Hope Is Not a Strategy: The 6 Keys to Winning the Complex Sale: The 6 Keys to Winning the Complex Sale Paperback – March 24, 2003

Invoke Solutions is one of my client companies. ([...]) Their offices are located next door to ours in Wellesley, MA. Because of some encouraging early success with their unique marketing research software and solution, Invoke's Board recently decided to staff up additional sales territories across North America. Ben Cesare, Invoke's Senior VP of Sales, retained me to help them to find Sales Executives for some of these new territories. Ben came to Invoke with more than 20 years of experience in leading sales teams, including a stint heading up Channel Sales in North America for Apple Computer. Ben understands the world of complex selling!In the course of helping me to understand the kind of candidate that will be most successful in telling the Invoke story, Ben mentioned that his favorite book on the subject was written by Rick Page: "Hope Is Not A Strategy - The 6 Keys to Winning the Complex Sale." It did not take me long to figure out that this book should quickly find its way to the top of my reading list. I have just finished digesting the book. I can see why Ben considers it "the Bible" for the art of complex selling. Over the past several years, I have been trying to learn all that I can about best practices in sales and selling. This thin volume - less than 200 pages - is the best resource I have seen for simplifying the sometimes mystifying and multi-layered process of managing competitive sales.The book is laid out in four major sections:Section 1: The Challenge - The Complex SaleIn this introductory section, Page unravels the intricacies of selling in a rapidly evolving business environment. I found the chapter on "Talent and Team Selling" to be of particular value. In this chapter, he lays out the different kinds of skills that are needed for different types of selling - Tellers, Sellers, Hunters, Farmers, Business Developers, Partners and Industry-Networked Consultants.Section 2: The Solution - R.A.D.A.R.This sections contains the Six Keys that Page refers to in the subtitle of the book.Key 1 - Link Solutions to Pain or GainKey 2 - Qualify The ProspectKey 3 - Build Competitive PreferenceKey 4 - Determine the Decision-Making ProcessKey 5 - Sell to PowerKey 6 - Communicate the Strategic PlanSection 3: Strategies for ExecutionThis section is replete with mini-case studies of how specific sales teams or individuals implemented the execution strategies outlined in this part of the book.Section 4: Winning Before the Battle - Account ManagementPage writes: "A friend of mine was an airborne instructor in the Army. I asked him if it was difficult to get people to jump out of an airplane the first time.`Actually,' he said, `it was harder to get them to do it the second time.'That is my definition of a great salesperson. Will they buy from you the second time?If we oversold or underdelivered, then it wasn't a sale; it was a lie. Lying is easy; selling is hard.A great salesperson sells in a way that leads to trust and repeat business."I recommend this book for anyone who is selling or leading a sales team.I also recommend Invoke Solutions' fascinating new approach to streamlining market research. They are saving their clients time and money while providing more useful market intelligence. Check out their Website.Al

Integrate yourself and team around a core set of sales principles time-tested in the furnaces of adversity. Well-articulated by Rick Page, this book serves as a foundational read in any salesman’s toolbox.

"A conditional recommendation-it is a wonderful refresher book for mid to senior BD's. A good starter book for BD's.The key to the refresher is that to be the best, one must provide the best service to the clients, earn and work hard to gain the trust of the client and know why ou are better than the competition. Rick page has examples of the old AMS and how the BD won the trust of the client by being more knoweldgeable of their organizationals needs than the client (HUD?). "

This book hits the nail right on the head regarding the complex sale process and what it takes to be successful in a complex selling situation. Like all selling books, it starts a little slow and dwells in obvious theory for the first 4-5 chapters and has a system named with an acronym. But those flaws aside, the last two-thirds of this book has some absolutely great selling concepts. I bought this book for the ten sales reps who report to me, and a lot of the terminology in the book has found its way into our daily vernacular. I firmly believe if you follow the concepts in this book faithfully, success in complex selling is much more likely than using any other selling concepts that I've seen.

The B2B buying market has changed drastically over the past 10 years, and a great relationship with the buyer will no longer work. A different process or get left behind. "Hope is Not a Strategy" provides concrete steps for creating a news sales culture. My team is working through the book together and coming up with some great ideas on how to translate the key messages to new behaviors, as well as let the company know what tools we need to be successful. No more factsheets and marketing slicks!

It is full of writing.

No other book I have read so clearly and thoughtfully outlines the complex sale--with all its false roads, pitfalls, and hazards--than this book. A must read for any consultative salesperson. And since the author is local, I am looking forward for the opportunity to meet him soon.The only criticism is that clearly each unit could be a book unto itself, and Rick seems very aware of this. I hope there will be many follow-up books after this one.

The book provides a way to look at the sales process. A more conceptual approach is taken and I found the book very usefull. I took away a few of the points that help me deal with clients, prospects and myself frequently.I learned more from this book than most of the $200-400 corporate classes thatI have attended over the last few years.Selling is not about you! It is ALL about the buyer!!Do yourself a favor, read and study a book referenced in this book, How To Win Friends & Influence People.