Channel Distribution Techniques

Unit 1: Sales Training & Definitions

Unit 2: Product & Field

Unit 3: Field & Definitions, Product & Definitions, types of product

Unit 4: Sales & Definition, Types of sales, Direct Sales, Indirect Sales

Unit 5: Sales forecasting, Factors affecting sales forecasting, Process of sales forecasting,

Unit 6: Marketing Planning, Sales promotions, Tools of sales

Unit 7: Introduction to Personal Selling, types of selling

Unit 8: Phone Sales Skills

Unit 9: Customer Service, types of services

Unit 10: Strategic, Sales & Strategic Key Account Sales

Unit 11: Meaning and definitions channel distribution

Unit 12: Functions of channel distribution, Factors affecting the selection of channel of distribution

Unit 13: Factor related to market, Time & territory management

Unit 14: Recruiting distributors and channel partners, Qualification and ranking of distributors

Unit 15: Selection of particular channel, Building trust and rapport, Boosting mind share, coaching distributors

Unit 16: Developing distributor capture plans, Proposals and closes.

Unit 17: Creating unique sales programs, supporting distributors with sales calls, maintaining successful distributor relationships.

Unit 1

Sales Training & Definitions

To grow your business, you will want to examine your sales and distribution strategies and determine if any changes need to be made. When John and Mark Friessfounders of wired.MDdecided to grow their business, they stopped their marketing efforts to doctors practices and targeted health resource centers. Instead of going to trade shows, they hired two people to make cold calls and used direct mail and direct e-mail. They changed from selling software to distributing streaming video over the Internet. Another approach was used by Gabriel Goncalves, founder of PeopleAnswers, Inc. To help generate the sales momentum he wanted, Goncalves decided against building a large internal sales team. Instead, his team trained independent dealers to sell PeopleAnswers software on an exclusive basis. Though substantially different, both strategies were effective in achieving the goals the entrepreneurs set for their business. The following topics on sales and distribution channels will focus on common issues for both products and services.SalesBottom line success in your business hinges on sales execution. Your salespeople are your primary source of revenue. They are also your link to your customers. With this dual role, your sales force will need to be developed and supported. Make sure you keep them updated on company and industry information. Help them see customer satisfaction as a key goal. Your salespeople are the ones who are building the brand and contributing to its visibility.Recognize that hiring good salespeople is not easy. Try to find experienced, successful salespeople; and whether they are novice or experienced, train them in the businesss products or services and procedures.Sales methods vary almost as widely as the products and services being sold. Internal sales methods include a solo approach, a direct sales force, and the Internet. External sales methods include licensing and sales and manufacturers representatives. Whatever your sales method, the process will be nearly the same. By thinking of sales as a process with finite steps you will be able to work on mastering each step.DistributionThe word distribution may conjure up images of trucks loaded with boxes, but distribution is as much a sales and marketing issue as it is a delivery issue. We can define distribution as the method companies use to deliver products or services to their target market and channel as the means by which products or services are distributed, but these definitions hide an important truth. Your distribution channels are not only a means to ship your goods or deliver your services; they may also provide you with additional opportunities to sell your products.

Lets face it, products and services dont typically sell themselves. At a very basic level, sales happen when you:1. Make an effort to get a customers attention. 2. Help that customer see the value of the product or service. 3. Make the customer feel comfortable that the seller can be trusted. 4. Make it easy for the customer to pay.5. Ensure that the customer has a way to receive the goods or services. All five of these activities are essential, and all involve skill and effort.You and your employees can do all these things yourself, but to grow beyond your current capacity youre going to need help. Distribution channels can provide you with that help.New Distribution Opportunities The type of distribution channel you use depends on your industry, type of products or services, and business model. In the past, distribution channels were largely standardized by industries which left entrepreneurs with a limited number of methods for getting their products or services to their intended audience. For example, clothing manufacturers traditionally sold their goods through department stores. Now manufacturers can sell their clothing through various types of retail entities and over the Internet. Examples of turbulence that can affect distribution are everywhere. Newspapers are cutting staff because advertisers are moving to the Internet. Software-development houses are shutting down because programmers in Bangalore, India can do the work for a fourth of the cost. Life insurance companies are being forced to change their pricing and sales tactics as low-cost term-life policies are sold as commodities on the Internet.New business models can be risky, but for many companies they are paying dividends. Amazon.com competes with local and on-the-ground chain books stores. Sit4Less.com sells chairs direct to consumers. Small mom-and-pop manufacturers like SunGoldSoap.com sell their products over the Internet. Even the U.S. Postal Service sells stamps online through Stamps.com.The point is that there are new and evolving opportunities for you and your company. If youre serious about growth, youll be serious about investigating your distribution alternatives. Remember: challenges to your business dont just come from your traditional competitors. The most dangerous threats often come from new start-ups who take advantage of cataclysmic changes in business infrastructurelike those happening today in distribution channels.

