SPIN SELLING:

THE COMPLETE GUIDE

WHAT YOU NEED
READ TO OBTAIN
SUCCESS IN SALES
 03 Neil Rackham and SPIN Selling: the relationship between Creator and Creature

06 The need for SPIN Selling

10 The death of the traditional sales script

14 The shift in mindset in complex and simple sales

18 The stages of a Sales Call

24 SPIN Selling X Other Methodologies: which is the best?

27 The success of SPIN questions in sales

30 Overcoming Objections: how SPIN Selling can help you

33 Closing techniques

38 Simple Sales vs Complex Sales

43 Achieving the right engagement

47 Defining success

50 Different needs and how they affect sales

52 Discovering and developing needs

56 The 4 phases of SPIN Selling

64 Good practices for you to apply SPIN Selling in your process

75 Conclusion

2
 NEIL RACKHAM AND SPIN
SELLING: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CREATOR AND CREATURE

3
 Neil Rackham, the author of the book that sparked the sales revolution
enterprise, has a degree in psychology and conducted various research
focused on understanding and quantifying the necessary skills to
successful negotiations.

It's funny to realize that one of the main icons in sales history
(recent, mainly), does not have an extensive or relevant career
in the commercial area.

Through his abilities as a researcher, writer, and entrepreneur,

Rackham took his methodology to the whole world.

To understand a little more: after graduating, Neil Rackham participated

of research that aimed to measure and quantify skills
necessary for a successful negotiation.

A few years later, through theHuthwaite, your own company of

consulting and research, used the methods that he developed years ago
first to convince large companies (like Xerox and IBM) to back the
more extensive and complete research on sales.

4
 Huthwaite managed to raise over 1 million dollars to start
your research, which covered over 20 countries, 35 thousand connections
of sales and lasted 12 years.

Not bad, is it?

It was based on this extensive research that the valuable insights emerged that
They created three books, two of them best sellers of the NY Times.

The first was himselfSPIN Sellingthat ended up becoming eternal and generating
maximum credibility to Rackham and Huthwaite. Besides him, the Major Account
Sales Strategyalso reached the top of the sales charts and, in the end,Making
Major Salesmanaged to make some highlights, especially in Europe, but not
it was as iconic as its peers.

Today, Rackham compares itself to the importance of names like

Kotler for Marketing!

Huthwaite has become one of the leading consultancies in the world.

serving market giants and training their teams for execution
perfect of the methodology created by its founder.

Sensational, isn't it?

Even so, the question remains: what is the main need that SPIN
resolved to be so successful?

5
 THE NEED
DO SPIN SELLING

6
 The great initial paradigm that Neil Rackham and several companies ...
they believed that the techniques that worked for sales
simple ones would also work for complex sales.

Uma vez que várias empresas não só confiavam como também aplicavam
this unique sales concept became difficult to confront with
the experience of large players like IBM, Exxon among others, who
they based their training focusing on three points:

• Survey: the belief of that period was that there should be a mix of
open-ended questions (those that the lead has to answer in a more
open) and closed (those questions where the answer is yes or no);
Overcoming objections: the salesperson should be trained to handle all
the objections of the future client always thinking about making the sale;
Colsnigetchnqiues:htesaelspersonshoudluseasmuchasposbielof
closing techniques (always be closing, right?) in order to achieve the
yes for the purchase.

To give you an idea, one of the author's biggest frustrations is that

What led him to delve deeper into the research was a meeting with the managers.
of a large company.

These managers asked him to understand what differentiated the top

performers of those "not so good" sellers.

7
 The sale of this solution was classified as a complex sale. Long before
several field trips had already been conducted in this meeting with the
vendors that included trips, exploratory observation (a technique
of research) and other previous analysis meetings.

As the meeting went on, the managers went through each of the 3
previous points to better understand where your salespeople were getting it right
and where they sinned.

But just imagine the following situation: you are in a meeting where your
The client expects that you have the answer to a question.

This client invested time and money in you. However, as much as

Regardless of how professional you are, after many meetings, it was not possible.
reach an answer.

How would you feel? How would your customer feel?

It hurts just to think about being in a situation like that, doesn't it? But
this happened not due to someone's incompetence, but because the
sales models of that moment were not the best representation
the correct way to sell.

8
 And in the words of the author himself, the need to conduct the research emerges:

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF OUR RESEARCH HAS BEEN TO REPLACE THESE

SIMPLE MODELS FOR THOSE DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR
HIGH-LEVEL BUSINESS INTERACTION THAT COMPLEX SALES REQUIRE.

The truth is that, when it comes to simple sales, the 3 points that
we mentioned earlier they work. But when it comes to sales
complex, it doesn't work eitheranalyze the gaps of the sellers
based on these points.

SPIN Selling started this paradigm shift and brought a model

more realistic for complex sales. It made it possible to analyze the gaps.
corrects that prevented the sellers from being top performers.

Now look, at that time Neil had not yet created SPIN Selling.
He ended up leaving the meeting discredited and extremely frustrated.
because I still didn't have the answer to the problem.

