MEMBERSHIP SELLING AND
SALES MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS

“SPIN” To Win New Chamber Members

Chamber membership reps often obsess about getting to the closing stage of the membership recruitment process as quickly as possible. If you find yourself trying to rush the process, we’d like to offer some advice.

Recruiting isn’t about closing; it’s about helping prospective members resolve their problems. That takes time. It requires that you ask a lot of questions, and really listen to the answers.

We find that the SPIN Questioning Model can be quite effective in helping membership reps understand prospective members and present solutions specific to a prospect’s perspective.

WHAT IS SPIN?

SPIN gets its name from the four types of questions that help guide prospective members to the idea that chamber membership is the solution to their problems. SPIN stands for: Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-Payoff.

SITUATION QUESTIONS

“Situation Questions” are essentially icebreakers that help you get to know your prospect. Asking focused “situation questions” provides context and a starting point for understanding prospective members’ potential problems and needs.

PROBLEM QUESTIONS

“Problem Questions” invite prospective members to identify potential needs, which almost always start with a challenge or frustration with their current situation. These questions probe for surface problems, difficulties, and dissatisfactions in areas where chamber membership can help.

Keep in mind though, surface problems are rarely enough to motivate an investment decision, but they can provide the foundation for you to probe further.

IMPLICATION QUESTIONS

“Implication Questions” help you transform surface problems into needs. They draw out the underlying impacts and possible consequences of the problems that your prospect revealed to you in the previous stage.

These questions are powerful because they help prospective members realize that their problem is severe enough to justify an investment, which ultimately paves the way for you to demonstrate how membership is a viable solution.

NEED-PAYOFF QUESTIONS

“Need-Payoff Questions” focus on the payoff of chamber solutions. They pinpoint the value, importance, and usefulness of chamber resources and actions, which helps prospective members discern how membership can help them resolve their problems. 

These questions only work after you have asked enough problem and implication questions to help prospective members uncover and recognize the implications and impact of their problems.  

Bottom line – don’t rush the process. Don’t be in a hurry to get to your next question or the next stage in the recruiting process.  Trust the process and put in the time. The time investment you make will pay off as you help more prospective members naturally evolve into new members.

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