Unit 2 Product & Field

In the Internet age, people may shop at the click of a button. Yet, no matter how much we integrate technology in our lives, we still will spend part of our daysand part of our shopping and business experiencesinteracting with people in the physical world. As long as the personal dimension remains in our shopping and our work, there will also be an opportunities for marketers to step outside their buildings to interact with their customers in person.Field marketing involves working on site to connect with markets. As such, it comprises all marketing activities that involve face-to-face contact with the consumer. For some companies, it includes coordinating large sales teams who meet with customers face to face, while others run street promotions and hand out flyers The Classification of Products in MarketingClassifying products into meaningful categories helps marketers decide which strategies and methods will help promote a businesss product or service. Many types of classification exist. For example, marketers might categorize products by how often they are used. One-time-use products, such as vacation packages, require completely different marketing strategies than products customers use repeatedly, such as bicycles. A product classification helps a business design and executes an effective marketing plan.ConsiderationsThe key is to categorize your products in ways that make sense for your business. This allows you to, for example, design separate marketing campaigns for each category of product you offer. The alternative -- using a one-size-fits-all marketing plan -- is often less effective than implementing several highly targeted plans. No simple recipe exists for categorizing products and services, but there are some common product classifications in marketing: convenience, shopping, specialty and unsought products, according to The Advanced Dictionary of Marketing, by Scott Dacko.

Convenience ProductsConvenience products involve items that dont require much customer effort or forethought. Food staples often fall into this category, because customers can buy them nearly everywhere and at roughly the same prices. Marketing convenience products can be a challenge if there are many similar products competing for the customers attention and driving down the price.

Shopping ProductsCustomers are willing to invest time and effort to buy shopping products. For example, a customer might compare ingredients, prices and safety information for a variety of deodorants before making a final purchase. Often, the most effective marketing approach is to use advertising and heavy promotions to develop brand preference and loyalty among customers, according to the book Principles of Marketing, by Ashok Jain.Specialty ProductsSpecialty products require significant thought or effort. For example, a well-known luxury car model might be available at just a few local dealerships, meaning an interested customer has restricted options. Specialty products tend to be expensive, durable goods, often involving authorized dealerships and personal selling.Unsought ProductsUnsought products are items customers arent aware of or dont often think about. New products that have no brand recognition fall under this classification, as do certain types of insurance. The marketing problems presented by an unsought product are as follows. First, you must convince customers they need the product or service. Second, you must convince customers to buy the product or service from you and not your competitor.

Unit 3Field & Definitions, Product & Definitions, types of product

What is meant by Marketing Field?Marketing Field is a traditional discipline in marketing; it involves people distributing, auditing, selling or sampling promotions on the "field".Field marketing is historically thought of as a one-way communication tool. The brand's message is delivered from promotional personnel to the consumer whether through the medium of a sample, a piece of merchandise or literature.In current times, field marketing may also include two-way communications such as requesting feedback about a sample or inviting consumers to follow a brand on social media.Field marketing can be differentiated from all other direct marketing activities because it is face-to-face personal contact direct marketing. Field marketing includes highly targeted direct selling promotions, merchandising, auditing, sampling and demonstration, experiential marketing, organizing road shows, events and mystery shopping. These disciplines, individually or combined, develop brands and in their implementation show a clear real return on investment (ROI) to the brand owner. This is a key feature and benefit of field marketing seeing revenue expenditure generate a specific return.Field marketing professionals are able to give support to marketing operations. This includes counteracting a competitors campaign and/or increasing market distribution. Individuals in this profession are preferred to have extensive knowledge of different industries. Personnel are experienced, trained and supported by computer reporting systems. This allows for a high degree of accuracy and high speed reporting and compilation of data that allows fast and flexible solutions to the dynamics of the changing environment tailored to the needs of the clients market. Each campaign might involve two or more core disciplines to maximize client budgets and give as much pay back as possible

