What does it feel like to navigate through a stormy sea on a leaky boat? Never got a chance to experience it? Well, try selling a product using the traditional sales methodologies. Outdated methodologies are drowning your team’s sales potential. Peddling these ineffective tactics does not drive results and it’s high time to change it. 

If you are just starting your journey in sales, this handbook offers a deep dive into SNAP Selling. If you are a seasoned sales pro, this can be your comprehensive refresher! So, dive right in to level up your sales strategy. 

What is the SNAP Selling Methodology?

SNAP Selling tackles the biggest challenges facing salespeople today: impatient customers, information overload, and cutthroat competition. SNAP selling methodology has helped millions of sales teams to simplify their sales process, deliver exceptional value, and build lasting relationships with their prospects. 

In 2010, Jill Konrath, a seasoned sales strategist and author, released the book SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business With Today’s Frazzled Customers, which made her the modern sales guru! 

In her work, Jill introduced a methodology designed to help sales professionals win deals in complex sales landscapes where potential buyers are inundated with information and always short on time. The SNAP methodology built on two core principles—Four Basics and Three Decisions. 

• Four Basics: These are the cornerstones of effective sales interactions.
  • Keep It Simple: Less is more. Cut the fluff and focus on what matters.
  • Be Invaluable: Become a trusted advisor, not a pushy salesperson.
  • Always Align: Match your offerings to your buyer’s goals.
  • Raise Priorities: Make your solution the most urgent problem to solve.

• Three Decisions: This outlines the buyer’s journey.

• • Allowing Access: Get your foot in the door.
  • Moving Away from the Status Quo: Convince them there’s a better way.
  • Changing Resources: Seal the deal.

Since its inception, SNAP selling has been a game-changer mainly if your target audience includes busy professionals who are overwhelmed by too much information and too short on time. 

Understanding the Four Basics of SNAP

The Four Basics are the foundation of SNAP Selling and implementing them right will enhance your team’s efficiency and keep them always close to closures. 

1. Keep It Simple

In the SNAP Selling methodology, simplicity is crucial. Buyers are often overwhelmed with options and information, so your goal should be to make the decision-making process as straightforward as possible.

Key considerations:

• Opt for fewer, higher-quality, hyper-personalized meetings.
• Propose fewer options to simplify decision-making.
• Keep presentations short and focused.

2. Be Invaluable

Position yourself as a go-to expert and trusted partner. Your goal is to connect the value of your solution to the buyer’s problem, showing them that you can help where they struggle to find the time or resources.

Key considerations:

• Add value to every interaction.
• Avoid overt persuasion tactics.
• Engage buyers on equal footing.

3. Always Align

Align your business goals with the buyer’s needs, priorities, and beliefs. Understand their goals and keep them central to your sales cycle.

Key considerations:

• Understand buyer needs and concerns.
• Identify organization-wide and individual goals.
• Align your solution with these goals and pain points.

4. Raise Priorities

Frazzled customers juggle multiple priorities. Ensure your solution addresses the most critical issues.

Key considerations:

• Create a gap between the status quo and the ideal future state.
• Use trigger events to shift priorities.
• Focus on presenting a vision of a better future.

The Three Decisions in SNAP Selling

The Three Decisions are the critical in sales cycle and significantly influence your overall conversion rates.

1. Allowing Access

The first decision a buyer makes is whether to give you access to their time and attention. Your goal here is to show that you’re worth their time.

2. Moving Away from the Status Quo

Buyers are naturally inclined to stick with what they know. Convince them that change is necessary and beneficial.

3. Changing Resources

Finally, buyers decide whether your solution is the right fit. Provide tangible evidence that your solution can solve their problems.

Benefits of Using SNAP Sales Methodology

• Simplified Sales Process: It reduces complexity, making it easier for prospects to understand and trust your solution.
• Better Buyer Engagement: By focusing on what truly matters to the buyer, you can build stronger relationships and increase your chances of closing deals.
• Increased Efficiency: SNAP Selling helps you prioritize your efforts, ensuring you spend time on the most promising leads.