9
 THE DEATH OF THE SCREENPLAY OF
TRADITIONAL SALES

10
 It is important to mention that the proposed changes in SPIN had an impact
so great that they deeply altered thesales scripttraditional.

The following points are still considered by some companies as

very large impact factors for the sale to happen.

OPENING
The traditional model states that a well-made opening is one that
very angry report about the buyer, whether talking about something related to personal life

of the buyer, it should also be the imperative to make a good impression.

When we are talking about complex sales, we know that

a relationship by itself is not the main factor for the sale to happen. If
there was no clear improvement for the lead when using your solutionthis can
be fatal for your churn rate.

11
 INVESTIGATING NEEDS
The traditional sales script stated that asking open-ended questions and
Closed questions are the best way to investigate the lead's needs.

Understanding the lead's scenario is necessary, but there is a right model for that.

SPIN Selling is this model of investigating needs that goes very

besides the old search for balance between open and closed questions.

OFFERING BENEFITS
For each need or problem discovered, a benefit is offered.
in order to direct the sale towards closure.

Offering benefits of a solution without really understanding the scenario

Lead can work for simple sales, but when it comes to sales
complexes lead to failure.

12
 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
This is one of the most talked about topics in sales, don't you agree?Saber lidar
with objectionsit is essential, especially in simple sales. In
complex sales, dealing with objections contribute very little to
the effectiveness of the sale.

But the truth is that successful sellers know a way

to carry out the entire sales process without making the leads
they raise many objections.

Want to know how they do it? Stay determined in reading.

text and we will explain how. Yes, it's worth reaching the end.

CLOSING TECHNIQUES
The ancient belief was that the more times the seller used a
closing techniquethe greater the chance of closing the sale.

Force the closure in complex sales, pressuring the lead to a

the answer often leads to a categorical no.

13
 THE CHANGE OF
MENTALITY IN SALES
Complex and Simple

14
 The main reason that leads previous skills to fail is due to a
mindset shift that occurs between the two types of sales.

Basically, they are due to three main factors that I believe many of
we know at some level.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SELLING

In some salesthe mental triggersthey can be made in various ways,

One of them is emotional ('Wow! You look good in that blouse').

Beware! Doing this in complex sales is extremely dangerous. If the

to make a decision based only on emotion, the chances are great
Let him leave afterwards.

15
 DURATION OF THE SALES CYCLE
As the sales cycle increases, requiring a larger number of
visits and meetings, no matter how good you are at closing,
a large part of the conversation will involve a second (or more) person who
will not be at the meeting.

You must have heard something like: 'I need to talk to my'
sócio.” ou “Preciso conversar com o financeiro”.

There is no way to handle an objection from a person who will not be there.
present. Moreover, a good part (or perhaps the most important part)
The conversation happens without you.

16
 RISKS OF ERRORS
Imagine at the beginning of the year you decided to join the gym and
bought a bunch of materials that you believe you need. Six months
after you left the gym, a good part of those items are just sitting there.

The only one responsible for this happening was you and no one else.

In a large sale, several areas can be involved, which

carries some type of risk on the part of the buyer. The worst situation
can be a "life goes on, or some type of discomfort or even
same resignation.

So that the reader understands better and in the words of Neil Rackham:

CUSTOMERS ARE MORE CAREFUL WHEN THE DECISION GROWS. THE PRICE
THE PURCHASE IS A FACTOR THAT INCREASES CAUTION, BUT THE FEAR OF
COMMITTING A PUBLIC ERROR CAN EVEN BE MORE IMPORTANT.

17
 THE STEPS OF A
SALES CALL

18
 The process of a sales call (or cold call, as you prefer) can be,
summarized, described in four steps: the introduction, collection of
information, interpretation of information and, finally, taking action.

Whether this action is closing an account or scheduling the next one.

meeting, every call has a purpose.

These four simple steps, applied in the most varied contexts, form
a pattern that is usually applied from simple and small sales to
large and complex sales.

Years of research and study led Neil Rackham to some conclusions

about how to make a call worth it. He dissects the four steps.
from a sales call.

19
 PRELIMINARIES
Neil considers this stage as the warm-up event before the
game (the sale itself). Normally, the first two minutes of a
calls may indicate the future of sales.

This stage is basically made up of the personal introduction, with the objective
to create rapport with the buyer and make a good impression.

INVESTIGATION
Hey! That means the prospect didn't hang up on you, which is already a great sign.

Now, you have the opportunity to investigate and discover the needs of
your interlocutor, having the chance to get to know the organization in a way
more effective than just visiting your website.

Take this stage to gather information, ask the right questions in this
internship isessential to gain respect and develop empathy.

20
 CAPACITY DEMONSTRATION
In all your calls, you must show the prospect that you have
value to add to his business. You should demonstrate how the
your solution can helpno problem faced by your buyer,
highlighting the value of your product/service.

If you have something to offer, this is the time to show it!

OBTAINMENT OF COMMITMENT
Here is the final test.

A successful sale ends with some form of commitment.

of the buyer, whether the purchase itself or some other type of
commitment, such as a meeting for product demonstration.