What is meant by Product?In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. In retailing, products are called merchandise. In manufacturing, products are bought as raw materials and sold as finished goods. Commodities are usually raw materials such as metals and agricultural products, but a commodity can also be anything widely available in the open market. In project management, products are the formal definition of the project deliverables that make up or contribute to delivering the objectives of the project. In insurance, the policies are considered products offered for sale by the insurance company that created the contract.

Types of ProductA product can be classified as tangible or intangible. A tangible product is a physical object that can be perceived by touch such as a building, vehicle, gadget, or clothing. An intangible product is a product that can only be perceived indirectly such as an insurance policy.Intangible Data Products can further be classified into Virtual Digital Goods ("VDG") that are virtually located on a computer OS and accessible to users as conventional file types, such as JPG and MP3 files, without requiring further application process or transformational work by programmers, and as such the use may be subject to license and/or rights of digital transfer, and Real Digital Goods ("RDG") that may exist within the presentational elements of a data program independent of a conventional file type, commonly viewed as 3-D objects or a presentational item subject to user control or virtual transfer within the same visual media program platform. Open Source Code, GNU Linux, or even Android, may manipulate and/or convert base Virtual Digital Goods ("VDG") into process-oriented Real Digital Goods ("RDG"), as part of an application process or manufactured service that may be viewed on Personal Data Assistant ("PDA") or other hand-held tangible devices or OS computer.A third type in this is services. Services can be broadly classified under intangible products which can be durable or non durable. Services need high quality control, precision and adaptability. The main factor about services as a type of product is that it will not be uniform and will vary according to who is performing, where it is performed and on whom/what it is being performed.Product modelA manufacturer usually provides an identifier for each particular type of product they make, known as a model, model variant, or model number. For example, Dyson Ltd, a manufacturer of appliances (mainly vacuum cleaners), requires customers to identify their model in the support section of the website. Brand and model can be used together to identify products in the market. The model number is not necessarily the same as the manufacturer part number (MPN).Because of the huge amount of similar products in the automotive industry, there is a special kind of defining a car with options (marks, attributes), that represent the characteristics features of the vehicle. A model of a car is defined by some basic options like body, engine, gear box and axles. The variants of a model are built by some additional options like color, seats, wheels, mirrors, trims, entertainment and assistant systems etc. Options that exclude each other (pair wise) build an option-family. That means, that you can choose only one option by each family and you have to choose exactly one option. These kinds of product definition fulfill the requirements of an ideal Boolean algebra and can be helpful to construct a product configuration. Sometimes, a set of options (car features) are combined to an automotive package and are offered by a lower price. A consistent car definition is essential for the production planning and control in the automotive industry, to generate a master production schedule, which is the fundamental for the enterprise resource planning.In addition, a specific unit of a product is usually (and has to be) identified by a serial number, which is necessary to distinguish products with the same product definition. In the case of automotive products it's called the Vehicle Identification Number VIN, an international standardized format.

Unit 4 Sales & Definition, Types of sales, Direct Sales, Indirect Sales

A marketing idea that is based only on the selling of goods or services, rather than on whether or not they are actually needed. Operating under the sales concept, a business would produce goods that it anticipated a profitable return from and then attempt to persuade consumers to purchase them by using advertising and other sales techniques. Also called the selling concept.

DEFINITION of 'Sales'

1) In general, a transaction between two parties where the buyer receives goods (tangible or intangible), services and/or assets in exchange for money.

