{"id":173681,"date":"2024-03-14T10:12:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T10:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/?p=173681"},"modified":"2024-03-14T10:12:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T10:12:53","slug":"challenger-sales-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessyield.com\/marketing\/challenger-sales-model\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Challenger Sales Model Is and How to Use It for Better Outcome","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I first started my journey into sales and marketing, I had a preconceived notion of how a sales meeting with a prospective client was supposed to go. I’d first try to build a good relationship with them, from which I would then start to persuade them to buy what I was selling. And while it does sound like a reasonable strategy on paper, I found a major obstacle in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most prospects, before coming to purchase a product, have usually gone online to check it out, and already feel like they have an idea of what the product is and what they are willing to pay for it. Hence, they are more interested in \u2018why\u2019 they should buy, rather than \u2018what\u2019 they should buy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brent Adamson’s and Matthew Dixon’s\u00a0The Challenger Sale<\/a> was very instrumental in helping me make this paradigm shift. According to the book, when it comes to top-performing sales reps, building relationships is the least effective strategy in closing sales. Instead, it argues that sales reps who take control of a sale and teach their prospects how to solve their problem are more successful than salespeople who spend long amounts of time building a relationship with their lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the basis of the Challenger sales model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Key takeaways<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Challenger Sales model is a B2B sales technique that uses thought-provoking insights, disruptive challenges, and meaningful opportunities to educate prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Challenger Sales model, teaching prospects how your solution can solve their problems is more efficient than investing significant time and energy in building personal relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This model is distinct because it requires sellers to possess and share a deep knowledge of their prospects\u2019 industry, specific business and solutions, potential risks, and even market opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What is the Challenger sales model?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Challenger sales model and methodology is a sales process that focuses on teaching, tailoring, and taking control of a sales experience. The approach was first detailed in the book The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation<\/strong> by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, and highlights the importance of guiding a group of customer decision-makers toward a certain mindset or action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the Challenger sales model, Dixon and Adamson argue that, with the right sales training and sales tools, sales reps can take control of any customer conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s only one of many approaches to B2B sales, the Challenger sales model is distinct because it requires you as a seller to possess and share a deep knowledge of their prospects\u2019 industry, specific business and solutions, potential risks, and even market opportunities. This approach allows you to demonstrate your value and set your business and solutions apart from your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Challenger, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of your prospect’s business and their struggles. Rather than being apologetic about trying to sell to the customer, you’ll own the conversation. Rather than following a similar sales pitch, you’ll approach each prospect differently. You can then push back at the right moment to drive them toward making a decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Challenger is the focus, Adamson and Dixon don’t just talk about them in the book. They also cover four other types of sales reps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEE: Choosing Upselling & Cross-selling Strategies to Strengthen Your Sales Approach<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of sales reps under the Challenger sales model<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Though all sales rep profiles have distinct qualities, these categories aren\u2019t mutually exclusive. The authors clarify that you can exhibit qualities of all types or have them in any combination. Dixon, Adamson, and their colleagues researched the attitudes and behaviors of thousands of sales reps and discovered that they fall into one of five distinct profiles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n