1. Presenting the Product
Chapter 14

2. Product Presentation Goal of Product Presentation:
Match customers needs with appropriate product features and benefits.
Must determine needs
This step may make or break the sale to the customer.

3. Decisions for Salesperson
What product or products to show customer
What are you going tell customer about the products
Things that may help
Product knowledge
Feature benefit charts
Be prepared to show the product; you must be the expert

4. Pre-Approach and Product Presentation
What is the relationship between Determining Needs and Presenting the Product?
Helps the salesperson show and demonstrate products that will give the customer solution to the problem or meet their needs.

5. Which Product to Show? What Price Range?
If you haven’t determined price range…
Start with medium price
Allows for movement in price, up or down depending on feedback from customer
You must listen and observe customers!
Match product to customer’s needs

6. How Many Products To Show
No more then 3 products… Why?
You may overwhelm your customer
If customer wants more; put away the ones customer show little or no interest in. Out of sight out of mind.
You must know the product line well so you can meet the individual needs of each customer.

7. What to Say?
Match customers needs (Determining Needs) with the appropriate features
Must know your product!
Use descriptive adjectives and action verbs. Avoid unclear words such as nice, pretty and fine.
Example – Selling ski coat
“The full cut sleeves allows for complete rotation of the arm, making it extremely comfortable for skiing”

8. What to Say?
Avoid slang and jargon, unless appropriate for the situation
Business to Business sales vs. Consumer Sales

9. Planning the Presentation
How to display merchandise?
How to handle merchandise?
How to effectively demonstrate products to enhance the customer benefits?
What sales aids do you need to help demonstrate features of products?
How do involve the customer?

10. Displaying and Handling
Creative displays
Catch the eye of the customer
Handling the Product
Handle the product with respect
Use body language and hand gestures to show significance of feature in demonstrating the product.

11. Using Sales Aids When impractical to demonstrate product
Caterpillar Tractors sales
Architects building homes, office buildings
Sales aids include
Models
Poster
Charts
Customer testimonials
Warranty info

12. Involving the Customer
Show the customer how to use and encourage them to try it
If you are losing the customer ask her/him a simple question, “Is this feature important to you?”
Keep customer involved in presentation – Ask Questions!

13. Understanding Objections
Objections: Concerns, hesitations, doubts, or other honest reasons a customer has for not making a purchase.
View as an opportunity to present more information about product to customer

14. Excuses
Insincere reasons for not buying or not seeing the salesperson. Customers often use excuses when they’re not in the mood to buy or concealing real objections.
Examples of Excuses:
I’m too busy to see you today.
We don’t need any more
I’m just shopping
I didn’t plan to buy anything today

15. How do you handle these excuses?
Be polite, encourage the customer to look around and ask questions.
Be prepared to re-approach the customer.

16. Business to Business
If customer refuses to see you, when you call leave a business card and ask “if it would be possible to call (or come back) at a more convenient time.”
Never expect the customer to call you back

17. Plan for Objections
Let the objection guide you through the sales process.
It will help redefine customer needs and determine when customer wants more information.

18. Examples Customer says: “This item is very expensive”
Customer is really thinking:
“Tell me why this item costs so much”
This objection gives the salesperson info on why the customer is reluctant to buy and gives the salesperson an opportunity to present additional features of the product.

19. Plan for Objections Objection analysis sheet
A list of common objections and possible responses to them.

20. Common Objections
Need
Product
Source
Price
Time

21. Need Objection Customer has no immediate need for item
“I really need this sweater but it doesn’t match anything I have.”
“These shoes are very comfortable but I have three similar pair”

22. Product Objection
Based on the product. These are very common in retail selling. They include concerns about:
Construction of product
Quality
Size, color, or style
“I don’t like the way this jacket fits me.”

23. Source Objection
Objections based on source often occur because of a negative past experience with the company.
Customer may say:
“The last time I put a outfit on layaway, you couldn’t find it for a week. I’m not so sure I want to take that chance again.”

24. Price Objection This objection is very common in the sales process.
Salesperson must determine if this is truly an objection or an excuse.
“That’s more then I wanted to spend.”

25. Time Objection Objections based on time reveal a hesitation to buy now
“I think I’ll wait to buy these shoes until they go on sale.”
Sales person must again determine if this is an excuse or real objection.

26. Four Step Process for Handling Objections
Listen
Acknowledge
Restate
Answer

27. Listen Carefully
Be attentive, good eye contact, and let the customer talk
Demonstrate that you care about the customer’s needs. Remember your job is to give the customer the opportunity to make a satisfying buying decision.

28. Acknowledge the customer’s objection
“I can see your point”
“Other customers have asked that same question”
Make the customer feel that their concerns are valid and important.
DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THE CUSTOMER!!!

29. Restate the Objection
“ I can understand your concerns. You feel that ……”
“Let me see if I understand you correctly. You want more about…….”
Don’t repeat the objection; paraphrase it.
Help the customer understand their concerns

30. Methods of Handling Objections
Boomerang
Question
Superior Point
Denial
Demonstration
Third Party

31. Boomerang
Brings the objection back to the customer as a selling point.
Customer:
“These shoes seem so light I don’t think they will last very long.”
Salesperson:
“Because of the new material used in these shoes the manufacture guarantees them to last. If you have any problems just bring them back and we will replace them.”

32. Superior Point
Superior point method allows you to admit disadvantages of your product but then present superior points to offset or compensate for them.
This methods puts the customer in a position to choose between features of the products

33. Superior Point
Example: “That’s true -- the price is a little higher then the other brand. The difference is the quality of the product. This product will last an average of 3 to 5 years longer then the other brand.”

34. Questioning
The question technique is used to learn more about the objection of the customer.
Your question may reveal other hidden objections and help learn more about the needs of the customer.

35. Questioning
Customer: “I don’t see the need of having two sinks in the master bedroom as your floor plan suggests.” Salesperson: “Do you and wife ever need to get ready at the same time?” “Yes” “Do you both of you need to use the sink?” “I see your point”

36. Denial
The denial method is when the customer’s objection is based on misinformation
When using this method you must back your information with accurate facts that you can prove to the customer

37. Denial
Customer: “I’m afraid this shirt will shrink when I wash it.” Salesperson: “No, these garments have been pre-washed and are guaranteed not to shrink. If you have any problems we will replace the garment.”

38. Demonstration Show the customer how it works! Customer:
“I can’t believe that food won’t stick to the bottom of the pan if you don’t use oil or butter.”
Salesperson:
“Let me show you!”

39. Third Party
Third party method involves using a previous customer or another neutral person who can give a testimonial.
Customer:
“I can’t believe that these new windows will save me $25 per month on my heating bills.”
Salesperson:
“I know it’s hard to believe but we recently had Consumer Reports evaluate our windows and here are their results.”

40. What method would you use?
“The price seems a little high compared to your competition”
Superior Point
“Yes it is high, but the quality is much higher as well.”

41. What method would you use?
“But can I can the pictures from my phone directly?” Demonstration “Yes, let me show you!”