Created by J. Lewis Wells, M.Ed. April 20, 2011

Personal selling - is oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale

1. Prospecting developing a list of potential buyers

2. The Pre-approach initial pre-approach letter, telephone call, making sure shelves are fully stocked, etc.

3. The Approach initial face-to-face contact with the prospect during which first impressions are formed

 Greet the customer and establish rapport  Conduct a needs analysis to discover and assess prospect’s needs. Ask open-ended questions to learn more about the prospect and his or her needs.

4. The Presentation presentation/demonstration of how the product fills a need or solves a problem for the prospect

 Explain the Product (features and benefits)  Product Feature - distinctive aspects, qualities, or characteristics of a product or service  Product Benefit - things that promote or enhance the value of a product or a service to the customer  Features/Benefits Chart – chart showing the features and benefits of a product

 proper use of either jargon and layman's terms  display and handle the product  demonstrate  use visual aids if necessary  involve the customer – (let them talk, ask questions, handle the product)

5. Answering Questions and Overcoming Objections prospect provides feedback and salesperson attempts to further tailor the presentation for the prospect's needs  Objection Analysis Sheet – used to answer questions/objections the customer might have

6. The Close salesperson asks the prospect to buy buying signals – things the customer says or does that indicate s/he is ready to buy. (facial expressions, body language, comments) Buying signals may happen early in the sales process, late in the process or might not happen at all.

 trial close an attempt to close a sale A trial question might take the form of, "Now that I've addressed your concerns, what other questions do you have that might impact your decision to purchase?"

 Closing does not always mean that the sales professional literally asks for the order, it could be asking the prospect how many they would like, what color they would prefer, when they would like to take delivery, etc.

 Too many sales professions are either weak or too aggressive when it comes to closing. If you are closing a sale, be sure to ask for the order. If the prospect gives an answer other than "yes", it may be a good opportunity to identify new objections and continue selling.  Remember the ABC’s of selling: Always Be Closing

*** Suggestion Selling – suggesting other products that may or may not be complimentary or related to the item just sold. (Additional products that might help the customer enjoy his initial purchase more. )

7. Assurance and Follow-up customer is assured s/he has made a wise purchase (delivery, customer service, referrals)

The End