SellingSelling

Making a Sale• Selling:

– One of the seven functions of marketing– Personal and direct way of communication

with the customer to assist with the decision to buy

– Customer focused– Consumers are free to choose, but selling

helps to influence the choice!

Keys to Successful Selling• Good information about the product• Good personal skills since this is a personal

activity• Good training programs• Knowing the customer is essential• Developing on-going relationships with

customers is a key to continued business

$$$ in Sales Professions

• Salespeople are usually paid on commission– % of what is sold– Outstanding salespeople can make very

good salaries– Expect a base salary plus % commission or

bonus structure

The Steps in the Sales Process

• Pre-approach• Approach• Determine the Need• Demonstrate• Answer Questions• Close the Sale• Suggest Selling• Follow-Up

Pre-approach

• Completed before the customer even has contact with the salesperson

• Salesperson must have complete product knowledge

• Salespeople must also have knowledge of the customer and their needs (value, brand awareness, latest fashion, etc)

Approach

• How the salesperson approaches the customer

• When to approach the customer is different for each person so a salesperson has to be able to determine WHEN to approach the customer

• Acknowledging the person is a great place to start

Determine the Need

• Determine what is a need/want in the customer’s life

• Great salespeople listen for clues as to the customer’s needs

Demonstrate

• Show benefits of the product to the customer

• How does the product/service fill the need or want in their life?

Answer Questions

• This is the time for the salesperson to gain the confidence of the customer

Close the Sale

• Balance between making it easy to buy the product/service and not feeling pressured to buy

Suggest

• Suggestion selling: offering additional related items

• Offer additional items that will increase the customer’s satisfaction level with the product being purchased

Follow-Up

• Contact after the sale can bring customers back when they are ready to buy again

• Thank you notes, follow-up phone calls to see how customer is enjoying the product/service

True Selling

• It is an art• It is hard to learn, although, it comes

natural to some people