Category: What Is HPS?

What is High Probability Selling?

The High Probability Selling Book

The book, High Probability Selling, describes a way of selling that is an effective alternative to the usual way of selling. 

The book tells the story of a salesperson learning this sales method on the job. It is a good illustration of what the process looks like, but does not go deeply enough for most people to learn how to use it as well as they’d like. However, it can help the reader decide whether they want to learn more, or not.

The book is available for purchase in 4 formats, with a 5th format coming soon.

1. Paperback (178 pages in 12 chapters)
 Purchase here $19.95 USD + S&H
    (S&H calculated during checkout)

2. eBook, PDF digital download (1.4 MB)
 Purchase here $9.98 USD

3. Audio book, MP3 digital download
 (54.6 MB, 4 hours)
 Purchase here $19.97 USD

4. Amazon Kindle
 Purchase from Amazon $9.97 USD

5. Audible, coming soon. 

See reviews of the book on Amazon. 

Here is the Introduction from the book:

Why doesn’t sales training work?

Why is it that most people who attend sales training courses and seminars show very little sustained improvement?  Why doesn’t modern sales training consistently produce successful salespeople?

Why is it that most sales training courses and seminars contain large doses of motivational psychology?  Why is it that the sales profession is the largest user of motivational training?  Is it coincidental that the next largest user is the armed forces?  What is it that the armed forces and salespeople have in common that requires them to be the largest users of motivational training?  How many carpenters, mechanics, CPA’s, claims adjusters or veterinarians need to attend motivational seminars in order to do their jobs?

How many professions come with a built-in fear of rejection and a reluctance to do the job?  Why do approximately eighty percent of the people who enter the selling profession leave within the first few years?  Why do so many who remain feel trapped or burned out in their jobs?

Why do most people try to avoid salespeople?

Is this all endemic to selling or is there something fundamentally wrong with the way we sell that causes these problems?  Could it be that “Selling as the Art of Persuasion” is a concept whose time has come and gone?  Could it be that it’s no longer profitable to persuade and convince prospects to buy what they don’t already want?

We maintain that persuading and convincing is no longer a viable selling strategy.  Even worse, the attempt to do so causes too much tension, stress, and frustration.  Therefore, we re-invented the selling process.

Everything’s changed.  All the rules are different.  Fear of rejection is no longer an issue.  Resistance disappears.  Relationships of mutual trust and respect develop naturally.

Self-esteem is a natural result of the process.  Salespeople have standards.  Who they are as people and who they are when they’re selling no longer have to be different.

High Probability Selling trains salespeople how to discover whether there is a mutually acceptable basis for doing business without using manipulative techniques.  High Probability Selling is not an improvement on, or a variation of, any sales technique you know.  It’s a new paradigm that requires salespeople to sell with integrity in order to achieve outstanding results.

High Probability Selling takes salespeople off their knees and puts them back on their feet, with dignity, where they belong.

Introduction to the book, High Probability Selling, by Jacques Werth and Nicholas Ruben

Here are a few comments from students of High Probability Selling: 

“Life is too short and way too precious to waste it by selling any other way.”

“I used to sell to less than 25% of my prospects after 3 meetings. Now I sell to over 50% of my prospects in the first meeting. I used to be a salesman – now I’m an order taker. It’s almost boring.”

“HPS has changed my attitude about sales…completely. I cannot imagine selling any other way.”

“The principles of High Probability Selling have touched all aspects of my life. It is so valuable to be able to deeply relate to other people.”

Understanding High Probability Selling – Podcast Interview of Carl Ingalls by Paul Cuomo

Summary below written by Paul Cuomo, for the podcast he published on 29 June 2021:

For many of us who have read sales books, took courses or browsed through the thousands of hours of free sales training online, we often notice that much of the material and concepts are a regurgitation of past concepts. High Probability Selling is not. High Probability Selling is a way of selling without “getting people to buy.” No persuading, no convincing, no arguing, no handling objections.  No impressing people, no pretending to be a friend, no groveling for the sale…..yes you just read that. I had a wonderful discussion with Carl Ingalls, a Consultant who trains salespeople on this methodology.

High Probability Selling the book, was written by Jacques Werth and the process was discovered by observing behaviors of top sales performers within his organization. The book was recommended to me in the late 1990’s and it has had an enormous impact on me.  Very excited to share this interview with the audience.

