© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Making the Sales Call How should the salesperson make the initial approach to make a good impression and gain the prospect’s attention? How can the salesperson develop rapport and increase source credibility? Why is discovering the prospect’s needs important, and how can a salesperson get this information? How can the salesperson most effectively relate the product or service features to the prospect’s needs? Why is it important for the salesperson to make adjustments during the call? How does the salesperson recognize that adjustments are needed? How can a salesperson effectively sell to groups? Some questions answered in this chapter are: 9-2 CHAPTER 9 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-3 McGraw-Hill/Irwin “Early conversation also helps me to understand what personality type the prospect is.” ~Jane Linenfelser Paychex

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-4 Essential Elements of the Sales Call McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The content of an actual sales call depends on: The specific situation The extent of the established relationship Four A’s selling process: Acknowledge Acquire Advise Assure 9-5 Introduction McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Making a Good Impression Waiting for the prospect –Be on time or call if you’re going to be a few minutes late –Make good use of your waiting time –15 minute rule –When to reschedule Very first impressions –Making a favorable first impression usually results in a prospect who is willing to listen –How you dress –How you look –Customer’s name 9-6 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Selecting a seat –Be aware of your surroundings –Read the prospect’s nonverbal cues Getting the customer’s attention –Prospects use the first few minutes to determine if they will benefit from the interaction –Salespeople basically have less than six minutes to get credibility with the client –Presentation openings 9-7 Making a Good Impression (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction opening –Simply introduce yourself Referral opening –Tell about someone who referred you to the buyer Benefit opening –Start by telling some benefit of the product Product opening –Demonstrate a product feature and benefit as soon as you walk up to the prospect Compliment opening –Start by complimenting the buyer or buyer’s firm Question opening –Start the conversation with a question 9-8 Openings That Salespeople Can Use to Gain Attention McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Developing a rapport –Should be the goal of every salesperson –Small talk –Office scanning –Consider cultural and personality differences When things go wrong –Maintain the proper perspective and a sense of humor –Apologize 9-9 Making a Good Impression (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin Rapport in selling is a close, harmonious relationship founded on mutual trust.

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. After capturing the buyer’s attention, it is time to identify the buyer’s needs Use transition sentences Don’t be surprised if the buyer is reluctant to provide confidential information Discovering needs is part of qualifying the prospect –This process can be uncomfortable for the prospect 9-10 Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Discovering the Root Cause of the Need McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions (continued) Asking open and closed questions –Open questions require the prospect to go beyond a simple yes-or-no response –In most cases salespeople need to ask both open and closed questions 9-12 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. SPIN® technique –Situation questions General data-gathering questions Many situation-type questions can be answered through precall information gathering and planning –Problem questions Questions about specific difficulties, problems, or dissatisfactions –Implication questions Help the prospect recognize the true ramifications of the problem Motivate the prospect to search for a solution to the problem 9-13 Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. –Need payoff questions Questions about the usefulness of solving a problem Solution centered –Conclusions about SPIN® Encourages the prospect to define the need Prospect views the salesperson more as a consultant trying to help than as someone pushing a product 9-14 Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Reiterating needs you identified before the meeting –Both parties can agree about the problem they are trying to solve Developing a strategy for the presentation 9-15 Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Offering Value: The Solution to the Buyer’s Needs Relating features to benefits Feature: quality or characteristic of the product or service Benefit: the way in which a specific feature will help a particular buyer FEBA (feature, evidence, benefit, agreement) 9-16 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Offering Value: The Solution to the Buyer’s Needs (continued) Assessing reactions –Using nonverbal cues –Verbal probing Allows the salesperson to stop talking and encourages two-way conversation Lets the salesperson see whether the buyer is listening and understanding what is being said May show that the prospect is uninterested –Making adjustments Changing direction Collecting additional information Developing a new sales strategy Altering the style of presentation 9-17 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Clearly delineate the time she or he thinks the call will take and then stop when the time is up Offer concrete evidence to back up verbal statements Avoid making statements that do not have the ring of truth to them Make a balanced presentation that shows all sides of the situation Recognize subcultural differences 9-18 Building Credibility During the Call McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Demonstrate product expertise Use well-conceived, insightful questions or comments Be willing to say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong on that,” or “I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ll get it to you.” Never use a word unless you know the exact definition 9-19 Building Credibility During the Call (continued) McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Selling to Groups Groups behave like groups, with group standards and norms and issues of status and group leadership. Salespeople should discover (for each prospect group member): –Member status within the group –Authority –Perceptions about the urgency of the problem –Receptivity to ideas –Knowledge of the subject matter –Attitude toward the salesperson –Major areas of interest and concern –Key benefits sought –Likely resistance and ways to handle it 9-20 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Selling to Groups (continued) Salespeople should also discover the ego involvement and issue involvement of each group member Develop objectives and plan Learn the names of group members and use them when appropriate Listen carefully and observe all nonverbal cues 9-21 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Make every possible effort to create a good impression during a sales call. Use any of several methods to gain the prospect’s attention. Establish the prospect’s needs before beginning any discussion of product information. Translate features into benefits for the buyer. Make any necessary adjustments in the presentation based on buyer feedback. Build credibility. When selling to groups, the salesperson should: –Gather information about the needs and concerns of each individual who will attend –Uncover the ego involvement and issue involvement of each group member –Develop meeting objectives and individual prospect objectives 9-22 Summary McGraw-Hill/Irwin