i Praise for Selling to Win “It is no surprise that your book Selling to Win has been in publication and top of the charts for 25 years. I was first introduced to the book and then to Richard Denny over 10 years ago. In that time your words have inspired many, and your stories have stayed as a precious reminder to help achieve customer excellence and to build long term relationships. Selling to Win has become a firm favourite.” Diane Martyn, non-executive director at Staffline Group plc “Selling to Win is so good I bought 400 copies for our sales force and it certainly helped us create a series of large extremely profitable businesses.” Alan Jones OBE, former Group Managing Director of TNT Express “Richard Denny’s book Selling to Win is one of those rare business books that just go on being recommended, bought and reprinted. Yes it is a classic and will continue to guide its readers in making selling enjoyable, professional and profitable, and no doubt will still be in print for another 25 years.” Allan Pease, author of Body Language, book that became a multi-million seller and the communication bible for organizations worldwide “Richard Denny is a true national treasure! Like many of my generation, Selling to Win was my business bible during the formative years – I learned so much from it and it’s all still relevant today.” Nigel Botterill, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur who has built eight separate highly successful businesses from scratch since 2004 and now helps other UK business owners be successful via Entrepreneur’s Circle ii “Richard Denny is an amazing communicator. Selling to Win is a practical, highly effective and inspirational book. Follow Richard Denny’s advice and you cannot fail!” Rosemary Conley CBE, the UK’s leading diet and fitness expert with over 40 years’ experience of helping people lose weight and get fit “This was one of the first business books I ever read. It has helped me in every way throughout my business career and I have used the ideas to great effect. If everyone in business put Richard Denny’s teachings from Selling to Win into practice the UK economy would be a world beater.” Steve Bennett had developed the fastest growing privately owned company in Britain and then his next venture jungle.com became the first internet success story. He has been quoted in the press as the “king of customer services”. He is the owner of Gems TV, a company which has provided gem pieces to over 350,000 customers “Selling to Win is the book on selling amongst all the books on selling. Every business, if they want to win, has to sell and Selling to Win shows them how, chapter and verse. From the beginner to the hardened old pro, this is the book that you have to carry if you want to sell to win.” Geoff Burch is the alternative business guru and sought after speaker on change. He is also a bestselling author of six business books and gives good advice to small business owners or people starting their own businesses “Selling to Win was the first sales book I ever bought and it’s the only one I keep going back to. Still just as relevant 25 years on, it should be required reading for any would-be seller. A timeless classic.” Bryan McCormack – Actor and author of Sell Your Self! “Richard’s book Selling to Win was instrumental in my work in the Premier League on customer service and sales development. The value of the ‘Six Cylinders’ in sales for the learners on my programme has been incredible. Not only has the book been a iii practical guide for them but it is also easy for them to remember the useful advice and models the author provides.” Michael Costello, Business Consultant, Coventry University “Your book Selling to Win has been for me the most inspiring reading from a variety of books available on the market for sales and customer service. What I especially appreciate is that you write about your direct experience and that it’s clearly more important for you to show every day practice than fancy academic theories. What I also love in your book is that it follows the KISS rule – Keep It Simple Stupid. I must admit that you’re a great speaker and sharing your inspiring lectures is a pleasure.” Przemyslaw Mankowski, Board Member, Trader.com “For 23 years since I first bought Selling to Win for my team, all practical points and powerful prose that this purposeful book delivers has proved priceless. The fact that it is still the sought after manual after 25 years is testament to how Richard has captured the very