--- title: Outstanding Common Sense from Neil Rackham... description: Neil Rackham's SPIN on top tips for troubled times. --- This is a search field with an autosuggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. # Outstanding Common Sense from Neil Rackham... ![Bob Apollo](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/78fa41976d534cacbb0e22e151bc6816) Post by [Bob Apollo](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/author/bob-apollo) March 3, 2009 Neil Rackham is the father of SPIN.  No, not the sort of dodgy dialogue that you hear from politicians, but the sales methodology that was truly groundbreaking for its time, and still highly relevant today. Neil has just written a [guest piece](http://www.modernselling.com/sales-expert-comment/neil-rackham-changes-ahead-for-sales.aspx) in Modern Selling.  He certainly has a way with words.  Allow me to quote from the master: "*While mediocre salespeople can survive or even prosper during good times, in hard times the real talent comes to the top. The order-takers and talking brochures who contribute little in the way of customer value, will sink into the quicksand of history along with many of the financial services wretches who worked so hard to create this mess in the first place*." He's got some pithy advice for all of us who are in the business of selling.  Here are my favourites: - **Focus on fewer opportunities**.  Qualify hard, and invest your resources on the ones where you have the best chance of winning.  Let your competitors spread themselves too thinly by chasing every deal. - **Sell on safety rather than price**.  Make sure that yours is the least-risk solution.  Customers will pay more if they feel that their choice represents the safest option. - **Fix the disconnect between sales and marketing**. Too many companies have managed to muddle by with poorly coordinated or misaligned sales and marketing activities.  Not any more. You can [read the full article here](http://www.modernselling.com/sales-expert-comment/neil-rackham-changes-ahead-for-sales.aspx).  While you're at it, I recommend that you sign up to the Modern Selling site.  ###### Tags: [Complex Sales](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/topic/complex-sales) ![Bob Apollo](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/78fa41976d534cacbb0e22e151bc6816) Post by [Bob Apollo](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/author/bob-apollo) March 3, 2009 Bob Apollo is a Fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals, a regular contributor to the International Journal of Sales Transformation and Top Sales World Magazine, and the driving force behind Inflexion-Point Strategy Partners, the leading proponents of outcome-centric selling. Following a successful corporate career spanning start-ups, scale-ups and market leaders, Bob now works as a strategic advisor, mentor, trainer and coach to ambitious B2B sales organisations - teaching them how to differentiate themselves through their provably superior approach to achieving their customer's desired outcomes. [Follow me on my website](https://www.inflexion-point.com) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bobapollo) [Follow me on Twitter ](https://twitter.com/bobapollo) ### Comments ###### Related Articles ### [Neil Rackham really wanted us all to be SPIV sales people](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/neil-rackham-really-wanted-us-all-to-be-spiv-sales-people) Posted by **[Bob Apollo](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/author/bob-apollo),** **Apr 10, 2014** One of a series of articles celebrating the continuing relevance of SPIN Selling I had the chance to listen to Neil Rackham, ... ### [Neil Rackham: B2B buying behaviour is becoming increasingly polarised](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/neil-rackham-b2b-buying-behaviour-is-becoming-increasingly-polarised) Posted by **[Bob Apollo](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/author/bob-apollo),** **Apr 22, 2014** We’re all very familiar with the idea that modern B2B buyers are increasingly well-informed and far less dependent on ... ### [Neil Rackham on the changing face of B2B buying](https://www.inflexion-point.com/Blog/bid/90143/Neil-Rackham-on-the-changing-face-of-B2B-buying) Posted by **[Bob Apollo](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/author/bob-apollo),** **Oct 04, 2012** Neil Rackham - the inventor of SPIN Selling - offered some of his thoughts on the changing face of B2B buying in a recent ... 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