Commitment and self-confidence of the lead are two very important parameters.
important at the time of a sale. When we stop to evaluate these two
Points within a SPIN process can yield some insights.

21
 Observe closely the two graphs below:

When you want to sell to someone and need to convince them

person, it is necessary for her self-confidence to decrease to
you will be successful.

No, you don't need to try to put the person down.

The goal here is to show the lead the size of the cucumber they should have.
resolve to achieve the desired accomplishment. Therefore, as you
vai aprofundando as perguntas de implicação e necessidade de solução,
the trend is for the lead to become more concerned about the problem than he
lowering the guard to the seller.

Complementarily, it is possible to see an increase in engagement.

he leads as he understands more about his
problems, their implications and the way to solve them.

Therefore, the graph on the right shows that the deeper you go
the more you reach the SPIN, the greater the lead's commitment to you.
22
 If you only ask situational questions, or prolong it too much
in the first two stages, the chance of losing the lead is high,
simply because the lead does not see value in continuing to talk about their
problems and about your situation. At this moment you are not generating
value, so why should the lead be committed to you?

I understand well the phases of SPIN and their relation to the parameters of
commitment and self-confidence are key to achieving optimization
qualification process.

At this moment you must remain calm and not be hasty, you do not
you want to push the product to the customer. However, you also cannot
just waiting for the buyer to make the decision.

Navigate this line and you will succeed as a seller.

These four stages basically simplify the process of

a sales call and it is possible to detect this pattern in various
market sales.

It is important to understand that each stage has its purpose and significance.

However, the importance of these steps varies according to the context.

in which the sale is inserted, respecting variables such as market,
tamanho do cliente, ticket médio do cliente, tipo de produto/serviço do
client and etc.

23
 SPIN SELLING AND OTHERS
METHODOLOGIES:
WHICH ONE IS THE BEST?

24
 People often question which is the best methodology to
to apply in yoursales process.

Throughout the ages, various methods have stood out, but since the
the emergence of SPIN Selling, the vast majority use its essence to
train the sales teams.

However, it is worth noting that SPIN is focused on complex sales.

in which all their potential is utilized and the maximum result
can be generated.

In the end, it's like learning math. Before you become a

To calculate complex numbers, it is necessary to have the basics.
arithmetic and having gone through the multiplication table!

For this reason, make sure to check out as much as you can about SPIN.
before delving into its various branches.

25
 It will be easier to understand how to evolve ideas and, sometimes, the authors of
new methodologies stop explaining basic points, understanding that the
A large part of your target audience is already familiar with SPIN Selling.

SPIN should be seen as a tool that enhances the process of

sales, which does not necessarily divide it into stages, what is
common when we interpret literally.

A observed problem question can be followed by a

implication, without the need for a break in the negotiation to
segment the questions in the stages.

26
 THE SUCCESS
OF QUESTIONS
SPIN IN SALES

27
 The focus of SPIN questions is both to investigate the lead's situation and
identify possible needs.

The truth is that asking questions is the best way to convince.

verbally someone. Some studies, a long time ago, have already indicated a
relationship between the success of an interaction between two people with the
quality of questions asked.

Prior to SPIN, people believed that the success of the sale

it was related to the number of open and closed questions that were
made. But what the research showed was that the way the questions are
what was told.

And it was the search for a way to ask investigative questions that made the
SPIN Selling reality.

28
 The acronym SPIN stands for SPIN (Situation, Problem,
Implication or Implication and Need-Payoff or Need for solution). A
overview of each stage is:

• Situation Questions: aim to understand the situation that the lead

is present from the beginning of the conversation;

Problem Questions: have the purpose of investigating problems,

difficulties and dissatisfaction;

• Implication Questions: seeks to raise one or more implications for

each of the identified problems;

• Solution Need Questions: the goal of this type of question

It is to raise, on the part of the lead, what would be interesting in the solution.

29
 OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS:
HOW THE SPIN SELLING
CAN I HELP YOU

30
 The open questions of SPIN Selling are even more important when
we talk about objections.

As every experienced salesperson knows, objections are the

Achilles' heel of any [Link] perfect answers
to eliminate any objections is more than necessary.

Even more important is learning to anticipate certain objections.

Complex sales before SPIN were certainly,

more difficult to accomplish.

When the seller understood, through the methodology, that he should

to become aware of the situation (scenario) and the problems of a lead, he started to
better anticipate existing objections.

Unlike a simple sales scenario, where some emotions

they arise as obstacles, the technical criteria are more easily predicted
in a complex sale.

Just understand what the buying process is (who the decision-maker is)
real, who are the influencers and thegatekeeperswhat is the perspective
internal (bureaucracy, political obstacles) and how latent the need is to
a lead, for example.

31
 By asking the right questions, a good salesperson can, subtly,
perceive nuances of possible obstacles, such as:

•Being in conversation with an influencer and not with a decision-maker;

•Realize that there is a clear budget limit;
Understand that you are participating in a competition and have competitors.
direct offers proposals;
Identify possible problems during the implementation of the solution or
questions that may arise.
I can guarantee you that eliminating an objection even before it arises
lifting is much simpler than destroying it afterwards. Your effort is
smaller and the negotiation flows more naturally.

