Challenger selling is a sales approach that emphasizes teaching, tailoring, and taking control of the sale conversation.
This sales method was introduced by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson in their 2011 book ‘The Challenger Sale’ and has become popular in the sales world for its effectiveness in complex sales environments.
Matthew Dixon, who holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy from the University of Pittsburgh, and Brent Adamson, who holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, are American authors and business professionals known for their work in sales methodologies.
The Challenger Sales Model is commonly used in Business-to-Business (B2B) sales.
The Core Concepts of Challenger Selling
Teaching
As a challenger seller, you educate your customer or prospect. Instead of just discussing products or services, you provide insights about the customer’s business and industry.
This involves challenging the customer’s current way of thinking and presenting new ideas that can lead to better outcomes. The goal is to position yourself as a knowledgeable advisor rather than just a vendor.
Tailoring
As a challenger seller, you recognize every customer is unique. You tailor your sales pitch to the specific needs and characteristics of each customer.
This means understanding the customer’s business, pain points, and goals. By customizing your approach, you make your message more relevant and compelling.
Taking Control
Challenger sellers confidently guide the conversation. This doesn’t mean being aggressive, but rather being assertive when necessary.
Push back when the customer has misconceptions or is hesitant about a beneficial solution. The goal is to steer the conversation toward a mutually beneficial outcome.
The Challenger Salesperson
In their research, Dixon and Adamson identified five types of salespeople:
- the Hard Worker,
- the Lone Wolf,
- the Relationship Builder,
- the Reactive Problem Solver,
- and the Challenger.
They found that Challengers were the most successful, especially in complex sales situations. If you are a challenger salesperson, you should have the following characteristics or qualities:
Insightful: You bring valuable insights to the table, helping customers see their business from a new perspective.
Assertive: You are not afraid to push back and challenge the customer’s thinking. This may sound risky, but if your timing is right and your information is compelling, it can work wonders.
Tailored Approach: You customize your sales pitch to the specific needs and situations of each customer.
Educator: You teach your customer something new, providing value beyond the product or service that you are selling.
Benefits of Challenger Selling
Stronger Relationships
By educating and challenging customers, you can build stronger relationships based on trust and respect. Customers are more likely to value someone who helps them improve their business rather than just selling them something. This sales approach tends to lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Sets You Apart from Others
Challenger selling sets you apart from competitors. While others may focus on relationship-building or problem-solving, you stand out by offering unique insights and confidently guiding the sales process.
More Sales
Research shows the challenger approach is highly effective, especially in complex sales where multiple stakeholders are involved. By confidently challenging and educating buyers, you can significantly boost sales outcomes.
What About You?
The Challenger Sale methodology isn’t a magic bullet. It requires a certain type of person.
Are you comfortable with a more assertive approach? Do you possess strong analytical and communication skills? If so, you will likely make an excellent challenger salesperson.
Challenger selling flips the script on traditional sales approaches. It is a powerful approach that combines teaching, tailoring, and taking control to drive sales success. By challenging your customers to think differently and providing valuable insights, you can build stronger relationships, differentiate yourself from competitors, and achieve better sales outcomes.