Chapter
7
Planning the Sales Call
is a Must!
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ABC’s of Selling, 10/e
Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Main Topics





Defining Success
The Tree of Business Life: Planning
Strategic Customer Sales Planning–The
Preapproach
The Prospect’s Mental Steps
Overview of the Selling Process
7-2
How Do You Define Success?


A baseball coach might define success as having
more wins than losses.
Her or his boss might define success as winning
the national championship or the World Series.
7-3
How Do You Define Success?, cont…


You might define success as making an “A.”
Or you might define success as just passing this
course.
7-4
How Do You Define Success?, cont…


A salesperson might define success
as making the sales quota this year.
Or he or she might define success as
being the top salesperson in the
company.
7-5
How Do You Define Success?, cont…


What is success when
calling on an individual
customer?
If your purpose, plan, and
goal are centered on
helping instead of selling,
can you fail?
7-6
Can You “Not” Make a Sale and
Still Be Successful?


What if your customer did not have a
need? Did you fail?
Yes or no?
7-7
Can You “Not” Make a Sale and
Still Be Successful?, cont…


What if your product would not help
meet your customer’s needs? Did
you fail?
Yes or no?
7-8
Can You “Not” Make a Sale and
Still Be Successful?, cont…

There are reasons you may not
make a sale, but there should
never be a reason that you do
not meet the “purpose” of your
business meeting….Why?
7-9
Can You “Not” Make a Sale and
Still Be Successful?, cont…
Your purpose is to help someone!
7-10
How Do You Define Success?
A.
B.
C.
Sales Call Purpose – to make a contribution to
the welfare of a person or organization.
Success – setting a goal and accomplishing it.
To be successful doesn’t necessarily mean to
make a sale. It just means to serve the
customer in the best way possible.
7-11
What Is Success?
Purpose
Plan
Success
7-12
The Tree of Business Life:
Planning
T
T T
T T TT
T T T T
Builds
Guided by The Golden
Rule:



Relationships

Plan how to help people solve
problems and fulfill needs
Plan every aspect of the sales
call so you will be organized and
prepared
Plan to present a specific solution
to each prospect’s unique set of
problems and needs
You will see that ethical service
builds true relationships
7-13
What’s a Plan?


A plan is a method of achieving an end.
The foundation of your plan must be based upon
the truth.
7-14
Exhibit 7-1: Only Through Truth Can Trust Be
Supported to Bridge the Gap between People
7-15
Begin Your Plan with Purpose

Purpose
The constant truth that guides your business life
 Directs how you approach each sales call
 Your purpose for any sales call should be to make a
contribution to the welfare of the person.


Plan to Achieve your Purpose
Plan each day, and carry out your plan adjusting to
circumstances as you go.
 At the end of each day evaluate your day to ensure a
successful tomorrow.

7-16
Exhibit 7-2: The Preapproach Involves
Planning the Sales Presentation
7-17
Strategic Customer Sales Planning–
The Preapproach

Strategic problem solving involves
Strategic needs
 Creative solutions
 Mutually beneficial agreements

7-18
Strategic Customer Sales Planning—The
Preapproach

Effective Strategic problem solvers have the
skills and knowledge to:
Uncover and understand the customer’s
strategic needs by gaining an in-depth knowledge
of the customer’s organization
Develop creative solutions that demonstrate a
creative approach to addressing the customer’s
strategic needs in the most efficient and effective
manner possible
Arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement
Strategic Problem Solving
Strategic Needs
The salesperson who understands the full
range of the customer’s needs is in a much
better position to provide a product solution
that helps the customer progress more
efficiently and effectively toward achieving
his or her organization's strategic goal
Strategic Problem Solving
Creative Solutions
A customized version of a product and/or
service that efficiently addresses the
customer’s specific strategic goals
A mix of goods and services – including
competitors’ products and services – that
offers the best possible solution in light of
the customer's strategic needs
Strategic Problem Solving
Mutually Beneficial Agreements
Salespeople and customers must work
together to develop a common
understanding of the issues and challenges
at hand to achieve a mutually beneficial
agreement
Customer Relationship Model
Customers have strategic needs that salespeople
must meet through creative solutions
Both come to mutual benefit solutions
Leads to long-term relationships between the
customer and salesperson
Meets performance goals
Exhibit 7-3: Consultative Selling–
Customer Relationship Model
7-24
Strategic Customer Sales
Planning–The Preapproach, cont…

