Sales is one of the most challenging and rewarding professions in the world. It requires a unique combination of skills, knowledge, attitude, and behavior to succeed in today’s competitive and dynamic markets. But many salespeople struggle to achieve their goals and close more deals, because they rely on outdated, ineffective, or inconsistent sales methods.
That’s why you need to learn the Sandler Selling Method, a proven and powerful system that has helped millions of salespeople around the world to increase their sales performance, build stronger relationships, and create lasting value for their customers. The Sandler Selling Method is not just a set of techniques or tactics, but a comprehensive and holistic approach that covers every aspect of the sales process, from prospecting to closing, and beyond.
So let’s take a deep dive into the Sandler Selling Method and explore its core principles, components, and benefits. By the end of this blog, you will have a clear understanding of what the Sandler Selling Method is, how it works, and why it can help you master sales excellence.
What is the Sandler Selling Method?
The Sandler Selling Method is a sales methodology that was developed by David Sandler, a legendary sales trainer and consultant, in the late 1960s. Sandler realized that the traditional sales methods, which were based on the idea of persuading, convincing, or manipulating the prospects to buy, were not only ineffective, but also damaging to the salesperson’s credibility, confidence, and self-esteem.
Sandler proposed a radical shift in the sales paradigm, from a seller-centric to a buyer-centric approach, where the salesperson acts as a trusted advisor, rather than a pushy vendor. The Sandler Selling Method is based on the premise that people buy for their own reasons, not yours, and that the best way to sell is to help them discover and articulate their own needs, wants, and pains, and then show them how your solution can solve them.
The Sandler Selling Method is also based on the concept of reinforcement learning, which means that the salesperson constantly learns from their own experiences and feedback, and adapts their behavior accordingly. The Sandler Selling Method is not a rigid or scripted system, but a flexible and dynamic one, that allows the salesperson to adjust to different situations, personalities, and styles. The Sandler Selling Method consists of three main elements: the Sandler Success Triangle, the Sandler Submarine, and the Sandler Rules.
The Sandler Success Triangle
The Sandler Success Triangle is a framework that describes the three essential factors that determine the success or failure of any salesperson: behavior, attitude, and technique. These factors are interrelated and interdependent, and they influence each other in a positive or negative way.
Behavior refers to the actions and habits that the salesperson performs on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, such as prospecting, qualifying, presenting, following up, etc. Behavior is the most visible and measurable aspect of sales performance, and it is largely influenced by the salesperson’s goals, plans, and strategies.
Attitude refers to the beliefs and mindsets that the salesperson holds about themselves, their customers, their products, their competitors, and their market. Attitude is the most internal and personal aspect of sales performance, and it is largely influenced by the salesperson’s values, principles, and self-image.
Technique refers to the skills and knowledge that the salesperson possesses and applies in different sales situations, such as questioning, listening, negotiating, closing, etc. Technique is the most technical and specific aspect of sales performance, and it is largely influenced by the salesperson’s training, education, and experience.
The Sandler Success Triangle suggests that the salesperson needs to balance and optimize these three factors, in order to achieve sales excellence. If one of these factors is weak or missing, the salesperson will not be able to perform at their best level. For example, if the salesperson has a great attitude and technique, but lacks the behavior to execute their plan, they will not reach their potential. Similarly, if the salesperson has great behavior and technique, but lacks the attitude to overcome challenges and objections, they will not be able to close more deals.
The Sandler Success Triangle also implies that the salesperson needs to constantly work on improving these three factors, by setting goals, making plans, taking actions, seeking feedback, and learning from their results. The Sandler Selling Method provides the salesperson with the tools and strategies to enhance their behavior, attitude, and technique, and to achieve a higher level of sales performance.
The Sandler Submarine
The Sandler Submarine is a model that illustrates the seven steps of the Sandler Selling Method, which correspond to the stages of the sales process. The Sandler Submarine is named after the shape of a submarine, which goes deeper and deeper into the water, as the salesperson goes deeper and deeper into the prospect’s mind. The Sandler Submarine also represents the idea of stealth selling, which means that the salesperson does not reveal their true intentions or agenda, until they have established trust and rapport with the prospect.
