To be honest, when I first picked up this book I was a bit concerned that it would simply be yet another book recycling 1980’s style mission statement speak to a new application. I could not have been more wrong. This book is a no-nonsense how-to guide to transforming your sales force and your company.
Here are my ten favorite quotes from the book as I read it:
- Making a difference and making a living are not incompatible goals
- Every new product and service they create – every sales call they are on – is focused on how they can make their customers’ business more successful.
- An NSP answers three question: (a) What impact do you and your company have on customers? (b) How are you different from your competition? (c) On your best day, what do you love about your job?
- … it’s important to fight the temptation to over-describe because a simple statement is much more powerful.
- The way leaders talk about customers matters… The internal conversation always becomes the external conversation.
- When they realize that you are going to ask the same question every time you talk with them about a customer – “How will this customer be different as a result of doing business with us?” – they start coming prepared to answer that question.
- Salespeople who sell with noble purpose – the top performers – don’t have to worry too much about their body language or tone because when their internal thoughts lead out, it has a positive impact on the customers.
- You can differentiate yourself and bring your NSP to life by understanding five critical categories of customer information: (a) customer environment (b) customer goals (c) customer challenges (d) what success looks like for the customer (e) What lack of success looks like for the customer — ALSO, build this into your CRM system!
- NSP reps begin their calls by discussing specific customer issues and then weave in only those marketing messages that apply to that individual customer’s situation.
- Here is a way to think about it: our NSP is [insert NSP]; that’s why we always [insert pivotal behavior that everyone in the company can do].
Remember, your NSP should answer one key question: “How will your customer be different as a result of doing business with you?” This book tells you how to answer that in a simple & authentic way and then to train your team so it becomes a part of your culture.