Consultative Professional Selling

8/3/2019 Consultative Professional Selling

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CONSULTATIVE PROFESSIONAL SELLING

I was once asked to be the lead presenter in a seminar on telephone marketing. We were

approached by television journalists who wanted to know what smart tricks we were going to

present. When they realised that this was not what we taught they quickly lost interest and so wedid not contribute to any TV audience`s evening scandal viewing on that occasion.

Consultative selling is most definitely not deceit or tricks of any kind. It is not what is commonly

known as high pressure selling. I have no time for the crooks and charlatans, some of them

unfortunately on the lecture circuit, who will teach you the `smart tricks` of selling.

Consultative selling is not about sharp practice. Anyone having difficulty accepting this should not

take up the profession until their attitude has changed, for they will never succeed as a consultative

salesperson. Some readers may have been exposed, or trained to use high pressure techniques. I

promise that Spearhead will show you a better, more profitable way.

I do hold very strong views on this subject, for sharp practice makes it harder for everyone else in the

selling profession. It deters good people from becoming salespeople to the detriment of British

business and, pragmatically, it does not work over the longer term anyway.

I, like most in the selling profession, came into it almost by accident. I had not planned to be a

salesperson, I wanted to be a `Sales Manager`. Mainly because I had a vision of management being

about comfortable offices, large cars, staff to do all the work and expense account lunches. How

wrong I was! At that time my perception of the salesperson was that of a slightly sharp practitioner,

shake hands and count your fingers afterwards. (I did not want to be one of those).

About 50 years ago John Patterson who was Chairman of National Cash Register, at this time a verylarge global company, said:

`"Nothing ever happens until someone first sells something`.

More recently HRH Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT. Wrote;

`"Some people seem to believe that Governments can create employment by waving some magic

wand, but no manufacturing enterprise can survive if it cannot profitably sell its products, which

means that employment depends on profitable sales."

The truth about Prince Philip`s words was reinforced by some research in the early eighties whichshowed that, on average 23, other jobs depended on the orders brought in by each salesperson. The

top sales performer is a business person of the highest calibre. A consultative salesperson is at the

vanguard of commercial enterprise, for without customers there would not be a need for companies

or the whole complex structure of trade that is the engine for civilisation as we know it.


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Working as a consultative salesperson is one of the most rewarding careers around. It is rewarding

from two angles. The first is that job satisfaction angle - there is nothing to beat the buzz of winning

a large contract. The tougher the negotiation the greater the satisfaction.

It is rewarding from the income instance as well - globally selling is consistently one of the highest

paid careers. Top sales practitioners frequently enjoy levels of income higher than many seniorexecutives. Incidentally, many chief executives have reached their exalted positions via the

marketing and or sales department route. It can be a good route for those keen to earn themselves

promotion.

Let us establish where today`s consultative selling has come from. People have sold things to one

another for as long as recorded history. At school we learn about the Chinese, Phoenicians, Persians,

Greeks, Romans and other great traders. There are many references to selling activities in the bible

and it has been dubbed the second oldest profession. However, selling as we understand it probably

started after the industrial revolution and the agricultural explosion, when goods and food were

produced in greater quantities than could be consumed by local populations.

In those early days sales were easy. Vast markets, many colonised by the powerful European

counties, opened up. People were hungry for goods. The main problems related to travel,

communications and ability to pay. The latter was resolved by reciprocal tied trade. Selling was

something practised by ship`s captains and trading officers of the great companies e.g. Hudson`s Bay

Fur Traders and The East India Company who would bargain at each end of their voyage. I will not

pretend that all was well and fair at this time, locals were often exploited. Trade has often been

rough, tough and violent.

Overlapping this period came the `Carpet Baggers` and `Medicine Men` of the opening west U.S.A.

Hawkers, tinkers and market traders abounded in Europe all enjoying reputations akin to timeshare

and double glazing today. Caveat emptor!

It was during the early 1930`s that salesman (few, if any, women at this time) working in ways that

we would recognise, came into being. At this time they were known as `Commercial Travellers`. Later

to be called `Representatives` or `Reps` and more recently `Sales Engineer` `Marketing Executive`,

`Area Manager`, `Systems Consultant`, `Field Co-ordinator`, etc.

Taking a slightly cynical stance, it seems almost anything goes, other than the honest title of

`"Salesperson`. Let me make myself clear on this point. I see nothing seriously wrong with using an

obscuring title as a P.R. exercise. After all to say `"I am a salesperson" smacks of - `"I am here to sell

to you". However, be careful, who are you really kidding, the prospect is not a fool! I consider that

the biggest danger of obscuring titles is that the holder may fail to recognise that they are

salespeople and selling is what they are paid for. They find it convenient to believe that they arejudged on criteria other than the quality of the business that they bring in.

It is true that the Consultative Salesperson will only attempt to sell if the customer will gain from the

transaction. Consultative Salespeople are employed to sell and will only make contact with those

who they reasonably think might have a need for their goods or services. A Consultative Salesperson

will not want to spend too much valuable time with people who do not have needs that they can

satisfy.


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We hear a lot about salespeople who trick customers into buying unsatisfactory goods, or goods that

the customer does not need. The media and various consumer shows regularly run items about the

latest confidence trickster masquerading as a salesperson.

CONSULTATIVE SELLING

Consultative

In the UK we suffer from a very class conscious society that lingers to this day and the profession of

selling suffers from a stigma that I am pleased to say is diminishing. It has to be said that the price of

becoming a professional is one that many salespeople do not seem willing to pay. If we expect

respect from others we should have respect for ourselves and be willing to work at developing true

professional qualities. More about this later.

What are the implications of choosing the word consultative to describe the strategy for sellingoutlined in this workbook. Consultants are designated as such because they have particular

knowledge and skills that are of value to be patient, client, or customer. To be really successful

salespeople should also develop their knowledge to the point that they have valuable information to

dispense. When customers with whom you have previously done business with start asking if you will

come and see them as they have a problem they think you will be able to solve, you know you have

cracked it. If those same customers start referring you to their friends without you asking them, you

will know that you are on your way to being a consultant.

There are other analogies. A consultant knows that time is precious and does not waste it. After all

when you provide a service, time is all that you have to sell. The consultative salesperson will

become very time conscious.

Consultants do not become consultants without a lot of hard work. One of the problems with selling

is that it is a relatively easy entry career. This can give the false impression that it is an easy option

and thus attract the work shy who later on become the high pressure confidence trick artists.

On a more positive note, consultants are usually fee earning. It is the best way to be paid. You are

paid on results. If you are as good as you would wish, large incomes are possible. You really can earn

what you are worth when you are fee earning.

In Great Britain commission only or fee earning is not the most usual method of remuneration and

the culture will not change overnight. I believe salespeople should think like fee earners and

recognise that they are paid by results.

Professional

What do we understand by the word professional? The Professions (traditionally teaching, medicine,

the law) have come in for a lot of criticism in recent years. Many, especially teachers, have expressed

dissatisfaction and have left to pursue other vocations. Professional, as in being a member of a


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profession (doctor, lawyer, teacher etc.) does not have the social status it once held so what does

the word mean now and why it is important for salespeople?

One implication of the word relates to earning a living by working at the profession, as in

professional sports person. To be `professional` also implies a certain attitude of mind. It is this

attitude of mind that I consider to be important. One is a professional because of the way oneapproaches the job. It implies standards are set and maintained.

For another view of the implications of the word professional for salespeople let us look at one of the

traditional professions. Take the medical profession, for example, the job of a General Practitioner.

There are common elements which occur in all other professions and parallel what has to happen in

selling.

A doctor has to study to acquire the knowledge essential to becoming qualified. Knowledge and the

willingness to study are the first common professional requirements. The professional salesperson

has to learn and go on learning for the duration of their career.