2) An agreement between a buyer and seller on the price of a security.

A sale is the exchange of a commodity for money or service in return for money or the action of selling something. The seller or the provider of the goods or services completes a sale in response to an acquisition, an appropriation or a request. There is a passing of title (property or ownership) of the item, and the settlement of a price. A seller agrees upon a price which he willingly gives ownership of the item. The seller, not the purchaser generally executes the sale and it is completed prior to the obligation of payment. A person who sells goods or service on behalf of the seller is known as salesman or saleswoman.

Types of Sales

Businesses employ one of two basic types of sales strategies to their overall plan: direct or indirect. With the direct sales strategy, sales people attack the competition head on when talking to the customer. They talk about each feature of the competitions product and compare it to theirs. The term "negative selling" refers to the direct sales approach. Indirect sales approaches apply more subtle techniques by demonstrating features and benefits not available with the competitions products or services without ever mentioning them by name. This more sophisticated, positive sales strategy requires research and analysis of the competition.

Direct Sales

Direct Sales is the marketing and selling of products directly to consumers away from a fixed retail location. Peddling is the oldest form of direct selling. Modern direct selling includes sales made through the party plan, one-on-one demonstrations, and other personal contact arrangements as well as internet sales. A textbook definition is: "The direct personal presentation, demonstration, and sale of products and services to consumers, usually in their homes or at their jobs.Direct Sales is distinct from direct marketing because it is about individual sales agents reaching and dealing directly with clients. Direct marketing is about business organizations seeking a relationship with their customers without going through an agent/consultant or retail outlet. Direct Sales often, but not always, uses multi-level marketing (salesperson is paid for selling and for sales made by people he recruits or sponsors) rather than single-level marketing (salesperson is paid only for the sales he makes himself).

Indirect Sales

The sale of a good or service by a third-party, such as a partner or affiliate, rather than a company's personnel. Indirect sales may be used in conjunction with a company's direct sales efforts or may be used in lieu of hiring. Indirect sales are often made through resellers, such as specialty stores and big box retailers.Indirect sales can allow a company to increase sales quickly without having to hire more sales personnel. In some cases, however, indirect sales may lead to reduced control of the brand message and poorer customer service because the company cannot manage indirect sales teams easily. Companies often resort to indirect sales when the demand for the product is outpacing the ability of the company to hire competent sales people, or when the price of the product is too low to justify a large sales force.

Unit 5Sales forecasting, Factors affecting sales forecasting, Process of sales forecasting

