Foundations Vocabulary

Question 1

After-burn

Answer 1

The situation where the thoughts about a past event are carried forward and have a negative impact on your current behavior.

Question 2

Amateur

Answer 2

A salesperson who possesses extensive product knowledge and reveals it during the early stages of selling interactions. Amateur.

Question 3

At-leaster

Answer 3

1) A psychological position defined by the I/R Theory.
2) Someone who works hard just to break even.
3) Someone who is unwilling to stretch outside his or her comfort zone and strive for greater levels of success.

Question 4

Auditory

Answer 4

A description of primary sensory dominance (PSD) for someone whose preference for experiencing and processing their environment is through sounds and the spoken word.

Question 5

Bonding

Answer 5

The process of creating a comfortable environment within which to do business by paying attention to, listening to, and showing respect for prospects and clients.

Question 6

Bracketing

Answer 6

A technique for zeroing in on the size of a prospect’s budget for a product or service.

Question 7

Budget

Answer 7

1) The second qualifying step of the Sandler Selling System.
2) The amount of money (and other resources) a prospect or client is willing and able to invest to obtain a product or service.

Question 8

Buyer’s Remorse

Answer 8

Having second-thoughts or regrets about a purchase or purchase commitment.

Question 9

Cookbook

Answer 9

A list of specific prospecting activities to be performed in a given period of time in order to achieve a defined goal for that period.

Question 10

Decision

Answer 10

1) The third qualifying step in the Sandler Selling System, identifying the decision-making process.
2) The people, process, location, and timing for making a buying decision.

Question 11

DISC

Answer 11

A model for analyzing a person’s behavioral style—natural manner of doing things—and describing it as primarily: Dominance; Influencing; Steadiness; Compliance.

Question 12

Dummy

Answer 12

A salesperson who is new to sales and possesses little product knowledge. They are at the beginning stage of the Dummy Curve.

Question 13

Dummy Curve

Answer 13

A graphical representation (“U” shaped curve) of the amount of commission a salesperson earns over time as he or she progresses from the “Dummy” stage to the “Amateur” stage and finally to the “Professional” stage of the selling profession.

Question 14

Dummy-Up

Answer 14

Information presented in the form of a question for the purpose of testing the prospect’s reaction. “I don’t suppose a split-ship option would be of much value to you, would it?” is an example. This questioning technique can be used to probe for more information while keeping your prospect OK. Dummy UP.

Question 15

Fulfillment

Answer 15

1) The fourth step in the Sandler Selling System, and a compartment of the Sandler Submarine.
2) Demonstrating or presenting to prospects in the manner, place, and time designated by them how your product or service fulfills their needs and wants and also meets their budget allocations or limitations.

Question 16

Fuzzy File

Answer 16

A section of a prospect’s or client’s file where “warm fuzzy” information such as personal interests, birthday, hobbies, and children’s names is recorded.

Question 17

I-10 Concept

Answer 17

A psychological position in I/R Theory that states every human being has an inherent value of 10 on a 0-10 scale of identity and self-worth.

You should believe that you are a 10, and so is everyone else.

Question 18

I/R Theory

Answer 18

A behavior model that defines the interconnected nature of one’s role performance and one’s self-identify. I/R Theory defines three psychological positions: Winners, At-Leasters, and Non-Winners.

Question 19

Journal

Answer 19

A salesperson’s daily journal in which to record “Identity” and “Role” goals at the beginning of the day and an end-of-day assessment of goal accomplishments and attitudes.

Question 20

Kinesthetic

Answer 20

A description of Primary Sensory Dominance (PSD) for someone whose preference for experiencing and processing their environment is through external experiences of touch and internal feelings of comfort or discomfort.

Question 21

Matching

Answer 21

A technique for building rapport with another person by synchronizing one’s body posture and gestures, breathing rate, voice tone, and energy level with the other person.

Question 22

Mind Reading

Answer 22

Assigning meaning to a prospect’s or customer’s statement without verifying your interpretation, similar to mutual mystification, smoke, and other miscommunications.

Question 23

Mirror

Answer 23

A technique for building rapport with another person by synchronizing one’s body posture and gestures, breathing rate, voice tone, and energy level with the other person.

Question 24

Monkey’s Paw

Answer 24

The strategy of closing a smaller sale—typically, a component of a larger sale—as a lead-in to the larger sale. The smaller sale could also be a study or a pilot program.

In all cases, an integral element of the “monkey’s paw” sale is the prospect’s commitment to complete the larger sale if pre-defined conditions of the smaller sale are met.