Look, the objections start to be addressed at the beginning of the process of

negotiation, when you are still understanding the real scenario of the lead and
works with the problems he was able to identify right away.

Questions lead you to a much higher success rate than just

an interaction based on asking questions.

You show that you understand what you are talking about and can advance the
doubts of your lead, increasing your credibility and the trust in your
knowledge about the subject.

Doesn't it make much sense?

32
 TECHNIQUES OF
CLOSING

33
 Even today, it is common to believe that the closing is the part most
important to the entire sales process.

Knowing endless closing techniques has always been something highly valued
in the market. It is believed that the more such techniques were used, the more
businesses would be closed.

But let's stop to think: After all, what is a closing technique? Or

To be more complete, what does the term 'closing' mean in sales?

At the time when Neil Rackham conducted the research that led to this
book, little had been said about what 'closing' means and what it was
its impact on sales.

Trying to define "closure" in a more predictive and specific way,

Neil and his colleagues at Huthwaite ended up developing the following phrase:

A BEHAVIOR USED BY THE SELLER WHICH IMPLIES OR

INVITE THE OTHER PARTY TO THE COMMITMENT, FOR THE NEXT ACTION
THE BUYER MAY ACCEPT OR REJECT SUCH COMMITMENT.

In other words, "closing" is the action of placing the buyer in a

compromise position, decision.

This definition covers a very wide range of techniques that

can vary from simply 'asking to close the order' to techniques
more complicated like the "sour grape close”.
34
 TÉCNICAS DE FECHAMENTO
ARE THEY REALLY THE BEST WAY OUT?

To give you an idea, there are more than 100 different types of techniques.
of closure. To not pass unnoticed, I will give as an example 3 that are
well known and that are also mentioned in SPIN Selling:

• Assumptive Close or Pretentious Closing: the seller tries

pressure the other party to close the contract, pointing out that all points
it was discussed and that this is the best solution for him.
SELLER: SO, JOÃO, WE AGREE THAT OUR PRODUCT
IT IS THE BEST OPTION TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM WHEN
WE TALKED ABOUT X, Y AND Z. IF YOU CAN SIGN HERE.

• Alternative Close: here the seller tries

divert the buyer's attention from the closing decision by citing, for
example, possible start dates for the service.

SELLER: WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH OUR SERVICE

IS JUNE OR JULY A MORE PEACEFUL MONTH FOR YOU?

35
 • Standing-room-only Close or Closing by Scarcity: this is a
technique that attempts to create a sense of scarcity, showing that.
product or service has high demand and therefore should be
acquired at that moment.

SELLER: MR. ANTÔNIO, AS I EXPLAINED, OUR SERVICES

HAVE BEEN IN HIGH DEMAND LATELY. THEREFORE, IF NOT
TO POSSIBLY CLOSE NOW, THERE MAY BE A PERIOD OF
WAIT A FEW MONTHS THE NEXT TIME WE TALK.

• Standing-room-only Close or Closing by Scarcity: this is a

technique that tries to create a sense of scarcity, showing that the one
product or service has great demand and therefore should be
acquired at that moment.

SELLER: MR. ANTÔNIO, AS I EXPLAINED, OUR SERVICES

HAVE BEEN VERY SOUGHT AFTER LATELY. SO, IF NOT
FOR POSSIBLE CLOSING NOW, THERE MAY BE A PERIOD OF
WAIT FOR A FEW MONTHS THE NEXT TIME WE TALK.

Did you get a sense of it? I hope so!

36
 Returning to our conversation, until the 1960s (the year Neil Rackham
began your research), closing techniques were used without
distinction between types of sales.

I could have a bar on the corner and you could be the owner of a company that
sells ERP systems, that the same closing techniques would be applied.

At least a little strange, isn't it?

To give you an idea of how this area was considered important and fertile
For the gurus of the time, there were experts who suggested that salespeople
successfully used, on average, 5 closing techniques in a single sale.

And moreover, some also suggested that the more they used such techniques (5,
10, 15, 20 times in a sale), the closer they would be to success.

It was already possible to start becoming (very) suspicious...

Neil Rackham understood that the consensus at the time was

by the following points:

Colsnigetchnqiuesweresrotngylrealetdotsucces;
Knowing several techniques was strongly recommended;
You should close, constantly, during a call/conversation.

37
 SIMPLE SALES X
COMPLEX SALES

38
 As there was already a strong culture built around the process
closure at that time, Neil Rackham would have to prove through the
numbers that there was something wrong over there.

After several experiments, which aimed to test the efficacy

on the use of closing techniques in making a sale, Rackham
began to realize the following:

IN SALES WITH LOW ADDED VALUE AND THAT DO NOT DEPEND ON

A third party is needed for the decision to be made, to use techniques.
CLOSING CAN BE QUITE EFFECTIVE AND END UP INCREASING
SIGNIFICANTLY THE NUMBER OF SALES MADE SUCCESSFULLY.

In the case of complex sales, where the scenario is exactly the opposite,
the result can end up being disastrous.

