CONTENT/TEACHING OUTLINE
COMPETENCY:
5.00
Apply effective selling techniques.
OBJECTIVE:
5.02
Understand preliminary activities associated with selling.
A. Exemplify employee training and development.
1. Product knowledge
a. Training: To form by instruction, discipline, or drill.
b. Formal training: Training provided by the company in a class or workshop
setting. This type of training most often takes place in B2B (Business to
Business) selling.
c. Informal training: Takes place on the sales floor in retail operations. A new
associate may be paired with an experience associate who will describe the
merchandise and selling techniques.
d. On your own: Some organizations do not provide training. In this case, an
associate must learn on their own. The more knowledgeable a salesperson is
successful sales will result. Top salespeople continue to learn about products
on their own. Four main sources of information include:
i. The product itself. Salespeople may be given samples of the products to
try.
ii. Printed resources. Care tags, content labels, and users’ manuals. Other
sources include manufacturer’s, trade, and consumer publications.
iii. The Internet. Search using keywords or search engines such as Google
or Yahoo.
iv. People. Those who have previous experience with your product are a
valuable source of information. Ask customers about their previous
experiences and how the product compares to competitors.
2. Sales techniques
a. Attention: Get the attention of your customer through advertising or
prospecting.
b. Interest: Build interest using an emotional appeal (i.e. family, friends, and
boss).
c. Desire: Build desire by highlighting product features.
d. Conviction: Increase desire by sharing testimonials and proving the worth of
the product.
e. Action: encourage the customer to buy, ask for the sale.
3. Ethical behavior: Effective salespeople should build trust with customer by being
honest and responsible. Behaviors that are considered unethical include:
a. Overselling the product, promising more than the product or company can
deliver. For example, promising the customer that they will loose 25 pounds
in 24 hours, even though the instructions indicate otherwise.
b. Lying about the competition to make the sale. For example, claiming that a
restaurant uses meat substitutes instead of real beef.
c. Providing false testimonials. For example, showing manipulated or “doctored”
photos of a well known celebrity using the product.
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Summer 2006
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CONTENT/TEACHING OUTLINE
COMPETENCY:
5.00
Apply effective selling techniques.
OBJECTIVE:
5.02
Understand preliminary activities associated with selling.
B. Summarize preapproach and prospecting.
1. Preapproach: Preparing for face-to-face customer interaction. Salespeople gain
product knowledge, study trends, competitors, and identify potential customers.
2. Prospect: A potential customer. Prospects are most common in B2B selling
situations. Prospects, or leads, come from:
a. Employers
b. Directories
i. Telephone directories
ii. Trade and professional directories
c. Newspapers
d. Commercial lists
e. Customer referrals
3. Two types of prospecting
a. Endless chain method: Salespeople ask previous customers for names of
potential customers.
b. Cold canvassing: Salespeople attempt to locate as many potential customers
as possible without checking out leads beforehand. Salespeople may go
door-to-door or may select names from a telephone directory.
C. Summarize preparation for B2B and retail selling.
1. B2B
a. Preapproach depends on whether the customer is a new prospect or an
existing customer.
b. For new prospects the salesperson must do background research to
determine needs and financial standing.
c. For existing customers, the salesperson must review past notes and history
about past purchasing habits.
2. The preapproach in the retail environment. Retail associates are responsible for
preparing the merchandise and work areas.
a. Straightening, rearranging, and replenishing stock
b. Adjusting price tickets
c. Learning the location and current availability of stock
d. Arranging displays
e. Vacuuming and dusting
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