What can Sales Executives Learn from the Book “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath

One of the most important skills that the sales executive policies leader needs to succeed is an ability to create a need or desire to change the status quo among their prospects and customers.

In large, complex sales cycles, it is not just enough to be able to sell the change but also to be able to help the customer adopt the product or solution and get the benefits that were promised. This can lead to more engagements with the customer and hence create a positive spiral.

The question is how can sales executives use the concept of “Switch” proposed by Chip and Dan Heath in their book with the same title.

1. Find the bright spots: The first step for them would be to identify if there any bright spots in the industry that their customers prospects are engaged in, and have gone through a similar transition that is being suggested. If yes showcase those transitions. Identify what you can learn from them, and share the learning.
2. Find the feeling: When you start with the customer, paint a vivid picture (vision) of what the future could hold if they went through with The transition. It could be the customer winning the best company to work for award, on the most loved brand or what ever it is they are aspiring for. Find and engage the feeling that could drive the change. The best way for you to do that is to tell stories of what it would feel like once the vision becomes a reality (for them and for their organization).
3. Script the critical moves:  Help your customers identify the first few steps clearly and precisely so that they can start acting. This simple step of stopping an action is the most difficult thing as it requires them push through inertia. However, once they start taking action, the same inertia becomes your ally.
4. Shrink the change (if needed): If the change you are aiming for them is a big one, shrink it for them and then script the critical moves.
5. Build Habits: As sales executives, you need to build the habit of not just talking about the features and functionalities of your product or service but to look at the bigger picture from your customers’ CEO’s perspective, even if you are not selling to him/her. This is the single biggest lesson that sales executives and sales leaders can take away from the book.

These are my learnings for me as a sales leader. What did you learn from the book? If you havent read the book yet, I would strongly recommend the book. You can buy it by clicking the link below (this is an affiliate link).