Insight Selling: Surprising Research on What Sales Winners Do Differently by John Doerr, Mike Schultz

In his book Insight Selling, John Doerr provides research on what separates sales winners from losers when it comes to sales. He argues that traditional sales methods, such as cold calling and focusing on one’s pitch, are outdated and that the key to success lies in an understanding of customers’ needs. Doerr’s research points to five key strategies he calls the “Big 5 of Insight Selling” which include challenger strategies, customized presentations, going beyond the sale, being bold with insights, and building meaningful relationships with customers.

Challenger strategies involve market research, allowing sales teams to better understand their customers and what those customers really desire and need from a business. This results in sales teams being able to stay ahead of competitors and understand industry trends, which can result in more effective sales pitches.

Customized presentations take the idea of challenger strategies and drills down further, allowing sales teams to tailor their presentations to the needs of a particular customer or client. This can help customers to feel like the sales team has taken into account their individual needs and can be a powerful way to show customers that a company is taking their needs seriously.

Going beyond the sale looks at the idea of offering aftercare to customers. What this means is that sales teams should look to not just make sales to customers, but rather they should be looking to make lasting relationships. They should find ways to continue to engage with customers and add value to those customers beyond just making the sale.

Being bold with insights means not being afraid to offer customers advice and insights on how they can make better use of the products they are purchasing. This not only shows customers that companies are serious about providing value after the sale, but it can also make customers more likely to continue to engage with companies in the future.

Finally, building meaningful relationships with customers looks at the idea of developing a deeper relationship with customers. This can include getting to understand customers’ needs and values better and keeping an open line of communication between customers and sales teams.

In summary, the research conducted by Doerr suggests that the success of sales teams lies not only in traditional sales methods, such as cold calling, but also in an understanding of customers’ needs and the ability to cater to those needs with thoughtful solutions. The strategies Doerr outlines in the book, which involve staying ahead of competitors, customizing presentations, offering aftercare, being bold with insights and building meaningful relationships, all make up the “Big 5 of Insight Selling” and are the keys to success for sales teams.