2. Begin Your Presentation Strategically9
Chapter
Begin Your Presentation Strategically
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. 9
Chapter

4. 9 Main Topics Chapter The Tree of Business Life: The Beginning
What is the Approach?
The Right to Approach
The Approach—Opening the Sales Presentation
Technology in the Approach

5. 9 Main Topics Chapter Is the Approach Important?
Using Questions Results in Sales Success
Is the Prospect Still Not Listening?
Be Flexible in Your Approach

6. The Tree of Business Life: The Beginning
Guided by The Golden Rule:
Begin the presentation with an end in mind.
Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
Show great caring, confidence, and excitement in your mind, body, and speech by knowing you can help solve problems.
Do not give in to the temptation to exaggerate.
You will see that trust, integrity, and character win out in the long run. T T
Ethical
Service T T T T T T T T
Builds
T r u e
Relationships T C I

7. What Is the Approach? A golf shot from the fairway toward the green
Steps a bowler takes before delivering the bowling ball

8. 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

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

10. The Approach Is: The 1st step in the sales presentation
The 3rd step in the selling process

11. Exhibit 9-1: The Approach Begins the Sales Presentation
The sales presentation method determines how you open your presentation.

12. Select Your Presentation Method and Then Your Approach

13. 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 the presentation.
If you can not tell your story how will you make the sale?
The approach is extremely important.

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

15. Let’s Summarize! The Salesperson:
Meets
Greets
Builds rapport
Goes through the approach
Discusses the product
Discusses the marketing plan
Discusses the business proposition
Closes – asks for the order

16. The Right to Approach
You have to prove you are worthy of the prospect’s time and serious attention by:
Exhibiting specific product or business knowledge
Expressing a sincere desire to solve the buyer’s problem and satisfy a need
Stating or implying that your product will save money or increase the firm’s profit margin
Displaying a service attitude

17. 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:
It is common for a salesperson to experience tension in various forms when contacting a prospect.
Successful salespeople have learned to use creative imagery to relax and concentrate.

18. 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.

19. Exhibit 9-4: Five Ways to Remember Prospect’s Name
1. Be sure to hear the person’s name and use it: “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Firestone.”
2. Spell it out in your mind, or if it is an unusual name, ask the person to spell the name.
3. Relate the name to something you are familiar with, such as relating the name Firestone to Firestone automobile tires or a hot rock.
4. Use the name in conversation.
5. Repeat the name at the end of the conversation, such as “Goodbye, Mr. Firestone.”

20. To Make a Favorable Impression:
Wear business clothes that are suitable and fairly conservative.
Be neat in dress and grooming.
Refrain from smoking, chewing gum, or drinking in your prospect’s office.
Keep an erect posture.
Leave all unnecessary materials outside the office.
If possible, sit down.

21. To Make a Favorable Impression, cont…
Be enthusiastic and positive toward the interviewer.
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.

22. Approach Techniques and Objectives
Opening with a statement
Opening with a demonstration
Opening with a question or questions

23. Exhibit 9-5: The Approach Techniques for Each of the Four Sales Presentation Methods       

24. Objectives of Both Statement and Demonstration Approach Techniques
Attention
Interest
Transition

25. The Situational Approach
The situation you face determines which approach technique you use.
Influences on the approach to use include:
Product being sold
Whether the call is a repeat call
Customer’s needs
Amount of time
Awareness of a problem

26. The Approach Leads Quickly Into the Sales Presentation

27. Objectives Of Using Question Approach Techniques
Uncover needs and problems:
Fulfill needs
Solve problems
Have prospect tell you about:
Needs
Problems
Intention to do something about them

28. Exhibit 9-6: Approach Techniques for Opening the Presentation

29. The Golden Rule
Follow the Golden Rule by placing the other person’s interest before your self-interest.
This will avoid:
Losing the Sale
Destroying your business relationship

30. Opening With Statements
Introductory approach
Complimentary approach
Referral approach
Premium approach

31. Demonstration Openings
Product approach
Showmanship approach

32. Opening With Questions
Most common openers:
Customer benefit approach
Curiosity approach
Opinion approach
Shock approach

33. Exhibit 9-10: A Popular Multiple-Question Approach Is the Spin
Remember, the product is not mentioned in SPIN.
Skip video

34. To pause the video, click on the video screen
To pause the video, click on the video screen. To resume play, click on the video screen again. Click outside the video screen twice to advance to the next slide.

35. Technology in the Approach
Powerful attention-grabbers:
Sounds
Visuals
Touch

36. Is the Approach Important?
Yes it is!
Salespeople need several approach techniques that have worked in the past to select the approach for a current situation.

37. Remember to Select Your Presentation Method and Then Your Approach

38. Using Questions Results in Sales Success
1. The direct question
2. The nondirective question
3. The rephrasing question
4. The redirect question

39. The Direct Question Can be answered with a few words such as:
“Mr. Jones, is reducing manufacturing costs important to you?”
“What kind?”
“How many?”
Never phrase as a direct negative or a question that can cut you off
Example: “May I help you?”

40. The Direct Question Limitations
Does not really tell you much
There is little feedback information

41. The Nondirective (Open-Ended) Question
Begins with who, what, where, when, how, or why:
“Who will use this product?”
“What features are you looking for in a product like this?”
Its purpose is to obtain unknown or additional information

42. The Rephrasing Question
Is useful if you are unclear and need to clarify the meaning of something said:
“Are you saying that price is the most important thing you are interested in?”
“Then what you are saying is, if I can improve the delivery time, you would be interested in buying?”

43. The Redirect Question
Used to change the direction of the conversation – often from a negative to a positive
Imagine you walk into a prospect’s office, introduce yourself, and get this response:
“I’m sorry, but there is no use in talking. We are satisfied with our present suppliers. Thanks for coming by.”
A redirect question would be:
“Wouldn’t you agree that you continually need to find new ways to increase your company’s sales?”

44. 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

45. Is the Prospect Still Not Listening?
This is the time to use an alternative opener that forces the prospect to participate by using the:
Question approach
Demonstration approach
The salesperson who can deftly capture another person’s imagination earns the right to a prospect’s full attention and interest.

46. 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
Skip video

47. To pause the video, click on the video screen
To pause the video, click on the video screen. To resume play, click on the video screen again. Click outside the video screen twice to advance to the next slide.

48. Summary of Major Selling Issues
The approach is the critical factor.
Use a statement or demonstration approach to ensure your prospect’s attention and interest.
The first impression you make can negate your otherwise positive and sincere opening.
Open with a statement, question, or demonstration.

49. Summary of Major Selling Issues, cont…
Questions should display a sincere interest in prospects and their situations.
The four basic types of questions are direct, nondirective, rephrasing, and redirect.
Allow prospects time to completely answer the question.

50. 9 End of Chapter 9 Chapter McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.