SALES REPRESENTATION
ANDREW ZIELINSKI, MBA
www.accrongroup.com/fengyeschool/
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Objectives – 10 Steps to Professional Sales in 7 Weeks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Professional Sales Call Preparation – Pre-Approach
Professional Client Relations – The Approach
Needs Analysis
Product/Service Presentation - 1:1 and to Groups
Handling Objections
Negotiation
Closing
Follow-Up
Merchandising and Promotion
After-Sales Service
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
By the End of This Module, You Will:
 Understand the details of the full professional sales cycle from
preparation, though prospecting, presentation, negotiation,
closing and after-sales service
 Have worked all 10 steps to a level of “marketable” proficiency
 Develop a working structure to get organized, build a sales
pipeline, and begin the sales process with qualified prospects
 Be proficient at sales presentation tools
 Manage objections through verbal and non-verbal cues
 Acquire negotiation and closing techniques
 Develop a disciplined follow-up structure
 Effectively manage merchandising and promotional events
 Know how to obtain constructive customer feedback
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Week 1 – Initial Preparation – Pre-Approach, Approach
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Getting into focus:
It’s About Helping Them Choose
It’s too easy to fall into the trap of merely making the product
available and taking orders or moving on
A sales person is a trusted partner to his/her customers
Customers come to value the choices that their sales
representative offers
The reputation of a sales representative and the company or
brands they represent are built on this choice, the service and the
connection created between the sales person and the client
What kind of sales representative are you? Take the Test! Teacher
will hand out the profile sheet after the test
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
1.
Pre-Approach
Objectives
 Articulate the goal of customer call
 Research: your company’s values and style, customer,
competitive environment, economic situation
 Review Customer File or Create One
 Appropriate Preparation of product file, required
materials, sales presentation
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Finding New Customers
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Important for the salesperson to open new accounts to
generate sales volume
Prospecting
“Build it and they will come” - Retail Sales – not relevant
because the customers come into the store ?? (What if you own
the store?)
Employer leads
Telephone Directories
Trade and Professional Directories
Newspapers
Commercial Lists
Customer Referrals
Cold Canvassing
PREPARING FOR THE CALL/VISIT
Industrial Sales
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Analyze past sales records
View notes about the personal aspects of the
customer
Qualify new customers
Inquire with other salespeople who are with noncompeting lines
Ask questions in a pre-visit phone call
Make an appointment to see the prospect in order to
have time to explain the features of your product
PREPARING FOR THE CALL/VISIT
Retail Sales
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The customer comes to you, so most of the
preparation is in the retail store
Stock-keeping and housekeeping duties are
important
Learn about the merchandise and the prices of
the merchandise – the Plan-o-gram
APPROACHING THE CUSTOMER
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First impressions count; if a customer is turned off by
the approach, it will be difficult to win him or her over
Be alert to what interests the customer
Establish rapport
NOW, YOU DO IT!
Activity 5.1
Working from Handouts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Teacher will make handouts available on class web site: Class
21 – Handout on Preparation
Context: You are looking for new customers
Context: After finding a likely prospect, you need to prepare
for a meeting at their office
Save as Assignment511_FirstName_LastName.docx
Bring a printed copy to next class and give to teacher
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Objectives – 10 Steps to Professional Sales in 7 Weeks
Professional Sales Call Preparation – Pre-Approach
2.
Professional Client Relations – The Approach
3.
Needs Analysis
4.
Product/Service Presentation - 1:1 and to Groups
5.
Handling Objections
6.
Negotiation
7.
Closing
8.
Follow-Up
9.
Merchandising and Promotion
10. After-Sales Service
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MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
2.
Approach
Objectives
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Setting Appointments
Courtesy
Relevant Attention-Getting Techniques
Adjusting to Customer’s Pace
Developing a Relationship of Trust
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
2.
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Approach
Be aware of the customer’s buying style
Follow good guidelines for establishing a positive relationship
with customers
Setup an appointment during the pre-approach, and arrive
early to the appointment
Introduce yourself, smile, and shake hands
Engage in small talk to build a relationship with the customer
Comment on important things to keep the customer interested
THE APPROACH IN RETAIL SALES
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Service Approach Method
“May I help you?”
Appropriate when the customer is obviously in a hurry
or you are simply an order taker
Ineffective in most situations; you lose control of the
sales situation
THE APPROACH IN RETAIL SALES
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Greeting Approach Method
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wright” or an appropriate
personal comment
This approach begins conversation and establishes a
positive rapport
Do not focus on the merchandise
THE APPROACH IN RETAIL SALES
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Merchandise Approach Method
The salesperson makes a comment or asks questions
about a product that the customer is looking at
Ask questions about the item
Usually the most effective approach because it
immediately focuses attention on the merchandise
Starting from Pre-Approach
•Product
knowledge
•Prepare
merchandise
work area
•Prospecting for
customers
Approach
The first faceto-face
contact with
the customer
How to approach the customer…
•Be courteous and respectful
•Establish good eye contact
•Be enthusiastic
•Show a sincere interest in the customer
•Be friendly and genuine
•Use the customer’s name
•Time the approach appropriately
Approaches
•Service Approach
•Greeting Approach
•Merchandise Approach
Service Approach
Salesperson asks the customer if he
or she needs assistance
Example: “May I help you with
something?”