One proof of this is the result obtained in a survey by the very

Rackham in which 54 buyers were asked in a situation of
complex sale the following:

IF YOU DETECT THAT A SELLER IS USING A TECHNIQUE OF

CLOSING WHILE TALKING TO YOU, WHAT IS THE
IMPACT OF SUCH BEHAVIOR ON YOUR PURCHASE DESIRE?

And the result?

39
 Well, more than half (34) responded that they would be less likely to
to buy the solution, while only 2 responded positively. The others
they showed indifference.

I would say it's a revealing result. What do you think?

Of course, this was not the only test conducted. For your hypothesis to be
validated, Rackham ended up doing several other analyses.

The important thing is that some truths could be concluded from these studies:

Closing reduces sales time more (for better or worse): it doesn't matter
whether you are making a simple or complex sale, use techniques
closing will always reduce the sales time, after all, they tend to
pressuring the buyer to say YES or NO quickly.

Closing more can be positive for low-value product sales, but

it ends up being negative when the value of this product increases.

After stopping to think for a bit, this reasoning seems quite logical!

40
 Follow me:

Let's say you went to the mall to buy a sock or a piece.

intimate, for example.

If the salesperson can show you that that piece really fits for
you, that she is "your type", what do you think about something like "Do you prefer
Pay by debit or credit? We accept both.
doing?

Eu posso te dizer que, na grande maioria das vezes, esse vendedor terá
success in making the sale.

Why?

The answer is simple: since it is something with low added value and
that does not need to involve more people for the decision to be made, the
The human being tends to act on impulse or, at least, does not end up having the
the weight of a wrong decision on your shoulders.

41
 Now imagine that you are the director of a large company and you are
about to buy a system that costs a few thousand reais that
can be responsible for the success (or failure) of an entire team
inside the company.

Would you be happy if a salesperson tried to rush things? Or would you

I would prefer to be sure that you completely understood everything about that.
solution before making any decision?

Did you understand the logic?

The weight of a decision like this is much greater. Your job may
to be at stake and, if the wrong decision is made, there is no room
to hide this error.

Therefore, the seller is making a mistake by thinking that rushing the

things will make the buyer close faster. In some cases this
it may happen, but later on, when assessing the satisfaction of that
Client, the reality will come to light.

What path to follow then?

42
 ACHIEVING THE
CORRECT ENGAGEMENT

43
 We've already mentioned that traditional closing techniques don't work and even
have a negative effect when we are dealing with complex sales:

The sale involves large amounts and more than one person will be affected by the decision;

The customer is generally more complex and has knowledge.

sales technician;

There is a post-sales relationship.

But then, how should we proceed to achieve the right engagement?

First,what is a 'correct engagement'?

Neil Rakcham managed to define this engagement in a very specific way.

and generic at the same time so that this definition can be applied to almost
any kind of situation:

44
 Crash

CONTINUATION

Here the buyer says something like: 'We really liked your'
presentation and we will contact you soon.

In this case, there is no type of closed commitment and the seller

it is at the mercy of the buyer who, most of the time, ends up saying this
to not prolong the subject and come across as rude.

NON-SELLING

In this case, the buyer makes it clear that there is no possibility of

buy and, therefore, things end up stopping there.

45
 SUCCESS

ADVANCE

This is an event that directs the sale towards

a possible closing.

When we talk about complex sales, a breakthrough is usually the

confirmação de uma segunda call, uma demo ou até uma visita.

CLOSING

As the name itself suggests, in this case, the buyer would have to formalize.
a very strong commitment to the seller, probably already
signingsome type of contractthat you tie it to the purchase.

46
 DEFINING SUCCESS

47
 Now, so that you can achieve success and build engagement
That's right, it is necessary to invest time.

Yes, invest time! Don't rush.

Try to fully understand the person's situation that you are with.
talking and not being satisfied until everything has been clarified. Only
this way you will ensure that, in the future, that customer does not become a detractor
you regret the purchase made.

Therefore, contrary to what many think, the success of a sale

is closely linked to the investigation that is conducted throughout the
sales process.

Once again, Neil Rackham lists, in a quite clear and well...

elaborated, some points for you to be able to "get there."

48
 4 points to achieve success

Pay attention to the investigation process and demonstrate capability.

(In the end, what's the point of asking if you can't answer or explain?)

[Link] that the main concerns have been addressed;

3. Summarize the benefits that your company can deliver;

4. And finally, propose an engagement.

However, when we talk about engagement, we are not referring to

to a direct question.

Successful salespeople generally have the awareness that they are

in a position of power and that, because of this, they can afford to say,
and not ask.

That is why they simply point out the need for the next step and
they suggest what they believe is most suitable for the buyer.

49
 DIFFERENT NEEDS
AND HOW THEY AFFECT
THE SALES

50
 As we talked earlier, a sale of, for example, R$ 20.00 is quite
small and ends up happening right in the first iteration.

