Book Review: You Can't Teach A Kid To Ride A Bike At A Seminar

You Can't Teach A Kid To Ride A Bike At A Seminar, by David H. Sandler -- review by Gill E. Wagner

Prologue

This will be a high-level review of my beliefs about the Sandler Selling System, not an in-depth analysis, because I found much of what Sandler proposes to be manipulative, despite his claims to the contrary. I also found myself wondering whether I could believe a word of what Sandler wrote, considering that he says manipulation during the sales process is acceptable.

As with most selling systems, however, I found nuggets of usable and valuable information dotted throughout the book.

Enjoy,

Gill

Philosophy

The Sandler Selling System works under the assumption that, since prospects "always lie," it is okay to manipulate them into doing what you want them to do. As a result, much of what is taught focuses on overcoming sales resistance. This creates a vicious circle for the salesperson – because manipulative tactics create the very sales resistance they're designed to overcome.

Opinion: If you go into a sales call believing the prospect will lie, then your behavior will create the very lies you believe will occur. In my opinion, this self-fulfilling prophecy is the single biggest problem with the Sandler system.

Interestingly enough, the book starts off by bashing "traditional" sales methods, then proceeds to discuss ways to overcome sales resistance and turn the tables on prospects – two very traditional practices.

Then in chapter five, Sandler claims that his system is the only one in existence (at the time of publication) that isn't simply "a rehash of archaic selling principles." You need look no further than High Probability Selling (HPS) to find that this claim is outrageous.

Opinion: On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is highly manipulative, I'd put Sandler's system at about 5.

The Process

The Sandler Selling System described in the book focuses almost exclusively on the sales call itself, rather than on finding and setting appointments with prospects. (He briefly discusses telephone prospecting, but covers nothing of real substance.)

Sandler also covers the emotional side of selling – "the psychology of human dynamics in professional selling." While I found his description of these concepts to be an interesting twist, they actually are a rehash of age-old psychological theories and ideas.

So if you choose to read the book, figure on learning about the following:

1. Psychological ways to separate your emotions from the sales process.
2. Ideas and strategies for taking total control of the sales process through manipulation.
3. Methods for overcoming the sales resistance that you'll encounter from most prospects.
4. Strategies for minimizing buyer remorse after the "close" is made.

What You R And Who You I

In an early chapter of the book, you'll learn about separating your self-image from your role image. Sandler calls this knowing the difference between "What You R and Who You I."

I may be dense, but I read this section several times, and I still don't have a clue what he means by his catchphrase. However, I can tell you that his ideas are founded in transactional analysis, which is a valid psychological theory that deals with the structure of social interactions.

Opinion: A salesperson who is struggling with feelings of constant rejection might learn a bit from Sandler's explanation. However, I find that if you simply stop trying to manipulate people, and help them make wise purchase decisions instead, the rejection tends to disappear.

The Sandler Submarine

Sandler uses the following analogy to explain the concept of finishing one step before moving on to another:

"Remember the World War II movies in which a depth charge hits dangerously close to the stern of the submarine? The hero rushes belowdecks, summons the men out of the damaged compartment, slams the thick metal door, and spins the wheel as the compartment fills with water. There's no way to get back into that compartment, but the ship stays afloat. Tensions mount, the film rolls on, and the next compartment begins to fill with water. Again the hero moves the men forward, slams the thick metal door, spins the wheel and the compartment fills with water. And so the process continues until each compartment fills with water, and the men continue moving forward to safety and to success."

Opinion: I don't now about you, but when I read that analogy I visualized a picture of a sinking sub with its crew crammed into the front compartment, which doesn't make me think of "moving forward to safety and success." Still, the concept Sandler is trying to convey – using a step-by-step process in your sales call – is sound.

Reverses And Negative Reverses

Two of the cornerstones of Sandler's system are the reverse and the negative reverse. These are techniques designed to deflect objections, ignore questions and guide the prospect to overcoming his own obstacles to hiring you or buying from you.

