Baseline Selling
How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know About the Game of Baseball
by
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Rule of Triple Elimination
When a prospect says she wishes to think it over, use my Rule of Triple Elimination and make the following three assumptions:
Prospect: I’ll need to think about this.
You: Obviously, I failed to convince you that this was the best solution for your problem.
Prospect: No, quite the contrary. I think this is a very appropriate solution.
You: Then I must have misunderstood your budget.
Prospect: No, this was well within our budget.
You: Well, if it’s an appropriate solution and it doesn’t stretch your budget, the only thing left is me. You must not be comfortable with me.
Prospect: Actually, I like you a lot.
You: Well I don’t get it. If you like me, like the solution and it didn’t stretch your budget, why aren’t you letting me help you?
The Rule of Triple Elimination gives you three opportunities to eliminate the indecision. It also prompts your prospect to say aloud that she likes the solution, price, and you. Hopefully, that’s all she’ll need to do in order to realize that there isn’t anything left to think about. Do you remember the Habit Quotient from chapter 9? If your prospect has a Habit Quotient of two, the second attempt should be enough to get her closed. But what if your prospect’s Habit Quotient is three? We continue.
You: It sounds like there isn’t anything we can do to get this wrapped up today.
Prospect: That’s right. I always need to think about it.
You: I understand. It’s a habit.
Prospect: That’s right.
You: Can you explain what you do when you think it over?
Prospect: I’ll review your proposal and make a decision.
You: Can we compromise?
Prospect: Perhaps.
You: What if I go outside while you think it over and you can call me back in when you’re ready?
Those of you with need for approval are already getting uncomfortable, because you are scared that your prospect will become upset with you. I explained in chapter 3 how to overcome that, and you can’t let it get in the way now.
Those of you with a tendency to think things over will also feel uncomfortable. You will empathize with the prospect and fail to understand how thinking it over will be a problem for you.
What happens if the third attempt fails to get your prospect closed? What if her Habit Quotient is four? Ask your prospect the following: "I have a question. We both know that you need my help. Let’s just pretend for a minute that you had actually said yes to me today. What is it about saying yes that would have scared you?"
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About the Book
If you can run the bases in baseball, you already understand the fundamentals of a winning sales process. In Baseline Selling: How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know About the Game of Baseball, sales expert Dave Kurlan introduces a simple, memorable, and highly effective sales system that replaces complexity with clarity—and delivers real results.
For too long, sales professionals have struggled with methodologies that are difficult to learn and even harder to apply. Studies show that less than 25% of salespeople effectively use the techniques taught over the last two decades. Why? The unnecessary complexity, steep learning curves, and rigid systems have held them back.
Baseline Selling changes all that. Kurlan reemphasizes the fundamentals of selling in a fresh, relatable way, using the universally understood game of baseball to create a step-by-step process that anyone can follow. Whether you are an experienced sales professional or new to the field, you’ll find practical strategies that complement and enhance any advanced methodology you already use.
Inside, you will learn how to:
- Get more appointments—even with prospects who say they’re “not interested”
- Differentiate yourself in commodity-driven markets with “Commodity Busters”
- Increase closing percentages using the simple yet powerful “Inoffensive Close”
- Sell at higher margins by applying the “Rule of Ratios”
- Shorten your sales cycle by effectively “Taking a Lead”
This book is not about gimmicks or tricks. It is about visualizing your sales process in an intuitive way and executing each step with confidence. Baseline Selling helps you master the essential skills needed to close more sales, more often—without over-complicating the process.
Step up to the plate and transform your sales game today.
About the Author
Dave Kurlan is the founder of the Objective Management Group, Inc., the leading developer of sales assessment tools, headquartered in
A regularly featured Conference attraction, Dave was a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine’s Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference, and DCI’s Sales Management Conference. Internationally known for his groundbreaking work in evaluating sales people, he is the developer of The Dave Kurlan Sales Force Profile, a tool for evaluating the people, systems and strategies in sales organizations. Dave is the co-developer of Sales mind, software that helps salespeople overcome their weaknesses, and SalesTrack, an accountability application for sales managers. He has been featured on radio, television and in print, including Inc. Magazine, Selling Power, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He has written two books on sales: Mindless Selling and his newest book, Baseline Selling - How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He has written STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring strong salespeople and he is the author of Understanding the Sales Force, a popular web log (BLOG). He is featured on Inc. Magazine’s video How to Increase Sales and Profits by 1000%.