Gap Selling
Read in 17 min.
Listen in 21 min.
Learn the key ideas of the book by Jim Keenan

Gap Selling

How to win over customers, and make them say ‘yes’

Every sale relies on a gap, which is the space between a customer’s current situation and the one they would like to have in the future, or between what they are now and what they would like to become tomorrow. Gap Selling teaches us how to use this method in sales, and underlines that without this gap, it is impossible to sell anything to anyone. Jim Keenan puts forward a novel and innovative point of view: that it is not about selling products, but about solving people’s problems, so that they buy solutions, in order to achieve the change they want for themselves, their life, and their company.

Gap Selling
Read in 17 min.
Listen in 21 min.
IDEA CHIAVE 1/12

Gap selling is based on the assumption that, in order for there to be a sale, there must be a problem to solve, and on the principle that people don’t buy products, they buy solutions

The definition of gap selling revolves around the idea that a business transaction can only take place if there is a ‘gap’ to fill, and this gap represents the space between a potential customer’s current state and their future state. Gap selling is based on the assumption that, in order for there to be a sale, there must be a problem to solve. In order to sell a product or a service to someone, that person must be angry or worried about something, or must be in difficulty, and they must want to change their situation. The gap is what lies between the person’s current, unpleasant state and their future, pleasant state. It also represents the value that we, as sellers, are able to provide, as well as the money that the potential customer is willing to spend to bridge that gap. The larger the gap, the greater the need to find a solution to the problem, and the higher the value we place on the solution.

Based on these assumptions, it can be said that gap selling is based on change, because the potential client is not satisfied with the current state of things, and is willing to spend money to change the situation for the better. This is where we often come up against an obstacle, however, because people generally do not like change, and tend to favour the familiar over the unknown. Change involves feelings, which is why the sales process is such a complex subject, and actually falls into the realm of emotion. When we want to sell something to someone, we are asking them to make a change in their life, and this can sometimes overwhelm them, triggering emotional reactions and resistance. The job of a salesperson is to guide people on a journey, helping them feel comfortable enough to accept change, and making them realise that bridging the gap will allow them to resolve their problem, and feel fulfilled and happy.

  

The key ideas of "Gap Selling"

01.
Gap selling is based on the assumption that, in order for there to be a sale, there must be a problem to solve, and on the principle that people don’t buy products, they buy solutions
02.
Filling the gap means helping the customer to progress from their current state, in which they have a problem, to their desired state, in which they have overcome the problem
03.
The most important phase of gap selling is the negotiation, during which we need to discover everything we can about the customer and their problem
04.
A gap seller helps customers understand what they want, and allows them to imagine how they will feel when they have achieved their goals
05.
Future state – current state = gap, which is the value we offer by helping the customer bridge the distance
06.
An effective demo is one which is tailor-made for the customer, and offers solutions to problems, rather than product features
07.
We need to identify the criteria that influence people’s decisions, understand how the buying process works, and plan the next ‘yes’ we want to hear from our potential customer
08.
When negotiations end up in a deadlock, it is important to help the customer realise that their attitude may be undermining the resolution of the problem, and that this will make it harder for them to achieve the desired outcome
09.
We have to select potential customers, and only choose those who will actually benefit from our solutions
10.
It is crucial that the entire sales team works according to the principles of gap selling, and that the leader monitors the progress of operations together with their co-workers
11.
Quotes
12.
Take-home message
 
 
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