“Gap Selling” by Keenan, a prominent sales strategist, offers a refreshing perspective on sales, focusing not just on the pitch but on addressing the buyer’s actual gaps. Keenan’s approach involves understanding the client’s current state, identifying the problems and pain points, and showcasing how your product or service can bridge these gaps to achieve the desired future state. Below is a detailed summary of the book, including major points, examples, and specific actions for application.

Keenan introduces the concept of “Gap Selling,” emphasizing diagnosing before prescribing. Rather than traditional hard-selling techniques, Gap Selling focuses on ascertaining the buyer’s current situation and desired future state to identify and fill the “gap.”

Action: Shift your selling mindset from pushing a product to understanding and solving customer problems.

To effectively sell, one must understand the buyer’s “current state.” This involves a deep dive into their existing processes, challenges, and inefficiencies. Keenan underscores that without a thorough grasp of where the buyer stands, it’s impossible to create genuine value.

Example: A sales rep for a CRM tool might ask the client to describe their current customer management process, including inefficiencies and pain points.

Action: Conduct comprehensive interviews with potential buyers to map out their current state in detail.

Once the current state is understood, the next step is to highlight the “gap” between where the buyer is and where they want to be. The gap represents both the buyer’s struggle and your opportunity.

Example: A company struggling with lead conversion could have a gap in their sales funnel that could be solved by more targeted lead nurturing campaigns provided by your marketing services.

Action: Use diagnostic questions to help buyers articulate their desired outcomes and where the gaps lie.

Understanding the buyer’s problems is crucial. Keenan suggests that salespeople look beyond the surface issues and dig deeper into the causes and impacts of these problems.

Example: If a potential client mentions their team is taking too long to close deals, you should probe to understand if it’s due to outdated systems, lack of training, or inefficient processes.

Action: Develop a series of investigative questions designed to uncover the root causes of the buyer’s problems.

Once problems are identified, the next step is to align your solution directly with those problems, illustrating how it can bridge the gap between the current and desired states.

Example: If a buyer’s issue is slow project completion due to poor task management, showing how your project management software streamlines task assignments and deadlines can be compelling.

Action: Craft tailored presentations and demos that specifically address the buyer’s unique problems and demonstrate your solution’s impact.

Trust and credibility are fundamental in Gap Selling. Keenan advises that demonstrating genuine understanding and providing honest, insightful advice builds a strong rapport.

Example: Sharing case studies where similar problems were solved using your product can enhance credibility.

Action: Regularly gather and share success stories and testimonials from clients who have experienced positive outcomes through your solutions.

Keenan emphasizes the importance of asking targeted questions to reveal deeper insights into buyer needs and pain points. This involves both open-ended and close-ended questions designed to trigger thoughtful responses.

Example: “Can you walk me through a recent project where you faced challenges?” versus “Do you find your current project management method effective?”

Action: Develop a questioning framework that blends open and close-ended questions to gather comprehensive insights.

Objections should be seen as opportunities to provide further clarity and build trust. Keenan suggests a two-pronged approach: acknowledge the objection, then align it with the originally identified gap and your proposed solution.

Example: If a buyer objects to the price of your software, reiterate how the features directly address the large revenue losses they’ve been experiencing due to inefficiencies.

Action: Prepare a list of potential objections and practice responses that link back to solving the buyer’s identified problems.

Closing in Gap Selling involves confirming that the proposed solution effectively bridges all identified gaps and that the buyer recognizes this value. Keenan underscores the importance of clear, mutually agreed steps to move forward.

Example: Summarize key points of agreement and specifically how your solution remedies their issues before asking for the commitment.

Action: Develop a closing checklist that includes reconfirming the value linkage and outlining next steps clearly.

a. Role-playing: Regularly engage in role-playing exercises focused on diagnosing current states and identifying gaps.
b. Customer Feedback: Implement a feedback loop from customers to refine understanding of common gaps and refine solution presentations accordingly.
c. Ongoing Education: Encourage continual learning and development for your sales team on new questioning techniques and industry-specific challenges.
d. Tech Utilization: Leverage CRM tools to document detailed buyer information, ensuring insights are shared and actionable across the sales team.

In “Gap Selling,” Keenan provides a well-structured framework for modern sales strategies focused on diagnosing before prescribing and deeply understanding customer pain points. By shifting from traditional sales techniques to a buyer-centric approach, sales professionals can build stronger relationships, address real needs, and achieve higher success rates.