Sales ForecastingSales Forecasting is the process of estimating what your businesss sales are going to be in the future. Sales forecasting is an integral part of business management. Without a solid idea of what your future sales are going to be, you cant manage your inventory or your cash flow or plan for growth. The purpose of sales forecasting is to provide information that you can use to make intelligent business decision.Sales forecasting for an established business is easier than sales forecasting for a new business; the established business already has a sales forecast baseline of past sales. A businesss sales revenues from the same month in a previous year, combined with knowledge of general economic and industry trends, work well for predicting a businesss sales in a particular future month.Sales forecasting for a new business is more problematical as there is no baseline of past sales. The process of preparing a sales forecast for a new business involves researching your target market, your trading area and your competition and analyzing your research to guesstimate your future sales.In general terms, forecasting means A statement made about the future. So, Sales forecasting is the estimation of sales made for the future. Sales forecast is an estimate of sales in rupees or in units for future period. A sales forecast is the prediction of sales volume that a company can estimate to achieve in specified period of time in future.Following are some of the definitions given by different scholars:According to American marketing Association, Sales forecast is an estimate of sales in dollars (Rupees in India) or physical units for a specified future period.According to Matthew, Buzzles, Lovitt, Frank, A sales forecast is an estimate of sales of a companys product that are expected to be achieved during a given future period, in a given place.Following are some of the factors that influence sales forecasting:1. Business Conditions: The sales manger should be aware of all the business condition in a country may it economic, political or business conditions. The business conditions like population growth, government policies, fashion and style etc affect sales forecasting. The economic trends such as inflation, deflation or recession etc influence sales forecasting.2. Changes within the firm: The conditions in the industry also influence sales forecasting. For example, shortage of raw materials, shortage of finance, etc disturb the firms activities and thus give rise to uncertainties in sales and production.3. Internal conditions of business Enterprise: The internal conditions like pricing policy, advertising, promotion policy, selection of distribution channel etc also affect sales forecasting.4. Taste of consumers: Different consumers have different taste. It may be any product like wearing apparel, vehicles, furniture etc. Sales depend on the size of consumers, gender, age, population etc.5. Period: Sales forecasting is also influenced on the basis of short run, medium run and long run forecast.There are different processes of sales forecasting which are used from time to time by the business enterprise to forecast sales. The processes of sales forecasting can be discussed as follows:1. Jury of Executive Opinion Method: This is the oldest method of sales forecasting. This method is also called Executive Judgment Method. Under this method, a jury or committee is formed. The jury consists of high ranking executives from different departments such as marketing, finance, production etc. Here, the jury members sit together and each member of the jury is asked to give the sales forecast for a given period of time based on his experience and information. Like this each members gives his opinion and then the opinions are collected, analysed and discussed. After that a collective decision is made about the future.2. Historical Method: As the name suggests, in this method the sales forecasting is done on the basis of historical records. Under this method, past data, records, information etc of the demand, production etc are collected, compiled, tabulated, interpreted and analysed and then the sales forecasting is done. As this method is based on the past records, the results which are studied and analysed before the future forecasting is determined, is more reliable.3. Sales Force Composite Method: Under this method, the sales executives are given the responsibility to forecast sales for his own territory. The sales person with the close relationship with the customers gets the knowledge and information about the future demand trend. Then the information are integrated and modified and a future sales estimate is made for given period of time.4. Consumer Buying Plan Method: In this type of sales forecasting method, as a source of information the consumers are approached to know their purchases during a period of time. This method is most suitable, when there are very few customers and is generally adopted by the industries which produce costly goods to limited number of customers.5. Expert Opinion Method: Under this method, the organization collects the opinion from outside experts who are engaged in the field of sales, professional experts etc. The opinions given in the newspapers, journals etc are also taken. The opinions are then collected, evaluated and analysed and then the sales forecasting is done.6. Test Marketing Result Method: Under this type of method, the products are introduced in a geographical area and then the result is analysed. Based on the result, sales forecasting is made. This test is done as a sample in order to understand the market response.7. Statistical and Quantitative Method: The methods which are discussed above are based on the personal judgment and are not that accurate. The statistical and quantitative methods are accurate and in recent years many statistical and quantitative methods are used for sales forecasting. These methods are based on calculations.

Unit 6 Marketing Planning, Sales promotions, Tools of sales

Market PlanningThe process of analyzing one or more potentially interesting market places in order to determine how a business can optimally compete in them. The market planning process typically results in a marketing strategy that can be used to enhance sales for the business producing it.Definition: A marketing plan is a business document written for the purpose of describing the current market position of a business and its marketing strategy for the period covered by the marketing plan. Marketing plans usually have a life of from one to five years.Purpose of a Marketing PlanThe purpose of creating a marketing plan is to clearly show what steps will be undertaken to achieve the business marketing objectives. While some small business owners include their marketing plan as part of their overall business plan, if a business owner follows the recommended SBA format, parts of the marketing plan will be included in the various areas of the business plan. As an alternative, the marketing plan may be attached in its entirety as an appendix to a business plan.

Sales promotion It is any initiative undertaken by an organization to promote an increase in sales, usage or trial of a product or service (i.e. initiatives that are not covered by the other elements of the marketing communications or promotions mix).Meaning and Definition:Sales promotion refers to those marketing activities that stimulate consumer shows and expositions. Purchasing and dealer effectiveness such as displays, demonstration and various non- recurrent selling efforts not in the ordinary routine. According to A.H.R. Delens: Sales promotion means any steps that are taken for the purpose of obtaining an increasing sale. Often this term refers specially to selling efforts that are designed to supplement personal selling and advertising and by co-ordination helps them to become more effective.In the words of Roger A. Strong, Sales promotion includes all forms of sponsored communication apart from activities associated with personal selling. It, thus includes trade shows and exhibits, combining, sampling, premiums, trade, allowances, sales and dealer incentives, set of packs, consumer education and demonstration activities, rebates, bonus, packs, point of purchase material and direct mail.

