yes, sales theory is kind of grim. I could really use this job though, so be cool.

posted by DirtyOldTown to Work & Money (5 answers total)

Some search terms you want for Amazon

Account Based Selling
Strategic Selling
Major Account Selling
Spin Selling
The Challenger Sale
posted by COD at 2:26 PM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

I'm not in sales, but was supposed to become familiar with it for my technical role and was therefore given a stack of books to read. I think my answer will be useful because, even though I don't know what I'm talking about, I do know that our sales lead said these books basically covered all the theory of his college classes. (I also see COD mentions several of the same books)

We used the following books:

• SPIN Selling
• Mastering the Complex Sale
• The Challenger Sale
• GAP Selling

SPIN Selling was first published in 1988 and is apparently the first big scientific look at what brings about successful sales. The other books build upon it and each other, so while SPIN is not exactly current, the principles all tie together.

You'll fine many summaries and pre-written notes on most, if not all, of these books online.

On the more tactical side of things, we also read these books:

• Pitch Anything
• Never Split the Difference

posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 2:30 PM on July 24, 2020 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: I'm chuffed to see that I've read a few of these already. Others I have absorbed their central tenets via office osmosis from people who speak about them.

Still, I hadn't really thought in terms of a sales "canon." This is useful. Keep them coming.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:50 PM on July 24, 2020

Really, all modern sales methods are offshoots of "needs based selling," made famous by IBM and Xerox back in the 70s.
posted by COD at 4:04 PM on July 24, 2020

One suggestion: use the weekend to do an overview of sales methodologies but then do an especially deep dive into one (Challenger is an evergreen where I live). If they start to steer the interview conversation in a direction where you’re shaky, you can redirect and “wow” then with your in-depth knowledge of Challenger (or whatever).

Also, see if you can get access to the 2010 Harvard Business Review article “Do You Really Know Who Your Best Salespeople Are?” It is a very well-known article/paper/summary of research.
posted by whitewall at 10:26 PM on July 24, 2020 [3 favorites]