However, as this value increases (R$ 200.00; R$ 20,000.00;

R$2,000,000.00) the decision also starts to become more complicated:

Needs take longer to develop;

The decision starts to involve the influence of various people and not
depends more solely on one's own will;
Reason prevails over emotion or the willingness to change, and it is necessary that
the purchase should be rationally justified;
A poorly made purchase can end up having serious consequences.
for the buyer.

But in the end,what are needs?

51
 DISCOVERING AND
DEVELOPING THE
NEEDS

52
 In this case, what is the difference between a Ferrari and a Palio? Well, here
things change a little in the scenery.

In the end, do you need a Ferrari or do you want a Ferrari?

The example is quite simple, but I believe it illustrates well the difference between
querer (want) e precisar (need).

A want is generally something more superficial that can be

easily ignored or postponed.

Meanwhile, a need is something deeper, that

remains until it has been satisfied and generally directs the
behavior and the decisions of an individual.

How need develops:

[Link]: It's almost perfect.

2. Comprador: Estou um pouco insatisfeito.
3. Buyer: I have some problems with...
Buyer: I urgently need to move.

53
 IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT NEEDS

This concept is relatively easy to understand.

So I'll get straight to the point to save you time, okay?

IMPLICIT NEEDS

Neil Rackham defines implicit needs as problems.

general buyers, something with which he is not satisfied, that he
believes that it is not working well.

Some examples would be: "I am still not satisfied with our rate of
lead conversion.
taken a lot of time from the team.

EXPLICIT NEEDS

These are the implicit needs transformed into 'action'.

What do you mean?

For example: "We need a tool that automates our

cadence flow so that this time can be used for more tasks
relevant or strategic.

54
 Understood?

Explicit needs are basically the 'possible solutions' to the

implicit needs.

The concept is important, but can you perceive the difference between the
two types of necessity?

While the first is merely a manifestation of dissatisfaction (implicit),

the second is the manifestation of an 'action', of a desire to change
(explicit). And that's exactly why it is much stronger than the first.

Quer se tornar um vendedor de sucessoI suggest you master it well.

investigation process to learn how to bring needs to the surface
implicit to then transform them into explicit.

It is precisely the last ones, according to Neil Rackham, that are the strong ones.

predators of sales success.

Don't know how to start yet? Stay calm and take it one step at a time.
At the end of the text, we will bring more details.

55
 THE 4 PHASES OF
SPIN SELLING

56
 SITUATION QUESTIONS

The S in SPIN Selling stands for Situation.

The purpose of the situation questions is to understand the lead's scenario.

understanding about the person you are talking to, the business/area
that she is involved and, of course, the current situation.

The idea of each of the situational questions is to gather data and

customer information. These questions usually occur in
start of the conversation or during the qualification process.

Some examples of situational questions would be:

What is your position?

How long has this unit been in operation?
What equipment do you use for X?
What kind of business do you run?
How is the growth of your sales?

It is easy to conclude that these questions generate little or no value for

to lead, but they are essential for the evolution of the conversation. And precisely because
Yes, these questions contribute very little to the success of the sale.

57
 The number of these questions is inversely proportional to experience.
of the seller. In other words, inexperienced sellers tend to do more
situational questions that experienced salespeople.

The truth is that, due to the fact that situational questions are easy,
younger sellers feel confident doing them.

Experienced sellers know what the key points are that should be
known even before starting the conversation with the lead.

So you, reader-seller, do not use situational questions that

are unnecessary.

Successful visits or calls have few situational questions. Being

well prepared has always been synonymous with success regardless of the profession
that we are involved.
It's no different in sales.

INTERESTING, ISN'T IT? YOU CAN EVEN FEEL A LITTLE SIMILAR TO THE
SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THESE MOMENTS.

But, in the end, how do we do this? By asking!

58
 With abusiness intelligencewell done to support you and the
information from your situation questions (still fresh in memory) is
time to connect some dots and understand:

WHAT ARE THE PAINS THAT THIS PERSON MIGHT HAVE?

Examples of questions that can serve many cases are the

following:

Are you satisfied with your current prospecting process?

What are the main disadvantages you find from not having one?
predictable process?
Is your onboarding process generating a low retention rate?
Do you believe that communication needs to be better aligned? What is the
What problem do you see nowadays?
Can you identify any bottlenecks in your current sales funnel?
Are you satisfied with the way the various stages of this funnel are?
divided?

These questions will help you uncover implicit needs that, by

your turn, they will help pave the way towards the sale.

Essa é uma etapa muito importante e está intimamente ligada ao sucesso

from a sale, after all, if you can't find some problems for
Here, what will be your basis for closing the deal later?

Things get a little difficult, don't they?!

59 Let's take it easy because there is still a long way to go!

 IMPLICATION QUESTIONS

The great value for making the sale happen begins in this phase. In
Meanwhile, most sellers stop the investigation process in the
two previous phases.

The main objective of implication questions is, for each of the

raised problems, generate one or more implicit needs.

As a general rule, each of these questions increases the severity of

a problem when unfolding the impact on all other areas.

For example, not having a structured sales process (a problem)

unfolds into other areas: difficulty in scaling sales, training,
team motivation (absence of a commission)among others.

Implication questions are a pure twist the knife.