Knowledge alone is not sufficient. Professionals are expected to display a particular attitude: a

professional attitude. In the medical profession this is concern for the patient. This concern should

place the interest of the patient or client at least on par to the self interest of the professional. Often

this is written into codes of conduct and a doctor may be struck off and not allowed to practise if

found in breach of these ethical codes. There is no body in selling enforcing standards, however, the

Consultative salesperson will live by a number of profession standards.

Concern for the customer is an essential ingredient in the make up of a professional salesperson.

Customers are not `punters`, nor are they for `stitching up`, such phrases show a lack of proper

concern which will actually inhibit sales.

`A good bedside manner` is one indicator of a caring doctor. It is likely that one cannot become a

really good doctor or for that matter a really good salesperson unless one likes (or at least has a

strong interest in) people. Both are in `"the people business". The right mental attitude towards your

customers, your company and most of all to yourself, will be the major factor in your success in the

profession of selling.

Knowledge and attitude are very important but they are not enough to guarantee your success. You

may have the knowledge required to effectively sell your products and/or services but constant

practice is essential to develop your skills. It is not coincidence that all the older professions set up in

practice.

Practice is part of the price of being professional - ask any professional sportsperson.

We have dealt with consultative, we have dealt with professional, let us now take a look at selling.

SALES CAREERS


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Front line selling jobs include:

The Direct Salesperson

Sells direct to the public. In this sector we have the home improvements salespeople:- double

glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, drives, patios, swimming pools, water softeners etc.

Some are supported by heavy marketing, some have canvassers looking for leads. Telephone

canvassing is often used - you may well have been on the receiving end at some time!

Direct sales also covers some financial services (in recent years much more tightly controlled than it

used to be), party plans, multi-level marketing, timeshare, cosmetics, etc.

Clearly in this sector there are many reputable companies of impeccable pedigree. There also exists a

charlatan element. The direct sales area attracts some of the most professional salespeople around,

and some of the biggest crooks. The main reason is that it is easy to get into with few qualifications.

The reward for success can be very high but aware, there many high risk areas.

Jobs in this sector call for determination, an ability to keep going, self motivation, as well as selling

skills. Direct sales can be lonely and is not a good job for the gregarious.

Business to Business Selling

This is a vast sector. Consider that everything sold to the public will, in the form of raw materials,

components, goods and services to manufacture the product, have been sold many times over

before it ends up as something to sell to the public.

Industry and commerce are great users of everything from toilet paper to computers. Businesses arethe main users of services such as banking, insurance, consultancy and of course labour. It has been

estimated that more than 300,000 salespeople sell to businesses in England alone. The staff required

to sell to these varied markets in the business to business sector uses every permutation of speciality

and technical knowledge, plus interpersonal and selling skills.

Retail Selling

Department stores, electrical goods, furniture shops and many others employ salespeople. Quality

varies from untrained and unimpressive to the exact opposite. Many good professional salespeople

have acquired their skills from retail selling. Many captains of industry have come from this back

ground, or have had strong links with retailing e.g. The Sainsbury family, Alan Sugar of Amstrad,Marcus Sieff, Marks and Spencers, Jack Cohen (founder of Tesco), Richard Branson, Ray Krock

(McDonald`s) and many others.

Good people skills are needed to be good at retailing. Product (stock) knowledge is all too often

lacking. Selling can sometimes be crude and high pressure, or what is probably worse, no pressure

and totally lacking in customer interest.


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Showroom Selling

Rather like retailing but often with an element of direct selling, e.g. a car salesperson may operate

from a showroom but spend a lot of their time selling to business fleet buyers.

Good people skills, good trade and product knowledge are required for success in showroom selling.

WHAT ARE THE PERSONAL QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR SALES SUCCESS?

There is a saying that, before you can sell the product you have to sell yourself. To be successful at

selling oneself as a person who people like to do business with calls for many skills and personal

qualities.

The following list has been developed by several thousand salespeople on Spearhead Training

courses endeavouring to answer the above question. Clearly one can develop a very long list. The

words below are the ones most frequently used by salespeople themselves.

Reliability

One of the most annoying things in business is someone who does not ring back when they say they

will, or who lets you down with an important delivery. Keeping your promises is a key quality.

Sincerity

The word literally means `without wax` and goes back to the Greek and Roman empires. Marble

statues were in vogue in those times and unscrupulous traders would plug holes in the marble with

wax. This deception was unlikely to be discovered until some long time after the statue was sold.Sincere was a guarantee that the status was sound. Today, people will only deal with people they

trust. Think about this for a moment. It really does not matter how good the deal is - if you are not

sure of the vendor the usual reaction is to turn the deal down.

Integrity

This is a difficult word to define, we all draw our own moral standard lines. I am reminded of a

proprietor of a dry cleaning shop being asked to define the word by his son. The man replied, `"It is

like this son. If I find a ten pound note in a customer`s suit pocket, do I tell your mother or not?".

Attitude

This was mentioned in chapter one. Any definition of R.M.A. (right mental attitude) should include

the word `positive`. Most news is bad news. Most customers berate salespeople with their woes.

Depressed people do not spend so readily. Most depressions are aggravated, if not actually caused,

by a lack of confidence. There is a little jingle that goes, `"Always look on the bright side of life - de

boom, de boom, de boom, de boom". Very appropriate for salespeople.


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Enthusiasm

Closely related to attitude, enthusiasm is a powerful quality. There are people who capture your

interest simply by their enthusiasm. For me, one such person is Dr. David Bellamy the botanist. I am

not particularly excited by botany but Bellamy`s enthusiasm holds me from flicking channels. Most of

us react very positively to an enthusiastic person.

You will find that customers will allow you to get away with statements and actions that will

challenge coming from someone with less enthusiasm. This is a quality that can be worked on and

comes from being sincere and having confidence in yourself, your offer and the Company you

represent.

Confidence and Competence

Confidence has just been mentioned in the paragraph above but it is worth a few more words as it is

one of the more important professional qualities. It is becoming clear that all these quality words are

linked. One that is inextricably linked to confidence is competence. I use it as an equation:-

(Competence = Confidence) and (Confidence = Competence)

The more you know about, selling, your business, your customers and your markets, including

competitors, the more confident you will become. Knowing about products etc. means knowing

what they will do for customers. It also requires that this knowledge is put into perspective.

If you do not believe in your offer, check. It could be your attitude that is wrong. After all, if others

are buying, they must be getting some benefit from the offer.

Knowledge and Understanding

The process of learning goes through four stages.

1. Unconscious Incompetence. Ignorance is bliss.

2. Conscious Incompetence. I would like to understand.

3. Conscious Competence. I know how to do it and can do a good job when I think and prepare.

4. Unconscious Competence. I react instinctively. In consultative selling we are working to turn the

skills into habits.

Many sales are not made because the salesperson will hang back in the mistaken belief that the

prospective customer needs a `"better" deal. It could be that the salesperson actually believes thatthe competitor`s product is of higher quality, or less expensive. Real understanding is knowing why

your deal is good for the customer. You know why others have purchased from your company and

are able to communicate these benefits in a way that enables the customer to visualise what you are

saying. If you have some satisfied customers they must have chosen your company for a reason. In

cases where a competitive product does have some advantages, the customer may have other

reasons why they do not wish to deal with the competitor. The advantages perceived by the

salesperson may not seem particularly important to the prospective customer.


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We talk about integrity, sincerity and other character qualities. If you cannot in all honesty justify

selling your employer`s products should you be willing to continue accepting salary cheques from

this particular employer?

A qualified consultative salesperson has little difficulty finding good quality representation

opportunities.