Reasons for planning the sales call:
Builds confidence
 Develops atmosphere of goodwill
 Reflects professionalism
 Generally increases sales

7-25
Exhibit 7-5: Steps in the
Preapproach: Planning the Sale
Determine sales
call objective(s)
Develop/Review
customer profile
Develop
customer
benefits
Develop sales
presentation
7-26
Strategic Customer Sales
Planning—The Preapproach cont…

Elements of sales call planning
Determining the sales call objective
Developing or reviewing the customer profile
Developing a customer benefit plan
 Developing the individual sales presentation
based on
 the sales call objective,
the customer profile, and
the customer benefit plan
Exhibit 7-5: Steps in the
Preapproach: Planning the Sale,
cont…
Determine sales
call objective(s)
Develop/Review
customer profile
Develop
customer benefits
7-28
Develop sales
presentation
Strategic Customer Sales Planning–
the Preapproach, cont…

Always Have a Sales Call Objective
The precall objective – have one or more!
 Focus and flexibility

 Customer focus your efforts on the objective when you
are with the customer
 Be prepared to switch to another objective if needed
Make the goal specific
 Move customer conversation toward the objective
 Set a SMART call objective

7-29
Always Have a Sales Call Objective


The sales call objective is the main purpose of
contact with a prospect or customer
The exception is a survey call.
7-30
Strategic Customer Sales
Planning—The Preapproach cont…

Always have a sales call objective – set objective
for every call
The precall objective – have one or more
“If this call is successful, what will result?”
Be focused and flexible – know where you are going
Focus your efforts on the objective when you
are with the customer
Be prepared to switch to another objective if
needed
Strategic Customer Sales
Planning—The Preapproach cont…
Make the goal specific
Not just to “…get an order.”
Move customer conversation toward your
objective
Guide the customer to preplanned outcome
Set a SMART call objective
SMART Call Objective
 S pecific
 M easurable
 A chievable
 Realistic
 T imed
7-33
Strategic Customer Sales
Planning—The Preapproach cont…
Set a SMART call objective
Specific—not just “…get an order”
Measurable—quantifiable (number, size, etc.)
Achievable—not too difficult to fulfill
Realistic—not too easy to fulfill
Timed—at this call, or before EOM, EOY, etc.
Customer profile provides insight
Customer benefit plan: what’s it all about?
The sales presentation is where it all comes together
Exhibit 7-5: Steps in the
Preapproach: Planning the Sale,
cont…
Determine sales
call objective(s)
Develop/Review
customer profile
Develop
customer benefits
7-35
Develop sales
presentation
Customer Profile Provides Insight



Review information to create customized
presentation.
See what your customer has done in the past to
determine future needs.
If you do not have customer profiles, get one for
each customer.
7-36
Customer Profile Provides Insight

It Should Tell You
Who makes the buying decisions?
What is the buyer’s background?
What are the desired business terms and what
are the needs of the account?
 What competitors do business with the
account?
 What is the history of the account?
Exhibit 7-6: Information Used in a Profile
and for Planning
7-38
Exhibit 7-5: Steps in the Preapproach:
Planning the Sale, cont…
Determine sales
call objective(s)
Develop/Review
customer profile
Develop
customer benefits
7-39
Develop sales
presentation
Customer Benefit Plan: What It’s All
About!
1. Select features, advantages, and
benefits
2. Develop your marketing plan
3. Develop your business proposition
4. Develop a suggested purchase order
based on customer benefit plan
Customer Benefit Plan: What It’s All
About!

Steps in creating the customer benefit plan:
Step 1: Select FABs for product discussion
 Step 2: Select FABs for marketing plan discussion
 Step 3: Select FABs for business proposition discussion
 Step 4: Develop suggested purchase order based on
first three steps

7-41
Exhibit 7-7: Examples of Topics Contained in the
Marketing Plan Segment of Your Sales Presentation
7-42
Exhibit 7-8: Examples of Topics Contained in the Business
Proposition Segment of Your Sales Presentation
7-43
Exhibit 7-5: Steps in the Preapproach:
Planning the Sale, cont…
Determine sales
call objective(s)
Develop/Review
customer profile
Develop
customer benefits
7-44
Develop sales
presentation
The Sales Presentation Is Where It
All Comes Together
The sales presentation is
where it all comes together
7-45
The Sales Presentation Is Where It
All Comes Together

