1. What is Selling?
Helping customers make satisfying buying decisions by communicating how products and their features match customers’ needs and wants.

2. Verbal presentations to with the intent of making a sale.
Personal Selling
Verbal presentations to with the intent of making a sale.

3. Goals of Selling Help customers decide on purchases
Ensure customer satisfaction
Promote repeat business

4. Remember the Marketing Concept:
Satisfy customer needs and wants
AND
Make a profit

5. Feature - Benefit Selling
The concept that a salesperson needs to match the features of each product to a customer’s needs and wants.

6. Types of Product features
Extended
Warranties
Delivery
Installation
Return policy
Financing
Tangible
Style
Color
Quality
Options

7. Product Knowledge Sources
Printed materials
Brochures
Product tags
Catalogs
Experience
Other employees
Mentor
Trainer
Formal training

8. Customer Buying Decisions
Salespeople must study
what motivates customers to buy
what decisions customers make before finally purchasing a product.

9. What motivates a buyer? Rational motives
Conscious, factual reason for buying
Dependability
Time/money savings
Convenience
Health/Safety
Service
Emotional motives
Feeling of satisfaction desired from a product
Social approval
Curiosity
Recognition
Power
Love/affection
Prestige

10. Preparing to Sell (con’t)
Customer knowledge
Buying motives
Rational
Emotional
Buying readiness
Dispositions
Repeat customers
Rational Motive
Conscious, logical reasons for making a purchase
Emotional Motive
Feelings customers associate with the product

11. Customer Buying Decisions
Extensive Decision Making
Used when little or no previous experience with the item because it is infrequently purchased.

12. Customer Buying Decisions
Limited Decision Making
Used when a person buys goods and services he or she has purchased before but not on a regular basis.

13. Customer Buying Decisions
Routine Decision Making
Used when a person needs little information about a product because of a high degree of prior experience or low perceived risk.

14. Types of Sales Positions
Retail sales personnel - Sales clerks and sales associates. Communication skills
Professional sales (Industrial: B2B) - Require extensive training and product knowledge.
Telemarketers - Sell products over the telephone. Communication skills
Internet Sales - Computer skills

15. Traits of Successful Salespeople
Problem-solvers
People-oriented
Possess math skills
Have product knowledge
Common personal traits
Sincerity
Good attitude
Enthusiasm
Empathy
Poise
Perception

16. Steps of the Sales Process
Prospecting
Pre-approach
Approach
Determining needs
Handling objections
Closing the sale
Suggestion selling
Reassuring/
follow-up

17. The Buying Process
Series of mental steps that a customer goes through when making a purchase. (usually unconscious)

18. Act of looking for and qualifying a potential customer (lead).
Prospecting
Act of looking for and qualifying a potential customer (lead).

19. Sources/Methods of Prospecting
Employer
Telephone Directory
Newspapers
Cold-calling
Commercial lists
Customer referrals
Trade/Professional directories

20. “Getting ready to sell”
Pre-Approach
“Getting ready to sell”

21. Types of Pre-Approach Retail Clean store Displays neat
Products stocked
Promos visible
Merchandise tagged
Industrial
Past sales records
Buyer’s products
Competitors’ products used by buyer
Buyer’s interests, hobbies

22. Initial contact with customer
Approach
Initial contact with customer

23. Types of Approach (retail)
Service
“May I help you?”
Greeting
“Good morning”
“Those shoes also come in black” – making reference to merchandise
Merchandise

24. Determining Needs Observing (non-verbal communication) Listening
Eye contact
Feedback
empathy
Questioning
Confirm selling points
Encourage communication
Clarify customer’s points
Regain customer’s attention

25. Product Presentation Product Selection No more than 3 at one time
Mid-price range to start
What to do/say?
Descriptive adjectives
Display product
Demonstrate product
Involve customer (hands-on)
Sales aids (samples, articles, charts, testimonials)

26. Objections vs. Excuses Objection
Concerns, hesitations, doubts or other honest reasons a customer has for not making a purchase
Excuses
Insincere reasons for not buying – there’s nothing you can do about these

27. How to know the difference…
Determine if the objection addresses one of the 5 buying decisions…

28. Buying Decisions Need Product Source Price Time
Conflict between wanting and not needing something
Product
Objections about the product and/or its features
Source
From negative past experiences with company or store
Price
Usually associated with high-end products
Time
Hesitation to buy immediately

29. Common Objections Need Product Source Price Time
“I don’t need another coat”
Product
“I can’t wear this dress to work”
“The last time I ordered something from this store, I didn’t get it for 4 weeks
Source
Price
“This is more than I want to spend.”
Time
“I don’t get paid until Friday.”

30. Steps to handling objections
Listen carefully
Acknowledge objections
Restate objections
Answer objections

31. Methods of handling objections
Yes, but… (provides another viewpoint)
Boomerang (turns objection into selling point)
Question (to learn more about objection raised)
Superior Point (offset objection with other features/benefits)

32. Methods of handling objections (con’t)
Direct Denial (customer inaccurate. You provide proof/accurate information – be careful!)
Demonstration (illustrating one or more features)
Third party (testimonial)

33. Sample Objection Analysis Sheet
Buying Decisions
Objection
Response
Method of Response
Need
I don’t need another coat
Another coat would give you flexibility with our varying weather conditions
Yes, but
Superior Point
Product
I can’t wear that to work
What do you do?
Where do you work?
Question
Source
The last time I ordered something from here it took 4 weeks to deliver.
We had some problems in the past, but we have reorganized our systems so we guarantee 2-day delivery
Direct Denial
Price
This is too expensive.
This product is of high quality that is guaranteed to least for at least 10 years.
Boomerang
Timing
I don’t get paid until next week.
That’s ok. We have a layaway plan with no money down.

34. Summary of handling objections
Identify reason for objection (buying decisions)
4 basic steps: listen, acknowledge, restate, answer
Use one or more response methods

35. Closing the Sale Timing – be flexible
Obtaining positive agreement from the customer to buy
Timing – be flexible
Buying signals – indicates readiness
Trial close – initial attempt to close the sale

36. 8 rules for closing a sale
Use words of ownership
Use major objections
Use effective product presentations
Look for minor agreements on selling points
Stop talking
Stop showing more products
Summarize features/benefits
Don’t rush customer

37. Methods of closing a sale
“Which” close – deciding between two products
Standing-room-only close: short supply or expected price rise
Assumption close: “You’ve made a wise choice.”
Direct Close: “Let me ring this up.”
Service Close: “May I gift-wrap that for you?”

38. Attempt to sell additional goods or services to a customer
Suggestion Selling
Attempt to sell additional goods or services to a customer

39. Why Suggestion Selling?
More money for company
More money for you (commission?)
Satisfied customer
Repeat business

40. Common methods for Suggestion Selling
Related merchandise (shoes  socks)
Larger quantity (inexpensive items)
New stock
Advertised/sale merchandise (old stock)
Special occasion merchandise (holidays, seasons, events)

41. Rules for Suggestion Selling
Make suggestion after closing but before payment or order taken.
Give reason for your suggestion
Make the suggestion definite
Show/display the suggested item
Make the suggestion positive

42. Sale Follow-up Remind customer of special instructions Thank customer
Delivery promises
Information calls
Courtesy call
Customer file
Self-Evaluation