The question for the professional salesperson is: `"Will the customer`s circumstances be improved by

going ahead with us?" If you can give an honest `"yes` to this question, then it is your duty to try and

convince the customer. Professional selling is all about satisfying today`s needs. It is wrong to try to

sell a Rolls Royce when the customer really needs a Ford Fiesta and it is wrong not to try to sell our

product or service if the circumstances are favourable. If our product or service matches the

prospective customer`s needs then we should try to make the sale. That is what we are paid for.

Empathy

Sometimes given as sympathy, which is not quite correct. Empathy, means understanding why your

customer holds a particular view but not necessarily agreeing with that view.

Personal Hygiene

During my career I have known a number of salespeople with a `personal problem`. The tragedy is

that their careers are inhibited and they do not know why. We have one who visits our office, he sells

very little and we will never explain the real problem.

We should be realistic. On a hot day, having driven fifty miles, in a hot car, without air conditioning,

most of us pong a bit - what you do about it depends on circumstances.

Sales success is often not down to being brilliant but avoiding some silly mistakes that could cost you

the business.

Determination

Selling is a tough job. Rejection by others is an everyday occurrence. Customers often say `"no" even

to the most reasonable of suggestions, such as seeing you for just a few minutes. This constant

rejection is hard to take and calls for some persistence from a determined sales person.

A sense of Humour

We do not mean of the `"Have you heard the one about`.` variety, although it can have its place with

a like minded social type. Do not attempt to tell jokes unless this is already a personal skill.

A sense of humour can often defuse an otherwise tense situation. The ability to laugh at oneself will

often strengthen the bond between you and your contact. If you work as part of a team, humour can

do much to raise morale.


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Some years ago a delegate attending a training course produced the following as his answer to the

qualities required of a professional salesperson. He stood out in front of the group and said:

`"A salesperson is often referred to as an unusual animal. In fact he is a combination of several

animals.

He must have the courage of a lion when going to see an awkward customer but be as gentle as a

lamb when dealing with a delegate situation.

He must be as quick as a cheetah when chasing up a new enquiry but have the patience of a spider

building a web when preparing a proposal.

He must be able to smile like a Cheshire cat when he feels like crying and be as quite as a mouse

when listening to his customer.

He must be as proud as a peacock in his appearance and as loyal as the family dog to his company.

He must be as strong as an ox to carry all the members of his company on his back and have the

wisdom of an owl when advising a prospect.

He must be as single minded as a lemming to close that important order and have the determination

of a salmon swimming upstream to achieve his targets.

He must have eyes like a hawk to spot every opportunity and have the memory of an elephant to

remember a million facts, figures and names.

Above all, he must work like a beaver and be as industrious as an ant in order to succeed".

`"Do you agree?"

When the assembled group had agreed, thinking this was a serious presentation, the delegate went

on:

`"I have a little brain because I am a sales manager.

I agree that the salesperson is a combination of several animals.

He talks like a parrot.

Laughs like a hyena.

He`s as rough as a badger`s *****.

He breeds like a rabbit.Eats like a pig.

Drinks like a fish.

And most of the time he is as drunk as a newt!"

THE EMPLOYER`S VIEW OF THE CONSULTATIVE SALESPERSON


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Salespeople are provided with employment for just three reasons. The emphasis will vary from

employer to employer but most job descriptions will include reference to the following.

The salesperson is employed primarily to bring in profitable business. This is the number one priority

area. There are a surprising number of maverick salespeople out there who do not fit in to the

company hierarchy but who do not get made redundant or fired because they keep bringing inorders.

In my early days as a salesman I recall one of my colleagues borrowing a company van over the

Christmas holiday, without authority. He crashed it and was dismissed on returning to work early in

January. About the middle of January he returned to the company with a fistful of orders and was

promptly reinstated.

Salespeople are representatives of their company. As such they are not expected to uphold the

image of the company. You would not expect the representative of one of the world`s leading

pharmaceutical houses to arrive in a beaten up, rusting, transit van wearing scruffy jeans and a T

shirt - would you? Image is very important. Looking the part is halfway to being the part. Image is

built up not just by the way you look but by the way you behave. It could do irreparable damage to

your image if you arrived for a meeting without the right literature or report. Rudeness and bad

manners have cost their perpetrators many orders in the past and you might benefit if one of your

competitors is this foolish.

A further role expected by the company is that of market intelligence. The salesperson operates at

the spearhead of business and is the eyes and ears of the company. Reports are expected and I have

to say that this is a chore that many salespeople do not enjoy. Compute solutions have helped in this

process but it still takes discipline to send a report at the end of a very long day.

THE BUSINESS CUSTOMERS` VIEW OF THE CONSULTATIVE SALESPERSON

Many of our customers are in business themselves. They buy to help their business and themselves.

The view that they should have of the consultative salesperson is someone who will help them

progress in their business and you do this in three ways.

By showing how you can further their business objectives.

Helping them to sell more.

Showing how to cut costs.

Making the job easier for them. Etc.

Presenting them with ideas - which they find helpful

News of new techniques.

Ways to reduce waste.

Ideas that can help them to achieve more.


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To understand them and their business

Which means you need good product knowledge.

Good industry knowledge.

Some knowledge of your customer`s business.

THE PRIVATE CUSTOMERS` VIEW OF THE CONSULTATIVE SALESPERSON

If your business is selling direct to the public, the same three points apply with slight modifications.

By showing how you can further their lifestyle objectives

Helping them to earn more.

Showing how to cut living costs.

Making life easier for them, etc.

Presenting them with ideas which they find helpful

News of new goods and services.

Ways to reduce waste.

Ideas that help them to achieve more.

To understand them and their family lifestyle

You need good market knowledge.

Good market knowledge.Some knowledge of your customer`s circumstances.

To summarise, consultative selling is all about helping people to achieve what they want. It has

nothing to do with forcing them to buy goods and services that they do not need. The professional

salesperson is an adviser, a consultant, or counsellor, not a confidence trickster.

DEFINING SELLING WITHIN MARKETING

Selling has been defined as the only activity in a commercial company that makes profit. Everythingelse is a cost.

In the marketing sense, selling is a promotional activity.

It is theoretically possible to balance advertising spend and direct selling effort. An increase in the

advertising spend reduces the need for sales effort. Taken to the ultimate, there are products and

services sold by direct response advertising without salespeople. Most f.m.c.g. (fast moving


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consumer goods) companies advertise heavily, stimulating demand from the end user and thereby

almost forcing the retailers to stock their products. Retailing nowadays is a sophisticated operation

with automatic re-ordering done by computer. The salespeople (often calling themselves Key

Account Managers), negotiate contract terms and work at getting listings and special promotional

deals for their product ranges. Their job has come a long way from the order taker of yesteryear.

Many business to business marketeers are having to stimulate demand by promotional appeals to

the actual user. The user may not be their immediate customer. For example, software houses may

advertise to the user through direct mail and the trade press. They may use distributors and

wholesalers to bundle their products with hardware and sell them as a total solution.

At the other end of the scale there are many businesses particularly many smaller businesses who do

not advertise in the conventional sense. These customers often employ salespeople. These

salespeople have to find people to sell to (prospecting) and complete the whole sale process with

little support. The compensation often comes in the earnings potential. The company can (I hope)

afford to be generous, as it is, in theory at least, saving alternate marketing costs. Everything in

promotion and distribution comes down to cost effective balancing of the alternative options to

achieve marketing objectives.

These extremes represent an over simplification of the true market position for most companies. In

the modern world marketing is very complex. Competitive activities, substitute products, own

labelling, manufacture under licence, tariffs and trade barriers, quotas and Government regulation,

all add to the headaches of running a business.