*Ineffective because it elicits a negative
response
Greeting Approach
Salesperson simply welcomes the
customer to the store
Example: “Good afternoon, Austin.”
Merchandise Approach
Salesperson makes a comment or asks
questions about a product that the
customer is looking at
Example: “That shirt is made of a cotton
and polyester blend, so it’s machine
washable.”
*Most effective initial approach in retail sales
because it focuses attention on the merchandise.
Determining the needs of customers
•Observing
•Listening
•Questioning
Observing
•Look for
buying motives
that are
communicated
nonverbally
Listening
•Listening helps
you pick up
clues to the
customer’s
needs
•Maintain good eye
contact
•Provide verbal and
nonverbal feedback
•Give your undivided
attention
•Listen with empathy and
an open mind
•Do not interrupt
Questioning
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
How?
Why?
•Do ask open-ended questions to
encourage customers to do the talking.
•Do ask clarifying questions to make
sure you understand customers’ needs.
•Don’t ask too many questions in a row.
•Don’t ask questions that might
embarrass customers or put them on
the defensive.
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
All this sounds great but HOW do I apply all this?
Three Step to Greeting the Customer:
1.
The Salutation
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2.
Establishing Contact
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3.
Simple Hello with some sincere and appropriate level of energy
Can add something conversational depending on customer body language and
tone
Look at customer in the eyes when greeting
Walk towards them but respect their personal space such as: “Those are nice
shoes you are looking at” or “What brings you to our store today?”
Engage in some appropriate way
Taking Charge and Letting Go
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Be careful not to over-do it. Do not smother customer with questions or a long list
of what you offer
After you have adequately demonstrate that you are genuinely happy to see them
and are of service to them, let them respond
How to take charge of customer depends on if this is a new or repeat customer
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
First-Time Customer
1.
2.
3.
4.
You can start a conversation that has nothing to do with their
reason for coming into the store
This builds a communication bridge, broaden the contact
You can ask how they came to know about the store or if they
live in the neighborhood, etc.
Listen attentively to their answer. It will guide on the rest of
the sales process
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Repeat Customer
1.
2.
You can somewhat rely on the confidence that customer has
already built up in the company and, by extension, in you
You can ask about their last visit to the store, their
satisfaction of last purchase, current sales, etc.
STEP 3: APPROACHING THE PROSPECT
Four strategies for approaching prospects include
1.
Non-product-related
approaches
4.
Product-related
approaches
Prospects
approaching
strategies
3.
Consumer-directed
approaches
2.
Piquing-interest
approaches
NON-PRODUCT-RELATED APPROACHES
1.
Self-introduction
4.
Dramatic act
for example, setting
carpet on fire to show
safety
Non-productrelated
approaches
3.
Mutual acquaintance
or reference
2.
Free gift or sample
for example, free
financial planning or
lunch
PIQUING-INTEREST APPROACHES
1.
Curiosity
approach
for example, “Would
you be interested in
learning about our
high-tech steel
smelter that has a
low carbon
footprint?”
Piquing-interest
approaches
2.
Customer-benefit
approach
for example, “Our
computer will
increase employee
productivity.”
• similar to F A B
CONSUMER-DIRECTED APPROACHES
1.
Question
for example, “Can I
be of any help?”
(Best Buy)
• “I am aware your
company buys a lot of
steel. Would you be
interested in our hightensile steel?”
Consumer-directed
approaches
2.
Compliment
or praise
3.
Survey
for example, movers, home
insurance, and security
systems
• environmental remediation
costs based on amount of
clean-up
for example, “I read
about the award you
recently received in
the Star-Ledger.
Congrats!!!”
PRODUCT-RELATED APPROACHES
1.
Product
demonstration
for example,
demonstrate product
or statistical software
for CRM or data
mining
Product-related
approaches
2.
Product or
ingredient
for example, carry
sample or catalog
show product
THE FAB APPROACH
Identify the features of
the products.
Identify the benefits
of the product to the
prospect.
Enumerate the
advantages
relative to
competitors’
products.
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Summary - Inspiring Confidence
1.
2.
3.
4.
Be present (close at hand) and visible!