Objectives of Sales Promotion:Sales promotion is a vital bridge or a connecting link between personal selling and advertising. Sales promotion activities are undertaken to achieve the following objectives:1. To increase sales by publicity through the media which are complementary to press and poster advertising.2. To disseminate information through salesmen, dealers etc., so as to ensure the product getting into satisfactory use by the ultimate consumers.3. To stimulate customers to make purchases at the point of purchase.4. To prompt existing customers to buy more.5. To introduce new products.6. To attract new customers.7. To meet competition from others effectively.8. To check seasonal decline in the volume of sales.Importance of Sales Promotion:The importance of sales promotion has increased tremendously in the modern times. Lakhs of rupees are being spent on sales promotional activities to attract the consumers in our country and also in other countries of the world.Some large companies have also begun to appoint sales promotion managers to handle miscellaneous promotional tools. All these facts show that the importance of sales promotion activities is increasing at a faster rate.

Unit 7 Introduction to Personal Selling, types of selling

Introduction to Personal Selling:Personal selling occurs where an individual salesperson sells a product, service or solution to a client. Salespeople match the benefits of their offering to the specific needs of a client. Today, personal selling involves the development of longstanding client relationships.A Five Stage Personal Selling Process.Stage One Prospecting.Prospecting is all about finding prospects, or potential new customers. Prospects should be qualified, which means that they need to be assessed to see if there is business potential, otherwise you could be wasting your time. In order to qualify your prospects, one needs to: Plan a sales approach focused upon the needs of the customer. Determine which products or services best meet their needs. In order to save time, rank the prospects and leave out those that are least likely to buy.Stage Two Making First Contact.This is the preparation that a salesperson goes through before they meet with the client, for example via e-mail, telephone or letter. Preparation will make a call more focused. Make sure that you are on time. Before meeting with the client, set some objectives for the sales call. What is the purpose of the call? What outcome is desirable before you leave? Make sure that youve done some homework before meeting your prospect. This will show that you are committed in the eyes of your customer. To save time, send some information before you visit. This will wet the prospects appetite. Keep a set of samples at hand, and make sure that they are in very good condition. Within the first minute or two, state the purpose of your call so that time with the client is maximized, and also to demonstrate to the client that you are not wasting his or her time. Humour is fine, but try to be sincere and friendly.Stage Three The Sales Call (or Sales Presentation).It is best to be enthusiastic about your product or service. If you are not excited about it, dont expect your prospect to be excited.Focus on the real benefits of the product or service to the specific needs of your client, rather than listing endless lists of features.Try to be relaxed during the call, and put your client at ease.Let the client do at least 80% of the talking. This will give you invaluable information on your clients needs.Remember to ask plenty of questions. Use open questions, e.g. TEDs, and closed questions i.e. questions that will only give the answer yes or the answer no. This way you can dictate the direction of the conversation.Never be too afraid to ask for the business straight off.Stage Four Objection Handling.Objection handling is the way in which salespeople tackle obstacles put in their way by clients. Some objections may prove too difficult to handle, and sometimes the client may just take a dislike to you (aka the hidden objection). Here are some approaches for overcoming objections: Firstly, try to anticipate them before they arise. Yes but technique allows you to accept the objection and then to divert it. For example, a client may say that they do not like a particular colour, to which the salesperson counters Yes but X is also available in many other colours. Ask why the client feels the way that they do. Restate the objection, and put it back into the clients lap. For example, the client may say, I dont like the taste of X, to which the salesperson responds, You dont like the taste of X, generating the response since I do not like garlic from the client. The salesperson could suggest that X is no longer made with garlic to meet the clients needs. The sales person could also tactfully and respectfully contradict the client.Stage Five Closing the Sale.This is a very important stage. Often salespeople will leave without ever successfully closing a deal. Therefore it is vital to learn the skills of closing. Just ask for the business! Please may I take an order? This really works well. Look for buying signals (i.e. body language or comments made by the client that they want to place an order). For example, asking about availability, asking for details such as discounts, or asking for you to go over something again to clarify. Just stop talking, and let the client say yes. Again, this really works. The summary close allows the salesperson to summarize everything that the client needs, based upon the discussions during the call. For example, You need product X in blue, by Friday, packaged accordingly, and delivered to your wifes office. Then ask for the order. The alternative close does not give the client the opportunity to say no, but forces them towards a yes. For example Do you want product X in blue or red? Cheeky, but effective.So this is the Five Stage Personal Selling Process. Now have a go at it yourself by completing the lesson.In comparison to other marketing communications tools such as advertising, personal selling tends to: Use fewer resources, pricing is often negotiated. Products tend to be fairly complex (e.g. financial services or new cars). There is some contact between buyer and seller after the sale so that an ongoing relationship is built. Client/prospects need specific information. The purchase tends to involve large sums of money. There are exceptions of course, but most personal selling takes place in this way. Personal selling involves a selling process that is summarized in the following Five Stage Personal Selling Process. The five stages are:1. Prospecting.2. Making first contact.3. The sales call.4. Objection handling.5. Closing the sale.