We can view sales promotion including selling as the communicating aspect of marketing.

Communication is vital but remember, as we work through this book looking at the specialised

communication process that we call selling, that in most markets salespeople need product

management, pricing, distribution, and a host of other supports.

Another view of selling is that of an interpersonal skill. Part of the communication process between

humans. We all try to exert some influence over others. Here, I want to introduce an important idea.

It is not necessary for goods, services or cash to have been exchanged for `a sale` to have been

made. `Selling` is the acceptance by one human being of the ideas presented by another. Therefore,

`selling` is the art of persuasion.

Looking at what salespeople actually do, as described above, quickly leads one to the conclusion that

as a representative of the company your job is really that of a two way communicator, acting as go

between for the customer and the enterprise. It follows that the communication skills need to be

worked at and we will have a look at these shortly. Before we leave this marketing section let us

consider some of the marketing responsibilities of the salesperson.

THE MARKETING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTATIVE SALESPERSON

Remembering that the major responsibility of the salesperson is profitable business we should

examine some of the elements that make up profitable business.


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First of all there is the question of price. How much do I sell it for? Many salespeople are not allowed

any negotiating latitude by their management, mainly because management believes that they will

take the easy option and give away maximum discounts. There is some truth in this - many

salespeople are preoccupied with turnover rather than profit. This may indicate that the average

salesperson should be more financially aware and develop their negotiating skills. Both subjects

naturally follow the acquisition of selling skills. It is after all, better to persuade the customer to

accept the deal you put on the table (sell them), rather than negotiate a compromise away from this

position.

Failure to reach target will damage the cash flow and profitability requirements of the organisation.

This is likely to produce cuts in spending and staff as management try to correct the shortfall. If it is

felt that the fault lies with any particular salesperson`s low performance, and that they are likely to

be one of the early casualties. In extreme cases the business will become vulnerable to takeover or

failure. Achieving the required volume is important.

WHY PEOPLE BUY GOODS AND SERVICES

Behavioural scientists have studied human beings for many years to try and explain the what, why,

how and when of motivating people. It is a very complex subject. Consultative salespeople must be

interested in the way people behave, they are people watchers. As salespeople we must take a

pragmatic view, we need to know what works and what does not.

Why does a person buy a car?

Maybe to replace an earlier model that has worn out - in which case we have to ask; `"Why did they

buy a car in the first place?` Probably to provide transport for self and family. Probably it is more

comfortable and more convenient to use than alternative transport. Possibly to use in connection

with business.

If it is in any sort of luxury, sports, or top of the range model, I will guarantee that the purchase will

have been made to enhance personal image. Even cheap `"wheels" often develop a cult following.

Think of the V.W. Beetle and the 2CV Citroen.

Henry Ford once said `"People have at least two reasons for buying a car, one they will tell you and

the real one". He was referring to the status, egocentric reasons that are a factor in almost all major

purchases. We like to think we are logical, however the weight of evidence suggests otherwise.

People buy goods and services for what they will do for them. They do not buy things for what

they are.

People buy to satisfy their wants and needs.

Their wants and needs are a mixture of rational and emotional drives. Wants are more powerful than

needs. I need to lose weight - I want a good dinner tonight.


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The prospective customer must want the goods or services more than they want the money that

they spend on them. Otherwise they would prefer to keep the money and would not buy. Consider a

decision to have your haircut. You are going out to dinner and want to look your best. A haircut will

cost you 12.50 and you will probably take it. Supposing the haircut was priced at 200. You would

probably change hairstylist, or go without (buy a wig?). There is a price for most things. That right

price is what you are willing to pay to satisfy your wants and needs at the time.

These seemingly obvious points clearly escape many sales staff for they never get round to selling

benefits but concentrate their energies on describing the features of their product or service. In

other words explaining what it is, rather than what it does. This negative selling behaviour leads to a

price fixation. There is a concentration on cheap offers in spite of all the evidence that people buy

that which they need combined with that which offers them best value for money. This is not the

same as cheap. Best value for money is in the mind of the purchaser.

Price becomes important when you are able to compare identical goods. For example an identical

model toaster. However, would you drive another ten miles to get if for a pound less? We all buy

things from local shops rather than go into the supermarket even though it costs less in the

supermarket. Convenience commands a premium.

PEOPLE BUY TO SATISFY WANTS AND NEEDS

Peoples` wants and needs are a mixture of rational and emotional drives.

Which is likely to be the most powerful sales statement?

1) `"This washing machine is fitted with a timer".

2) `"This washing machine will look after your washing while you are at work".

It follows that an understanding of what the product does is much more important than deep

technical insight into what makes up the product. In fact research has shown that salespeople who

concentrate on selling what a product is are only about ten percent as successful as those who can

make the mental switch to selling what the product will do. We call this benefit selling. The

consultative salesperson does this all the time, selling benefits first, last and in the middle.

Of course there are many products and services which require the salesperson to have a deep

technical knowledge in order to know what the product can do for the customer. There may also be

health and safety requirements to satisfy. I am not saying the salesperson does not have to

understand the product, quite the opposite. The better the salesperson`s knowledge, the easier it is

to relate to the needs of the customer.

The sales management conundrum about whether it is better to recruit technicians who can learn to

sell, or salespeople who can learn about the technicalities varies from company to company, market

to market and salesperson to salesperson. Whatever the background of the salesperson, learning

what it is your products can do (that customers want done) is vital. Let us take a look at that process.


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There is an analytical process which salespeople need to do well. That process is able to be able to

take a feature or attribute of the product or service and relate it to the likely benefit that it will

bestow on the customer. The process looks like this:

Features >> Advantages >> Benefits

F. A. B. AND LIKELY BENEFITS

FEATURES and ADVANTAGES which provide BENEFITS, or `"likely` benefits.

We say `"likely benefits` for it is by no means certain that they will actually be benefits.

For a feature to provide a benefit for the customer, they must have an actual need. Furthermore the

customer must recognise the need themselves. Needs are individual and it is the salesperson`s job to

establish what they are. They will vary in every case. One person buys a camera to snap the family.

An estate agent uses it to help sell houses. Someone else buys it as a present for a loved one. Same

camera, different needs.

The definition of a benefit is what the product or service will do, that the customer wants done.

Unless they want it, there is no benefit. They must want it. The consultative salesperson often has to

fan the spark of interest from the recognised need into the flame of desire, the want, that turns a

likely benefit into a selling point.

The potential customer may not always realise that they have a need, in which case it is the

salesperson who first has to identify the need for the customer e.g. how many businessmen wanted

computers in the 1950`s. Clearly the need existed but could not be satisfied and was not recognised.

Consultative selling often contains high elements of `"missionary` sales work. That is work spreading

the word on new technology and/or products.

If the need can be satisfied the next step that the salesperson must take is letting the customer

discover that the need exists. Then the customer must recognise how much they stand to gain by

satisfying this need. Only when the customer wants to satisfy the need and salesperson can match

the need can a sale take place. How this process is achieved is explained in subsequent chapters of

this workbook.

It is helpful to think of `wants` as emotional and `needs` as logical. When someone wants to do

something, their motivation to act is far greater than if they simply need it.

Let us now take a closer look at the process of FEATURES leading to ADVANTAGES providing the

LIKELY BENEFITS.

Every feature of a product or service is comparable with other suppliers` features. This enables one

to claim advantages for a particular product or service when compared with another.

Let us stay with washing machines for a while to illustrate the points. A manufacturer of a washing

machine may have a faster spin drying speed than the rival products.


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That is one of the features.

The advantage of this faster spin speed is clothes are drier from this

machine when compared with others on the market.

The likely benefits are convenience and possibly time saving (clothes coming from this washingmachine are ready to iron). Cost and energy savings are likely benefits as the clothes will not need a

further heated drying cycle - or the drying cycle will be shorter.