Be available. If you are in the middle of a task, stop. Serve the
customer above all else. If serving another customer,
acknowldege second customer and let them know that you
will be with them shortly
Don’t smother your customer
Keep the polite form always. In French, use “vous”
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Review of initial customer approach…
Dr. Rosenbloom
THE PERSONAL SELLING PROCESS
Approach
 The development of rapport with the customer
 The chance to make a good first impression
 The salesperson should adapt to the potential
customer’s social style
SOCIAL STYLES
Dr. Rosenbloom
Fact-oriented
Analytical
Driver
Risk Adverse
Risk Takers
Amiable
Expressive
People-oriented
Dr. Rosenbloom
SOCIAL STYLES
Fact-oriented
Analytical
Driver
Risk
Adverse
Risk
Takers
Amiable
Expressive
People-oriented
 Very fact-and-detail oriented
 Require time to make decisions
 Not interested in socializing
 The salesperson should inundate the analytical
with facts and figures that can be supported with
documentation
Dr. Rosenbloom
SOCIAL STYLES
Fact-oriented
Analytical
Driver
Risk
Adverse
Risk
Takers
Amiable
Expressive
People-oriented
 Action-and goal oriented, and makes quick
decisions
 Basic facts and not big on socializing
 The sales person should provide the bottom-line
information first and then work backward to fill-in
essential details
Dr. Rosenbloom
SOCIAL STYLES
Fact-oriented
Analytical
Driver
Risk
Adverse
Risk
Takers
Amiable
Expressive
People-oriented
 A visionary with big ideas for the future but not a detailoriented individual
 Hesitant to make quick decisions and will seek consensus
from others
 Seeks to socialize with the salesperson
 The salesperson should provide assurances that will
reduce the amiable’s feeling of risk
Dr. Rosenbloom
SOCIAL STYLES
Fact-oriented
Analytical
Driver
Risk
Takers
Risk
Adverse
Amiable
Expressive
People-oriented
 Loves to socialize and will frequently base the purchase
decision on the relationship with the salesperson
 The salesperson should establish a personal relationship
with the expressive by telling anecdotal stories, by
socializing outside the office and by relating personal
information
NOW, YOU DO IT!
Activity
Situation Analyses
1.
See web site or handout for Activity532
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
3.
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Needs Analysis
After greeting the customer, the most important step is to
understand what they really need
Although you can play a guessing game with them by offering,
one at a time, every product or service that your company
offers, a more effective way is to discuss with the customer
We have already seen, in Module 2, verbal and non-verbal
communication and reviewed in the previous section the
different selling styles and customer profiles
Now, let’s apply all this towards better understanding our
customer’s needs and to serve them best
NOW, YOU DO IT!
Activity 5.4.0
Case Analysis
BACKGROUND
1.
Loraine Desrosiers arrives at the Three Margarites Garden Center with her
sister Mathilda. The ladies collaborate every spring to make up their
parents’ garden. This season, after spending the winter reading many
gardening magazines, they have a plan in mind and know exactly what
type of perennials they want to purchase
2.
At the same time, Mr. Laviollette enters the garden center. He is also
looking for perennials to dress up his small balconies, He and his wife,
Murielle, sold their home last winter and moved into a condominium.
Murielle, who always had a beautiful garden, mentioned last week, that
she misses her beautiful flowers and plants. That comment did not fall on
deaf ears…
3.
When Matt Dubois and Jackie Durand also drop into the garden center,
during a half hour break from work, to quickly pick up some seeds. This
year, they want to try their hand at cultivating a vegetable garden at their
home in the suburbs
NOW, YOU DO IT!
Activity 5.4.0 (Continued)
Case Analysis
REQUIREMENT
 You are now at the point of working on customer qualification
 Think about how to approach each of the customers described on
the previous slide and what would motivate them to buy at your
garden center
DO THIS:
1.
What do you recall from what you read, with regards to the
requirements, above?
2.
Write down your thoughts and observations for each set of
customers: Loraine and Mathilda Desrosiers, Mr. Laviollette, Matt
and Jackie
3.
Save your responses in a document as:
Activity540_FirstName_LastName.docx
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Digging in…
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By qualifying the customer – OBSERVE
“Personal Packaging”
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Be aware of how your customer “put themselves together” and
who they are: age, sex, generation, maybe profession, life cycle
stage, ethnic origin, language, etc.
Yes, this will involve some stereotyping but never prejudice!
Behavior
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Recall what we covered in non-verbal communication
MODULE 5: SALES REPRESENTATION
Digging in…
What They Say
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Be sincerely interested in what your customer is saying
Focus on the conversation – don’t let your mind wander
Body language counts – don’t look at your watch or elsewhere in the store.
Instead look directly at your customer
Don’t interrupt your customer or try to finish their sentences
Do not try to influence what your customer is trying to say. There will be time
to “work the decision-making process”
Do not worry about asking the customer to repeat if necessary so that you
clearly understand what they are saying. It’s not important that you always
have an answer for everything. Being too pre-occupied with how you will
answer distract you from hearing what your customer is saying
Avoid “selective hearing” – hearing only the parts that suit you
In your mind summarize what the customer is saying
Be patient, even if your customer is having a hard time “getting it out”
Be quiet, when they speak, even if you are tempted to speak
NOW, YOU DO IT!
Activity 5.4.1
Needs Analysis
BACKGROUND
1.
See link to Activity 5.4.1 on class web site
2.
Read the situations in the document focusing on customer
behavior\Find the different non verbal cues and suggest likely
interpretations of these cues, which you will then be able to
use throughout the sales process with them