Approaching The Customer Determining Needs The Sales Process Approaching The Customer Determining Needs

Seven Steps of the Sale Process Approaching the customer Determining Needs Presenting the product Overcoming objections Closing the sale Suggestion selling Relationship building

Approaching the Customer First Face-to-Face contact with customer Create great first impression Three purposes Begin conversation Establish a rapport/relationship w/ customer Focus on merchandise

Begin Conversation Need to be alert to customers interests How can a sales person be alert to the customers needs? (Observing the customer)

Establish Relationship No Stereotyping!

Establish a Good Rapport/Relationship Be enthusiastic Courteous Respectful Good eye contact Be friendly

The Approach In Retailing Customers are in a hurry - approach quickly. When customers are undecided, encourage them to look around and shop, compare, and ask questions

Three Types of Approaches Service Approach. May I help you? Greeting Approach. How are you doing today? Merchandise Approach That is the most popular DVD player we sell.

Service Approach Howdy! May I help you? Most used but least effective. Opened questions leads the customer to a “no I am just looking” response. In other words “leave me alone”. Sales person looses control of the sale Customer may feel awkward asking for help later Howdy! May I help you?

Greeting Approach Welcomes customer to the store. Voice inflection is important. You must sound like you are interested and that customer well being is important to you. Welcome to Western Outfitters -- How are you doing today?

Merchandise Approach These boots are made from real crocodile skin! Focuses on Merchandise. Tell the customer about a feature or benefit that is not immediate to the eye. Most effective approach. These boots are made from real crocodile skin!

Determining Needs When should you focus on determining your customer’s needs? As soon as possible Job is uncover the reasons why customer wants to buy.

Example of poor job Salesperson: “This is one of our most popular tennis racquets. It’s perfect for you – The grip is correct size and the large sweet spot can improve your game.”

Example of poor job Customer: “That’s very interesting but the racquet is not for me. It’s actually for my nine-year old daughter.”

What should you have done?

How to determine needs Observe customer Look for non-verbal signs Facial expressions Eye movement How customer handles the product Key to observing is the proper selection of facts; do not stereotype or draw conclusions about customer before getting additional facts

How do you determine needs? Listening to your customer: Read between the lines: Example: I want a copier for my home business that is simple to use and reliable. My last copier broke a lot. I usually make one or two copies at a time but occasionally I make up to 50 copies at once.

What did you learn from the example? Customer is not looking for the top-of-line copier Since the copier is for a home business, size of copier is important.

Questioning Who? What? Where? How?

Do’s and Don’ts Ask open ended questions Ask clarifying questions Don’t ask to many questions Don’t ask embarrassing questions