The Sandler Selling System emphasizes customer qualification and relationship building. The idea is to position the sales rep as a trusted advisor rather than an aggressive salesperson.

The basic steps of the Sandler model are:

• Build the relationship.
• Qualify the opportunity.
• Close the sale.
  

As the rep talks with the prospect, they focus more on listening and asking the right questions to understand what the prospect’s pain points are, who the decision-makers are, and what their budget is. By getting all this information out in the open early on, the sales rep can more accurately evaluate the quality of the opportunity and develop a solution that is mutually beneficial.

Strengths: This selling system excels at building strong client relationships and, when done well, can even lead to sales where the prospect feels like the deal was their idea in the first place.

Best used when: This is a great foundational methodology that integrates well with a variety of selling environments.

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