Paul Cuomo, The Foundational Sales Podcast

Listen to this podcast here. 72 minutes

“What Is High Probability Selling” – An Interactive Video Discussion with Carl Ingalls on Tue 6 Apr 2021

Anyone may attend, including those who have not read the book, High Probability Selling. No charge.

I (Carl Ingalls) will answer a few most commonly asked questions, plus as many questions from the audience as I can.

The discussion will be conducted through Zoom, and it will be recorded. The recording will be made available to the public later.

Details:

  • Date: Tuesday 6th April 2021
  • Time: 1pm USA Eastern Time (same as New York City)
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Cost: No charge

If you want to attend this discussion, please contact Carl Ingalls by any of the following methods:

High Probability Selling Was Discovered, Not Made

Jacques Werth discovered what he later called High Probability Selling (HPS) by observing and documenting what hundreds of highly successful salespeople were doing.  He invented the name, and he invented a way of talking about it and teaching it, and he wrote the book, but he did not invent the method of selling.  It was already out there.  That’s where he found it.

I asked him why he used the phrase “Re-invents the Selling Process” on the cover of his book.  He told me that, at the time, lots of successful authors were saying things like that on their books and it seemed like a good idea.

In those days, Jacques tended to use conventional methods in marketing.  In later years, he moved toward marketing methods that were more compatible with his preferred selling method.

One of the things that distinguishes HPS from other selling methods is that it’s all about discovery—all the way through the entire process.  Discovering a sale, not making one happen.

I see High Probability Selling itself as something to be discovered, not controlled.  That is the way I prefer to work with it.  Learning, talking, and teaching.

Comments and questions are very welcome and appreciated.

 

Interview of Carl Ingalls About High Probability Selling, Hosted by Julius Csizmazia, Wed 13 May 2020

Julius Csizmazia will interview Carl Ingalls (that’s me) on Wednesday 13 May 2020, from 3pm to 4pm Eastern Time USA.  The topic will be High Probability Selling.  Questions from the audience will also be accepted.

The interview will be conducted via Zoom Video Conferencing.  Participants are welcome to join the meeting live, no charge, up to a maximum of 100 individuals.  For instructions, see below.

The meeting will be recorded (audio and video), and the recording will be offered for sale later.  The price for the recording will be somewhere between $5 and $10 (free).

Instructions.  If you want to join this video conference live, please send an email with your request to Ingalls@HighProbSell.com, and I will reply with detailed instructions for signing onto the Zoom meeting.  The price to attend is zero.  Questions in advance are also welcome.

About Julius Csizmazia.  His LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com/in/juliuscsizmazia/ gives an overall description.  His team building business at www.JuliusTeamBuilding.com describes his relationship with High Probability Selling more deeply.

Note added on Wed 24 June 2020 by Carl Ingalls.  The recording of this interview is now available for viewing on You Tube.  See www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugB5p0XDpGQ (no charge, no registration).

Refresher Course – Essence of High Probability Selling – November 2019 Workshop

This is a refresher course on High Probability Selling (HPS), recommended for people who have had at least some prior training, and who want a review of the basics.

Topics covered:

  • What is High Probability Selling
  • How Does HPS Differ from Other Sales Methods
  • How Has It Changed Since the HPS Book Was Written
  • Mindset of High Probability Selling
  • HPS Sales Process, Sequence of Steps
  • When HPS Works and When It Does Not
  • Questions and Answers

The course is 1 webinar session (GoToMeeting), about two hours long.  Real-time interactive conversations between participants, led by myself (Carl Ingalls).  Mostly audio, some visual.

I will record the webinar session and make the recording available to the participants.

I interview each applicant by telephone before accepting them as a student.

Price:  $95 USD per person.  We accept PayPal and most major credit cards around the world.

Date:  Thursday 7 November 2019.

Time:  10:00 am to noon, USA Eastern Time (same as New York City).

To Enroll:  Contact Carl Ingalls, by phone +1 610-627-9030, or by email info@HighProbSell.com.  Please do not send any credit card information by email.

For more information about this workshop, please visit
www.HighProbSell.com/workshops/essence/

For other training in High Probability Selling, please visit the HPS Training webpage

 

Essence of High Probability Selling – October 2019 Workshop for Beginners

We recommend this course for people who are just beginning with High Probability Selling (HPS), and have read the book at least once.

The October session is for people who have never received any training in HPS.  Another session with similar material will be offered in November as a refresher for people who have had at least some training in HPS and want a review of the basics.