Unit 8Phone Sales Skills

There are various ways to sale a product over the phone. One has to follow the following skills to be efficient on this work:From sending singing telegrams and direct mail to e-mail marketing, tradeshows and mixers, salespeople go to extraordinary lengths to avoid making cold calls. The reality is that even in our internet-based world, few tools are more effective and necessary for generating sales and sales appointments than the good old telephone. And I don't think much of farming out the cold-calling to someone who does not actually sell your product or service, which probably leaves it to you.So what's the big deal? For some reason, telephone cold calls inspire fear. Perhaps that fear is driven by the fact that most of us, at one time or another, have been less than gentle with a caller who has interrupted our dinner or called right in the middle of a family discussion to ask, "How'd you like to save money on your phone bill?" Click.I have 10 tricks to help you succeed at making cold calls.1. Get over your fear. It's not personal. To recipients of your calls, you are a voice coming through a small plastic device, someone who has interrupted whatever they were doing. No matter how badly someone treats you, realize that the minute the call is over, she will forget about you, so you can do the same. Second, understand that telephone cold calling is a numbers game. You need to get enough no's to get to a yes. When viewed this way, "no" simply becomes one more step toward "yes."

Once you are over the fear of making calls, there are a number of techniques and tricks that will help you be more effective.2. Leads. Lead generation is an entire subject in and of itself, so for the sake of brevity I will assume you have identified a list of target customers to call.3. Plan your calls. Set aside enough time to get into a rhythm--at least two hours per block. And plan to get through a set number of calls. Usually morning is better than afternoons, but after hours (see below) can also be very good. Note that I did not say to avoid calling at other times. More calls equals more sales. I have even had success calling during the holidays.4. Plan each call. What is the objective? Normally, it won't be to introduce yourself, describe your product and make a sale all in a single call. Typically, it should be limited to one of these. So if your objective is to set up a sales appointment, craft your script to this goal and stick to it. Avoiding getting drawn into a discussion outside of this objective will improve your success rate and earn you credibility with the target, as she will recognize that you are also a busy professional.5. Your voice. Businesspeople may be courteous toward amateurs, but they like to do business with other professionals. Your voice can convey either. If you're nervous, your voice gets higher. In addition, nerves increase the speed with which we speak. Deliberately counteract these tendencies. Before you call, lower your voice. Think of yourself as a very important person about to call another important person. Say your first words extra slowly. Be polite but not overly "sweet." Remember, you are important. Also, smile when you speak. This will add warmth to your voice.6. Your script. This should be uncomplicated and direct. Introduce yourself with confidence and credibility, provide a brief explanation as to why you are calling and ask for your objective:

"Hi John, this is Mary Jones, president of XYZ company. I have a product that we use with several other companies like yours, such as example 1, example 2. I am working in your area next Tuesday and Thursday morning and would like to briefly show you how we saved these companies $___. I have a slot at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Would that work?

