UNIT 3

Selling Process

1. Identification of prospects

1. Fellow Salesmen: Friendly relationship with other salesperson helps to add to the information regarding prospects. Other salespersons may disclose some useful clues about prospects and their wants.
2. Customers: Customers, particularly satisfied customers are most dependable source of information. The satisfied customers readily give the information in terms of the likes and dislikes, income status, family composition and so on.
3. Market Survey Reports: Market surveys are conducted by companies whenever they need data of a particular locality.
4. Dealers: Dealers especially retailers are the last link in the chain of distribution. They usually have close contact with customers. They know their customers totally in terms of temperament, buying behavior, profession, purchasing power, and so on.
5. Data Surfing: A salesperson could also get the data about prospect by surfing through various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, twitter etc.

1. Introductory Approach: The introduction approach is the simplest way to start a sales call. Salesperson describes his name and his company’s name and hands over a business card to the prospect in the introductory approach.
2. Referral Approach: Furnishing the name of a satisfied customer or a friend of the prospect can be the beginning of a sales call by salespersons. The reference approach is often effective with prospects who are sociable and expressive because they emphasize on relationships. Successful salespersons always get permission from references prior to using them.
3. Benefit Approach: It is be better to open sales call to fill the prospect’s attention on a product benefit. The salesperson could start the conversation by telling about specific benefit, something the prospect can actually realize of his advantage. This benefit approach is better for those who like to get down to business rather quickly.
4. Product Approach: Product approach means really demonstrating the product features and benefits as soon as the salesperson goes up to the prospect. It is nice to hand over the product to the prospect for his use. This delivery shows deeper involvement. This approach can be better for the prospects who express directly.
5. Compliment Approach: everyone like being complemented. Sincere and specific complements by the salesperson influences prospects attention. But too much flattery could be dangerous.
6. Question Approach: Starting the conversation with a question is helpful in getting prospects attention. It helps in starting a two-way communication at the very initial stage. The question must be related with the buying motives.
7. Socratic Approach: it is an extension of question approach. In this approach customer is asked opinion keeping in view the salespersons product and the buyers need. This approach is helpful as it emphasizes on customer’s needs and it is the consumer who takes lead of the meeting.
8. Fear Approach: Fear appeals a lot. Everyone has a fear of one kind or other. A salesman selling insurance policy often start the conversation with some fearful talks related with the old age, sickness, death, theft accidents etc. while starting the conversation with the prospect.
9. Statement Approach: A salesman can open his talk with hard facts of achievements or benefits of the product he is offering. This is generally done by putting some strong facts in favor of product to the prospect.

1. Quick presentation must create a good impression in the mind of the customer that he feelsthat he is being dealt with care and understanding.
2. The salesman should explain the product with its features and price advantage to the customer in simple and easy terms.
3. The presentation can also be given through models, slides, pictures and videos to make the presentation interesting.
4. An intelligent salesman should never compare his product with rival products. Under circumstances, he can stress on high points of his offering rather than pointing out the negatives of the rivals.
5. It is very important that the customer be shown the kind of quality that he is looking for. Too many varieties will only confuse the customer, while too little does not help him make a choice.
6. Half the battle is won, if the salesman is able to make the product appeal to the customer’s senses.

1. Canned Presentation: It is a presentation where the presentation script is written after thoroughly understanding the product and the requirements of the customer. It is also tested before finally rolling it out. Every salesperson must memorize it and follow the script of the presentation in the prescribed order. This is most often used in non-technical products like pharmaceuticals, telephonic selling and door to door selling of products.
2. Planned Presentation: The organization provides a basic format or procedure for making the presentation and the individual sales person then writes the script which includes description and illustrations.
3. Audio-Visual Presentations: The presentations are made with the help of audio visual aids like charts, slides, video films, computer based presentations which depict the actual use of the product. They are widely used by advertising firms, software companies.
4. Problem Solving Presentation: This type of presentation includes two stages. The first stag is to understand the needs of the individual prospect and the second includes offering a solution. Commonly used in the insurance sector where based on the requirements or needs of the prospect a specific policy is suggested.
5. Webinar: A webinar is an online seminar presentation on a specific product that salesman wants to present. Anyone with an Internet connection and a compatible device can watch, no matter where they are. Webinar presentation is better because they are easy to prepare, cheap and have a high conversion rate. Internet users like them a lot too they get all the benefits of a live event.

1. Demonstration gives the salesman a chance to show specific features of the product or service more clearly, For example, in case of a vegetable chopper, demonstration is more effective than the description.
2. It creates a lasting impression in the minds of the prospective customers as they see the functions of the product or handle them personally.
3. The salesman can provide proof for the claim through a series of tests, experiments and operations. Thus, increasing the confidence of the prospective buyers.
4. By proper demonstration, the customer’s sense of curiosity about the product is considerably satisfied.
5. It helps in focusing attention of customers on the satisfaction and utility that they will be deriving out of the ownership of such products.
6. It also provides a chance to the prospects for making comparisons with the competitor products.

1. The demonstration should be easy and clear to understand.
2. The demonstration must be in a way that it displaces possible doubts from the minds of the customers.
3. Demonstration must be in a manner that provide a chance to the customer to compare the product with the product of competitors.

