6
Communicating the
Sales Message
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
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Learning Objectives
• Understand the characteristics of a
sales presentation
• Identify sales presentation strategies
• Discuss the steps in preparing for the
sales presentation
• Discuss the steps involved in
approaching the customer
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Learning Objectives
• Understand how to apply your sales
knowledge to the customer’s needs
• Understand how important product
demonstrations are in the presentation
• Define the keys to a great sales
presentation
• Understand the role sales managers play in
sales presentations
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Fitting the Presentation to the Customer
Situation
First meeting w/ customer
Competitors trying to take
business away
Winning back lost
customers
Making the final
presentation before the
order is given
Salesperson’s focus
should be:
Listening (about 80% of the
total meeting time) to
determine the customer’s
needs
Restating the value
proposition
Letting customers vent their
frustration
Answering any last minute
details for the customer
Source: Julia Chang, “Tailor Made,” Sales and Marketing Management, April 2003, pp.37-41.
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
Communicating the Sales Message
Sales presentation • Delivery of information relevant to solving
the customer’s needs
• Often involves a product demonstration
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
expert advice 6.1
Three most important characteristics of a successful
sales presentation
– Research the customer’s business and
technical needs in advance of the sales call
– Tailor the presentation materials according
to the research results
– Listen to what the customer says in the
meeting, then further refine the discussion to
meet the customer’s needs and interests
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6-8
6.1
Characteristics of a Great Sales Presentation
•
Explains the Value Proposition
•
Asserts the advantages and benefits of
the product
•
Enhances the customer’s knowledge of
the company, product, and services
•
Creates a memorable experience
COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6-9
6.2
Sales Presentation Strategies
Presentation
Strategy
Focal Point of
Presentation
Talk/Listen
Ratio
Memorized
Product
90/10
Formula
Product
70/30
Need satisfaction
Customer
50/50
Problem solving
Customer
40/60
COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
Memorized Presentations
• May discuss some areas not
important to the customer and leave
out some that are
• Tend to seem high pressure
• Ensure consistent delivery
• Are able to deliver more information in
the same amount of time
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Formula Presentations
Based on the acronym AIDA
•
•
•
•
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Get the customer’s attention
Create interest in the product
Develop a strong desire for the product
Move the customer to action
COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
Need Satisfaction Presentations
• Need identification stage – questioning
the customer to discover needs
• Need analysis stage – by combining
knowledge of the company’s products and
services with the recognition of the
customer’s needs, determining how to best
meet those needs
• Need satisfaction stage – presenting the
company’s solution to the customer’s needs
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Problem-Solving Presentations
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•
Focus on customer
•
Considered the most complex and
difficult presentation strategy
•
Preferred presentation strategy in
relationship selling
COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
How Technology Can Help You
• Portable computer systems - match
the technology to meet presentation
needs (don’t overbuy)
• Wireless communication – connecting
to the company or anywhere else on
the Internet allows the salesperson to
provide the most current data
available
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Setting Goals and Objectives
Presentations should meet at least
one of the five following goals:
• Educate the customer
• Get the customer’s attention
• Build interest for the company’s products and
services
• Nurture the customer’s desire and conviction
• Obtain a customer commitment to action
(purchase)
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Approach the Customer
• Before the meeting – never make the
customer wait
• Greeting the customer
• Dress appropriately
• Turn off or silence all wireless communication devices
• Be organized
• The first three minutes
• Build rapport
• Non-controversial subjects
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Objectives of the Customer Approach
• Get the customer’s attention
• Create enough interest in you, your
company, and its products and
services that you can continue the
presentation
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leadership 6.3
Never Underestimate the Power of
Your First Impression
•
•
•
•
6-18
Portray a confident but not superior
manner
A clean, neat appearance is essential to
making a positive first impression
It’s important to smile
Try to use your prospect’s name when
conversing
COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
leadership 6.3
Never Underestimate the Power of
Your First Impression
•
•
•
•
Show that this meeting is important to
you
Don’t apologize for taking your prospect’s
time
Be comfortable and relaxed
Position yourself through everything you
say and do
Source: Bill Brooks, “Never Underestimate the Power of Your First Impression,” American Salesman, April 2002, pp. 3-5.