Try this, select a very clear pain point that your solution
resolve. Write it in the middle of an A4 sheet and around that problem,
write all the implications caused.

Be creative.

60
 Now turn each of these implications into questions and seek
use them in your sales pitch.

The idea of each implication is to make the problem even bigger. To raise all
The implications with your lead is what we call twist the knife.

When done correctly, implication questions are the first influence.

(in large sales) to guide the sale to be finalized.

I have a reservation regarding the implication questions. If the process remains

without the last phase of the SPIN model, the Solution Need, we run the
risk of leaving the lead "depressed and worried".

You don't want this, do you?

61
 NEED FOR SOLUTION QUESTIONS

The last stage of the SPIN strategy is the Need-payoff, commonly translated
as a necessity for a solution.

At this stage, the main objective is to encourage the buyer to see how much
The proposed solution is important and the value it can generate.

Mr. Rackham says that, in his research, successful salespeople usually

ask questions that develop implicit and explicit needs.

For that, they develop a problem during the implication phase.

so that the buyer perceives a possible failure in their business. Then,
they ask questions that bring the problem to the surface, creating the need
to solve it.

A common practice during this moment is to make the prospect

visualize and imagine what it would be like if the identified problem disappeared.
In this way, the client will truly see the value that you will be creating.

AN EXAMPLE OF A NEED-PAYOFF QUESTION WOULD BE: IF

WE MANAGED TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF LOST LEADS
At 10%, what would be the revenue gain generated?

The need questions should display positive emotions. After all, it is the
the feeling of having a problem solved, right?
62
 The psychological factor behind the need questions, according to
with Rackham, is that they reach two characteristic elements:

Focus the buyer's attention on the solution instead of focusing on

problem, what helps in creating empathy in the relationship, making with
that the prospect realizes that you want to assist him in the process;
They make the customer themselves tell you what the benefits are.
from your solution.

The data collected in the research indicates three factors that prove the
benefits for this type of question. They are:

They are directly linked to the success of large-scale sales;

They increase the acceptance of your solution;
They are particularly effective in cases where the interlocutor is going to deal with.
the subject with a decision maker.

Rackham closes the subject of need for solution questions.

saying that questions of this type really attract attention
two buyers.

The buyers, when questioned, related the questions

of necessity as positive, constructive, and useful.

63
 BEST PRACTICES PNOW YOU
APPLYING SPIN SELLING TO
YOUR PROCESS

64
 I am sure it has now become clearer how much you can apply the
different levels of SPIN questions in your scenario, do you agree?

However, who doesn't want to know how to get it right more easily? They say that
The wise learns from the mistakes of others.

So I wanted to share a bit of my experience, a good part of

what I learned from my own mistakes and the improvements that our team made
finding ways to implement SPIN Selling more easily.

Some of the tips are provided by Neil Rackham himself in the book, so
you can be sure that they weigh gold, right?

STUDY EACH CASE

In the current scenario, more than ever, you should start studying each lead.
before your first contact. The internet already provides a lot of information
and no one wants to waste time explaining something that is available online.

Even so, this tip is more comprehensive than just that.

65
 Studying each case refers toconsultative selling, in which you can
understand the real scenario of your lead, the problems they have, and thus,
propose a real solution based on this diagnosis.

Everyone likes to feel special.

A large part of the luxury in very expensive services is based on this principle:
make the product/service as personalized or unique as possible.

It's the law of scarcity! Many people prefer to pay 1 million for a Ferrari than
there are only 300 models in the world than to pay 1 million for something "common"
and accessible to anyone.

Transform your sales process according to this principle.

Understand, in depth, how the Situation, the Problems, the Implications and the
Understand the needs of each of your leads and learn to build a speech.
unique to them.

Make your lead feel special!

66
 PRACTICE BEFORE

Não seja corajoso. Entender as perguntas e a dinâmica de uma venda consultiva

Take a little time. Practice before taking it to the real world.

Take advantage of friends, acquaintances, or coworkers to simulate situations.

realize and understand which questions you used the most and in which situations they occurred
they would apply in their daily lives.

Have a guide of basic questions at each stage to guide you.

in case you feel lost.

Of course, paying attention to what a lead says and ensuring that you don't skip
no step is out of the ordinary, therefore, it is necessary to train a little to
be more effective and not burn leads.

67
 DO NOT ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS

The theory is always different from practice, so don't want to write now in a
sheet of paper all the questions I can think of!

Take advantage of that closest client and test with them, for example, before
to start putting something on paper.

Trust me, you waste a lot of time racking your brain to find more.
questions and ends up discarding more than half.

68
 DO NOT YIELD TO THE WILL OF THE INTERLOCUTOR

SPIN requires you to be the guide of the conversation. It is important that the
questions should be well-directed and the lead should not want to skip steps
unnecessarily.

No one argues with a doctor when they are doing analyses or

ask for exams!

It's the same thing here: you are diagnosing his scenario and,
no matter how much he disagrees, the authority on the subject must be
always the seller.

Logo, know how to take charge of the conversation and impose your will without
ruin the mood.

