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Sales Skills Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 8 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 578 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

8 chapters · 578 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Foundations of Modern Selling

    The primary goal of sales is to help customers solve problems and achieve desired outcomes by matching their needs with the right offering. This problem-solving orientation disting...

  2. 2Prospecting and Lead Generation

    Prospecting is the process of identifying and reaching out to new potential customers, and it is the engine that fills the top of the pipeline. Common prospecting channels include...

  3. 3Discovery, Qualification and Customer Insight

    Discovery and qualification are the heart of value-creating selling. The typical purpose of a discovery call is to understand the prospect's situation, challenges, goals, and decis...

  4. 4Stakeholder Navigation and Influence

    Most deals involve multiple people, and skilled sellers map and influence them deliberately. A decision-maker has final authority to approve or reject a purchase, while a gatekeepe...

  5. 5Objection Handling, Negotiation and Closing

    Objections are a normal part of selling, not a sign of failure. Objection handling means responding to concerns or resistance in a way that clarifies misunderstandings and keeps th...

  6. 6Pipeline Management, Metrics and Forecasting

    A sales pipeline is an organized, visual representation of all active opportunities and their stages, while a sales funnel illustrates how a large number of leads narrows down to a...

  7. 7Customer Success, Retention and Expansion

    Post-sale work is where compounding revenue lives. Customer success (CS) is the function focused on adoption and renewal, and close collaboration with sales improves retention, ups...

  8. 8Building a High-Performing Sales Organization

    A modern sales organization is a coordinated system of roles, processes, and incentives. Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) focus on prospecting, qualifying leads, and bookin...

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