NEAT Selling: A Complete Guide

Whether you are selling products or services, NEAT selling can be a valuable tool to help you understand your customers’ needs and motivations, and to create a sales pitch that speaks to those needs and motivations in a way that is authentic and compelling.

What is NEAT selling?

NEAT is a framework for analyzing and understanding the needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics of potential customers, and for crafting a sales pitch that addresses those factors. The goal of NEAT is to help salespeople create a sales pitch that is tailored to the specific needs and motivations of their potential customers, and that speaks to those needs and motivations in a way that is authentic and compelling.

What is an example of NEAT selling?

An example of using the NEAT selling methodology might be a salesperson working with a prospective customer who is a small business owner. The salesperson might ask the business owner about their needs (such as increasing revenue or reducing costs), their emotions (such as frustration with their current system or concern about the future of their business), their aspirations (such as wanting to grow their business or become more efficient), and the tactics they are considering (such as switching to a new vendor or implementing a new system). The salesperson could then tailor their pitch to address these factors, highlighting the benefits of their solution in terms of meeting the business owner’s needs, addressing their emotions, and helping them achieve their aspirations.

What is the history of NEAT selling?

It is not clear when the NEAT selling methodology was developed or by whom. It does not appear to be as widely known or used as other sales methodologies, such as MEDDIC or SPIN selling. 

What is the importance of NEAT selling?

The importance of the NEAT selling methodology lies in its ability to help salespeople understand the needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics of their potential customers, and to create a sales pitch that addresses those factors. By using NEAT, salespeople can more effectively tailor their pitch to the specific needs and motivations of their potential customers, increasing the likelihood of making a successful sale.

What is the benefit of NEAT selling?

One benefit of the NEAT selling methodology is that it provides a structured framework for analyzing and understanding the customer’s needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics. This can help salespeople to identify the key factors that are driving the customer’s decision and to craft a pitch that speaks to those factors in a way that is authentic and compelling. Another benefit is that NEAT helps salespeople to understand the underlying drivers of the customer’s decision-making process, which can be particularly useful when dealing with complex sales involving multiple stakeholders.

What is the disadvantage of NEAT selling?

One potential disadvantage of NEAT is that it can be time-consuming to gather all of the necessary information and to analyze it using the NEAT framework. In addition, some salespeople may find the methodology to be too prescriptive or formulaic, which could limit their ability to tailor their pitch to the specific needs and motivations of their potential customers. Finally, NEAT may not be relevant or applicable in all sales situations, particularly when the customer’s decision-making process is relatively simple or straightforward.

What are the steps of NEAT selling?

To use the NEAT selling methodology, salespeople can follow these steps:

  1. Identify the customer’s needs: This involves understanding the specific problems or challenges that the customer is trying to solve, as well as any goals or objectives they are trying to achieve.
  2. Analyze the customer’s emotions: This involves understanding the emotions or feelings that are driving the customer’s decision-making process.
  3. Assess the customer’s aspirations: This involves understanding the customer’s long-term goals or aspirations that are relevant to the decision, such as wanting to grow their business or improve their financial situation.
  4. Determine the customer’s tactics: This involves understanding the specific tactics that the customer is considering in order to meet their needs or achieve their aspirations, such as switching to a new vendor or implementing a new system.
  5. Craft a sales pitch that addresses the customer’s needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics: Based on this analysis, the salesperson can then craft a sales pitch that addresses the customer’s needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics in a way that is authentic and compelling. This may involve highlighting the benefits of the salesperson’s solution in terms of meeting the customer’s needs, addressing their emotions, and helping them achieve their aspirations, as well as addressing any concerns or objections that the customer may have.

What does NEAT stand for?

NEAT is a sales methodology that stands for:

  1. Needs: What are the specific needs that the customer is trying to meet or problems they are trying to solve?
  2. Emotions: What emotions or feelings are driving the customer’s decision-making process?
  3. Aspirations: What are the customer’s long-term goals or aspirations that are relevant to the decision?
  4. Tactics: What specific tactics is the customer considering in order to meet their needs or achieve their aspirations?

Is NEAT selling still relevant? 

It is not clear if NEAT selling is still relevant today. NEAT is a sales methodology that stands for “Needs, Emotions, Aspirations, and Tactics,” and is a framework for analyzing and understanding the needs, emotions, aspirations, and tactics of potential customers, and for crafting a sales pitch that addresses those factors. While the principles of NEAT may still be relevant, it is not clear if the methodology is still widely used or recognized in the sales industry.

How to learn NEAT selling

There are several ways to learn NEAT selling methodology:

  1. Books: You can read books on NEAT, such as “The NEAT Way: Sales Bible” (if such a book exists).
  2. Online courses: There may be online courses available that teach NEAT, such as those offered by LinkedIn Learning or Coursera.
  3. Workshops: You can attend workshops or seminars on NEAT, which may be offered by sales training organizations or consultants.
  4. Practice: You can also learn NEAT by practicing using the methodology in your own sales interactions.