Mastering the complex sale
by Jeff Thull · first published 2010
32mentions
4recommended by
5HN commenters
2010–2024first – last mentioned
80% recommend20% neutral
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…to compete besides having the best product. As we all know, the best product doesn't always win. I'd recommend reading The Discipline of Market Leaders by Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy, as well as Mastering The Complex Sale, The Prime Solution and Exceptional Selling, all by Jeff Thull. These books deal a lot with how to compete and sell and differentiate yourself... even when selling a seemingly low-value commodity like…
on “Ask HN: We have a great team and capital but can't find a good idea” ↗…The Slow - Jason Jennings The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Jack Trout and Al Ries Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind - Al Ries, Jack Trout, Philip Kotler Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey Moore Mastering The Complex Sale - Jeff Thull - lays out an approach to selling that I believe is one of the best out there for enterprise / B2B. May not be as relevant for B2C or other approaches. Exceptional Selling - Jeff Thull -…
on “Ask HN: As a technical founder what is the best business book you've read?” ↗"Always Be Leaving" ~ Jeff Thull I'm a big fan of Jeff Thull's approach to sales, as laid out in his books Mastering The Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling, and The Prime Solution. It really goes against the grain of the old school "grab 'em by the throat and don't let go until they buy" mentality. He rejects the kind of stuff you…
on “Ask HN: What is your advice for a technical founder learning sales?” ↗https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19878274 My recommendations are the same as they were then: ~~~~ Mastering The Complex Sale -- Jeff Thull Exceptional Selling -- Jeff Thull The Prime Solution -- Jeff Thull The Challenger Sale -- Matthew Dixon, Brent Adamson Selling The Wheel: Choosing The Best Way To Sell For You Your Company…
on “Ask HN: What are some good books/resources about sales?” ↗…there's a series of books by a guy named Jeff Thull that I really like, which you might find valuable, at least if you're trying to sell something in a B2B setting. The first book in the series is titled Mastering the Complex Sale[2] and a big focus of Thull's approach is about how to develop a "shared understanding" of a problem, and the value of a solution. It's a "sales" book, but it's not the kind of "sales book" that's about…
on “Ask HN: How do you know the problem you're solving matters to people?” ↗…rich and pricier, then maybe you can grab a different chunk of the market. Do be wary of getting caught up competing on price though. That can lead to a "race to the bottom" scenario. See Thull's book Mastering The Complex Sale for a good discussion of that issue. If you go "down market" try to make it more than just "we're cheaper"... more like "Our product is simpler and easier to use" and if it also happens to be a bit cheaper,…
on “Ask HN: Do You Go Forward After Finding Very Similar Competition?” ↗…of the Start by Guy Kawasaki and Crossing the Chasm by Moore. Of all these sales books I've read lately, I'm really starting to buy into this "Diagnostic Selling" stuff by Jeff Thull, so I'd endorse Mastering The Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling and The Prime Solution by Thull. Also, The New Solution Selling.
on “Ask HN: What book are you reading?” ↗…and I've always learned a lot about why bad sales-people are so damned annoying. FWIW, for anybody coming from an engineering background, who is interested in learning sales, I'm a big fan of the book Mastering The Complex Sale by Jeff Thull. His approach is based on NOT doing the stereotypical "bad salesperson" stuff and actually having intense focus on delivering real value to customers.
on “Hey Sales Guy - Stop Pissing Off The Engineers” ↗…comes up. That said, the part I like about this is the advice about "get to no", regardless of how you get there. I'm a fan of Jeff Thull's "Diagnostic Business Development" approach, and in his book Mastering The Complex Sale he makes a similar point. And think about it: If this customer is not going to buy your product (because they don't need it, don't like you, or because of your skin color, whatever) the sooner you find…
on “Getting to No: The Key to Startup Selling” ↗I'm a fan of The Challenger Sale, The New Solution Selling and all three books by Jeff Thull: Mastering The Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling and The Prime Solution. I really like Thull's approach, especially his "always be leaving" mindset, as opposed to the old "always be closing" idea. Thull's thinking is much more…
on “Ask HN: Best books or videos to get better at sales?” ↗…Revenue by Aaron Ross, and/or Predictable Prospecting by Marylou Tyler. In terms of understanding what to do once you get conversations started, I recommend the series of books by Jeff Thull that includes Mastering The Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling and The Prime Solution. There's also some really good stuff in The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes and The Challenger Sale by by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson.
on “Ask HN: What to do with a list of potential customers?” ↗…book I've read. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. One of the most inspirational stories I've ever read. A strong reminder to remain true to yourself in the face of all sorts of challenges and adversity. Mastering The Complex Sale by Jeff Thull. I don't claim to be a great, or even good, salesman. But if I ever become any good at selling, I expect I'll credit this book for a lot of that. I really like Thull's approach with is…
on “Ask HN: Books you wish you had read earlier?” ↗…Verne 2. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell 3. False Memory - Dean Koontz 4. The Four Steps to the Epiphany - Steve Blank 5. The Discipline of Market Leaders - Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy 6. Mastering the Complex Sale - Jeff Thull are the first few that come to mind.
on “Ask HN: Which books have you re-read the most?” ↗"Mastering the Complex Sale: How to Compete and Win when the Stakes are High" by Jeff Thull. When selling enterprise software, you have to convince many decision makers, there is often no point person to sell to. You may not know…
on “Learn to sell” ↗…haven't closed any deals for our company yet, so take this with a grain of salt, but... the sales approach that I am very fond of, and think has a ton of potential, is Jeff Thull's system, as outlined in Mastering the Complex Sale, Exceptional Selling and The Prime Solution. Thull's approach is rooted in a developing a deep understanding of how you can create value (real value, mind you) for your customers, and to communicate…
on “All Things Sales: Mini-lessons for startup founders” ↗