essence of what makes for success. When years later I was fortunate to tour Iran with Richard I witnessed that his engaging straight-talking, humorous and highly professional style mirrored his powerful prose.” Professor Colin Turner is listed as one of the world’s top business gurus. He is the creator of Psychology of Corporate Entrepreneurship, founder of The One Percent Solution (T-O-P-S) and the author of over 20 books “Richard’s book is the only book on sales I recommend. Whichever industry you work in, wherever in the world, Selling to Win resonates deeply and has relevance across every market sector. Built on strong and enduring principles and coupled with a common sense approach, the reader is able to simplify the often unnecessarily over complicated sales landscape in order to remain congruent; thus focusing on long term relationships as opposed to the next deal on the table.” Kate Pexton, Recruitment Business Owner and Coach iv “Selling to Win was one of the first books I read during my formative years in business nearly 20 years go. It has been an essential and brilliant source of inspiration ever since!” Liggy Webb is widely respected as a leading expert in the field of Modern Life Skills. Presenter, consultant and author, Liggy is also a consultant for the United Nations and travels extensively working in a variety of worldwide locations “Richard Denny is the Master of Sales and Selling to Win is a masterpiece of sales advice.” Bev James is a successful serial entrepreneur and business coach with more than 20 years’ experience in sectors such as coaching, training, recruitment and health & fitness. Founder, MD & Head of Training for the Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy, a joint venture with James Caan, she is also one of the EBA Millionaire Mentors and has coached many entrepreneurs to millionaire status “I recently finished reading the latest edition of your Selling to Win book and found it thoroughly enjoyable. I particularly liked the focus on people, how you broke down seemingly complex scenarios into their simplest form, and the helpful tips. Your straight-to-the- point style in the book is also great, as I’m not a fan of wafflers.” James Brazier, Senior Account Manager, WAA “I have just finished your book Selling to Win and want to pass on my thanks and also my congratulations for such a great book. Amongst the plethora of material on selling that is in the market, your book really stood out as being easy to read and containing advice that was practical and relevant to the business world. I have just purchased Winning New Business and am very much looking forward to the read.” Jamie Taylor, Counter Fraud Director, Insurance DWF LLP v fourth EDItIoN Selling to Win RichaRd denny vi Throughout the book ‘he’ and ‘she’ are used liberally. If there is a preponderance of the masculine pronoun it is because the inadequacies of the English language mean that there is no single personal pronoun suitable to refer to both sexes. Publisher’s note Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publishers and author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher or the author. First published in 1988 Second edition published in 1997 Revised second edition published in 2001 Third edition published 2009 This edition 2013 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this pub­ lication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licences issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned addresses: 120 Pentonville Road 1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100 4737/23 Ansari Road London N1 9JN Philadelphia PA 19102 Daryaganj United Kingdom USA New Delhi 110002 www.koganpage.com India © Richard Denny, 1988, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2013 The right of Richard Denny to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. ISBN 978 0 7494 6631 2 E­ISBN 978 0 7494 6632 9 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Denny, Richard, 1944­ Selling to win / Richard Denny. – 4th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978­0­7494­6631­2 – ISBN 978­0­7494­6632­9 1. Selling. I. Title. HF5438.25.D457 2013 658.85–dc23 2012039952 Typeset by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Print production managed by Jellyfish Printed and bound in Great Britain by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY vii For Lyster, Walter, Giles and Julius viii THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Contents Contents ix Introduction 1 How to get maximum results from this book 3 Selling in perspective 5 The classic presentation 5 ‘No no conditioning’ 6 What not to do when the customer says ‘No’ 7 What are bad salespeople like? 10 How to get a customer to say ‘Yes’ 12 How do I become a professional? 