Exceptional Selling

About the Author

Jeff Thull is a distinguished strategist and highly sought-after advisor for executive teams around the world. As the president and CEO of Prime Resource Group, he has crafted and implemented transformative business programs for a variety of prestigious companies, including Shell Global Solutions, 3M, Microsoft, Siemens, Citicorp, IBM, Raymond James, and Georgia-Pacific, as well as many fast-growing start-up enterprises. Thull is also the acclaimed author of The Prime Solution and Mastering the Complex Sale, which have cemented his reputation as a thought leader in the sales industry.

Main Idea

In his book Exceptional Selling: How the Best Connect and Win in High Stakes Sales, Jeff Thull presents a revolutionary approach to sales, emphasizing the importance of building honest, diagnostic-based relationships with customers. Thull argues that traditional sales methods often lead to self-sabotage, resulting in strained relationships and missed opportunities. Instead, he advocates for a style of selling that is grounded in clarity, relevancy, credibility, and trust. By replicating the practices of top-performing sales professionals, readers can enhance their skills, avoid common pitfalls, and achieve greater success in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Table of Contents

1. The More You Sweat, The Less You Sell
2. Nobody Buys a Value Proposition
3. You've Got to Get Your Mind Right
4. Earning the Keys to the Elevator
5. Diagnosis Trumps Presentation Every Time
6. Cutting Through the Smoke and Mirrors
7. It Doesn't Pay to Surprise a Corporation
8. Show Me the Money
9. Connecting at the Level of Power and Decision

The More You Sweat, The Less You Sell

One of the core principles in Thull's book is the idea that the more effort you put into a high-pressure, traditional sales approach, the less effective you become. He emphasizes that the most common forms of sales sabotage are stylistic. The way salespeople converse with their customers can significantly undermine their ability to succeed. Thull states, "If you don't know how to effectively structure and conduct customer conversations, what you talk about doesn't make much difference."

He identifies three primary reasons for this self-sabotage:

• Most people, including sales professionals, are not naturally effective communicators.
• The techniques taught in many sales-training programs often exacerbate communication shortcomings.
• When salespeople become emotionally involved in the outcome of a sale, they tend to use outdated techniques that confirm negative stereotypes about the sales profession.

Thull highlights the detrimental impact of an emotional mind-set on sales interactions. He explains that emotional responses can lead to miscommunication and erode credibility. For instance, salespeople may unknowingly adopt a parental role, making customers feel inferior. This dynamic can quickly destroy any semblance of connection and trust.

The Amazing Old Brain

Thull also delves into the concept of the Old Brain, which he describes as the part of our brain responsible for instinctual reactions. He explains how this can negatively impact salespeople, causing them to react defensively or stop listening altogether when they sense stress or a threat. This disconnects them from the customer, leading to a breakdown in communication.

"Stress can also close salespeople down. They start thinking about the consequences of not closing this sale, worrying about how they are going to salvage it and what they are going to say next. They are so involved in their own problems that they aren't paying attention to the customer and they stop listening." - Jeff Thull

To counteract these tendencies, Thull advises salespeople to remain professionally involved but emotionally detached. This approach helps maintain clarity and fosters a more effective, trust-based dialogue with customers.