SELLING PROCESS

SALES MANAGEMENT

Balram ChaudharyAsst ProfessorJVW University, Jaipur

THE SELLING PROCESS

It is a process by which a salesperson identifies and locates the prospects, separates the prospects from suspects, approach them and makes a sales presentation, handles their objects and closes a sale.

STAGES IN THE SELLING PROCESS

PRE-SALE PREPARATION

PROSPECTING

Prospecting is the process of identifying potential buyer who have:

Need of the productAbility to pay for itAuthority to buy it

A successful salesperson utilizes his/her time in distinguishing suspects from prospects

A sales person faces three sets of customer at the time of prospecting:

Lead CustomersProspect CustomersQualified Customers

METHODS OF PROSPECTING

Cold Canvassing Customer Referrals Observation Friends and Acquaintances Lists and Directories Direct Mail Telemarketing Trade shows and Demonstrations

PRE-APPROACH

Before approaching to the customers

salespersons must prepare themselves about

Knowledge about the customer

Knowledge about the final decision maker

Queries that are expected to be asked

Know how the product can benefit the

customer

Take the appointment

Prepare all the required data, documents etc

APPROACH

In this step the salesperson tries to get the customer’s attention and generate interest in him for the sales presentation

The goals of any sales approach can be

Getting the prospect’s attention

Removing any inhibition

Gaining the prospect’s respect and confidence

Probing for the benefit most wanted by the

prospect

Arousing their interest for hearing the presentation

VARIOUS APPROACHES USED

Benefit Approach: Focusing on customer

benefits

Referral Approach: Focusing on a third

party’s recommendation

Introductory Approach: Focusing on the

selling company and the salesperson,

focusing on the physical elements of the

products

SALES PRESENTATION

In this step the salesperson presents his products and

services before the prospects and makes effort to

create and modify their interest into sales realization

for the company

Approaches to sales presentation

Attracting customer attention (Appearance)

Creating Interest (benefit approach)

Arousing Desire and Building Conviction

Methods of Sales Presentation

Oral Presentation

Written Presentation

HANDLING CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS

Customer makes many objection during or after the presentation

Many a times these objections are excuses for not buying

It is the duty of the salesperson to clear the doubt of the customer

Customer may have doubt, he could not understand the presentation, product or service is new etc

TEN EXCUSES CUSTOMER USE ON THE SALES PEOPLE

Denial Blaming Minimizing I have no choice Reframing Reality Alibi Justification Derogation Helplessness Yes……But

METHODS OF HANDLING CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS Superior Feature Method Yes…..but method Reverse English Method Indirect Denial Method Pass Out Method Comparison Method Direct Denial Method Another angle method Narrative Method Testimonial Method Question or Why Method

CLOSING THE SALE It is the main objective of the salesperson and comes

after handling the objection Many salespersons are scared to ask a question like

‘Will you buy?’ Salesperson use indirect methods for closing the deal Methods of Closing the Deal

Salesperson may ask customer to fill the form, ask for address etc

Sales may give offer like price is likely to increase Ask question which answers ‘Yes only’ Like ‘Will you give cheque or cash?’ or ‘Which color of the

product will you like?’ or ‘What is your address for the billing etc?’ etc

FOLLOW UP

Keep yourself in touch with customer It will help you in cross-selling and reference

selling It helps in maintaining goodwill in the market

SUGGESTED READING

Chapter-3 ‘The Selling Process’ of Sales

and Distribution Management by ‘Tapan K

Panda and Sunil Sahadev’