Whale Hunting: How to Land Big Sales and Transform Your Company

Foreword xiii

Preface xvii

Acknowledgments xxi

Author Biographies xxiii

CHAPTER 1 The Whale Hunters’ Story 1

Inspiration from the Inuit whale hunters—how we got here.

CHAPTER 2 Signs of the Times 7

Brief history of why the sales process is more difficult and complex today than it used to be; overview of the Whale Hunters’ Process.

CHAPTER 3 Know the Whale 33

Define your ocean, chart your waters, and create a target filter.

CHAPTER 4 Send Out the Scouts 65

Populate your whale chart, complete dossiers, define whale signs, create a tracking system, and establish performance metrics.

CHAPTER 5 Set the Harpoon 87

Plan your initial contacts, control “the aperture of perception,” go in the right door, and ask great questions.

CHAPTER 6 Ride the Whale 109

Launch a boat, analyze the buyers’ table, power your boat, and define metrics for the boat’s performance.

CHAPTER 7 Capture the Whale 131

Define the steps of progressive discovery, progressive disclosure; map your process, and refine your proposals.

CHAPTER 8 Sew the Mouth Shut 159

Stage the “big show,” anticipate spoilers, use your chief, and get on the whale’s calendar.

CHAPTER 9 Beach the Whale 183

Prepare your village, accelerate capacity and velocity, align reward systems, and communicate with the whale.

CHAPTER 10 Honor the Whale 205

Build a fast-growth culture, make and keep promises, improve handoffs, and control barnacles.

CHAPTER 11 Celebrate the Whale 227

Conduct “lessons learned,” communicate your gratitude, feed the ravens, and search for ambergris.

Epilogue: Let the Hunt Begin 245

Our challenge to you!

Glossary 247

Index 251