Centaur Chess

Posts Tagged ‘Checkers’

The term strategic selling is brought up frequently when describing complex or sophisticated selling. And while there is an element of truth in this, I think it has more to do with the way you approach a sale rather than that the actual sale is actually complicated.

Firstly it may be useful to define what the word ‘strategy’ means. I have found a number of different definitions of the word:

Strategy (definitions)

- A scheme or an elaborate and systematic plan of action – The differentiating activities an organization pursues to gain competitive advantage – A systematic plan, consciously adapted and monitored, to improve one’s performance

All of the above definitions are acceptable but I think in a selling situation, the third definition is the most accurate.

Strategic selling means to develop a plan to win and then to monitor it and adapt as necessary. Therefore if the situation changes, for example the customer’s need changes or the competition makes a move that positions them in a more favorable position, it is our job to reposition ourselves so that we can improve our chances of winning.

Note that I use the word position a couple of times as I think that this is more important than actually ‘competing’. Competing implies that whenever the competition makes a move, we move another move to counter it. A ‘tit for tat’ type of situation.

This is fine but it is important not to mistake activity for achievement. Just because one salesperson makes a lot of moves and competes for the business by having lots of meetings, phone calls or presentations does not mean that salesperson is actually winning. A strategic thinking salesperson may only make a few moves according to a plan but knows that each move positions her closer to the winning of the sale.

This reminds me of the analogy of checkers versus chess. In checkers, when the opponent moves a piece, you react by moving a piece, usually to take their piece (or pieces) off the board. This is a tactical play and usually is done without a lot of thinking.

However like chess, strategic selling is a more complicated undertaking. Chess players anticipate future moves and will position their pieces in such a way that each one strengthens other pieces on the board. They are working together for the common goal in a common plan which is to checkmate the opponent’s King.

So in chess, the move you make is a move that involves thinking ahead a great deal of the time to gauge how this will benefit you in the longer term. This should be the rationale for any sales activity – will it benefit you in the longer term, positions you to win and strengthens the previous work you have done? To continue the analogy, chess is a more complex game than checkers because there are many more variables; just like in the selling world. It requires more thinking, planning, concentration and hard work and sometimes revisions of the plan. To win also takes the qualities of perseverance and stamina with many obstacles to navigate.

Checkers is easier and demands very little forethought and concentration. Because it is easier, it is often the manner in which most salespeople approach their sales opportunities.

That is why strategy is much more important in chess than in checkers and why complex, competitive sales situations should be approached this way.

To use a real life example of what a strategic sales approach looks like, I would like to point out a simple example of two car salespeople.

One salesperson (let’s call him Bob) was very good at asking the husband what he is looking for. The husband said he wanted something fast and easy to drive. Consequently, Bob pointed out how fast his manufacturer’s car was in getting to 100 km/hour, and how well it can be handled and how many horsepower the turbo charged engine had. Bob took the family out on a test drive and it was certainly a great performance car. This demonstration was very compelling and the married couple with the three year-old child was impressed.

The second car salesperson (let’s call him Bill) asked the same kind of questions but he noticed the three year-old child and the mother were not involved much so he decided to include them in his conversation. This was a clever strategic move. Bill found out what was most important was the child’s safety. Everything else was nice to have. Guess who got the business?

I know this sounds like common sense but let’s face it, we have all experienced situations where common sense was not that commonly used.

So to summarize, strategic selling is nothing more than gaining a stronger awareness of the situation and developing a plan to win.

It also helps if one uses the brain before using the mouth.

• Wood 16″ Chess & Checkers Board, Reversible for Backgammon
• 32 Chessmen – 2.5″ high Kings
• Wooden game pieces for Checkers or Backgammon
• 5 Dice Included
• Folds in half for easy storage. Pieces store inside the case.

Product Description
Da Vinci 3 in 1 wood Chess, Checkers & Backgammon Game Set. The ultimate in home gaming set. Play Chess, Checkers & Backgammon with just 1 set with 16″ wooden board that folds in half to store the game pieces…. More >>

Da Vinci 16″ Wood 3-in-1 Chess, Checkers, & Backgammon Set

• Wood Magnetic Case – 8″
• Features Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Ludo, Chinese Checkers, Solitaire, and Mill
• Includes 32 Chessmen with 2″ King
• Includes All Game Pieces

Product Description
This 8″ travel-sized game set features Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Ludo, Chinese Checkers, Solitaire, and Mill. With its magnetic folding case, this game set is all you will need for hours of fun, wherever your travels may take you!… More >>

7-in-1 Wood Magnetic Travel Game Set – 8″ Includes Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Ludo, Chinese Checkers, Solitaire, and Mill

3 In 1 Glass Chess Checkers Backgammon Set

• Magnetic, Plastic Folding Case is 8″
• Features Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers and Ludo
• Includes 32 Chessmen with 2″ King
• Includes All Game Pieces

Product Description
This 8″ travel-sized game set features Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers and Ludo. With its magnetic folding case, this game set is all you will need for hours of fun, wherever your travels may take you!… More >>

5-in-1 Game Set, Magnetic for Travel -8″ Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers and Ludo

• Contains game surfaces and pieces for chess, checkers, and backgammon
• Game board folds in half for easy storage and features a convenient handle for transport
• Board dimensions open: 15.5 x 15.75 x 1 inches
• King height: 3 inches
• Includes instructions

Product Description
Three classic games all in one convenient box! This high quality wood constructed three in one game contains game surfaces and pieces for chess checkers and backgammon. The game board folds in half for easy storage and features a convenient handle for transport.Features include:Two dice cupsFive playing dice30 checkers / backgammon pieces32 Chess piecesKing height: 3 inchesBoard dimensions open: 15.5 x 15.75 x 1 inchesBoard dimensions closed: 15.75 x 7.75 x 2.125 in… More >>

Deluxe Wooden Chess, Checkers and Backgammon Set

• chess Board measures 12″ x 12″
• All 7 games pieces store inside the game set.

Product Description
This elegant wood case and playing board features 7 games. The games are: Chess, Checkers, Cribbage, Cards, Backgammon, Dominoes & Dice… More >>

7 in 1 Wood game set including Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Dominoes, Cribbage and more

• dimensions: 16 x 16 x 1 inches when unfolded (16 x 8 x 2 inches while folded)
• king’s height: 3 inches
• board type: inlaid wood
• games set: chess and checkers
• game pieces and foldable chess board are made of solid hard wood

Product Description
Chess is played on a square chequered chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight square. At the start, each player (one controlling the white pieces, the other controlling the black pieces) controls sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, whereby the king is under immediate attack (in “check”) and there is no way to remove it from attack on th… More >>

Isabella 16″ Chess and Checkers Set in Solid Hard Wood