Explicit Need

In The SPIN Selling Fieldbook: Practical Tools, Methods, Exercises, and Resources an explicit need is defined as a clear statement of a buyers want, desire or intention to act. A customer with explicit need has a problem and is aware that he has a problem

Succesful sellers uncover twice as much explicit needs than unsuccesful ones. By incovering explicit needs they now how to solve the problem a customer is aware of having.

See also Implied Need

Examples

• I'd like a way to cut my postage costs (I'd like refers to a desire and therefore explicit))
• I'm looking for help to do a better job forecasting sales (I'm looking for expresses want or desire)
• I'm worried about the increase competition from onther contractors (I'm worried indicates a problem or difficulty)
• I need a low maintenance car
• Ideallly, if we had the right equipment, we would be able to reproduce documents in full color
• We really need each team member to be able to send messages automatically to each team member in the field.