13 What do sales professionals do? 14 Planning to win 16 The six cylinders of professional selling 16 What do you look like? 20 Organization tactics 21 Keeping good records 21 The vital ingredient 30 1 It’s desire, not ability, that determines success 31 2 Set your goals 33 3 Planning your goals 35 4 Believe in you 37 5 Become a ‘How can I do it better?’ sort of person 39 6 See the oak tree in the acorn 40 7 Develop the habit of thanking and complimenting people 41 8 Build your confidence 42 9 Handle the difficult times 45 ix 10 Be enthusiastic 46 Finding the time 49 E-mail – help or hindrance? 54 Finding the business 57 Contents Existing customers 58 Newspapers 59 Home sales 60 Prospecting 61 Direct mail 61 E-mail 61 Website 62 Networking clubs 62 Referrals 63 Follow your customers 64 Research 64 Business cards 65 Sources of new business 65 Foreword xiv The passive approaches 66 Getting the appointment 68 Stage 1 68 About the author xvi Stage 2 69 The cold telephone method 76 Preface xviii Voicemail 78 Some tips on making the most of your telephone calls 78 The rules of professional selling 80 Rule 1: Sell to people 81 Introduction 1 RRuullee 23:: ASeslkl ythoeu rrsieglhf t question8s 2 84 Rule 4: Listen 88 Rule 5: Link features to benefits 89 Rule 6: Sell the results 90 Rule 7: Don’t rely on logic 92 Rule 8: Be selective in the use of product knowledge 94 01 Selling in perspective 5 Rule 9: Identify your unique sales points (USPs) 96 Rule 10: Don’t catch ‘priceitis’ 98 Rule 11: Price condition 100 The classic presentation 5 RRuullee 1123:: DDoonn’’tt jkunsot ctkal kth, es hcoowm petition 110023 The sales presentation 106 ‘No no conditioning’ 6 The seven ‘classical’ stages 107 Closing the sale 113 What not to do when the customer says ‘No’ 7 The golden rule of closing the sale 115 Difficult closes 117 Not closing 119 What are bad salespeople like? 10 The principles of professionalism 123 THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Make it easy to say ‘Yes’ 123 How to get a customer to say ‘Yes’ 12 Use your prospects’ terminology 124 Both win or both lose 124 How do I become a professional? 13 DDoonn’’tt pcartecjuhd ‘bgeig 1-c2a5seitis’ 125 Replace that sale 126 What do sales professionals do? 14 Waterproof the sale 127 Plan each contact 128 Vary your voice 129 Be trustworthy 130 Tell the bad news 130 02 Planning to win 16 Welcome complaints 131 Sell others in 131 Buyer motivators 132 Use people’s names 134 The six cylinders of professional selling 16 Say ‘Thank you’ 135 Sell the ‘add-ons’ 135 What do you look like? 20 Good words 136 Don’t talk down 137 Be remembered 138 Organization tactics 21 Don’t sit in receptions 138 Giving real service 140 Keeping good records 21 The unexpected or the extra service 140 Recognizing clients’ achievements 142 Helping your clients 143 Be positive 143 The personal approach 144 03 The vital ingredient 30 HHaannddlliinngg yoobujerc tpiroondsu ct 114446 Prevention, not cure 146 The three-stage process to deflect objections 147 1 It’s desire, not ability, that determines success 31 Common objections 150 Negotiation 160 2 Set your goals 33 The principles of negotiation 161 Letter writing 168 Short letters work 168 3 Planning your goals 35 Short paragraphs work 168 Make your letters easy to read 169 4 Believe in you 37 Avoid over-complex language 169 Avoid jargon 169 Keep control 170 Be a good news carrier 172 Body language 174 Mirroring 174 Eyes 175 Space 175 Seating 176 Height 177 Posture 177 Lies 177 Groups 178 Avoiding the negative 180 Chapter Seventeen 186 Don’t quit 186 Success Stories 190 x Contents 5 Become a ‘How can I do it better?’ sort of person 39 6 See the oak tree in the acorn 40 7 Develop the habit of thanking and complimenting people 41 8 Build your confidence 42 9 Handle the difficult times 45 10 Be enthusiastic 46 04 Finding the time 49 E-mail – help or hindrance? 54 05 Finding the business 57 Existing customers 58 Newspapers 59 Home sales 60 Prospecting 61 Direct mail 61 E-mail 61 Website 62 Networking clubs 62 Referrals 63 Follow your customers 64 Research 64 Business cards 65 Sources of new business 65 The passive approaches 66 06 Getting the appointment 68 Stage 1 68 Stage 2 69 The cold telephone method 76 Voicemail 78