SPANCO: The Journey From Stranger to Customer
Have you ever watched a salesperson lose a deal…
not because of lack of effort,
not because of lack of talent,
but simply because they had no process?
It’s painful.
It’s heartbreaking.
And it’s avoidable.
Today, I’m going to reveal the six-step journey that separates struggling salespeople…
from unstoppable sales champions.
But first—
let me take you to a moment…
Story:The Man Who Wanted a Miracle
A few years ago, outside a massive corporate office,
I saw a salesman standing alone.
Shirt damp with sweat.
Hands shaking.
Eyes filled with fear.
He had been chasing customers for months.
Calling random numbers.
Running behind leads.
Knocking on doors that never opened.
Nothing worked.
And in a moment of frustration he whispered:
“God… give me just ONE miracle.”
But the universe didn’t send a miracle.
It sent a mentor.
An old sales veteran watched him and said:
“Son, you don’t need a miracle.
You need a MAP.”
The young salesman looked confused.
The mentor placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and said:
“Sales is not a game of luck.
Sales is a journey.
And every journey has a path.
Follow SPANCO…
and you will never be lost again.”
That day, he introduced him—and today I introduce you—to the process that changed thousands of careers:
THE SPANCO PROCESS
SUSPECT → PROSPECT → APPROACH → NEGOTIATE → CLOSE → ORDER
Not a formula.
Not a theory.
A journey — from stranger… to buyer… to partner.
Let’s travel together.
1️⃣ S — SUSPECT
“Where the Hunt Begins”
Every sale begins with curiosity.
Not selling.
Not calling.
Just awareness.
Who might need what I offer?
Who has a pain I can solve?
Where could opportunity be hiding?
Suspects are not leads.
They are possibilities.
And every possibility is a seed.
This is the moment the archer scans the horizon.
2️⃣ P — PROSPECT
“When Possibility Turns Into Potential”
A suspect becomes a prospect the moment you discover need.
Need is powerful.
Need gives direction.
Need says, “Start here.”
The young salesman realized:
“Success is not about talking to everyone.
Success is about talking to the right ones.”
This is the moment the archer sees the target clearly.
3️⃣ A — APPROACH
“The First Handshake – The Moment of Courage”
This is the moment hearts beat fast.
Should I call?
Should I walk in?
Will they listen?
Approach is not selling.
Approach is courage.
The mentor said:
“Customers don’t buy from strangers.
Approach turns strangers into humans.”
This is the archer lifting the bow.
4️⃣ N — NEGOTIATE
“The Dance of Value”
Negotiation is not a battle.
Not a war.
Not a discounting contest.
It is a dance.
A dance where both sides try to win—
with dignity.
The young salesman learned:
“Negotiation is not about price.
It is about clarity.”
This is the moment the archer pulls the string.
5️⃣ C — CLOSE
“The Moment of Truth”
This is the heartbeat moment.
Silence in the room.
Eyes searching.
Mind calculating.
You’ve explained.
You’ve convinced.
Now you wait.
And then you hear the words every salesperson lives for:
“Let’s go ahead.”
Closing is not luck.
Closing is confidence.
This is the arrow leaving the bow.
6️⃣ O — ORDER
“The Beginning of Loyalty”
Most salespeople think the journey ends with the order.
But champions know:
“An order is not the end.
It is the beginning of a relationship.”
Order means trust.
Order means belief.
Order means responsibility.
This is when the arrow hits the target —
but the archer prepares for the next.
THE TRANSFORMATION – “The Return of the Salesman”
A year later, that same young salesman returned to the same office.
But this time…
His shirt was crisp.
His steps confident.
His eyes sharp.
He wasn’t chasing customers anymore.
He was guiding them.
Suspect.
Prospect.
Approach.
Negotiate.
Close.
Order.
Not guesswork.
Not luck.
A map.
A journey.
A process.
He became the top performer in his company.
Not because he was the smartest.
Not because he was the most experienced.
But because he followed SPANCO.
CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen,
Success in sales is predictable
— when you follow a path.
S — Search for possibilities
P — Find true potentials
A — Approach with courage
N — Negotiate with clarity
C — Close with confidence
O — Deliver with pride
This is how strangers turn into customers…
customers turn into partners…
and salespeople turn into legends.
Thank you.