Write out all FABs for steps 1 – 3.
Step 1: Select FABs for product discussion
 Step 2: Select FABs for marketing plan discussion
 Step 3: Select FABs for business proposition discussion



Write out suggested purchase order.
Now you are ALMOST ready to create your sales
presentation.
7-46
Exhibit 7-9: Major Phases in Your Presentation: A
Sequence of Events to Complete in Developing a
Sales Presentation
Rapport-building
Uncover needs
Attention, interest, transition
Features
Advantages
Benefits
1. Approach
2. Fully discuss your
product
3. Present your
Marketing Plan
How to resell (for reseller)
How to use (for consumer and
industrials user)
4. Explain your
Business Proposition
What’s in it for your
customers?
5. Suggested
purchase order
Recommend what to buy in
order to fill the needs
uncovered in the presentation
Ask for the business!
6. Close
Do not give up!
Act as a professional
Leave the door open
7. Exit
7-47
What is Left in Creating Your
Sales Presentation?
1. Approach.
2. Fully discuss your
product.
3. Present your
marketing plan.
 As shown in Exhibit 7-9 you
need to create your:
 Approach – covered in Chapter 9
 Close – covered in Chapter 12
4. Explain your
business proposition.
5. Suggested purchase
order.
6. Close
7. Exit
7-48
Before You Can Pick Your
Approach You Must:
 Select which presentation method to use –
covered in Chapter 8.
 Prepare for anticipated objections from your
prospect/customer – covered in Chapter 11.
7-49
In Planning a Sales Presentation,
You Should Consider:
 The prospect’s mental steps
?
?
?? ?
 What would the prospect be thinking as
you give your presentation?
7-50
Exhibit 7-10: The Prospect’s Five
Mental Steps in Buying
Attention
Interest
Desire
7-51
Conviction
Purchase
The Prospect’s Five Mental Steps
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Attention
Interest—determine buying motives
Desire—use FAB
Conviction—develop
strong belief in product
Purchase or Action
How Do You Obtain Someone’s Attention
When You Begin Your Presentation?
 Show you are there to help!
 The proper approach is important! (Chapter
9)
 Your goal is to determine a need or problem.
Attention
Interest
Desire
7-53
Conviction
Purchase
How Do You Keep Someone’s Interest
in What You are Presenting?
 Show you are there to help!
 Quickly present major FABs that:
 Fulfill a need
 Solve a problem
 Show and tell as discussed in
Chapter 10
Attention
Interest
Desire
7-54
Conviction
Purchase
How Do You Build Desire for Your
Product?



Show you are there to help!
Using your trial closes, determine
if prospect is interested in benefits
Watch for nonverbal signals!



Green
Yellow
Red
Attention
Interest
Desire
Conviction
Purchase
7-55
How Do You Establish The Conviction Your
Product Will Solve Needs or Problems?



Show you are there to help!
Let the customer see how your product’s FABs
will solve her needs or problems
Your trial closes will reveal whether the customer
ready to buy
Attention
Interest
Desire
Conviction
Purchase
7-56
How Do You Know if Customer Ready to
Purchase So You Can Close?


Show you are there to help!
Trial close response(s) give nonverbal signals that
indicate positive beliefs that the product will fulfill
needs or solve problems
Attention
Interest
Desire
Conviction
Purchase
7-57
Overview of the Selling Process



Getting the prospect’s attention and interest by
having the prospect recognize a need or problem,
and stating a wish to fulfill the need or solve the
problem
Uncovering and answering the prospect’s questions
and revealing and meeting or overcoming objections
results in more intense desire
Desire is transformed into the conviction that your
product can fulfill the prospect’s needs or solve
problems.
7-58
Exhibit 7-11a: The Selling Process and Examples
of Prospect’s Mental Thoughts and Questions
7-59
Exhibit 7-11b: The Selling Process and Examples
of Prospect’s Mental Thoughts and Questions
7-60
Exhibit 7-11c: The Selling Process and Examples
of Prospect’s Mental Thoughts and Questions
7-61
Summary of Major Selling Issues



Careful planning of the sales call is essential to
success in selling
Planning builds self-confidence, develops an
atmosphere of goodwill, creates professionalism,
and increases sales
Sales call planning
Have a sales call objective that is SMART
 Develop or review the customer profile
 Develop your customer benefit plan

7-62