1. Demonstration in use: The most effective form of demonstration is to show the product while in use. The salesman can allow the customers to personally examine and use the product. For example, while selling readymade garments, footwear, Jewellery, etc., the salesman may ask the customers to try the product.
2. Demonstration of Specific Features: special features and additional advantages can be demonstrated. For example, un-breakability, leak-proof, waterproof, fire-resistant, shock absorbent etc.

1. People normally display resistance to new and unfamiliar ideas and goods. Therefore, many consumers raise objections in the normal course.
2. Certain prospects raise objections as they are not 100% sure about the product or service offered, i.e, they are only partially satisfied and are waiting for more explanation, classifications, additional features about the sales proposition.
3. Some prospects also raise objections to test the salesman’s knowledge and patience.
4. Under certain instances the prospects raise objections either to postpone buying or because the prospects lack the required purchasing power.
5. Prospects raise objections if the salesman is unable to identify their need or if they come across the salesman pressurizing them or using unfair means to sell the product.
6. Some prospects find objections as a means to avoid salesman.

1. Price objections: It is the most common objection raised by the prospects in a country like India. It is an economic excuse. Objections based on price may be of two types, one the prospect may state that he feels that he cannot afford or that the price is too high. Some prospects may object that the price of the product is not on par with that of the neighboring shops in the market. The salesman can offer substitute, offer installment payment and justify price by displaying the evidence.
2. Payment Objection: It may be genuine or sometimes used as an excuse. In genuine cases salesman can offer credit through EMI’S.
3. Service Objections: The salesman while meeting objections related to service has to emphasize the service facilities offered by the organizations are 24x7x365 call centers to register complaints, prompt service by expert service personnel, immediate delivery at doorstep, prompt attendance of service or repair calls within 24 hours etc. and pleasant service experience.
4. Time to Buy Objection: Some prospects may postpone the time of purchase by citing the reasons of arrival of new models, waiting for festive occasions or waiting for prices to drop. He salesman tries to emphasize on the value of time and induce them to purchase immediately, by stating that the prices would increase in the near future or the model would arrive after a considerable time.

1. Action close - The sales person takes an action that completes the sales procedure. Like handing over the memo or invoice to the prospect
2. Benefit close - Here the salesman restates the benefits of his product to induce the prospect to respond positively
3. Direct close - I f the buyer is showing strong positive buying motives; this technique is most appropriate. It is easy to close the deal when prospect is little affirmative.
4. Urgency close - Creating a sense of urgency places pressure on the prospect to make a decision, especially if salesman has identified that the client needs to make a decision quickly.
5. Gift close - The salesman could provide a gift as an incentive to induce the prospect to take purchase decision immediately.
6. Alternative close - Providing alternatives to close the deal is one of the best methods. The Salesman could give alternatives regard to product like payment on cash or credit, red or yellow product color.
7. The suggestion close - If the salesperson has good rapport with the prospect and prospect view him as a trusted expert, a suggestion close is a good approach
8. Objection close - If an objection is hurdle in closing the sale, the salesman must try to handle the objection quickly and close the sale.

1. Keeps the customers satisfied: This helps in keeping the customers satisfied. It promotes proper communication of customer’s needs and wants to the product or service provider. This helps the organizations identify what their customers want and expect from them. Thus, they can offer their customers desired products that will satisfy their needs.
2. Gaining customer loyalty: When customers make repeat purchases of products or services from a company, it shows that loyalty towards the organization. This happens when a product or a service delivers consistent value of the money spent by the customers.
3. Reduces the cost of luring new customers: The cost of gaining new customers is far higher than retaining the old ones. Good customer service from a company helps to retain old satisfied customers, thus reducing the cost for attracting new ones.
4. Helps to beat competitors: Organizations that provide excellent after sales services outperform competitors and become leaders in the industry. Even if such a company offers services and products at little higher rates, customers prefer purchasing it from them. As excellent after sales service is one of the most important factors determining sales.
5. Helps in receiving feedback: Customer service representative directly chats to the customers and listens to all the positives and negatives expressed by them. This helps the company to receive invaluable feedback, which they would otherwise never receive

1. Connect with the customers: Sales professionals need to remain in touch with the customers even after the deal. They should not ignore their calls. They ought to call them once in a while to exchange pleasantries.
2. Provide necessary Support: The sales personnel can help them install, maintain or operate a particular product. For example, Sales professionals selling laptops must ensure windows are configured in the system and customers are able to use the Internet without any difficulty.
3. Replacement of the product: Any product found broken or in a damaged condition must be replaced immediately by the sales professional. Their grievances should be addressed and make them feel comfortable.
4. Frequent Feedback: Feedback of the products and services from the customers should be taken periodically. It helps the organization to know the customers better and incorporate the necessary changes for better customer satisfaction.
5. Annual Maintenance Cost: AMC is an agreement signed between the organization and the customer where the organization promises to provide after sales services to the second party for certain duration at nominal costs.
6. Exchange Policies: The exchange policies must be transparent and in favour of the customer. The customer who comes for an exchange should be given the same treatment as was given to him when he came for the first time.

1. Prospecting is the lifeblood of sales because it identifies potential customers
2. The pre-approach step includes all the information gathering activities necessary to learn relevant facts about the prospect
3. Approach means coming in to direct contact with the prospects.
4. A good presentation is as important as a good product
5. Prospects usually show resistance against buying products by pointing out real or imaginary hurdles and by voicing objections
6. The salesman should be alert and use his good judgment to spot an opportunity when he is in a position to close the sale.