78 Copyright © 2022, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 5 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-3430-7.ch005 ABSTRACT Relationship selling is a strategy of attracting suitable consumers and then establishing, sustaining, and strengthening relationships with them to achieve long-term satisfaction through mutually benef- cial partnerships. For a frm to remain competitive over time, it must ensure its strategies are difcult for competitors to duplicate. Thus, relationship selling is leveraged as a tool for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. In today’s competitive environment, customer relationships are expected; hence, the establishment and development of relationship metrics is not an anomaly within successful sales organizations. With product quality becoming a universal standard and no longer a major source of competitive advantage, frms are striving to escape the quagmire of the “commodity mentality” that has pervaded the market today. To diferentiate themselves, a number of these companies are resorting to relationship selling. This chapter focuses on understanding relationship selling, its components, and processes, as well as how it contributes to sustainable competitive advantage. Relationship Selling as a Strategic Weapon for Sustainable Performance Edna Mngusughun Denga https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2121-242X American University of Nigeria, Nigeria Narasimha R. Vajjhala https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8260-2392 American University of Nigeria, Nigeria Sandip Rakshit American University of Nigeria, Nigeria