the selling process - 3 stages source potential customers opening the sale building the sale closing...

The Selling Process - 3 Stages

Source Potential

Customers

Opening The Sale

Building The Sale

Closing The Sale

Follow Up Sale

Prospecting The Sales Presentation After Sales Service

Rules of Selling• Adopt a Win – Win approach• Know your product – features, benefits & USPs• Sell the benefits, not the features• Research prospect• Know your customers’ needs/wants• Listen to the buyer• Relate what you are selling to the buyer’s wants and needs• Plan your sales and be prepared• Have clear and well prepared sales presentations,

demonstrations and telephone calls • Make sure you know who the decision maker is

• Money• Authority• Need

Look

for th

e

MAN

• Internal Sources:– Enquiries to

advertising– Phone/mail

enquiries– Internet enquiries– Customer records

Sourcing Customers/Prospecting

• External Sources:– Following leads– Referrals/introductions– Community contact– Other organisations– Networks– Newspaper– Directories

• Personal Contact:– Business contacts– Social networks– Formal networks– Networking– Word of mouth– Personal observation– Cold canvassing– Trade shows– Conferences– Sales seminars

Contacting Prospects – Planning your Approach

How

• Telephone• Person to

person• E-mail• Letter• Visit

What to say

Resources required

Objective Next steps

• Make an appointment

• Create an interest

• Immediate sale

• Set an agenda• Opening statement• Sales pitch• Qualifying questions• Answers to objections• Reponses to

questions• Build confidence &

rapport

• Business cards• Customer

testimonials• Brochures• Portfolios• Diary• Writing materials

• Obtain an appointment

• Send information

• Follow up

Sales Presentation Structure

• Opening the sale• Body/building the sale• Closing the sale

Opening the Sale• Make an opening statement

• Introduce yourself/your business

• State the purpose of the presentation quickly (within 15 seconds)

• Ask qualifying questions

Body/Building the Sale

• Provide information on you/your business and your product/service

• Relate to the buyer’s needs/wants

• Highlight unique selling points (USPs)

• Focus on the benefits to the customer

• Follow a logical sequence

FAB

FeaturesFeatures High speed processor

AdvantageAdvantage

BenefitBenefit

Can compute twice as fast

Provides customer with

more productive time

Focus of

sales pitch

Why Objections Occur• Disbelief/not convinced• Budget/money issues• Satisfaction with a competitive product• Previous negative experience• Fear of making the wrong decision• Misunderstanding

Handling Objections • Prepare responses in advance

• Listen to the objection

• Check you have understood the objection

• Answer the objection

• Advance the sale

Buying Signals

• Requesting a sample

• Requesting names of other customers

• Commenting positively

• Indicating problems with previous vendors

• Asking specific questions re: price, features, availability, options

• Negotiating

Closing Methods

• Assumptive close• Alternative choice close• Immediate gain close• Fear close• Direct request close• Summary close• Negotiation close• Small decision close

Follow Up• Explain level of service at the time of the sale• Make a courtesy call after the sale• Give customer contact numbers etc• Stay in touch• Use a database• Send customers information on offers etc

Benefits of Customer Care• Satisfied customers will recommend you to

others• Encourages repeat sales• Dissatisfied customers will complain on

average to 10 other people• Demonstrates professionalism• Poor customer care will damage your image

and reduce your profits