It's difficult to explain the reversing concept without using an example, so I'll use the two from the chapter where reversing is introduced. (The "conversations" are quotes from the book.)

"Incorrect" Approach

PROSPECT: "Will this software package work with Windows?"

AMATEUR SALESPERSON: (excited at sensing a sale!): "Why, Yes!"

PROSPECT: "Even version 2.1?"

AMATEUR SALESPERSON: "Yes, even 2.1."

PROSPECT: "Well, all the other programs I've tried to run in 2.1 haven't been successful."

"Correct" Approach

PROSPECT: "Will this software package work with Windows?"

PROFESSIONAL SALESPERSON: "That's an interesting question. Why do you ask?"

PROSPECT: "I'm wondering just how difficult it will be to run in Windows."

PROFESSIONAL SALESPERSON: "That make sense. But can I ask why that's important to you?"

PROSPECT: "Because all the other programs I've tried to run in 2.1 haven't worked easily."

Sandler claims that there is a huge difference between these two situations. In the first, he claims that "Wham! The salesperson just got clobbered by an iceberg," and now must scramble to overcome the objection. In the second, he says that the salesperson now knows the true problem and can "respond to the prospect's concern."

This is just one example of many types of reverses Sandler explains in the book, all of which are designed to avoid actually answering the question in the hopes the prospect will answer it for himself.

Opinion: Most adults are a bit too smart for this type of thing, and if you try it some will actually respond with comments like, "Don't use a reversing technique on me, just answer the damned question."

I prefer to always answer direct questions and, when appropriate, to follow up with one of my own, because this forces me to listen to the actual question, instead of concentrating on my "sales techniques."

PROSPECT: "Will this software package work with Windows?"

ME: "Yes it will. Are you planning to run it on Windows?"

PROSPECT: "Yes. Version 2.1. Will it work on that?"

ME: "Yes it will."

PROSPECT: "All the other programs I've tried to run in 2.1 haven't been successful."

ME: "Well we haven't had any problems at all. But since you're having problems with everything in 2.1, I'm wondering whether your Windows installation might have a problem itself. Have you had a Windows specialist check that out?"

By focusing only on the use of a reversing technique, Sandler's salesperson failed to listen and may missed a critical issue – the prospect's system may be faulty at the operating system level. That being said, some of what he describes about reversing is actually useful, provided you also listen to your prospects.

Opinion: To make his reversing technique better, first answer the question you're asked, then follow up with his reversing concepts.

As for Sandler's negative reverse, anyone with children knows this quite well – tell them they can't have it, and they'll want it all the more. Here's one of his examples:

"Negative reverse selling is a powerful technique, but you won't like it."

He calls this the "build-up and take-away." I'm supposed to be more attracted to negative reverse selling now that he tells me it's great but that I won't like it.

Opinion: He's right – I don't like it, because it's a transparent attempt to control my thinking. It actually may work with some people, but it's simply too manipulative for my tastes and too easy for a savvy buyer to spot: "Nice try, but that's the negative reverse technique and I'm not falling for it."

Summary Thoughts

Here are some final thoughts for you to consider when evaluating the Sandler Selling System, and the book "You Can't Teach A Kid To Ride A Bike At A Seminar":

• I don't believe many of the claims Sandler makes, because he tells me in the book that it's okay to manipulate a prospect.
• I found a few tips and techniques I could apply to my own system, and anyone who reads the book will likely find some they can use as well.
• Sandler is dead on when he says that buyers are savvy when it comes to knowing all the sales tricks of the day. The problem is, his own techniques are widely known as well, so their effectiveness is undoubtedly spiraling downward even as you read this review.
  
  Opinion: The only way to have your "sales techniques" never decline in effectiveness is to stop using techniques and simply be honest with prospects.

On a value scale of 1 to 10, I give Sandler's concepts a 4.

--
Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association