Book description
In The Challenger Sale, Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson share
the secret to sales success: don't just build relationships
with customers. Challenge them
What's the secret to sales success? If you're like most business
leaders, you'd say it's fundamentally about relationships - and you'd
be wrong. The best salespeople don't just build relationships with
customers. They challenge them.
Matthew Dixon, Brent Adamson, and their colleagues at CEB have
studied the performance of thousands of sales reps worldwide. And what
they discovered may be the biggest shock to conventional sales wisdom
in decades.
The Challenger Sale argues that classic relationship-building
is the wrong approach. Every sales rep in the world falls into one of
five distinct profiles, and while all of these types of reps can
deliver average performance, only one - the Challenger - delivers
consistently high performance.
Instead of bludgeoning customers with facts and features,
Challengers approach customers with insights about how they can save
or make money. They tailor their message to the customer's specific
needs. They are assertive, pushing back when necessary and taking
control of the sale.
Any sales rep, once equipped with the right tools, can drive higher
levels of customer loyalty and, ultimately, greater growth.
Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson are managing directors
with CEB's Sales Executive Council in Washington, D. C.
www. executiveboard. com
www. thechallengersale. com
Matthew Dixon is a managing director with the sales and
marketing practice of the Corporate Executive Board in Washington, DC.
He holds a Ph. D. from the Graduate School of Public and International
Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
Brent Adamson is Senior Director of Member Advisory Services
for the Sales, Marketing, and Communications Practice at the Corporate
Executive Board. Brent joined CEB from the University of Michigan Ross
School of Business, where he received his MBA.
