1. Chapter 2 Relationship Selling Learning Objectives
Understand the role of relationship selling in today’s market and how it differs from past stereotypes of selling.
Learn the steps in relationship selling and the purpose of each step.
Compare and contrast relationship selling and the traditional sales model.
Examine the usefulness of continuous quality improvement in a sales organization.
Recognize how to build relationships through team selling.

2. Quotable Quotes
“ Your professionalism is defined not by the business you are in, but by the way you are in business. ”
- Dr. Tony Alessandra

3. Value Creation Through Relationship Selling
The trend in professional selling today is toward relationship, problem-solving selling
Customer Satisfaction: the ultimate goal of the relationship salesperson throughout the selling process
Relationship Management:
Managing the account relationship
Ensuring that your clients receive the proper service during and after the sale

4. Relationship Builders
Treat customers like life-long partners
Become a solutions provider
Deliver more service than you promise
Schedule regular service calls
Develop open and honest communication
Use the ‘we can’ approach
Take responsibility for mistakes made
Be an ally for the customer’s business

5. Relationship Breakers
Simply wait for the problem to develop
Focus only on making the sale
Over-promise and under-deliver
Wait for your customers to call you
Lie or make exaggerated claims
Use the “us versus them” approach
Blame somebody else; Knock a competitor
Focus on your own personal gain

6. Relationship Selling Versus Traditional Selling
The face-to-face steps of the Relationship Model:
The Approach
Identifying Needs
Making the Presentation
Handling Objections and Gaining Commitment 1 2 3 4
Time: 40 percent spent on gaining rapport and trust Empathy: Think the way your customer thinks. Standards: Customer expectations, higher than ever

7. Relationship Selling Versus Traditional Selling
Relationship Model of Selling
Traditional Model of Selling
Phases
% time spent
% time spent
Building Trust (Rapport)
Probe, Ask Questions, and Listen
Sell Benefits
Reassure and Close
Telling
Qualifying
Presenting Features
Closing Long and Hard
Approach
40%
10%
Identifying Needs
30%
20%
Making the Presentation
20%
30%
Resistance and Gaining Commitment
10%
40%

8. Sales Cycle Framework for Relationship Selling
Chapter 7
Prospecting
Chapter 8 Preapproach and Telephone Techniques
Chapter 9
The Approach
Chapter 10
Need Discovery
Chapter 11
Making the Presentation
Chapter 12
Handling Objections
Chapter 13
Closing the Sale
Chapter 14 Service after the Sale
The 8 STEP SALES CYCLE

9. Phase One Identifying Qualified Prospects
Qualified prospects must have:
Need
Money
Authority
Planning Preapproach Activities
Telephone Activities

10. Phase Two Approaching the Prospect Discovering Needs
Success of the process depends on this
Requires questioning and creative listening skills
Making the Presentation
Takes planning
Handling Objections and Gaining Commitment
Resistance happens because an atmosphere of mutual trust was never fully developed
There may be problems beyond your control
The closing stage is the most tedious for the traditional salesperson

11. Cognitive Dissonance (buyers remorse) must be reduced
Phase Three
Service After the Sale
Relationships keep satisfied customers coming back
Customer satisfaction is an asset to you and your company
The relationship really begins when the buyer says “yes”
Cognitive Dissonance (buyers remorse) must be reduced

12. Continuous Quality Improvement
Total Quality Management
Listen and learn from customers and employees
Continuously improve the partnership
Teamwork through mutual trust and respect
Do it right the first time
Get your whole company involved
Service Quality
There is a process and an outcome. Both are necessary for customer satisfaction.

13. The Service Quality Interaction
The Process
The Actual Outcome
Perception of Service Quality Received
Overall Customer Satisfaction
Service Quality
Influences…
Leads To…

14. Traditional Management Versus TQM
Traditional Management Model
The TQM Model
Focus on product Company knows best Transactions Individual performance Fire-fighting management Blame/punishment Short-term (year or less) Intolerant of errors Autocratic leadership Bureaucratic Top-down decisions Inward focused
Focus on service
Customer knows best
Relationships
Team performance
Continuous improvement
Support/reward
Long-term (years)
Allows mistakes
Participative leadership
Entrepreneurial
Consensus decisions
Outward (customer) focused

15. Team Selling

16. The Growth of Team Selling
It has grown to take advantage of diverse skills and personalities needed to sell complex products
The selling steps are the same, but rules are needed
Usually at least one salesperson and some technical specialists
The buyer may also have a team

17. Benefits of Team Selling
Customer gets involved with more than one person
More accurate need definition
Very useful if product is technical
Different individuals bring more selling skills

18. Risks of Team Selling Requires special planning Must have a leader
Must agree on objectives
Must be better rehearsed

19. Combinations That Work
Opener and Closer
Just as in baseball (starting pitcher and the closer)
Some salespeople are good at opening up relationships while others are masters at closing the sale
Both are very important-- a symbiotic relationship

20. Selling in a Multicultural World
Multicultural Sales Professionals:
Place an emphasis on diversity
Establish a pro-diversity climate that benefits from different cultures’ contributions
Provide ethnic diversity that helps foster relationships