is a distinguished author, consultant, and academic, renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of sales theory. He is best known for pioneering the "consultative selling" approach, which he detailed in his influential book, "SPIN® Selling." This work has become a classic in the business world, translated into over 30 languages, and was named the No. 1 sales book of all time by Inc. magazine in 2013.

Rackham's academic journey began with a degree in psychology from Sheffield University, where he also served as a research fellow. His early research focused on developing tools to study interpersonal skills in negotiation and selling, leading to a series of seminal publications. In 1974, he founded the Huthwaite Research Group, which evolved into a global consulting firm, Huthwaite Inc., specializing in sales performance improvement.

Rackham's research, supported by major corporations like Xerox and IBM, involved a comprehensive study of 35,000 sales calls across 20 countries. This research challenged conventional sales techniques and introduced the SPIN methodology, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs over traditional sales pitches. His work has significantly influenced sales training programs, with more than half of Fortune 500 companies adopting his methods.

Beyond his writing, Rackham has served as a consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies and as a visiting professor at prestigious institutions, including the University of Portsmouth and Cranfield School of Management. His contributions to the field have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Lifetime Contribution Award from the University Sales Education Foundation.

Neil Rackham resides in Northern Virginia with his wife, Ava Abramowitz. In his leisure time, he enjoys writing poetry and science fiction, with his first fiction book, "A Telling Of Stones," published in 2019.