A Seat at the Table

About the Author

Marc Miller is the CEO of Sogistics, a privately held sales force transformation firm. As a keynote speaker on mastering the complex sale, Miller brings a wealth of experience and insight into the world of sales. He is also the author of the bestseller Selling Is Dead. His work focuses on transforming sales approaches to drive better results by connecting with executives and decision-makers at a strategic level.

Main Idea

The central premise of A Seat at the Table is that to close more sales, salespeople need to stop selling and start providing strategic value. In today's commoditized business world, customers care primarily about value. To offer real value, salespeople must transform into businesspeople who sell, focusing on increasing their customers' productivity and profitability. This approach not only helps customers succeed but also ensures continued success for the salesperson.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Earning a Seat at the Table
3. A New Role, A New Mind-Set
4. Strategic Value
5. Raising Sales Productivity
6. Velcro Value
7. New Customer Realities
8. Bridging the Divide
9. The Great Game of Strategy
10. Connection Mastery
11. Conversations that Connect
12. FOCAS on Customer Strategy
13. FOCAS on Building a Case for Change
14. On the Same Side of the Table
15. Difference Maker

Introduction

In his book, Marc Miller presents a revolutionary sales approach designed to help salespeople earn "a seat at the table" – a position of influence where they can guide the direction and budget of an enterprise. He emphasizes that value is the key factor for growth and success, urging salespeople to shift from traditional selling techniques to becoming business advisors who help customers achieve strategic goals.

Earning a Seat at the Table

Customers today are looking for value in the form of help, specifically strategic help. Corporations are facing unprecedented challenges, and executives often get lost in the rapid pace of change. Salespeople have an opportunity to play a crucial role by helping executives reconnect with their strategies and devising solutions to achieve or expand their strategic plans. Miller highlights the importance of understanding customer strategies and aligning products and services accordingly.

"You have an opportunity to play a new role, and that new role has two distinct parts. First, you have to help executives reconnect to their strategies. Second, you need to devise solutions that will help them achieve or expand their master strategic plan." - Marc Miller

A New Role, A New Mind-Set

To engage successfully at senior levels, salespeople need to abandon old ways and unlearn traditional selling techniques. The focus must shift from selling products to connecting and adding value to client strategies. This requires a new mindset where helping clients achieve better results is paramount. Salespeople must focus on impacting their clients' businesses, creating value, and making a difference.