Gap Selling is more than a book; it’s a guide to transforming how we think about sales. More specifically, gap selling is a sales methodology that focuses on identifying the gap between a customer’s current situation and where they want to be in the future and then positioning a product or service as the solution to bridge that gap. Author Keenan’s insights are not only practical but also a call to action for sellers to step up their game and focus on what really matters: the customer’s success. To implement gap selling, follow these tactical steps:
Step 1: Train the Team on the Gap Selling Methodology
- Host a workshop or series of training sessions to introduce the methodology.
- Use case studies or role-playing exercises to practice identifying the current and future states.
- Share Keenan’s book and encourage team discussions on key takeaways.
Step 2: Redesign the Discovery Process
- Equip your sales team with robust discovery frameworks. Create templates with open-ended questions to uncover the current state, future state, and potential gaps.
- Implement tools such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system integrations that prompt sellers to document gaps during calls.
- Standardize a checklist for assessing the urgency and size of the gap.
Step 3: Embed Gap Metrics into KPIs
- Align your team’s performance metrics with gap-selling principles. Examples include:
- Number of identified gaps per deal.
- Average size of quantified gaps in terms of revenue, cost savings, or productivity improvements.
- Win rates of deals with well-documented gaps.
Step 4: Reinforce Accountability
- Conduct regular deal reviews focused on the gap-selling framework.
- Encourage peer coaching, where team members analyze each other’s opportunities to ensure gaps are fully identified and quantified.
- Use Keenan’s line, “I’m confused…”, as a team mantra to Challenge assumptions and dig deeper.
Step 5: Align Cross-Functional Teams
- Engage marketing, customer success, and leadership in understanding the importance of the gap.
- Marketing can create content that speaks to common gaps.
- Customer success can use the identified gaps to ensure smooth implementation and retention.
Step 6: Celebrate Wins and Iterate
- Share success stories where gap selling led to big wins. Highlight how identifying and solving the gap drove results.
- Continuously refine the approach based on team feedback and evolving market dynamics.
The Role of Empathy and Honesty
A standout element of Gap Selling is its emphasis on empathy and honesty. Keenan challenges sellers to be bold in their conversations, even when it’s uncomfortable. One of his famous lines, “I’m confused…”, is a powerful way to clarify misunderstandings and hold customers accountable for their own thought processes.
Empathy doesn’t mean agreeing with everything the customer says. It means understanding their perspective deeply enough to challenge them when necessary. As Keenan puts it:
“Customers don’t need you to agree with them; they need you to guide them.”
Why Gap Selling Stands Out
Unlike many sales methodologies that focus on tactics and techniques, gap selling goes straight to the heart of what selling should be about: solving problems. Keenan’s approach resonates because it’s not just theoretical—it’s actionable. Sellers who adopt this methodology report stronger customer relationships, shorter sales cycles, and higher close rates.
How Gap Selling Aligns with TeamRevenue’s Mission
At TeamRevenue, we’re committed to equipping our clients with the tools, processes, and mindsets they need to achieve sustainable revenue growth. Gap Selling is a natural fit for our philosophy of enabling sales teams to focus on what truly matters: creating value for customers.
Key takeaways for our community:
- Sales isn’t about pitching; it’s about solving.
- The best-sellers are masters of discovery and curiosity.
- Change happens when customers see the gap and understand the cost of inaction.
Final Thoughts: A Must-Read for Every Seller
For anyone in sales or revenue enablement, Gap Selling is an invaluable resource. As Keenan reminds us:
“Stop selling and start solving.”
Thank you, Keenan, for sharing your gift with the sales community. Your work continues to inspire and challenge us to be better.
At TeamRevenue, we’re here to help you bridge the gaps in your sales strategy and enable sustainable revenue growth. Let us know how we can support your journey!
TeamRevenue, empowers businesses to drive sustainable growth. We provide our clients with the revenue enablement experts, best practices, and an accountability framework to optimize revenue teams, systems, and processes to drive results. We’ve worked with hundreds of B2B companies worldwide, breaking the cycle of underperformance. Helping them grow faster, communicate better and bring new energy to their organizations.
