Planning the Sales Call Is a Must! Chapter 8 Planning the Sales Call Is a Must! McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Exhibit 8-1: The Preapproach Involves Planning the Sales Presentation

Strategic Customer Sales Planning - The Preapproach Strategic problem solving involves Strategic needs Creative solutions Mutually beneficial agreements

Strategic Customer Sales Planning - The Preapproach cont… Reasons for planning the sales call Builds confidence Develops atmosphere of goodwill Reflects professionalism Generally increases sales

Exhibit 8-4: Steps in the Preapproach: Planning the Sale Determine sales call objective Develop/Review customer profile Develop customer benefits 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 when with customer focus your efforts on objective be prepared to switch to another objective if needed Make the goal specific Move customer conversation toward objective Set a SMART call objective

Strategic Customer Sales Planning - The Preapproach cont… Always have a sales call objective Set a SMART call objective S M A R T pecific easurable chievable ealistic imed

Strategic Customer Sales Planning - Customer Profile Provides Insight Review information to create customized presentation See what customer has done in the past to determine future needs If do not have customer profile - get one for each customer

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

Customer Benefit Plan: Develop Sales Presentation Write out all FABs for steps 1 - 3 Write out suggested purchase order Now you are ALMOST ready to create your sales presentation

Exhibit 8-8: Major Phases in Your Presentation: A Sequence of Events to Complete in Developing a Sales Presentation

Exhibit 8-9: The Prospect’s Five Mental Steps in Buying

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

Carefully Select Which Sales Presentation Method to Use Chapter 9 Carefully Select Which Sales Presentation Method to Use McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Sales Presentation... Completely and clearly explains all aspects of the salesperson’s proposition as it relates to a buyer’s needs

Prior knowledge of the customer Sales call objective There are Several Sales Presentation Methods Requiring You to Select One According to Your... Prior knowledge of the customer Sales call objective Customer benefit plan

Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales Presentations

Select the Presentation Method, Then the Approach Know which method to use before developing the presentation Plan presentation Select approach/opening

Exhibit 9-10: The Parallel Dimensions of Selling Selling Process Buyer’s Mental Steps Presentation Discuss Product Present Marketing Plan Explain Business Prop. Suggest Purchase Prospecting Money Authority Desire Discuss Product Show Feature Explain Advantage Lead Into Benefit Let Customer Talk Preapproach Present Marketing Plan Availability, Delivery, Guarantee, Installation, Maintenance, Promotion, Training, Warranty Explain Business Prop. List Price, Shipping Cost, Discounts, Financing, ROI, Value Analysis Attention Approach Suggest Purchase Product, Quantity, Features, Delivery, Installation, Price Presentation Interest Trial Close Desire Determine Objections Conviction Meet Objections Trial Close Close Purchase Follow-up & Service

Begin Your Presentation Strategy Chapter 10 Begin Your Presentation Strategy McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

For the Salesperson What Is the Approach? The time from when the salesperson first sees the buyer to the beginning of the discussion of the product.

The Approach Could last seconds or minutes involving: Meeting Greeting Rapport Building One of the approach communication techniques discussed in this chapter

Caution Salespeople Take the approach seriously Some feel this is the most important step in helping someone If unsuccessful, you may never have opportunity to move into presentation If you can not tell your story how will you make the sell? The approach is extremely important

The Approach Step of the Sales Presentation Is over when you begin discussing the product itself

The Approach—Opening the Sales Presentation A buyer’s reactions to the salesperson in the early minutes of the presentation are critical to a successful sale Your attitude during the approach Common for salesperson to experience tension in various forms when contacting a prospect Creative imagery

The First Impression You Make Is Critical to Success Your first impression is projected by Appearance Attitude You only have one chance to make a favorable first impression

To Make a Favorable Impression cont… Be enthusiastic and positive toward the interview Smile! Do not apologize for taking the prospect’s time Do not imply that you were just passing by Maintain eye contact If the prospect offers to shake hands, do so with a firm, positive grip while maintaining eye contact Learn how to pronounce the prospect’s name correctly

