The Challenger Sale

Driving Growth by Taking Control of the Customer Conversation

Three Questions That Guided Our Research

What sets the best sales reps apart in a complex sales environment?

How do you replicate winning sales behaviors?

How do you create a differentiated sales experience?

A different kind of buying has emerged.

It’s Harder to Engage Buyers Today’s customers don’t need sales reps in the same way they used to; they now wait until they are 57% through the purchase process before contacting Sales. Buyers do independent research and set their own purchase criteria, all before the first seller interaction.

n = 1,460. Source: CEB analysis.

Customer’s First Meaningful Contact with Supplier Seller

Customer Due Diligence

Customer Purchase Decision

57% COMPLETE

$

Sales Experience Drives Customer Loyalty Purchase experience is the greatest source of differentiation for B2B sellers.

Source: CEB analysis. n = 4,960 B2B customers (of 24 companies).

Percentage of Contribution to Customer Loyalty

Representative Sales Drivers of Customer Loyalty •  Supplier offers unique,

valuable perspectives on the market.

•  Supplier helps me navigate alternatives.

•  Supplier helps me avoid potential land mines.

•  Supplier educates me on new issues and outcomes.

•  Supplier is easy to buy from. •  Supplier has widespread

support across our organization.

Company and Brand Impact

Product and Service Delivery

Value-to- Price Ratio

Sales Experience

19%

19%

9%

53%

The Five Profiles of Sales Professionals

Hard Worker Challenger Relationship Builder

Problem Solver Lone Wolf

§  Always goes the extra mile §  Doesn’t give up easily §  Self-motivated §  Interested in feedback and

development

§  Always has a different view of the world

§  Understands the customer’s business

§  Loves to debate §  Pushes the customer

§  Builds strong customer advocates

§  Generous in giving time to help others

§  Gets along with everyone

§  Follows own instincts §  Self-assured §  Independent

§  Reliably responds §  Ensures that all problems are

solved §  Detail oriented

Source: CEB analysis.

Challenger™ reps are most likely to win.

Challenger™ Reps Outperform All Other Profiles

Challenger Lone Wolf Hard Worker

Problem Solver

Relationship Builder

Core Performers

High Performers

23%

15%

22%

14%

26%

39%

25%

17% 12%

7%

Percentage of Core versus High Performers Per Profile

n = 683. Source: CEB analysis.

The Challenger™ Fingerprint Challenger™ sellers use disruptive insights to challenge customers’ assumptions and force them to think differently. They take back control of the purchase conversation in a way that leads customers back to the unique strengths of their organization.

Challenger Rep Behaviors Build

Constructive Tension

§  Offers unique perspective §  Maintains two-way communication

Teach

§  Knows customer value drivers §  Identifies economic drivers

Tailor

§  Is comfortable discussing money §  Can pressure the customer

Take Control

CEB Helps You…

Engage Customers Where They Learn §  Certify your team to apply our Challenger Messaging Engagement™

methodology to develop insights at scale. §  Develop a content strategy and associated customer-ready assets to deliver

commercial insights. §  Build and improve your team’s broader marketing knowledge.

Drive Efficiency and Impact Through Enablement §  Develop sales managers to effectively coach Challenger sales teams. §  Improve sellers’ customer conversations using mobile, video-based software to

support seller practice and model what great selling looks like for new hires.

Engage Customers Through Sales §  Hire sellers who are more likely to succeed and consistently demonstrate

Challenger behaviors. §  Develop and build Challenger seller and manager skills. §  Arm sellers to identify and activate Mobilizer™ customers and manage consensus.

Create Commercial Insights §  Develop commercial insights that reframe your customers’ thinking.

CEB provides the following:

§  Implementation Support §  Sales & Marketing Training §  Best Practice Research §  Functional Benchmarking §  Advisory Support §  Executive Networking §  Staff Development Tools and

Workshops §  Change Management Resources

Learn more, and join the conversation:

challengersale.com

Contact Us

challenger@cebglobal.com

@CEB_Challenger

www.youtube.com/CEB

CEB Challenger™

cebglobal.com

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