It is apparent from the following sales dialogues why these distinctions are so important to the

salesperson.

Salesperson A `"This washing machine has a faster spinning drum`.

Salesperson B `"This washing machine can save you time and money".

The statement by salesperson `"B" obviously contains the more powerful sales appeal. It presents

two potential benefits. Statement `"A" on the other hand relies on the customer translating thefeature into a personal benefit. Some will do this but only about ten percent of total potential

customers - not very good odds!

Selling `advantages` is better than selling `features` and increases the chance of converting a sale to a

willing potential customer to about forty percent. Consider the following dialogue.

Salesperson A `"This washing machine has a faster spinning drum".

Salesperson B `"This washing machine will dry your clothes better than these other machines".

Assessing the advantages of your product is a useful step towards listing thelikely benefits that will accrue to the customer.

Clearly advantages are stronger selling points than features but they are not relevant unless the

customer has already decided that they want the product or service and it is therefore comparing

what you offer with what they could buy elsewhere. This is not creative selling, it is simply relying on

the customers to purchase.

Relying on the customer may be all too common practice when someone enters a retail shop. This

does not make it the right way to sell, retail salespeople will find the key points of consultative selling

work well in shop and showroom selling.

Most salespeople have to visit potential customers at their premises. Buyers expect strong reasons

for dealing with any particular company. This is often due to the fact that it is the seller that makes

the first contact. The prospective customer`s level of want is lower than someone visiting the shop or

showroom.


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THE INTANGIBLE INFLUENCES

Earlier, I mentioned that people buy to satisfy their emotional needs as well as their logical ones.

Emotional needs are the more powerful motivators. People claim that they are motivated by logic,

but in fact, this is not true. There is plenty of evidence to support this argument. Why do nations go

to war`? Logic dictates that most are `no win` situations. Watch barristers smile and rub their handsin anticipation when a client says that it is a point of principle. Why wear ties or shoes with high

heels?

It is relatively easy to recognise human emotions at work in consumer purchases but they are also

present in business to business sales. People do not leave their egos at home when they go to work.

The power of the intangible influences is particularly strong when one is offering what, at firs sight,

might be seen as a near identical product or service.

A product from company `A` might be absolutely identical to that supplied by company `B`. In such

circumstances the decision will be taken on emotional grounds. The most likely emotional influence

is the relationship between the buyer and salesperson, followed closely by the confidence the buyer

has in the reputation of the vending company.

Proof of the strength of intangible influences can be illustrated by a fairly common business

situation.

If a businessman has been dealing with a friend (I mean a strong personal fried not just a casual

acquaintance), how much discount below the friend`s price will a stranger have to give to get the

business? Pick your own figure. In fact the answer is likely to be more than can be afforded as a

discount. Over the years research has shown a typical figure of around ten percent.

When one thinks about this it is not logical that people are prepared to pay around ten percent more

for service provided by people they like. Like is an emotion. The premium can be said to be the price

of friendship. Of course the actin is justified by a `logical` argument, `"I know I can rely on their

delivery". Or some similar justification.

I accept the other, often quoted, view that people do not like buying things from real friends. This is

usually on the grounds that they do not feel able to complain as strongly as they would in the case of

sub standard goods supplied by a stranger or business acquaintance. It follows that this particular

resistance is more likely to occur when the prospective customer is concerned with service

considerations.

As these intangible benefits are emotional in origin it is harder for the salesperson to focus on them

in quite the same way as the tangible benefits.

Since emotional appeals are so powerful they are frequently used by advertising companies as the

platform on which the product is sold. Many alcoholic beverages sell friends, convivial company and

lifestyle rather than the drink itself.


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It is not quite as easy for the salesperson to use such emotional appeals in face-to-face selling but it

is very important that the salesperson is aware of the power that emotional influences have on

decisions.

Often these intangible influences may not be the main reason for buying. They are commonly the

reason for not buying from a particular person or organisation. In other words if their concerns arenot fully satisfied the prospective customer will not buy.

For example, if you are in the market for a used car but you consider the company or the salesperson

you deal with as somewhat lacking in integrity and moral worth, you are unlikely to buy.

If a prospective customer does not have the confidence they will not buy and it does not matter how

good the deal might be. Confidence, image, integrity are all intangible issues that relate to our

emotional needs. Companies spend millions of pounds building their images. They know the

contribution this makes to goodwill.

Think how green issues now influence customer behaviour.

Public attitudes are constantly changing over quite short periods of time.

It is interesting to observe just how people`s needs, tastes, opinions and attitudes change with time.

Although we all try to give logical reasons for our actions, such logic does not withstand close

scrutiny.

Consider the results of a survey of purchasers of cavity wall insulation. While the work was being

carried out eighty five percent of the control group gave financial gain (fuel savings) as the main

reason why they were having the work done. Ten percent said they wished to be more comfortableand five percent gave added property value as the most important point.

Twelve months after the work was carried out the control group were again asked why they had

cavity wall insulation installed. Sixty five percent gave extra comfort as the prime reason for their

decision. Few even mentioned fuel savings.

THE LEVELS OF CUSTOMER AWARENESS

The level of customer awareness is important. Our levels of awareness move from completely unaware

with no understanding through to very aware with strong understanding and possibly great personal

need.

Clearly understanding what a product does will not necessarily mean we want or need the product.

Conversely no understanding must mean we cannot recognise need. It follows that the level of

customers need is important to the salesperson since it must influence the strategy and tactics that the

salesperson should use.


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The table below gives examples and indicates the salespersons strategy. In practice, this means

balancing the amount of sales explanation to the probe questions used when establishing the exact

portfolio of customer needs.

Level of awareness strength of want Possible customer action Salespersons

strategy

High Will seek out a supplier. May want to

compare product features.

Sell benefits

related to

features. Help

focus on

issues

important to

the customer.

Medium

Is only slightly interested.

Sell the

benefits of

change. This

may be

change of

circumstances.

Low

Does not really want to know.

Must sell the

big benefits to

get the

customers

interest. Only

then can the

sale move

forward

COMMUNICATION SKILLS USED TO SELLING

The salesperson is a communicator. Selling depends upon communication. An essential skill for the

salesperson is the ability to communicate with customers and prospects. Communication skills can

always be improved whatever abilities you start with. In this chapter we are going to look at some of

the key skills and consider how you can develop your abilities in this area.

Some of us are naturally more outgoing than others. There is a myth that the best salespeople are

extrovert characters. As you read this chapter you will see why this is a false premise.

There are only five ways of communicating with another human being and that is via the five senses of

touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing.

Of these five senses it has been established that sight is the primary input sense. We believe that which

we see more readily than that which we hear. Roughly 45% of our knowledge has come about through

observation.

Hearing is the next most important input sense. About 25% of what settles in our brains has been

heard. This means that the other three senses account for some 30% in total. They are in order of


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importance touch, taste and smell. The professional salesperson will use as many appeals to the

senses as possible, knowing that they reinforce the message to the customer.

In practice this means that communication is by way of the voice and/or using the written word, and/or

showing something, followed by appeals to touch, taste and smell. Let us now look at each in turn. I

will start with the voice for it is most likely to be the first method of contact.

This first contact will probably be by telephone. The modern professional salesperson frequently uses

the telephone, so it makes sense to work at developing good telephone sales techniques as part of your

portfolio of selling skills. The following notes include specific telephone techniques as well as some

general points on developing your voice.

YOUR VOICE

Some of us have beautiful voices. If you are one, count your blessings for you are very fortunate.

Whatever the tonal qualities of your voice, it will be helped by an exercise and one of the best exercises

is singing. You may sing formally in recreation, practice some hearty renditions in the bath, or while

driving on the motorway. Try it!