Examples of SNAP Selling Questions

The right questions can make or break a sales conversation. Here are some examples of SNAP Selling questions you can use:

• Keep it Simple: “What is the one thing you wish you could change about your current solution?”
• Be Invaluable: “How can I provide the most value to your organization?”
• Always Align: “What are the top three priorities for your business this quarter?”
• Raise Priorities: “What challenges are keeping you from achieving your goals?”

Key Terms in SNAP Selling

1. Frazzled Customer Syndrome

This term describes modern buyers who are impatient, distracted, demanding, and super busy.

2. SNAP Factors

These are four questions buyers ask about your solution:

• Is it simple?
• Does it provide value?
• Does it align with our goals?
• Is solving this problem a priority?

3. Buyer’s Matrix

A tool used to get inside the heads of decision-makers, helping sellers address buyer needs effectively.

4. Go Zone and D-Zone

The Go Zone is where SNAP factors are met, and the buyer is engaged. The D-Zone is where outreach is ignored or deleted.

Buyer’s Journey in SNAP Selling

Understanding the buyer’s journey is crucial in SNAP Selling. Buyers make three key decisions before committing to a purchase.

1. Key Decisions Buyers Make

1. Allowing Access:

• The first decision is whether to hear what you have to say.
• Establish credibility early to gain access.

2. Moving Away from the Status Quo:

• Buyers must decide if they’re willing to change.
• Demonstrate the benefits of moving away from their current situation.

3. Changing Resources:

• Convince buyers that your solution is the best option.
• Provide tangible evidence of your solution’s effectiveness.

2. Identifying Buyer Pain Points

Recognizing and addressing buyer pain points is essential in SNAP Selling. Understanding their challenges allows you to tailor your approach effectively.

Key Considerations:

1. Common Characteristics:

Buyers exhibit feelings of anxiety, display a cautious attitude towards complexity, tend to be easily distracted, and often have high demand levels. It’s essential to customize your messaging to effectively address and resonate with these characteristics.

2. Discovery Questions:

Create pertinent and targeted questions tailored for each distinct customer type. Utilize these questions effectively to identify and reveal specific pain points that they may be.

3. Buyer Personas:

Develop detailed profiles for the various common types of customers that you typically. Utilize these profiles as a framework to effectively steer your conversations with them.

3. Different Buyer Types

Different buyers have different needs. Tailoring your approach ensures that your message resonates with each unique audience.

Key Considerations:

1. Personalization:

• Use buyer personas to personalize your approach.
• Serve up answers and solutions on the fly.

2. Buyer’s Matrix:

• Utilize the Buyer’s Matrix to understand each decision-maker.
• Align your strategies with their needs and challenges.

3. Customer-Centric Messaging:

• Focus on how your solution addresses critical business objectives.
• Ensure your messaging remains relevant and valuable.

4. Lessons Learned from Implementation

These case studies offer valuable lessons for implementing SNAP Selling.

Key Considerations:

1. Focus on Buyer Needs:

• Understanding buyer needs is crucial for success.
• Tailor your approach to address specific pain points.

2. Keep It Simple:

• Simplify your messaging and process.
• Avoid overwhelming buyers with too much information.

3. Build Trust:

• Consistently provide value and build trust.
• Establish yourself as a reliable, knowledgeable partner.

Quick Tips to Sell SNAP 

1. Tap into the Frazzled Customer Mentality

Understand what buyers are experiencing and address their anxieties, wariness of complexity, distractions, and high expectations.

2. Dig into Your Buyer Personas

Create profiles of common customer types to guide personalized conversations and solutions.

3. Use the Buyer’s Matrix

This worksheet helps you understand potential customers and personalize your messaging based on their needs and challenges.

Final Thoughts

SNAP Selling offers a structured yet flexible approach to modern sales. By keeping things simple, being invaluable, always aligning with buyer goals, and raising priorities, you can connect more effectively with today’s frazzled customers. If you’re ready to transform your sales process, consider implementing SNAP Selling and see the difference it can make.