Adaptive selling is a sales and marketing principal where the product or services offered are framed or actually modified based on the preferences or demographics of the audience or client.

Adaptive selling requires the ability to customize a shopper’s experience as they interface with the real or virtual storefront.

The sales system leaves room to learn about the customer and to adopt the language and products offered based on changing interpretations of the customer. This may require a well-trained sales representative or a well-designed computer algorithm, as has been implemented on some e-commerce sites.

The idea is to create a value proposition that connects to the client or audience at hand. It’s opposite is called formula selling, in which a specific formula, or series of steps, is followed to lead to one possible outcome.

Formula selling does not leave room for creativity or innovation.