Developing a good voice needs practice, plus care and attention to the following:

Clarity of Speech

The three ingredients of clear speech are diction, pronunciation and breathing. When on the telephone

it is best to speak deliberately and slower than normal. Hold the hand piece about two or three inches

from the mouth and speak across the mouthpiece, not directly into it.

Voice Control

To give colour to your voice, the six variables are important. They are:

a) Variations in volumeb) Variations in speed

c) Inflection

d) Modulation

e) Pausing

f) Tone

Skilful use of the voice means learning to use these variables to create exactly the right feel to your

voice.

Special care is required when using the telephone. The telephone system transmits the voice via an

electro-mechanical system. However, good the present system may be, the fact remains that the full

frequency range of the human voice is partially lost through the transmission process. The loss of

frequency makes the voice sound flatter than normal with a subsequent loss of inflection and

meaning. Without the visual image of your face to help

understanding, the receiver of the call may have difficulty interpreting your precise meaning.

To replace what the telephone system takes away you have to be much more careful with your voice

and the choice of words.


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Using words

Simple words and easy to understand sentences are golden rules for good communication. Do try to

avoid unnecessary jargon, slang and colloquialisms. This is partly true when talking to someone from

another country or even another part of your country, who may not understand your local expressions.

Effective communication is the goal which also means taking account of the person being addressed.

What you say to a friend is different to what you say to a new business contact.

If you need to use technical words, or words which are hard to understand, deliberately slow down and

make a special effort to pronounce the words clearly and precisely.

Attitude

When you are face to face, the visible image that you present will have considerable bearing on the

interpretation of what you say. Appearance and facial expressions are very important parts of

communication. Hello said with a smile, is more welcoming than without. Obvious perhaps when

face to face. You might think that it does not matter when on the telephone, but surprising as it may

seem, the telephone actually magnifies your attitude. If you feel irritable you sound angry, if you aredepressed you sound uncaring and unhelpful.

Scientific research has shown that when we smile we actually bring about chemical changes in the

body. No, it is not appropriate for you to go around with a horrible fixed grin. That will not work.

However, when face to face or on the telephone: To put yourself in the right frame of mind think a

smile it really works.

ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BUYER AND SELLER

We have all heard those conversations where two people, each trying to make their point of view

known, do not listen or respond to the other party. Instead, each is trying to monopolise talking time.

The result a total breakdown in communication.

A one sided dialogue does not require the presence of a sales person a tape or video cassette could

get the message across and would probably be cheaper than sending in a salesperson.

It follows that selling, which as we have already seen is the art of persuasion, relies on two-way

communication between a seller and a buyer and the salesperson must use the unique two-way

opportunity. Sometimes particular communication techniques are refined. These are what we

commonly refer to as sales techniques.

Opening techniques employ carefully constructed statements. Demonstration techniques use a

sequence to give power to the demonstration. Closing techniques are refined questioning techniques.

We shall be looking at all of these.

Participative discussion with a customer makes the sales task much easier. There are five guidelines to

help you to establish effective two-way participative, communications.

Guideline 1. Asking Questions


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Questions are the most valuable asset that the consultative salesperson has to help make the sale.

There are two kinds of question open questions and closed questions, sometimes called direct and

indirect questions.

Open questions demand answers other than yes and no.

A guideline for use in consultative selling is to ask open questions to gather information and closed

questions to get decisions. Clearly you have to know how to construct an open question.

Guideline 2. Listening

It is a fact that most people are inefficient listeners. Tests have shown that often we hear, understand,

properly evaluate and retain less than a quarter of what is said to us.

Many salespeople are so anxious to make their sales pitch that they do not listen to the customer and

thereby miss opportunities to satisfy the customers real needs. Few people are naturally good listeners

and it is not a skill commonly taught in school. I suggest that you should deliberately work at developing

your listening skills.

Guideline 3. Be able to Relate to Customers

The other party is an individual person with motivations and views which will differ and may even

conflict with your own. Part of professionalism means that without getting emotionally involved, you

understand and accept that there is another point of view even when you do not agree. The word to

describe this process is empathy.

Ask yourself:

What decisions do I want the customer to make? What reasons might

a customer have for not making that decision?

What can I do or say which will make the decision easier to make?

See everything from the others point of viewand encourage the other party to do the same ask: Put

yourself in my shoes..

Are you a people person? I do hope so, as you have chosen to go into the people business. It is

probably not too strong to state that if you do not like people, or at least find them endlessly interesting,

you are in the wrong business.

Think about this. Who do you like or find easy to get on with? Think possibly of a social gathering,

meeting people you do not know well. The person with whom you struck up some rapport was almost

certainly someone who showed an interest in you for whatever reason. We are interested in those

who are interested in us.

Guideline 4. Maintain the other partys attention

You, the consultative salespeople are the professional communicator. Take the initiative and use the

following simple techniques to keep the other partys attention.

Find out and frequently use the other partys name.


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We all respond to our name whenever it is used. You know that if someone in a crowded room

mentions your name, you hear it, even though you were not aware of the preceding conversation.

When asked a question we respond. Questions demand answerswhich in turn ensures attention. Use

questions particularly the rhetorical ones. I realise you would like to earn more?

Guidelines 5. Work at communication

Communication is a life skill. Skills have to be practised in order to improve. Use every opportunity to

talk with others. At social gatherings to be the one to deliberately open or lead conversations.

Remember that being a good listener, is far more important than being a good talker. You will be

thought of as a good conversationalist if you use frequent open questions to keep the conversation

going.

If you agree with someone, do so by looking at the case from the other partys point of view, as Devils

Advocate. This will enable you to disagree without confrontation.

As Abraham Lincoln once said;

If you would win a man to your cause, first let that man know youare his friend.

BODY LANGUAGE

Observing people is an important part of communication that has only recently become more fully

understood and accepted. It would now seem that empathy is, in part, an ability to read and

understand body language.

As with listening skills (where hearing is only a part of listening) there is the matter of evaluation and

interpretation before understanding can take place between people with no common language at the

gesture level.

It is worth reading some of the comprehensive books that have been written on this subject. For the

consultative salesperson the important elements of body language are:

POSTURE: The way you or someone else sits, indicates whether they are alert or not.

BODY POSITIONING: We move towards those we like. Respect is shown by walking half a pace behind

someone.

BEARING AND GATE: The self assured swagger of some is a clear sign of their confidence.

GESTURE: You know exactly what that fellow in the other car was trying to communicate.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: Frowning, eyebrow lifting, smiling, and winking all add to the spoken word.

GAZE BEHAVIOUR: Look at those two over dinner, they cannot be married?

BODY CONTACTS: Those footballers are pleased. Oh look that woman is consoling that child.


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Many of the signals are at the subconscious level and may be overlaid with conscious conflicting signals.

Reactions to signals will depend upon the personality of the recipient.

MANAGING YOUR SALES PERFORMANCE Consultative sales people and management

One of the reasons why many professional salespeople make good managers is that many of the basics

of management are learned whilst working as a salesperson. Salespeople learn about planning and

preparation. They also learn self motivation, after all there is not usually much direct supervision. Often

remuneration will depend upon results, which sharpens ones perception of priorities. As we have

already seen the salesperson learns and works at improving communication skills. Add time

management to that and we have a truly useful foundation for management.

Perhaps you do not seek management but you will want to maximise your personal effectiveness (self

management).

DETECTIVE WORK THE ART OF FINDING NEW CUSTOMERS (PROSPECTING)

Prospecting is the first step in a sale. Prospecting is the common sales jargon for the process of findingpeople to whom you can sell. Prospects are the people to whom you sell:- they may be new contacts or

they may be customers who buy on a repeat basis.

