1. The Sales Process
Seven Steps of Selling

2. Seven Steps of the Selling Process
Step 1: Approach
Step 2: Determine Needs
Step 3: Present the Product
Step 4: Overcome Objections
Step 5: Close the Sale
Step 6: Suggestion Selling
Step 7: Build Relationships

3. Step 1: The Approach
The approach, also known as the sales opening, is the first face-to-face contact with the customer.
Tips for effective sales openings:
Treat customers as individuals
Be aware of customer’s personality and buying styles.
Show interest in the customer by maintaining eye contact
Learn and use the customer’s name
Grab the customer’s attention
Recognize that sales approaches differ in organization and retail selling situations.

4. Organizational Selling (B2B)
Sales people usually make appointments to meet
Sales person should arrive early
Use proper etiquette: Greet the customer by name and introduces him- or herself and the company with a firm handshake and smile
Engage the customer with comments on recent event’s in the customer’s industry
Gather information about your customer to create a personal connection

5. Retail Selling Time the approach appropriately
When customers are in a hurry, you should approach them quickly
Three methods of approaching a customer in retail
Greeting Approach: The sales person welcomes the customer to the store.
Service Approach: Salesperson ask customers if they need assistance
Merchandise or Theme Approach: The salesperson makes a comment or asks questions about a product in which the customer shows an interest.

6. Step 2: Determine Needs
Determine needs right after approaching the customer
The service and merchandise approach allows you to asking customers a question about their needs
Three ways to determine needs:
Observing
Listening
Questioning

7. Observing Read your customer by observing them
Nonverbal communication is expressing oneself without the use of words.
Facial expressions, hand motions, eye movement, and other forms of nonverbal communication can give you clues about a customer’s interest in a product

8. Listening
Listening is one of the most important interpersonal skills you need to practice in selling
Giving customers your undivided attention and listening with empathy are two specific skills that will encourage your customers to talk freely

9. Questioning
One way to engage a customer in conversation is to ask questions
First ask general questions about the intended use of the product and any previous experience with it
Build questions around words like who, what, when, where, how and why
Once you have an idea about the customer’s general needs, then you can ask more specific questions relating to the product

10. Questioning Do’s and Don’ts
Do ask open-ended questions that encourage customers to do the talking.
Do ask clarifying questions to make sure you understand the customers’ needs.
Don’t ask too many questions in a row. This will make the customers feel as if they are cross-examined.
Don’t ask questions that might embarrass customers or put them in the defense.

11. Step 3: Presenting the Product
After learning the customer’s needs, you should be able to select a few samples to match those needs.
If the selection is not accurate, ask questions to get the feedback to select another product.
Begin by showing moderately priced products. You can move up or down in price once you get customer feedback.
Avoid overwhelming the customer by showing no more than three products at a time.
Present the product’s selling points. Educate the customer by explaining how the product’s features relate to their needs.
Use layman’s terms, words the average customer can understand.

12. Plan the Presentation
Planning is necessary for an effective product presentation.
Handle the product with respect and use hand gestures to show the significance of certain features.
Demonstrate the product if you can to build customer confidence.
Use sale aides to help emphasize certain selling points if you are unable to demonstrate.
Involve the customer. Let the customer try the product and feel what it would be like to own it.
Hold the customer’s attention

13. Step 4: Overcome Objections
Objections are concerns, hesitations, doubts, complaints, or other reasons a customer has for not making a purchase.
Excuses are reasons given when a customer has no intention of buying.
Objections can occur at any time during the sales process and should be answered promptly.
Objections can guide you in the sales process by helping you redefine the customer’s needs and determine when the customer wants more information.

14. Plan for Objections
Create an objection analysis sheet, a document that lists common objections and possible responses to them.
Common Objections
Need – Objections related to need usually occur when a customer does not have an immediate need for the item.
Product – Objections based on the product are more common. Can include concerns about ease of use, quality, color, size, or style
Source – Objections based on source often occur due to a negative past experiences with a company or brand.
Price – Objections based on price are more common with high- quality, expensive merchandise.
Time – Objections based on time reveal a hesitation to buy immediately. Sometimes these are excuses.

15. Four Step Method for Handling Objections
Step 1 – Listen carefully, be attentive, maintain eye contact and let the customer talk.
Step 2 – Acknowledge the objection, shows the customer you understand and care about the customer’s concerns.
Step 3 – Restate the objections, do not repeat the customer’s concerns word for word. Paraphrase the objection.
Step 4 – Answer the objections tactfully, never answer with an air of superiority or suggest that the person’s concern is unimportant.

16. Specialized Methods of Answering Objections
Substitution Method: Involves recommending a different a different product that would still satisfy the customer’s needs.
Boomerang Method: Brings the objection back to the customer as a selling point.
Question Method: Technique in which you question the customer to learn more about his or her objections.
Superior Point Method: Technique that permits the salesperson to acknowledge objections as valid, yet offset them with other features and benefits.

17. Specialized Methods of Answering Objections
Denial Method: When the customer’s objection is based on misinformation. It is best to provide proof and accurate information in answer to objection.
Demonstration Method: Seeing is believing. Demonstrate to show the product actually being used.
Third Party Method: Involves using a previous customer or another neutral person who can give a testimonial about the product.