Multiple Question Approach Situation Problem Implication Need-payoff questions Remember product not mentioned in SPIN

Three Rules for Using Questions 1. Use only questions that you can anticipate the answer to or that will not lead you into a situation from which you cannot escape 2. Pause or wait after submitting a question 3. Listen

Be Flexible in Your Approach Be willing and ready to change your planned approach That is why you need several methods to open your sales presentation

Elements of a Great Sales Presentation Chapter 11 Elements of a Great Sales Presentation McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Purpose of the Presentation Main goal is to sell your product to your customer - to help Purpose of presentation Knowledge Beliefs Desire/Need Attitude Conviction

Exhibit 11-2: The Five Purposes of the Presentation

Exhibit 11-3: Three Essential Steps Within the Presentation

Exhibit 11-5: The Salesperson’s Presentation Mix

The Ideal Presentation Your approach technique quickly captures your prospect’s interest and immediately finds signals that the prospect has a need for your product and is ready to listen The ideal prospect Is friendly, polite, relaxed, listens Says “yes” and enthusiastically thanks you

Welcome Your Prospect’s Objections Chapter 12 Welcome Your Prospect’s Objections McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Welcome Objections! Accept objections as a challenge People do not want to be taken advantage of Learn to overcome objections

When Do Prospects Object? Prospect may object any time during sales call Always be ready to handle a prospect’s objections

Exhibit 12-1: When Objections Occur, Quickly Determine What To Do Prospecting Preapproach Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections Trial Close Close Follow-up & Service

Basic Points to Consider in Meeting Objections Plan for objections Anticipate and forestall Handle objections as they arise Postponement may cause a negative mental picture or reaction Be positive Listen - hear them out

Basic Points to Consider in Meeting Objections cont… Understand objections Request for information A condition Negotiation can overcome a condition Major or minor objections Practical or psychological objection A real objection is tangible Must uncover hidden objectives and eliminate them

Once Again! What Are Objections? Opposition or Resistance to Information The salesperson’s request

Exhibit 12-4: Six Major Categories of Objections

Salespeople Need To Be Good Communicators - Right!? How? Handling objections can be challenging Done incorrectly, you may appear rude Done correctly, you appear professional

Exhibit 12-7: Techniques for Meeting Objections

Techniques for Meeting Objections The dodge neither denies, answers, nor ignores Don’t be afraid to pass up an objection Rephrase an objection as a question. (Exhibit 12-8) Postponing objections is sometimes necessary Send it back with the boomerang method Ask questions to smoke out objections Five-question sequence. (Exhibit 12-10)

Exhibit 12-10: Five-Question Sequence Method of Overcoming Objection Back to 12-23

Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections If After Your Presentation You Received a Positive Response to Your Trial Close, What Would You Do?* Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections Trial Close Close

Closing Begins the Relationship Chapter 13 Closing Begins the Relationship McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

When Should I Pop the Question? Closing is the process of helping people make a decision that will benefit them No magic phrases and techniques to use in closing a sale Close when the prospect is in the conviction stage of the mental buying process

Why Ask a Trial Close Before You Close? To determine if ready to buy, plus what? To determine if there are Objections Questions

Let’s Review! When Are the Times to Use a Trial Close?* 1. After making a strong selling point in the presentation 2. After the presentation but before the close 3. After answering an objection 4. Immediately before you move to close the sale

Reading Buying Signals A buying signal is anything that prospects say or do indicating they are ready to buy Asks questions Asks another person’s opinion Relaxes and becomes friendly Pulls out a purchase order form Carefully examines merchandise

What Makes a Good Closer? Ask for the order and be quiet Get the order—then move on!

How Many Times Should You Close? Must be able to use multiple closes Three closes is a minimum You will learn how without being pushy

Exhibit 13-7: Techniques for Closing the Sale: Which Close Should be Used?

When You Do Not Make the Sale Know that you cannot always sell everyone Don’t take buyer’s denial personally Be courteous and cheerful Leave the door open

Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections If After You Meet the Objection You Received a Positive Response to Your Trial Close, What Would You Do?* Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections Trial Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close