Topics covered:

  • What is High Probability Selling
  • How Does HPS Differ from Other Sales Methods
  • How Has It Changed Since the HPS Book Was Written
  • Mindset of High Probability Selling
  • HPS Sales Process, Sequence of Steps
  • When HPS Works and When It Does Not
  • Questions and Answers

The course is 1 webinar session (GoToMeeting), about two hours long.  Real-time interactive conversations between participants, led by Carl Ingalls.  Mostly audio, some visual.

We record the webinar session and make the recording available to the participants.

We interview each applicant by telephone before accepting them as a student.

Price:  $95 USD per person.  We accept PayPal and most major credit cards around the world.

Date:  Thursday 17 10 October 2019.

Time:  10:00 am to noon, USA Eastern Time (same as New York City).

To Enroll:  Contact Carl Ingalls, by phone +1 610-627-9030, or by email info@HighProbSell.com.  Please do not send any credit card information by email.

For more information about this workshop, please visit our webpage at www.HighProbSell.com/workshops/essence/

For other training in High Probability Selling, please visit our HPS Training webpage.

Notes added on Thu 10 Oct 2019 by C Ingalls appear in red.

The Essence of High Probability Selling – New Workshop

We recommend this course for people who are just beginning with High Probability Selling (HPS), and have read the book at least once.  We also recommend it for people who have had some previous training and want a refresher.

Topics covered:

  • What is High Probability Selling
  • How Does HPS Differ from Other Sales Methods
  • How Has It Changed Since the HPS Book Was Written
  • Mindset of High Probability Selling
  • HPS Sales Process, Sequence of Steps
  • When HPS Works and When It Does Not
  • Questions and Answers

The course is 1 webinar session, about two hours long.  Real-time interactive conversations between participants, led by Carl Ingalls.  Mostly audio, some visual.

We record the webinar session and make the recording available to the participants.

We interview each applicant by telephone before accepting them as a student.

Price:  $95 USD per person.  We accept PayPal and most major credit cards around the world.

Date:  Friday 9 August 2019.

Time:  3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, USA Eastern Time (same as New York City).

To Enroll:  Contact Carl Ingalls, by phone +1 610-627-9030, or by email info@HighProbSell.com.  Please do not send any credit card information by email.

For more information, please visit our webpage at www.HighProbSell.com/workshops/essence/

For other training in High Probability Selling, please visit our HPS Training webpage.

Different and Incompatible Ways of Selling

Most salespeople try to get people to buy from them.  If this is the way you want to sell, then your success will depend upon how good you are at persuading and convincing, or at least influencing people.  You give them reasons to buy.  You focus on their needs and problems and expose vulnerabilities.  You use techniques to build rapport and make them like you and trust you.  If a sale doesn’t occur, it’s because you failed.  Perhaps you weren’t persuasive enough or friendly enough.

In High Probability Selling, we look for and work with people who want what we are selling, and who are likely to buy from us very soon.  If this is the way you want to sell, then your success will depend upon how good you are at finding these people, and how good you are at assessing the probability that they will buy from you in the near future.  You let prospective customers make their own decisions, for their own reasons and in their own time.  You focus on what they want and when.  Then you focus on whether you want to do business with them or not.  If a sale doesn’t occur, it’s either because they didn’t want what you are selling right now, or because you have decided not to go ahead at this time.

Both strategies have their proponents, and both strategies have successful salespeople.  However, they are completely incompatible with each other.  You can’t pick and choose elements from each.  They just don’t mix.

Everything depends upon what you choose.  Just pick one or the other.

 

Being vs Doing

High Probability Selling is more about being than doing. It requires a radical change in a person, not just a radical change in action.

by Carl Ingalls and Jacques Werth

High Probability Selling is more about being than doing.  It requires a radical change in a person, not just a radical change in action.

Who you are is revealed to other people by what you do.  People make conscious and unconscious decisions about who you really are, in response to things you do both consciously and unconsciously.  Very few people are fooled when you pretend to be someone you are not.  It feels wrong.

We teach High Probability Selling as a sales process, the details of what to do and how to do it.  Using this process will change who you are.  If it does not change you, it is not likely to work for you.

When you start using High Probability Selling, people will see a new person.  This is the kind of person that decision makers prefer to deal with.  People who cannot be or become that kind of person usually cannot “get themselves” to follow the process.  It feels wrong.

If you want to understand more about this, we recommend that you read the book “High Probability Selling” by Jacques Werth and Nicholas Ruben.  It tells the story of a person who is learning, doing, and being transformed by High Probability Selling.

Note:  You can read the Intro and the first 4 chapters of the book “High Probability Selling” online.