There are a number of salespeople who take the view that prospecting is the most important, step in

the sale. There is a strong argument for this view. Clearly, if you do not have anyone to sell to, then all

of your subsequent sales skills will be wasted. On the other hand if one could really excel at prospecting

it is possible to visualise a situation where you only went to see people who would say something like: -

I am so glad that you called, I was about to ring you. I was just thinking of ordering.

Unfortunately, life is not like that (well not often enough) but if salespeople spend all of their time

talking to people who do not have a need for the goods and services that they offer, they will not dovery well. Conversely the better your prospect list, the easier it is to make sales and the more successful

you will be.

Whatever you sell, not everyone in the population will be a prospect. Taking the population as a whole

there will be the majority who are clearly not prospects for your offer. Then, there are some who could

be and finally a few who have an urgent and immediate need which only you and your offer can fully

satisfy.

Finding the people with the real need is the problem and the consultative salesperson needs to be good

at finding solutions. Prospecting is therefore the art of finding people who qualify as genuinely having a

need for your products and services.

Finding new customers is more like detective work than selling as it is popularly perceived.

The process of building a dynamic prospect list goes through the stages of first finding SUSPECTS.

By a process of simple RESEARCH the weak prospects are eliminated.

Leaving a dynamic PROSPECT LIST.


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How do you find the suspects in the first place?

Prospecting Tactics

Prospecting means having some mechanisms for qualifying people as unable to buy, unlikely to buy or

likely to buy.

People who are unlikely to buy are those who do not have the authority to buy, people who have no

need for your goods or services or people who could not pay for them. When dealing with businesses,

someone not having the authority to buy, is not so easy to detect as it might first appear. It is quite

common for many managers to delegate fact finding on anything in which they are currently interested

in to a junior member of staff.

This junior member of staff does not have the authority to buy, only the authority to recommend or

veto. This means they can say No, or probably, that they will pass the information to someone else.

Clearly this is not the most satisfactory situation for the salesperson.

The salesperson receiving an enquiry cannot easily by-pass the junior and yet selling to this person

contravenes a basic rule of selling. Only sell to the person with authority to buy. We will discuss thisand the other common problem of purchasing decisions being made by committee later in this

workbook.

For the moment all I ask you to remember is that the minimum qualification is easily remembered as the

mnemonic M.A.N. Which stands for MEANS AUTHORITY NEED. Remember it by making sure that

you sell to the right M.A.N.

Authority implies that the person to whom you are talking has to be able to say yes. This is not always

easy to discover (I will cover some techniques later on). For the moment remember that, it is better to

start at the top and work down than to start at the bottom and work up.

This is so important that there are salespeople who prefer to make the first high level contact with a

target company themselves. Enquiries passed to them by the sales office force them to deal with

minions. Going to the top enables them to get the right person and of course they are totally in control.

They do not have to relate their sales story to anyone but the right M.A.N. They start with the Managing

Director (or other Director) with the intention of being referred down to the right level.

THE FIRST STEP IN PROSPECTING

The first step is to identify the profile who it is that makes a good prospect for yourself.

Think about and make notes on how you will find prospects for your current business.

A good starting point is to focus on your existing customers and consider where you can find more who

are similar to them. For example if you have done well with manufacturing companies benchmark

pertinent data e.g. what do they manufacture? How big are they? Do they have other group

connections? What level are the decisions taken? What are the relevant production processes? Are

other suppliers involved?


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You must be satisfied that you know what criteria are important enough for you to identify a prospect.

Then consider where you will find suspect addresses and how you can check that these suspects match

your prospect qualification criteria.

Time spent on research can save wasting time later on. If you know that the prospect really will benefit

from your proposal and you know this before you make sales contact, your confidence will be greater

and your sales approach much more positive.

PRE-CONTACT WORK

There are four key areas to work at prior to calling on prospects:

a) Territory Planning

b) Time Management

c) General Planning and Preparation

d) Specific Call Preparation

Territory Planning

Territory planning starts with buying a map of your territory. Often this means buying several andsticking them together to make a single map.

Now marking the map with customers that have to be looked after; most professionals use some sort of

colour coding.

The next step is grouping the calls to minimise the journey times. This will usually depend upon the

customers location in relation to a motorway. Salespeople who travel far usually group towns or cities

and sometimes countries. If you are going to Italy you may as well fit in as many meetings as you can.

Record Keeping

One of the basic rules of management is that one cannot manage what cannot be measured. Thismeans having to keep records.

Many companies provide their sales teams with customised record systems so it is likely that you will

have to use what is provided.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Time is precious, whether we intend to use the available time for work or leisure. We are all limited by

8,760 hours each year. Due to difficulty recording the exact length of each year Pope Gregory made it

8,784 hours every fourth year, but apart from leap years and theories of what happens at the speed of

light, time is not capable of expansion.

It follows that the objectives for Time Management are not to lengthen the working day as such but to

ensure that one gets more from the hours used. Goodsales coursesaddress how to make good use of

sales time.

GENERAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION
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You are aware how sensitive people are to first impressions. Over the telephone you have about 15

seconds to create the right impression; face to face possibly 30 seconds but not much more.

If the first impression that you create is good, credibility stays with you for sometime. If the first

impression is poor, then in selling you probably do not get the chance to build up credibility. It is a

tough competitive world out there and if the prospect has mentally dismissed you, the rest of the

interview is spent actually getting rid of you.

In this business of selling the difference between being a star or an average performer is not so much

great flair but a willingness to pay attention to the details and get them right.

SPECIFIC PLANNING AND PREPARATION

At this stage, one should plan the objectives for a call. The specifics of what you plan before calling are

the subject of subsequent chapters. You will plan your approach, questions you must ask, making

specific proposals, demonstrations, handling objections and asking for the business.

The primary objective for the call might be to take an order. Being realistic it may not be possible to get

the sale on this visit so ask yourself; If I do not achieve my first objective what would be next best?

The next best might be to complete a full presentation and if you do not get this far.

The next best might be (finally) to leave the door open to be able to call again.

The planning principle just covered is that of Retreat Aims which means that if you do not get the

primary objective them go for the next best.

THAT VITAL FIRST CONTACT The Importance of the Opening Statement

Before you can sell anything, you must first of all sell yourself.

An opening statement is essential to sell the idea of talking with you. This is done by the special way in

which you introduce yourself. Clearly if you cannot sell the idea that you are worth talking to, then

business is unlikely to ensue.

It is well worth the time and trouble that it takes to prepare a good opening statement because it will

serve you well, enabling you to get the conversation off to a good start in a number of situations. The

opening statement can be used over the telephone. It can be used when writing a warm up letter, or as

part of an email, prior to ringing for an appointment. It should also be used very early in the interview

when meeting the prospect, whether calling by appointment or not, to establish your credibility and get

off to an interesting, business like start.

Opening statements should be used with established customers at the appropriate moment to sell

each interview with them. Failing to do this will quickly result in your regular meetings being shortened,

until you get to the point where your customer does not want to see you as frequently as you need to

see him.


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There are many elements that constitute the right professional impression. The image of the company

represented by the sales person, the salespersons dress, demeanour, manners, timing and what is said.

The prospect will normally make a very quick judgement of you based upon your appearance. After this

you normally have only a few seconds to say something to which the prospect will react favourably. If

the approach is wrong then you will find the prospect saying, Not interested, just now, thank you.

Think about the situation from the prospects point of view. The prospect is going about his/her

business; the salespersons first approach (usually by telephone) is an interruption. It is, therefore, an

essential step in the sale to convince the prospect that it is likely to be worth their while spending a little

time in discussion. Otherwise they will not agree to an appointment.

