SPIN Selling
Professional Selling Techniques
Shaun Holloway
MKT 358
Ohio University

What is SPIN Selling?
SPIN selling is an advanced needs
assessment technique that uses the
appropriate application of four types of
questions.
S- Situation
P- Problem
I- Implication
N- Need-Payoff

What is SPIN Selling?
• Huthwaite study of 35,000 sales calls
– Author = Neil Rackham
• Sponsored by IBM, Xerox, etc.
• Most extensive selling research ever
• 17% increase in sales volume for first
1,000 trained
• Set of skills possessed by top sales
people

What is SPIN Selling?
• The good news is that SPIN works!
• It works across industries
• It works internationally (30 countries)
• If you set out to understand, you are…
– More likely to ask questions
– Less likely to give Features & Advantages
– Less likely to introduce solutions too soon

SPIN Advice
• Bad news-- there’s no magic pill
• SPIN is hard work
• To sell well… you must plan well
• Can NOT treat SPIN as a formula
• It is BROADLY a sequence
• SPIN is a flexible road map

SPIN Advice
Never underestimate the importance of
fundamentals
There is a BIG difference between simple and
easy… Do NOT be fooled!
You will not master SPIN after this
presentation
You may not fully understand SPIN
and how to use it until after this
course

SPIN — WIIFC, WIIFM?
• Learn more about the client
• Understand the client better
• Increase sales
• Learn a real-world sales technique
• Improve your needs assessment
• Close more often

Focus on Buyer Needs
• What kind of questions are typically
asked during a sales call?
• Examples: Questions Handout
• Implied Needs VS Explicit Needs?
• Examples: Needs Handout

Situation Questions
Definition: Finding out facts about
the buyer’s situation
Example: How many people do you
employ at this location?
Impact: Least powerful of the 4 Q’s
Advice: Eliminate unnecessary SQ’s
by doing your homework

Situation Questions
• Inexperienced sellers often ask too
many SQ’s
– Can lead to losing credibility
• Do your homework…
– Do NOT ask SQ’s that are too basic
– e.g. background info
• Focus SQ’s for key info to uncover
buyer problems
– Will Lead / develop into Explicit Needs

Situation Questions
• High Risk = Lose credibility & Sale!!
• Do NOT ask SQ’s…
– Late in the selling cycle
– About irrelevant business areas
– In excess (too many)
– About sensitive areas

Problem Questions
Definition: Asking about problems,
difficulties, or dissatisfactions
Example: Which parts of the system
create errors?
Impact: More powerful than SQ’s
People ask more as they sell more
Advice: Think of what you’re selling in
terms of the problems they solve for
your clients

Problem Questions
• Purpose is to reveal & clarify issues
• You have to uncover problems you can
solve
– Do something useful for the client
• PQ’s provide material to build the rest of
the sale

Problem Questions
• Ways to start… How often? Where?
When? Who? What happens if…?
• Use PQ’s to clarify BEFORE IQ’s
– Why? Why not?
– How often does [problem] happen?
– I want to be clear; could you tell me more?
• Uncover several PQ’s before IQ’s
– Have more avenues to convince client

Implication Questions
Definition: Asking about the effects
or consequences of the buyer’s problems
Example: What effect does that problem
have on output?
Impact: The most powerful of all the
SPIN questions… Top salespeople ask a lot
Advice: The hardest to ask…
Plan them carefully… in advance

Implication Questions
• IQ’s expand buyer’s perception of value
• Link a problem to other potential problems
• Focuses on the consequences
• More Examples:
– How might that affect your insurance costs?
– Could an increase in value increase theft?
» How IQ’s work Handout
» Departmental link Handout

Need-Payoff Questions
Definition: Asking about the value
or usefulness of a proposed solution
Example: If we (provide solution),
how would this benefit your company?
Impact: Top salespeople show they are
helpful and skillful problem solvers
Advice: Use these to get the buyer to
tell you the benefits of your solution…
Buyer sells your product to herself!

Need-Payoff Questions
• Focuses on the payoff of a solution
• NPQ’s are positive, helpful, constructive
• They reduce objections
• Move discussion toward action
• More Examples:
– How much of a saving would this mean?
– How important is it to double response time?

Need-Payoff Questions
• Few sellers ask NPQ’s at the right time
• Best time…
– Before describing your solution
– After developing seriousness with IQ’s
• Ask NPQ’s with caution when the buyer’s
need is subjective

Using Questions Successfully
• Four rules for using questions:
– Use questions you can anticipate the
answer to
– Do not ask questions that lead you into
a situation from which you cannot
escape
– Pause or wait after asking a question
– LISTEN
In-Class PRACTICE & help forms