Ask the right questions, create a rhythm based on your interlocutor.

and ensure that the diagnosis follows the path you need
traverse to understand the real scenario of the lead.

69
 STOP SELLING BEFORE THE TIME

Se o seu ciclo do SPIN não fechou na primeira conversa, it is not yet the
time to present a proposal!

Stop worrying only about the sales cycle!

If you always present the proposal before studying the case, everything
the world will have doubts or no one will see the full value of yours
solution. The leads will start to question the prices andask for discounts.

SPIN is designed to ensure that the lead sees, through their own reasoning,
how important is your solution for him to improve his own
results and reach the objectives you set.

On several occasions, I was able to split the SPIN into two meetings. It is always
necessário retomar as ideias na segunda conversa (e até por isso você
You must take notes or record, always with the interlocutor's permission.

70
 There are very few occasions where I present
an actively proposal.

In 99.9% of cases, it is the lead who asks for the price and requests to
receive a formal proposal. All of this when he already understands his
own need and the value proposition of my solution.

The improvement in total conversion outweighs the small increase in the cycle.
in cases where things start to take a little longer,
I guarantee you!

Hey there! Do you think you're ready to practice? Just one piece of advice is missing,
very important indeed.

71
 Slow and steady

When we read a book like SPIN Selling that, in my opinion, is

quite practical and rich in information, we end up wanting to put everything in
put into practice right away, right?

But take it easy at this moment!

As the old saying goes:

WHO DOES EVERYTHING AT ONCE ENDS UP DOING NOTHING.

The cool thing is that, in the case of SPIN, Neil Rackham himself, on top of everything,
it also gives us tips on how to learn.

Pretty cool, isn't it?

The 4 golden rules for learning new skills, a name given by

the 4 steps to learn something new efficiently are
following:

72
 RULE 1: PRACTICE ONLY 1 BEHAVIOR AT A TIME

So you can truly master the 4 types of questions

For SPIN, it is necessary to set aside impatience and focus on each
one at a time.

And this applies to any other situation.

We only learn to effectively move from theory to practice.

when we focus on one thing at a time.

RULE 2: PRACTICE THE NEW BEHAVIOR AT LEAST 3 TIMES

It is normal that when you try to do something for the first time the
things don't go the way you expected, right?

Just like a new pair of shoes that may hurt at first, it is necessary
to get used to that environment, to that behavior.

Although Neil Rackham says that it is necessary to practice at least 3 times,

I would say that it is necessary to practice at least 5, 10 or more, depending.
from the seriousness and effectiveness that you expect to achieve from that
new learning.

73
 RULE 3: QUANTITY COMES BEFORE QUALITY

Antes de você se preocupar com os mínimos detalhes daquele

Learning is important, above all, to lose fear and practice.

Practice, build confidence, and lose your fear. Only then begin to...
pay attention to what can and should be improved.

RULE 4: PRACTICE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Nowadays, it becomes a little difficult to practice without fear of making mistakes outside of a

safe environment, isn’t it?

It is important that before talking to the client you are already

mature enough to use the new knowledge with confidence.

That's why you should seek help from family, friends, and even colleagues.
work to put your new skill into practice.

I need to congratulate you! If you made it this far, it is a sign of

who liked (or at least tolerated) the reading.

74
 CONCLUSION

75
 Since this text was a bit long, it is only fair that we do
a summary of what has been learned along the way.
What do you think?

We start the text by explaining a little about the creator's history.

from the methodology, Neil Rackham, describing how the situation was
prior to SPIN Selling.

Throughout the text, in addition to explaining the reasons for the methods
traditional sales methods do not work for complex sales, we moved
through the four phases that every connection, initially, needs to have.

Preliminaries
Investigation
Demonstration of capability
Obtaining commitment

76
 In addition, we identify how to use SPIN during the process of
investigation and, subsequently, how to demonstrate capability and engage the
buyer until the completion of the sale.

• Situational Questions: aim to understand the situation that the

lead is present from the beginning of the conversation;
Problem Questions: aim to investigate problems,
difficulties and dissatisfaction;
Implicative Questions: seeks to raise one or more implications for
each of the identified problems;
• Solution Need Questions: the objective of this type of question
is to raise, on the part of the lead, what would be interesting in the solution.

We show how many sellers neglect the last two.

stages, but by chance they are the ones that contribute the most to making the sale
happen.

Remembering that the goal of implication questions is to generate what

we call implicit needs and need questions of
the solution is to generate explicit needs.

After this process, which is necessarily more theoretical, we brought

some practical tips for you to start training right away.

77
 The idea is to follow the 4 golden rules:

• Practice only one behavior at a time;

Experiment with the new behavior at least 3 times;
Quantity comes before quality;
Practice in a safe environment.

The SPIN Selling process is so important and generates such great value.
that we always structure the methodology for our clients to make them
sell more and better.

If you want to structure a validated process, I suggest you hit a

chat without commitment with our team of consultants. I'm sure
that they will be able to help you.

P.S:Ifyoulikedthislengthytext,feelfreetoshareit.
with your team, friends, or anyone else who can also take
take advantage of this knowledge.

Thank you!

78
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