KEVIN DAVIS is president of TopLine Leadership, a sales and sales management training company. His revolutionary eight-step process is used at Citigroup, ADP, Bayer, Sprint-Nextel, IKON Office Solutions, Global Imaging Systems (a XEROX company), and dozens of other Fortune 500 companies.

• Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction PART I UNDERSTANDING BUYING IS WHERE SELLING SHOULD START Chapter 1 Why Slower Is Faster: How Selling Too Fast Results in Lost Sales and a Longer Buying Process How Selling Too Fast Causes Lost Sales Shifting from Selling- to Buying-Focused The Eight Steps in the Customer’s Buying Process Six Mysteries of Selling Solved The Eight Sales Roles That Match the Buying Process Slow Down and Get in Sync! Chapter 2 Mastering the Politics of Selling to Multiple Decision Makers The Players on a Complex Buying Team Configurations of a Complex Buying Team A Case Study in Complex Buyinnamics How to Avoid the Biggest Mistakes Looking Ahead Chapter 3 Winning the Complex Sale The Questions You Can’t Afford Not to Ask Fundamental Skills to Master When in the Buying Process to Reach Each Decision Maker Sharpening Your Political Skills Winning Over 0a Complex Buying Team Takes Skill PART II THE EIGHT ROLES OF BUYING-FOCUSED SELLING Prologue to Part II How to Get Started with the Eight Sales Roles Focus on Obtaining Go-Forward Commitments Getting Started Chapter 4 The Student: Use Knowledge to Gain an Edge Study Your Customer Customer Step 1: Change How a Student Gains a Deeper Understanding of Your Customer’s Business Know Three Things about Each Customer That Other Salespeople Won’t Know Understanding the Company’s Decision-Making Hierarchy 66 Put Your Knowledge to Work Milestone #1: Getting More First Appointments The Goal: A Twenty-Minute Appointment A Telephone Approach That Gets Results Preparing for the First Appointment Chapter 5 The Doctor: Diagnose Small Problems, Define Big Needs Uncovering Needs to Establish the Value of Your Solution Customer Step 2: Discontent Types of “Patients” You Will Meet How the Doctor Intensifies the Prospect’s Need for Change The Five Steps of Diagnosis Handling the “Ballpark Price” Questions Identify then Intensify Discontent Milestone #2: Accelerating Momentum with a Memo of Understanding (MOU) Why MOUs Areitical Sample MOU Chapter 6 The Architect: Design Customer-Focused Solutions Orienting on the Buying Process Customer Step 3: Research The Customer’s Process for Developing a Solution Understanding Customer Buying Criteria The Dynamics of Customer Buying Criteria How an Architect Designs Unique Solutions Identify Your Differentiators (Do a Market Assessment) The Architect’s Toolkit: How to Understand and Influence Buying Criteria Creating a Better Match Between Criteria and Capabilities Create a Unique Solution to Match Customer Needs Chapter 7 The Coach: Make a Plan to Defeat the Competition Evaluating Your Starting Position Customer Step 4: Comparison How a Coach Develops a Winning Game Plan Scouting the Competition Five Winning Strategies Become a Stronger Competitor Milestone #3: Winning Proposals and Presentations Developing a Convincing Proposal Presentations: Preparation Will Meet Opportunity Be Sure to Maintain Communication Chapter 8 The Therapist: Understand and Resolve a Buyer’s Fears Customer Step 5: Fear Why Fear Happens How a Therapist Resolves Buying Fears Important Skills of a Therapist Fear May Not be the Only Hurdle Resolving Your Own Fears Help Customers Move Past Fear Chapter 9 The Negotiator: Reaching a Mutual Commitment Customer Step 6: Commitment How a Negotiator Creates Win-Win Preparing to Negotiate Handling the Most Common Customer Negotiating Tactics When the Negotiation Really Begins Negotiate to a Win-Win Agreement Milestone #4: Transitioning from Pre- to Post-Sale Do You Keep or Hand Off Implementation? Drafting an Implementation Plan Minimizing Customer Risk Chapter 10 The Teacher: Teach Customers to Achieve Maximum Value Customer Step 7: Expectations of Value Lessons from the Learning Curve How an Effective Teacher Instructs Customers: The Four Steps of Customer Education Teaching Benefits You, the Teacher Exceed Your Customers’ Expectations Chapter 11 The Farmer: Cultivate Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty The Key to Customer Satisfaction Customer Step 8: Satisfaction How a Farmer Cultivates Customer Loyalty Four Keys to Sales Farming The Three Levels of Customer Relationships When and How to Develop a Strategic Partnership Getting More Referrals and Testimonials Your Final Role: Chief Satisfaction Officer Epilogue to Part II PART III COACHING THE EIGHT SALES ROLES Chapter 12 Coaching for Success: Advice foro Work for Them) What Is Coaching? How to Improve Your Sales Coaching Getting the Most Value Out of Each Milestone Coaching the Sales Roles Your Mission: Create a Great Sales Team Endnotes Index About the Author