Question 25

Mutual Mystification

Answer 25

A condition where the salesperson and the prospect each hold a belief about what is to happen next in the selling process, but they have not conferred with one another to verify the accuracy of their beliefs. It is what happens when one or more parties are guilty of mind reading.

Question 26

Negative Reverse

Answer 26

A “reversing” question posed in the negative such as, “You wouldn’t want a longer warranty, would you?”

Question 27

Negative Reverse Selling

Answer 27

Negative reversing is a variation of the reversing technique. It helps you steer a conversation in a particular direction to explore another avenue or test the prospect’s reaction to a particular aspect of your product or service.

Negative reversing follows the reversing questioning pattern—a softening statement followed by a question. However, the initial question is posed in the negative, expressed in a manner opposite to the position you want to establish, or the direction you want to steer the conversation.

Question 28

Non-Winner

Answer 28

1) A psychological position defined by the I/R Theory.
2) Someone who does not accomplish a declared purpose.
3) Someone who is unlikely to try new things or do things differently; does not expect to “win” and most often doesn’t.

Question 29

Pain

Answer 29

1) The first qualifying step in the Sandler Selling System and the Sandler Submarine.
2) A condition that exists when there is a gap between what the prospect has and what the prospect wants or needs and the gap can be closed by your product or service.

Question 30

Pendulum

Answer 30

1) A theory that describes the three motivational positions—positive, neutral, and negative—through which a prospect “swings” back and forth during the selling process. It is similar to Negative Reverse Selling.
2) A weight hung from a fixed point so that it can swing freely backward and forward, especially a rod with a weight at the end that regulates the mechanism of a clock.

Question 31

Pendulum Theory

Answer 31

When a pendulum is in motion, it keeps moving. It swings to one end of its arc and then falls back through neutral to the other end of its arc. When you try to push it in one direction, you’ll feel its weight against your hand as gravity pulls it down toward the neutral position.

Your prospects do the same thing if you don’t properly manage the selling process. They run hot and cold. They may be wrestling with their ambivalence about your product. Is it the right product, the right company, the right time, the right price? Or, they may be expressing a natural tendency to resist your selling points while pumping you for more information. And if you try to push them in one direction, they will inevitably push back and try to go in the other direction. The result is a stalemate.

Question 32

Post-Sell

Answer 32

1) The seventh and final step in the Sandler Selling System and the Sandler Submarine.
2) Testing the prospect’s commitment to a positive buying decision or the next step in the selling process.
2) It includes asking for referrals, dealing with existing vendors, buyer’s remorse, and discussing the next steps of the sales process or new client onboarding.

Question 33

Primary Sensory Dominance

Answer 33

A salesperson who possesses extensive product knowledge but refrains from revealing it during the early stages of selling interactions. The final stage of the Dummy Curve.

Question 34

Prospect

Answer 34

A potential buyer for your product or service.

Question 35

Prospecting

Answer 35

The act of performing various activities intended to identify and contact potential buyers for your product or service.

Question 36

PSD

Answer 36

The sense (usually sight, sound, or touch) for which an individual has a natural preference for perceiving their environment.

Question 37

Rapport

Answer 37

The process of creating a comfortable environment within which to do business by paying attention to, listening to, and showing respect for prospects and clients.

Question 38

Reach-back

Answer 38

The situation where the thoughts about a future event “reach back” and have a negative impact on your current behavior.

Question 39

Referral

Answer 39

Someone identified to you as a potential user of your product or service by a third-party.

Question 40

Referral Tree

Answer 40

A network of referred persons whose origin can be traced to a single individual or source.

Each new referral adds a new branch to your referral tree.

Question 41

Reversing

Answer 41

The strategy of answering a question with a question.

Question 42

Rule of 3

Answer 42

A rule which states that it often takes three or more “reversing” questions to reveal the real intent of the prospect’s original question.

Question 43

Sandler Selling System

Answer 43

The seven-compartment Sandler Submarine represents the Sandler Selling System methodology for developing a selling opportunity.

The first two compartments—Bonding & Rapport and Up-Front Contracts—represent foundational concepts on which the selling relationship is built and sustained. The Pain, Budget and Decision compartments represent the qualifying activities of the selling process. The final two compartments—Fulfillment and Post-Sell—represent the closing activities of the process. Not all prospects, however, will make it past the Pain, Budget and Decision Steps. A prospect can be disqualified at any step in the process.

Question 44

Sandler Submarine

Answer 44

The seven-compartment Sandler Submarine represents the Sandler Selling System methodology for developing a selling opportunity.

