1. Selling
Chapters

2. Selling
Selling is: the face-to-face contact with the customer in an effort to assess their needs and satisfy those needs with appropriate products and services

3. Importance of selling to economy
Improves decision making of customer
Increases sales of business
More jobs
Better information

4. Characteristics of “effective” salespeople
Good communication skills
Good interpersonal skills
Solid technical skills
Positive attitude and self-confidence
Goal orientation
Empathy
Honesty
Enthusiasm

5. Sources of product information
Product manuals
Formal training
Direct experience
Labels
Promotional materials
Other employees
Company’s website

6. Selling policies Store Guarantees Warrantees
Amount of time to return product
Exchange procedures
Return procedures

7. Buying motives
Rational motives – conscious, factual reason for buying a product
Dependability, time, convenience, monetary savings, health or safety considerations, service, and quality
Emotional motives – a feeling experienced by customer based on association w/product
Social approval, power, love, affection, prestige
Patronage motives –
Loyalty to a business

8. Prospecting Looking for new customers Employer leads Newspapers
Telephone directories
Commercial lists
Customer referrals
Cold convassing

9. Preapproach
Getting ready for the first face-to-face encounter with the customer
Retailing:
Straighten, arrange, replenish stock
Adjust price tickets
Taking inventory
Arranging displays
Vacuuming, dusting, keeping sales area clean

10. Preapproach Business-to-Business selling:
Analyze their previous sales records
Review notes about buyer’s personality, family, interests
Do they have the authority to buy
Do they have the financial resources to pay?

11. Feature-benefit selling
Telling the customer about both the features and the benefits of each feature

12. Tangible product features
A physical characteristic or quality of a good or service that explains what it is.
Color
Price
Material
Texture

13. Customer benefits
Advantages or personal satisfaction that a customer gets from a good or service
How does the feature help the product’s performance?
How does the performance information give the customer a personal reason to buy the product
Feature: Camera has a automatic flash mode
Benefit: Allows for flash in all conditions

14. Extended product feature
Not always physically part of the product, but are important to purchase decision
Warranties
Service policy
Available financing
Reputation of company

15. The approach in retail selling
The goal of the approach is to make the customer feel comfortable and also find out information to satisfy their wants and needs
Smile, be respectful, enthusiastic

16. The approach in business-to-business selling
Set up appointment
Arrive early to appointment
Introduce yourself and your company
Give a firm handshake

17. Service Approach
Ask the customer “May I help You?” This is the least effective approach because they can say “no”.
Only use this approach if they are in a hurry and need assistance quickly

18. Greeting approach Greet the customer and welcome to the store
Hello and welcome to Belks, please let me know if you need any help
It lets customer know that you are there to help

19. Merchandise Approach
When you make a comment or asks a question about the merchandise the customer is looking at
Takes the emphasis off of you and the customer and puts it on the merchandise
Is the most effective approach

20. Determining Customer’s Needs
When? As soon as possible in the sales process.

21. Three methods to determine a customer’s needs
Observing – facial expressions, hand motions, eye movements, length of time at product (nonverbal communication)

22. Listening You can get clues about customer’s needs and buying motives
Maintain good eye contact
Provide verbal and nonverbal feedback
Listen with empathy and open mind

23. Questioning Uncover needs Uncover wants Uncover buying motives
Learn more about customer

24. Questioning
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?

25. Product Presentation
Which products? Products that meet customer’s needs and wants.
Price range? Start with medium-priced item.
How many? No more than three products at a time.
What to say? Talk about products features and benefits.

26. Displaying and Handling the Product
Creatively display
Jewelry – velvet display pad
Handle with respect

27. Demonstrate the product and using Sales Aids
Show the customer how it works
Drop an unbreakable dish on the floor
Use Sales Aids – samples, reprints of magazine and newspaper articles, audiovisual aids, models, photographs, drawings, charts, etc.

28. Involve the customer!! Get them physically involved with the product
Try it out
Try it on
Taste, smell, etc.

29. What are objections? Excuses?
Objections are: concerns, hesitations, doubts, or other honest reasons not to buy product
Excuses are: insincere reasons for not buying or not seeing the salesperson
Too busy
Just shopping around

30. Welcome objections. Why???
Can help you redefine the customer’s needs and determine when customer wants more information

31. Five most common buying objections:
Need – I want it, but I don’t need it.
Product – Concerns about quality, size, appearance, or style.
Source – Negative previous experience with firm or brand

32. Five most common buying objection (continued):
Price – More common with high- quality, expensive merchandise
Time – Hesitation to buy immediately

33. Four-step process for handling objections:
Listen Carefully
Be attentive
Maintain eye contact
Let the customer talk
Acknowledge customer’s objections
Understand and care about them
“I can see your point.”

34. Four-step process (continued)
Restate the objection
Paraphrase their objection to check for understanding of their concern
Answer the objections
Answer tactfully, keeping in mind customer’s feelings
Use to further define or redefine customer’s needs

35. Methods of Handling Objections
Yes, but – I understand your point, but…..
Boomerang (Toss it back) – Objection comes back to customer as selling point
Deny it – provide proof and accurate information to answer objection

36. Methods of handling objections (continued)
Point counterpoint (superior point) – acknowledge objections as valid, but offset with other features and benefits
Inquiry (Question) – Question to learn more about objections raised
Show’em (demonstration) – Illustrating one or more features of a good or service

37. Methods (continued)
Testimonial (third party) – using a previous customer who can give a testimonial about product
Try it – Let them use for themselves to disprove their objection

38. Closing the sale The customer agreeing to buy the product
Ways to know if ready:
Observing their body language
Things they say

39. Types of closes
Which close: Have the customer choose between 2 or 3 items “Which item would you prefer?”
Standing-room-only close: use when a product is in short supply or the price may go up “The price will be going back up this Friday.”

40. Types of closes
Direct Close: You ask for the sale directly. “Would you like to go ahead and purchase this product today?”
Service Close: Explain services that may overcome obstacles to buying
Examples: Gift wrapping, return policy, guarantees, warranties

41. Suggestion selling
Selling additional goods or services to the customer
Benefits: customer by saving them time
Benefits: company makes more in sales, makes customer happy

42. Suggestion selling methods
Offering related merchandise – “would you like to buy some film or batteries to go with your new camera”
Recommending larger quantities – “One pair of pantyhose costs $4 but you can buy 3 pairs for $10 which will save you money

43. Suggestion selling methods
Calling attention to special sales opportunities – “ We are having a sale on all items in this department just today, you may want to look around to see if there is anything else you may want to buy before I ring you up.”

44. Follow-up after the sale (relationship marketing)
Send a thank you note
Call to check on the customer
Send a survey or questionnaire

45. Benefits of building customer clientele
You will have loyal customers coming back to you and they will refer their friends and family

46. Processing telephone orders
Be friendly
Repeat back order for verification and accuracy
Follow-up to make sure received order in timely manner

47. Product substitutions
When out of the current product
When want a better quality than the product on sale
When it is a similar value