1. SELLING Objectives, Strategies, Aids

2. Goals or Objectives for Selling to a Specific Prospect
According to Stephen Covey, one of the seven habits of highly effective people is they “begin with the end in mind”.
Goals, objectives, or ‘ends’ are what you hope to accomplish, where you want to get.
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you just might end up somewhere else.” (Yogi Berra)
Don’t always ‘sell’ something (remember patience is a virtue).

3. Good Sales Goals are ‘SMART’
S → specific (or precise)
→ not too vague, not too general
M → measurable
→ quantifiable in numbers wherever possible (e.g. % of business)
→ need to determine if goal has been met
A → attainable
→ realistic, doable (given resources)
R → relevant
→ sales related
→ important, meaningful, challenging, motivating
T → time-based
→ long-term (e.g. end of next 3 years)
→ short-term (e.g. after next sales call)

4. Selling Strategy
The game plan for ‘how’ to accomplish the desired goal(s)
The major steps/actions/routes to be taken
Without a plan, you may come off as rambling, unorganized
Need to be purposeful in everything you do
Having a plan helps to save time and prevent mistakes

5. Long-Term Goal/Strategy Example
Goal: To obtain 50% of John Parker’s total feed business within 3 years.
Strategy:
Arrange initial meeting (e.g. breakfast) to get acquainted and to obtain basic prospect information
Arrange additional meetings to gradually gain confidence, establish credibility, and build a partnering relationship
Invite Parker to advisory board meeting
Introduce Parker to corporate technical staff
Attempt trial program within 1 year
Increase sales gradually after test run

6. Sales Call Goal Basics
No call should ever be made without a clear goal
Will save time (for you and your customer)
Will help you have a better strategy
Will make you appear more professional (e.g. ask the right questions, avoid talking too much, distinguish yourself from the competition, etc.)
Just stopping by (winging it) is the mark of a real amateur
You need to know why you are there
Your customer needs to know too
To keep in touch may require you to keep coming up with reasons
Appointments or not? (When? Where?)
Depends on prospect, salesperson, situation
Increasingly, customers are wanting appointments
If in doubt, call first

7. Short-Term Goal Examples (e.g. one sales call)
Goals:
To invite Parker to attend a corporate-sponsored meeting as my guest.
To set up an appointment with Parker to discuss our ‘starter’ program.
To get Parker to run a trial with our Super Start feed in one farrowing house.
To get a walk-through tour of Parker’s facilities to better understand his operation.

8. Sales Call Strategy
A general plan for the open, the presentation, and the close
The Open
How to greet my prospect?
What will I say first?
Rapport building topics?
Observe mood /other traits of my customer.
What questions will I ask to discover/reconfirm needs?
How will I spark interest?
The Presentation
What problem/need do I plan to present a solution for?
How will I present my proposal?
What features and benefits will I stress?
What sales aids will I use?
What concerns/objections do I anticipate?

9. Sales Call Strategy The Close What will I ask my customer to do?
How will I close?
When will I close?
Remember, offering P or other major concessions may not be an option
What will I do/say after closing?

10. Selling Aids
What? Any sales tool that can help you communicate with a prospect.
Examples:
Three-ring binder with tabs
Photos (product, customers, facilities, test plots)
Reports/research results
Newspaper/magazine articles
Samples
Demonstrations
Customer-specific proposals
Price list
Must be:
Well organized
Easy to understand and use
Convenient
Neat and clean
professional

11. Selling Goals and Strategies
Call #1 +
Call #2 
+ Call #N
= Long Term

12. Goal/Strategy Quotes The Law of 4 P’s:
Preparation
Prevents
Poor
Performance
There is no shortcut to achievement, life requires thorough preparation. (George Washington Carver)

13. Goal/Strategy Quotes
Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.
It pays to plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I would spend 6 hours sharpening the axe. (Abe Lincoln)

14. Goal/Strategy Quotes Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
It takes three weeks to prepare a good ad-lib speech. (Mark Twain)
If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up somewhere else. (Yogi Berra, former New York Yankee)