The first two compartments—Bonding & Rapport and Up-Front Contracts—represent foundational concepts on which the selling relationship is built and sustained. The Pain, Budget and Decision compartments represent the qualifying activities of the selling process. The final two compartments—Fulfillment and Post-Sell—represent the closing activities of the process. Not all prospects, however, will make it past the Pain, Budget and Decision Steps. A prospect can be disqualified at any step in the process.

Question 45

Seagull

Answer 45

Aspects of your product or service for which the prospect has not expressed interest.

They may become distractions or obstacles if the prospect does not see them in their vision of the ideal solution.

Question 46

SMARTER Goals

Answer 46

An acronym for the elements to consider when developing meaningful goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based, Enjoyable, Rewarding.

Question 47

Softening Statement

Answer 47

Statements such as, “I’m glad you brought that up” and “That’s an interesting question” which precede the salesperson’s reversing questions.

These statements are typically strokes which soften the blow of a difficult question.

Question 48

Stripping Line

Answer 48

1) Exhibiting a behavior to your prospect opposite to which he or she is accustomed.
2) Asking a “negative reverse.”
3) Letting out more fishing line to give the hooked fish more slack and room to swallow the hook.

Question 49

Stroke

Answer 49

A complement or other positive reinforcement such as touch, time, or attention.

Question 50

Thermometer

Answer 50

A technique employed during a presentation to determine, on a scale of zero to ten, how close the prospect is to making a positive buying decision—a ten on the scale—or how far the prospect is from that decision.

Question 51

Thirty-Second Commercial

Answer 51

A short description of your company’s product or service from the perspective of the problems is help one solve and/or the goals it helps one achieve.

It includes your introduction, problems you solve, how to solve them, and a hook question or contact information, depending on the situation.

Question 52

Three-Foot Rule

Answer 52

A prospecting strategy that dictates that you introduce yourself to anyone who is within three feet of you when you are networking or in other appropriate environments.

If you can reach out and touch them, you should introduce yourself.

Question 53

UFC

Answer 53

Up-Front Contract

1) The concept of maintaining control and adding predictability to the selling process by obtaining the prospect’s agreement about how each succeeding step in the process will be carried out in advance of the step.
2) An agreement between the prospect and salesperson about an upcoming meeting which includes the time and place for the meeting, the objective of the meeting, the intended outcome of the meeting, and the role each will play in affecting that outcome.
3) The second step in the Sandler Selling System and the Sandler Submarine.
4) The Ultimate Up-Front Contract is the agreement made to make a final decision by the prospect at the end of your presentation or upon submission of your proposal.

Question 54

Ultimate Up-Front Contract

Answer 54

The Ultimate Up-Front Contract is the agreement made to make a final decision by the prospect at the end of your presentation or upon submission of your proposal.

Question 55

Unasked Questions

Answer 55

A statement made by the prospect, interpreted by the salesperson as a stall or objection to which he or she feels compelled to respond and answer it like a question.

Stalls and objections usually come in statement form. You don’t answer statements, you respond to them. Don’t defend and justify your position.

Question 56

Unpaid Consulting

Answer 56

Educating a prospect in the hopes they will look favorably upon your product or service when there is no indication or commitment from them that they will do so.

Instead, sell today, educate tomorrow.

Question 57

Up-Front Contract

Answer 57

1) The concept of maintaining control and adding predictability to the selling process by obtaining the prospect’s agreement about how each succeeding step in the process will be carried out in advance of the step.
2) An agreement between the prospect and salesperson about an upcoming meeting which includes the time and place for the meeting, the objective of the meeting, the intended outcome of the meeting, and the role each will play in affecting that outcome.
3) The second step in the Sandler Selling System and the Sandler Submarine.
4) The Ultimate Up-Front Contract is the agreement made to make a final decision by the prospect at the end of your presentation or upon submission of your proposal.

Question 58

Visual

Answer 58

A description of primary sensory dominance (PSD) for someone whose preference for experiencing and processing their environment is through pictures and other visual stimuli.

Question 59

Wimp Junction

Answer 59

The point in the sales call, which usually occurs shortly after the initial contact, where the salesperson has to decide whether to take control of the process or “wimp out” and allow the prospect to take control.

Question 60

Winner

Answer 60

1) A psychological position defined by the I/R Theory, I-10 Concept.
2) Someone who accomplishes his or her declared purpose.
3) Someone who is willing to take risks and try new things or do things differently; expects to “win” and most often does.