2. MAKING THE SALES CALL chapter 9
SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE:
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?
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3. “If it wasn’t for the familiar faces, responsiveness, and addressing the customers’ needs directly with a friendly smile, we would not have been considered for the business, let alone the contract.”
~Chad Stinchfield
Hospira
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4. Essential Elements of the Sales Call
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5. The content of an actual sales call depends on:
Introduction
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
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6. 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
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7. Very First Impressions
Making a favorable first impression usually results in a prospect who is willing to listen
How you dress
How you look
Be well groomed
Be confident
Smile
Modify behavior based on prospect’s state
Customer’s name
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8. Making a Good Impression (continued)
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
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9. Openings That Salespeople Can Use to Gain Attention
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
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10. Making a Good Impression (continued)
Developing a rapport
Should be the goal of every salesperson
Small talk
Office scanning
Consider cultural and personality differences
Share goals or agenda
When things go wrong
Maintain the proper perspective and a sense of humor
Apologize
Think before you speak
Rapport in selling is a close, harmonious relationship founded on mutual trust.
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11. Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions
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
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12. Discovering the Root Cause of the Need
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13. Asking Open and Closed Questions
Open questions require the prospect to go beyond a simple yes-or-no response
Closed questions require yes, no, or short “fill-in-the-blank” type response
In most cases salespeople need to ask both open and closed questions
Summarize the prospects needs
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14. SPIN® Technique Situation questions Problem 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
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15. SPIN® Technique (continued)
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
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16. Reiterating Needs and Developing a Strategy for the Presentation
Reiterate needs you identified before the meeting
Both parties can agree about the problem they are trying to solve
Prepare a set of questions that maximize the use of available time
Develop a strategy for the presentation
Prioritize buyer needs
Discuss features that address buyer needs
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17. 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)
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18. 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
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19. Building Credibility During the Call
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
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20. Building Credibility During the Call (continued)
Demonstrate product expertise
Keep it simple
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
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21. 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
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22. 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
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23. Summary
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.
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24. When selling to groups, the salesperson should:
Summary (continued)
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
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