The Causes of Sales Success: The Key to Navigating the Maze of Sales

Neil Rackham, one of the foremost authorities on sales and author of numerous bestsellers, including "SPIN Selling," writes the following about Tom Payne's new book, "The Causes of Sales Success": "This eminently practical and useful book has something for everyone in sales, from new entry to the most experienced key account executive. Its mix of ideas, examples, cases and quotes from history and literature make it fun to read." "The Causes of Sales Success" poses the question, "What causes the sale to close?" Is it features and benefits? Do consultative solutions, relationships, asking the right questions close sales, or is it all of the above and then some? The answer is important because until we know what causes a customer's buying decision, then how can we cause one? Without this knowledge we end up trying this and that, and sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. Until we know what causes the buying decision, and apply it systematically, we are wandering lost in the maze of sales. This book reveals the causes, confirms that they are real, and then describes a field-tested, classroom-taught system based on what causes sales to close. The results of this system were remarkable. They enabled a relatively unknown, small Midwestern company to vault ahead of well known, multi-billion dollar competitors to become the market leader in the sales and installation of specialized, hospital communication systems that cost well over $1 million installed. This system that works so well for salespeople also works well for people who are interviewing for a job. Its strategy and tactics have also been extensively tested by the author and students of his seminars. It is so basic: every effect has a cause. Once we discover and apply the causes of the buying decision this basic insight becomes transformational. It leads to the modification of most of the current sales approaches, and it introduces new ones.