subject: TECHNIQUES TOWARDS BECOMING AN EXCELLENT SALESMAN [print this page] TECHNIQUES TOWARDS BECOMING AN EXCELLENT SALESMAN
By Arshad Husain
The first portion of a sales presentation is a very critical part of the sales call. It is during this time, known as the approach (on opening), that the salesperson introduces himself or herself, outlines the purpose of the visits, tries to establish rapport with the prospect, obtains the prospect's attention, and attempts to build interest in the material that will be presented.
First Impressions Are Essential
A favorable first impression is not just important; it is crucial to the success of a sales call. Some specific suggestions for making a favorable first impression include the following:
Wear neat, conservative clothes.
Be clean and carefully groomed.
Know the prospect's name and pronounce it correctly.
Be alert and pleasant.
Let the prospect offer to shake hands.
Forget about yourself and concentrate on the prospect.
Avoid smoking or chewing gum.
Preparation
Another key to making a favorable first impression is adequate preparation.
Beginning the presentation
Many techniques for beginning the sales presentation exist.
Ask Questions. A good question usually gets the sales presentation off to a food start.
Use a Referral. The name of another person is often an effective introduction: "Dr. Lopes recently purchased this new microscope and suggested that you might be interested in a demonstration."
Offer a Benefit. This technique can provide an effective opening. Often it involves a starting statement: "Mr. Nazir, I have an idea that will cut your fuel consumption by 10 percent. Would you be interested?"
Offer a Service. Most people are receptive to an offer of service: "Mr. Altaf, I'd like to review your disability insurance program to determine if my firm can provide your employees with increased coverage at a lower cost."
Compliment the Prospect. A compliment is a good way to establish rapport if the prospect has done something noteworthy or received some form of recognition recently.
Give Something of Value. Accepting a small gift will usually make the prospect feel obligated to listen for a few minutes: however, the gift must be something appropriate to the company and the product sold.
PROBING FOR NEEDS
In its most basic form, the selling process involves finding a need and filling it. To find needs, a salesperson must ask questions. According to one consultant:
SPIN selling. Selling approach that teaches salespeople to ask a logical series of questions to identify the needs of a prospect.
BENEFITS OF QUESTIONS
Skilled salespeople use probing questions throughout a sales presentation. Other major reasons for using questions during the sales process include the following:
To learn about the prospect' needs.
To maintain control
To involve the prospect
To build relationships
To establish trust
Types of Questions
There are many types of questions that a salesperson can ask during a sales presentation. In general, these questions fall into three basic categories.
Open-Ended Questions. Broad questions that are asked early in the sales presentation are open-ended questions.
Reflective Questions. Questions used in response to a prospect's comment are reflective questions.
Directive Questions. As a sales presentation moves forward, the salesperson uses directive questions, or leading questions designed to point the prospect toward areas of agreement.
CONVINCING THE PROSPECT
After identifying a prospect's needs, the salesperson moves to convince the prospect that the good or service will satisfy these needs.
Features-Benefits Selling
Most professional sales trainers emphasize features-benefit selling.
Presentation techniques
The sales dialogue above contains examples of techniques a sales representative can use to prove how an item will benefit a customer.
Visual Aids. Charts, graphs, slides, flip-charts, videos, and other visual aids increase the impact and believability of what is being claimed.
Testimonials. Reports from satisfied customers can be very persuasive. Ricci started the satisfactory experience of another business customer in her presentation.
Examples. Use two examples to illustrate the benefits of the payroll saving plan: the industry study that savers make better employees, and the insurance example to illustrate the ease of establishing such a plan.
Guarantees. If a prospect is unsure about the
Demonstrations. Demonstration can be a powerful sales tool, but they require adequate planning.
HANDLING OBJECTIONS
All salespeople encounter sales resistance actions or statements by a prospect that postpone, hinder, or prevent the completion of a sale.
Sales resistance Action or statements by a prospect that postpone, hinder, or present the completion of sale
Objection Outward expression of a prospect's doubts or negative feelings about a sales proposal.
OBJECTIONS REPRESENT SALES OPPORTUNITIES
Types of objections
Although a salesperson encounters many types of objections, most are related to four concerns timing, price, source, and competition.
Timing. Most people wish to delay making decisions, especially important decisions dealing with money.
Price. This form of objection arises when the prospect feels that he or she has financial constraints or can get a better price from a competitor.
Source. This type of objection results from negative feelings, which may be real or imagined, that the prospect has about the product to company.
Competition. The fourth type of objection is frequently encountered when calling on new customers.
Responding to objections
Ask Questions. Often a prospect's objections are unclear and the salesperson must probe to determine the real reason for the resistance.
Respond to the Objection. Once a salesperson has identified the true objection, it must be answered.
Yesbut methods sales technique in which the salesperson agrees with the prospect's objection, but then makes a statement that offsets the objection
Boomerang method Sales technique that converts a prospect's reason for not buying into a reason for buying
Comparison method Sales technique that minimizes the prospect's objection by comparing it with something that is acceptable
Compensation method Sales technique in which the salesperson recognizes the prospect's objection, but then points out advantages that compensate for the problem raised
Case history method Sales technique in which the salesperson uses an example of a satisfied buyer to offset the prospect's objection
CLOSING THE SALE
The final part of the sales presentation is the close or requesting the order. After a salesperson has established rapport with the prospect, demonstrated the product's features and benefits, and handled any objections, he or she is ready to ask for the order.
When to Close
Trying to close a sale too early or too late will generally result in a lost sale.
Looking and Listening for Buying Signals. It has been said that buying signals are like clues in a mystery novel.
Verbal Buying Signals. The prospect may make comments that suggest a readiness to make a commitment.
Nonverbal Buying Signals. Facial expressions and physical actions, known as body language, also act as buying signals.
Using a Trial Close. The salesperson must not move too fast, even if a prospect appears to be sending positive buying signals.
How to Close
Closing is simply asking for the order. There are many ways to do this.
Alternative proposal close Closing technique in which a salesperson offer the project a choice between details
Assumptive close. Close that assumes the prospect will make it sound easy
Gift close. Closing technique that provides the prospect an added inducement for taking immediate action
Action close. Closing technique that suggest the sales representative take an action which will consummate the sales
One-more-yes close. Closing technique in which the salesperson restates the benefits of the product in a series of questions that result in positive responses, then ask for the order
Balance sheet close. Closing technique in which the salesperson and the prospect list the reasons for acting now against the reasons for delaying, aimed at pointing out the advantages of prompt action
Direct close. Closing technique in which the salesperson simply asks the prospect for a decision
Followup
Many sales representatives make the mistake of assuming that the selling process has been completed when the sale is made. This is a critical mistake. The term "followup" is used to describe the important aftersale activities.
Postsale Action
The most important part of the followup is to make sure that the item or service sold to the customer has been received in good condition.
Customer Relations
In addition to postsale activities, salespeople are also required to maintain good customer relations.
Handle complaints promptly and pleasantly. No matter how efficient a company is, there are always some customer complaints.
Maintain contact with customers. Reasonably frequent contacts with existing customers are an expected part of the sales representative job.
Keep Serving the Customer. Successful salespeople never stop serving customers.
Show Appreciation. There are many ways to thank customers for their business.
Self-Analysis
A final followup task is self-analysis a continual evaluation by sales personnel of their own selling performance and methods.
Specific questions a salesperson should ask after completing a call include the following:
Were the planned sales objectives achieved?
What could I have done better?
What did I learn from this call that will contribute to my future success?