Note: When you get a question, one good technique is to answer directly and briefly and follow with a question. Example:

"How do you save them money?"

"We have a new proprietary system that reduces waste by more than 50 percent. I see I also have an 11 a.m. slot...does 9 or 11 work best?7. The gatekeeper. This is the person whose job it is to shield your target from unwanted telephone calls. This person is not your friend, but don't make her your enemy. Your first call to a gatekeeper will be telling as to how hard your target will be to get on the telephone. Assuming you have already figured out who your target is, when you make your first call and the receptionist or assistant answers, simply state in a polite but authoritative manner:

You: "This is Mary Jones. Is John in?"Gatekeeper: "Who? Pertaining to?"You: "Yes, Mary Jones with XYZ. Is he there or should I call back?"

You'll know fairly quickly how hard it will be to get through the gatekeeper. I suggest that you only leave messages on a cold call as a last resort. Your target will not call back. However, you can always get useful information from this interaction. Example:

Gatekeeper: "I can take a message if you like..."You: "Oh, thank you. I'm on my way out but can try back later. What time do you expect him?"Gatekeeper: "About 4 p.m."You: "OK, how late is someone there answering the phone? And what time can I reach you in the morning?"

These last two questions sound innocuous, but if she answers them, you'll know what time to call to avoid the gatekeeper. Often executives and owners work later than the gatekeeper or come in before the gatekeeper arrives, and they will often pick up an unanswered phone. Also, many phone systems have an individual extension directory that you can access after hours.

If this doesn't work, you can call at another time and simply ask for the sales department. Virtually every receptionist in America knows that when people call for sales, they get directly to a salesperson. Like you, salespeople are busy. When they answer you say, "Oh, I must have gotten the wrong extension, I was trying to reach John. What is his extension?" Don't be surprised if this person simply transfers you directly to the boss. And when that happens, be ready to launch into your script as though he would be happy to hear it.

"Oh, hi, John. Mary Jones here with XYZ company. I have ..."8. Hang up. Once you achieve your objective, say, "Thank you, I will see you at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Goodbye." Many people succeed at getting consent or closing a sale. Then, feeling good, they open up a new line of discussion with their new friend, only to see the sale unravel. Again, stop talking and hang up.9. Don't let your phone give you away. Most office phones have caller ID. Find out what a receiving caller's caller ID says when you call. If it says, "XYZ Sales Company," you are starting off at a disadvantage. If it has your personal name or "private," you are much more likely to pique their curiosity enough to answer.10. Get started. The anticipation of making calls is 100 times worse than making them. And you will get better every time you make one.

Unit 9Customer Service, types of services

Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. According to Turban et al. (2002), "Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation."The importance of customer service may vary by product or service, industry and customer. The perception of success of such interactions will be dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest" according to Micah Solomon. Customer service can also refer to the culture of the organization - the priority the organization assigns to customer service relative to other components, such as product innovation or low price. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization, or proactively interview customers for feedback.From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue.[3] From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. A customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer has of the organization.Customers need different types of information or support services from a company. Customer interaction is also required for sales and marketing. Hence, a contact center can be used for a variety of business process. Robinson and Kalakota have analyzed different types of customer service functions in their book Offshore Outsourcing: Business Models, ROI and Best Practice. These functions include:1. Support: Support services include resolution of billing queries, order taking, activation of accounts, registration of new customers and recording complaints.2. Marketing: Marketing tasks carried out through a contact center include sending outbound emails, telemarketing, surveys and poling, responding to inbound emails and management of marketing campaigns.3. Sales: Sales tasks include inbound sales, outbound sales, web chat, web call-back and co-browsing.4. Technical Support: Customers require different technical support services such as data verification, application support, address updates and problem resolution through the technical help desk.5. Customer Analytics: Customer analytics includes profitability analytics, quality auditing, reporting and complaint analysis.