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6.3
Approaches to the Sales Presentation
• Referral
• Customer Benefit
• Question
• Assessment
• Product demonstration
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6.5
Question
Type
Categories of Questions
Advantage
Disadvantage
Unrestricted Encourages customer to Time consuming
speak
Restricted Gets specific information Discourages dialogue
Data
Uncovers relevant data
Collection
Investigation Helps uncover customer
needs
Validation Provides customer buy-in
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Wastes customer time
Difficult to manage
responses
Can derail presentation
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Questioning Drives a Great Presentation
• Unrestricted/restricted questions –
encourage the customer to share
information
• Unrestricted – encourage the customer
to speak more freely and salesperson to
develop a richer understanding of the
customer’s needs
• Restricted – provide specific information
from the customer that the salesperson
can use to shape the presentation
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Questioning Drives a Great Presentation
• Data collection questions
• Gather basic data about customer’s
current business or historical perspective
• Limit use in presentations
• May provide information that interferes with
elements of the presentation
• Customer may perceive a lack of preparation
• Investigation questions – assess the
customer’s current state of mind
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Questioning Drives a Great Presentation
• Validation questions – help get
agreement from the customer
• Situation questions – provide basic
information about the customer’s
situation
• Problem questions – get the customer
concentrating on particular issues
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Questioning Drives a Great Presentation
• Implication questions – help the
customer recognize a problem’s
implications
• Need payoff questions – directly
connect the problem with the value
proposition
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leadership 6.4
The SPIN Selling Approach
Situation Questions
Finding facts about the
customer’s existing situation
Problem Questions
Learning about the customer’s
problems
Learning about the effects of the
customer’s problems
Implication Questions
Need Payoff Questions
Learning about the value of a
proposed customer solution
Source: Neil Rackman, SPIN Selling (Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill, 1988).
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Listening
• In sales, listening is as, or more, important than
talking
• Most people listen actively only 25% of the time
• Most people can hear up to 800 words per
minute, but only speak around 140 words per
minute
• Active listening - requires commitment to focus
on the speaker, concentrate on what is being
said, and take in nonverbal as well as verbal
messages
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6.6
Guidelines for Active Listening
1. Listen patiently
2. Try to understand the feeling the other person is
expressing
3. Restate the person’s feeling
4. Allow time for discussion to continue without
interruption
5. Avoid direct questions and arguments about facts
Source: Dan Sharp, “Guidelines for Active Listening and Reflection,” www.salesconcepts.com, June 2003
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6.6
Guidelines for Active Listening
6. Repeat points you want to know more about
7. Listen for what is not said
8. When solicited, be honest in your reply
9. Do not get emotionally involved
10.BE QUIET
Source: Dan Sharp, “Guidelines for Active Listening and Reflection,” www.salesconcepts.com, June 2003
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Sell FAB
• Feature – any material characteristic or
specification of the company’s products or
services
• Advantage – a particular product/service
characteristic that helps meet the
customer’s needs
• Benefit – the beneficial outcome to the
buyer from the advantage found in the
product feature
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Satisfy Customer Needs
• Get customer agreement
• Minimize change conflict
• Establish the relationship
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Keys to a Great Presentation
• Demonstrations
• Three benefits to the salesperson
• Can build credibility with customers
• Create a greater connection between the customer and
the product
• Enhance the effectiveness of your communication
• Prepare for a successful
demonstration
• Develop objectives
• Get customers involved
• Practice, practice, practice
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COMMUNICATING THE SALES MESSAGE
EXHIBIT
6.7
Demonstration Checklist
• Justify the need for a product
demonstration
• State the objective of the demonstration
• Design the demonstration
• Rehearse the demonstration
• Plan for unforeseen circumstances
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Nonverbal Communication
• Nonverbal communication is the most
important element in the
communication process
• Less than 10% of communication is
based on what we say
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Customer Nonverbal Communication
• Face – single most important feature in
nonverbal communication
• Arms and hands – open indicate person is
open to communication
• Body language
• Leaning forward = interest
• Leaning backward = lack of concentration
• Quick movements = change of mind
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Territorial Space
Intimate Space
Personal Space
Social Space
Customer
2-3’ 4’
12’
Public Space
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When Things Go Wrong
• Interruptions during the Presentation
• Assess nature of interruption
• Consider as an opportunity to plan where
to take the presentation from here
• Inappropriate Environment - be
prepared for less than ideal conditions
• Technology Failure – always have a
backup plan
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