The Sales Process: The Approach
Retailing and E-tailing
Unit 8, Lesson 1
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2
Stages of a Sale
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3
Stage 1: The Approach
Pre -Approach
The Approach
Needs
Determination
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4
The Pre-Approach
Tasks performed before contact is
made with customer.
Pre-approach
Prospecting - The process of looking for
customers.
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5
Approach
The step in which the sales person makes the first in-person
contact with a potential customer.
What to accomplish in the approach:
Get customer’s
attention
Project a positive
professional
image
Show care,
concern, and
interest
Make customer
feel comfortable
Establish trust
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6
Types of Approaches
Photo Credits: Microsoft clip art gallery
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7
Determining Needs
Observation
Questioning
Listening
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8
Observation
Dress
Movement
Facial expressions
Companions
Behavior toward product
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9
Questioning
Goal: To learn about customers’ needs and wants
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10
Guidelines for Questioning
Do’s
Don’ts
Use open ended questions.
Don’t ask more than one or two
questions.
Ask questions that begin with
who, what, when, where, why, or
how.
Don’t ask embarrassing
questions.
Ask for details.
Don’t make judgmental or critical
comments.
Paraphrase the customer’s
request.
Ask clarifying questions.
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11
Listening
face the
customer
do not
perform
other tasks
eye contact
one customer
at a time
do not get
distracted
positive
feedback
ask questions
and
paraphrase
do not
interrupt
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12