The Challenger
Sale
Driving Growth by Taking
Control of the Customer
Conversation
Three Questions That Guided Our Research
What sets the best sales reps apart in a
complex sales environment?
How do you replicate winning sales
behaviors?
How do you create a differentiated sales
experience?
A different kind of
buying has
emerged.
It’s Harder to Engage Buyers
Today’s customers don’t need sales reps in the same way they used to; they now wait until they are 57%
through the purchase process before contacting Sales. Buyers do independent research and set their
own purchase criteria, all before the first seller interaction.
57%
COMPLETE
$
Customer Due
Diligence
n = 1,460.
Source: CEB analysis.
Customer’s First
Meaningful Contact
with Supplier Seller
Customer
Purchase Decision
Sales Experience Drives Customer Loyalty
Purchase experience is the greatest source of differentiation for B2B sellers.
Percentage of Contribution to Customer Loyalty
53%
9%
19%
19%
Company and
Brand Impact
Product and
Service Delivery
n = 4,960 B2B customers (of 24 companies).
Source: CEB analysis.
Value-toPrice Ratio
Sales
Experience
Representative Sales
Drivers of Customer Loyalty
•  Supplier offers unique,
valuable perspectives on the
market.
•  Supplier helps me navigate
alternatives.
•  Supplier helps me avoid
potential land mines.
•  Supplier educates me on
new issues and outcomes.
•  Supplier is easy to buy from.
•  Supplier has widespread
support across our
organization.
The Five Profiles of Sales Professionals
Hard Worker
§ 
§ 
§ 
§ 
Always goes the extra mile
Doesn’t give up easily
Self-motivated
Interested in feedback and
development
Challenger
Relationship Builder
§  Always has a different view of
the world
§  Understands the customer’s
business
§  Loves to debate
§  Pushes the customer
§  Builds strong customer
advocates
§  Generous in giving time to help
others
§  Gets along with everyone
Lone Wolf
§  Follows own instincts
§  Self-assured
§  Independent
Source: CEB analysis.
Problem Solver
§  Reliably responds
§  Ensures that all problems are
solved
§  Detail oriented
Challenger™ reps
are most likely to
win.
Challenger™ Reps Outperform All Other Profiles
Percentage of Core versus High Performers Per Profile
Core Performers
High Performers
39%
25%
23%
15%
26%
22%
17%
14%
12%
7%
Challenger
n = 683.
Source: CEB analysis.
Lone Wolf
Hard
Worker
Problem
Solver
Relationship
Builder
The Challenger™ Fingerprint
Challenger™ sellers use disruptive insights to challenge customers’ assumptions and force them to think
differently. They take back control of the purchase conversation in a way that leads customers back to
the unique strengths of their organization.
§  Offers unique perspective
§  Maintains two-way communication
Challenger Rep
Behaviors Build
Constructive Tension
§  Knows customer value drivers
§  Identifies economic drivers
§  Is comfortable discussing money
§  Can pressure the customer
Teach
Tailor
Take Control
CEB Helps You…
Create Commercial Insights
§  Develop commercial insights that reframe your customers’ thinking.
Engage Customers Where They Learn
§  Certify your team to apply our Challenger Messaging Engagement™
methodology to develop insights at scale.
§  Develop a content strategy and associated customer-ready assets to deliver
commercial insights.
§  Build and improve your team’s broader marketing knowledge.
Engage Customers Through Sales
§  Hire sellers who are more likely to succeed and consistently demonstrate
Challenger behaviors.
§  Develop and build Challenger seller and manager skills.
§  Arm sellers to identify and activate Mobilizer™ customers and manage consensus.
Drive Efficiency and Impact Through Enablement
§  Develop sales managers to effectively coach Challenger sales teams.
§  Improve sellers’ customer conversations using mobile, video-based software to
support seller practice and model what great selling looks like for new hires.
Contact Us
CEB provides the following:
§  Implementation Support
§  Sales & Marketing Training
§  Best Practice Research
§  Functional Benchmarking
§  Advisory Support
§  Executive Networking
§  Staff Development Tools and
Workshops
§  Change Management Resources
Learn more, and join the conversation:
challengersale.com
[email protected]
@CEB_Challenger
www.youtube.com/CEB
CEB Challenger™
cebglobal.com
CEB166158PR