ABSTRACT
SPIN® refers to a commonly used sales negotiation technique founded in the late 1980s by Neil Rackham. It is based on a questioning process that highlights the sequential steps to be followed when trying to make a sale. This model is most commonly used by sales professionals and is regarded as one of the best techniques for persuading buyers to part with their money. Based on research by Huthwaite Inc, one of the leading sales training organisations, it is widely regarded as a tried and tested sales tool. Although the consulting company behind the use of this model will point to a plethora of empirical evidence supporting the success of SPIN®, questions must be raised about the competence of the buyer and the structure of power in the dyadic buyer–seller relationship that leads to a salesperson taking control of the sales meeting through question-based selling.