It is important to sell the idea of the discussion even when calling by appointment. Consider the next

step of the sale. Normally this will be to establish what the customer needs. In practice this means

asking the customer questions. How do you think you would feel if someone called, even with an

appointment, and without a by your leave straightaway launched into a series of questions, which at

the time may seem of minor importance, and of no immediate direct concern to you?

It can be seen that the opening statement should focus on how you can either help the prospect move

towards their business or personal objectives, solve a problem or satisfy a need and then present that

thought clearly to the prospect. A question rather than a statement can sometimes be used but beware

of becoming too interrogative too soon.

MAKING APPOINTMENTS BY TELEPHONE

Making an appointment is in effect a sale. The prospect has been sold the idea that it is worth

spending a little time with you. When making an appointment one goes through the sequence of a sale.

There is an approach, a building of interest followed by handling some objections and leading finally to aclose getting the appointment.

Granting an appointment is not in itself a major decision for the prospect, yet many salespeople do have

difficulty in this area. It is fair to say that the more specialised the sale the harder it is to make

appointments. The salesperson selling stock items to independent retail shops hardly needs

appointments. The salesperson selling to other businesses cannot work without them.

CONFIRMING CUSTOMER NEEDS

If there is one step in the selling process that is the most important and most differentiates consultative

salespeople from the conventional view of selling, it is the process of confirming customer needs or the

survey stage of the sale. The survey is the most vital step in your sales plan. This is the step that does

most to remove you from the ranks of the high pressure merchants. It shows you to be a professional

with proper interest in and concern for the customer.

In this section the term Consultative Selling comes into its own. Business consultants cannot advise

without asking questions, the medical consultant has to ask questions before being able to diagnose

problems. The consultative salesperson sells by asking questions. You may have heard the expression

Telling is not selling. It is questioning skills that sell. Questions are far more powerful than any sales


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statement. The consultative salesperson deliberately gets the prospect to sell themselves. How this is

achieved is what we shall now consider.

After having introduced yourself, exchanged pleasantries and sold the interview with your opening

gambit, you move to the confirmation of needs stage by asking if the prospect does not mind confirming

a few points, or something similar. You may now go ahead with your questions

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE ASK?

You will have found out something about your prospect. You will have developed a list of things that

you need to know to qualify this prospect.

Some things that you need to know before you can make a sale can only be found out in discussion with

the prospect, so you will ask about these points.

The objective of the survey is to establish the customers needs and what priority the customer puts on

each point so that we might relate our products to satisfying those needs.

Until the prospective customer confirms that benefits apply to their circumstances, your list of benefits

is only a list oflikely benefits.

Questions indicate interest. Statements are self-centred. Who would you rather deal with? Someone

only concerned with themselves, or someone who shows an interest in you and your problems? That

essential interest is demonstrated by asking questions.

A preliminary step in this process is to ask ourselves specific questions about this prospect in our pre-

call planning:

- Why should they buy from us?- How will they gain?

- What are the most appropriate benefits for this prospect?

- What are the objections this person is likely to raise?

Once we have worked out the answers to these questions, then we are able to frame questions that will

lead the prospect to discover their needs and how they gain by buying from us.

The questions to ask

Let us now consider the questions that you should ask. There are three main areas.

1. Questions to check that you are in front of a real prospect (the decision maker).

In addition to yourself is anyone else going to be interested in this project?

2.Questions to lead the prospect to discover the benefits that are appropriate to their needs.

Would easy contact with your sales people enable you to react faster to enquiries. Would that

improve your chances of winning business?


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3.Questions that move the project along.

So what will happen when I have written out the proposal?

PRESENTING YOUR CASE

Now we finally reach the stage where many would consider the sale starts, the sales presentation.

You have done a lot of preparatory work, made an appointment, opened the interview well, asked a

number of questions and failed to find benefits for your customer. How do you present a convincing

case?

Answer

You thank the prospect for their time; leave the door open should there be a future requirement and

go on to your next appointment. (Well, the question was intended as a slight catch question). The

important point is that if you have questioned your prospect and still cannot see benefits from the

prospect, they are not a prospect, and you cannot sell to them. In consultative selling if the sales

consultant cannot see why the prospect should buy, then the consultative salesperson does not attemptto sell.

Please think about this, for unless you have missed something in your survey of needs, in which case you

need to rethink your strategy and tactics, you cannot make the sale. To attempt to sell to someone with

no need for your product is what the high pressure cowboys try to do. It is a waste of time. You will be

far more successful spending your time working on a better quality prospect.

PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE TO PRESENTATIONS

Your professional attitude enables you to have a more positive relationship with your prospects. The

rule is that you do not make a presentation until the prospective customers needs have beenestablished. Now rules are for the guidance of wise men and the blind observance of fools. There will

be times when you make a presentation and possibly a demonstration as the mechanism by which you

discover the prospects needs. You will know when these times are and will recognise upon which step

of the sale you are working.

DEMONSTRATIONS

There are two kinds of demonstration. The smaller ones, where something is demonstrated on the

prospective customers premises such as portable telephones or small tools. In this category also comes

the work by the astute salesperson who tries to involve all the senses of the prospect.

Example 1: A preserves salesperson, who will open a jar to let the buyer taste the real fruit flavour.

Example 2: A warehouse racking sales engineer who will use models to show how various stacking

systems operate.

Example 3: Many salespeople show short videos of complex processes, or to demonstrate work done

for others.


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Many demonstrations, such as a machine tool demonstration, probably require the prospect to visit

another town or even another country. These major demonstrations may take place at a number of

different places.

MAKING YOUR PROPOSAL

Always try to obtain a decision, at least to the next step in the sale, on the current visit. In many sales

situations, such as, selling capital equipment or complex solutions is not usually possible to get the order

on one visit. With a big project the steps of a sale may spread over many months. Sometimes you will

want to confirm your proposals in writing. Whether made verbally or in writing there is a logical format

to follow.

Be careful not to accept a request to, put in writing as an end to the interview. Many buyers use this

device as an easy way to get rid of salespeople.

A request to Put it in writing does not cost the buyer anything but it is going to take you time and cost

you money to comply with their request.

HOW TO ANSWER THE CUSTOMERS QUESTIONS

In every sale, the prospect is likely to raise objections. These are reasons for not being ready to accept

the products or services that you are offering. The prospect may not think of them as objections, they

are often simply questions which the prospective customer needs to have clarified before reaching a

decision.

Objections may arise at any stage of the sale; at the very beginning when the prospect might not even

agree to see you; at the end and after you have made your presentation, the prospect may turn down

your offer.

COUNTER OBJECTION STRATEGIES

To succeed in refuting or countering customer objection, the consultative salesperson requires a

strategy, some techniques and tactics. Let us look at strategies first.

There are four strategies that you might consider:

1. Pre-empt the objection

This means that you anticipate that the prospect is likely to raise this subject as an objection and

you deal with it before it is raised. If it is re-introduced into the conversation it is more easily dealt

with.

2. Outweigh the objection

This is the strategy to use for objections which are perfectly valid. For example the customer objects

to the size of your product. It is a fact and there is probably nothing you can do to physically change

the size. In such cases use this sequence to outweigh the objection.

Example


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Buyer: I am not going to pay that much money.

Salesperson: At first glance it does seem like a lot to ask, and you are right to be concerned that

you get value for money. Let us look at my suggestions and see what they mean to you.

The salesperson now has to go through each benefit for the customer preferably expressed in value

terms. The value must add up to substantially more than the cost. It may be that there is a hot

button in your list.

3. Answer the objection

This will be your most common strategic response to an objection. The majority of objections from

prospects are questions, because at the time of asking they do not

Consultative Professional Selling

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