The seven steps of the Sandler Submarine are:
– Bonding and Rapport: This is the first and most important step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson establishes a positive and professional relationship with the prospect, based on mutual respect, trust, and likability. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as mirroring, matching, humor, compliments, etc., to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, and to show genuine interest and curiosity in the prospect. The goal of this step is to break the ice, reduce the tension, and build the foundation for the rest of the sales process.
– Up-Front Contract: This is the second step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson sets the expectations and the agenda for the sales meeting, and obtains the prospect’s agreement and commitment to follow it. The salesperson uses a simple and clear format, such as “Today we will do X, Y, and Z, and by the end of the meeting, we will decide if A, B, or C. Is that OK with you?” The goal of this step is to avoid surprises, misunderstandings, or objections, and to ensure that both parties are on the same page and have a clear outcome in mind.
– Pain: This is the third step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson uncovers the prospect’s pain points, or the problems, challenges, or frustrations that they are facing, and that they want to solve. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as open-ended questions, probing questions, negative reverse questions, etc., to help the prospect discover and articulate their pain, and to quantify and qualify its impact and urgency. The goal of this step is to create a compelling reason for the prospect to buy, and to establish the value and the need for the salesperson’s solution.
– Budget: This is the fourth step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson determines the prospect’s budget, or the amount of money, time, and resources that they are willing and able to invest in solving their pain. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as trial closes, hypothetical questions, ranges, etc., to help the prospect reveal their budget, and to test their willingness and ability to pay. The goal of this step is to avoid wasting time with prospects who cannot or will not buy, and to ensure that the salesperson’s solution is within the prospect’s budget range.
– Decision: This is the fifth step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson identifies the prospect’s decision process, or the steps, criteria, and people involved in making the final decision to buy or not to buy. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as who, what, when, where, why, and how questions, to help the prospect explain their decision process, and to uncover any potential obstacles or risks that could prevent or delay the decision. The goal of this step is to avoid being stuck in the sales cycle, and to ensure that the salesperson knows who the decision makers are, what they want, and when they will decide.
– Fulfillment: This is the sixth step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson presents their solution, or the features, benefits, and advantages of their product or service, and how it can solve the prospect’s pain. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as stories, testimonials, demonstrations, etc., to show the prospect how their solution works, and to provide proof and evidence of its value and effectiveness. The goal of this step is to match the salesperson’s solution to the prospect’s pain, budget, and decision, and to persuade the prospect to buy.
– Post-Sell: This is the seventh and final step of the Sandler Selling Method, where the salesperson confirms the sale, or the agreement and the commitment of the prospect to buy the salesperson’s solution. The salesperson uses various techniques, such as trial closes, assumptive closes, alternative closes, etc., to ask for the order, and to obtain the prospect’s signature, payment, or confirmation. The goal of this step is to close the deal, and to prevent buyer’s remorse, cancellations, or refunds.
The Sandler Submarine suggests that the salesperson needs to follow these seven steps, in order, and without skipping any of them, in order to complete the sale successfully and satisfy the customer’s needs.
The Sandler Rules
The Sandler Rules are a set of 49 principles and guidelines that help salespeople to sell more effectively and efficiently, based on the Sandler Selling Method. The Sandler Rules cover the three essential factors of sales success: behavior, attitude, and technique. The Sandler Rules are designed to help salespeople to adopt a buyer-centric and consultative approach, to uncover and solve the prospect’s pain points, to establish trust and rapport, and to close more deals. The Sandler Rules are based on the concept of reinforcement learning, which means that salespeople constantly learn from their own experiences and feedback, and adapt their behavior accordingly. The Sandler Rules are not a rigid or scripted system, but a flexible and dynamic one, that allows salespeople to adjust to different situations, personalities, and styles.
The Sandler Selling Method is a sales methodology that can help you master sales excellence, by providing you with a comprehensive and holistic system that covers every aspect of the sales process, from prospecting to closing, and beyond. Best part? Well, this method can be learned and applied by anyone, with the right mindset, attitude, and behavior. So, if you want to take your sales skills to the next level, and achieve outstanding results, the Sandler Selling Method is the way to go.
