Selling Processes

Dr. Sanjeev Prashar

Introduction

• This chapter builds upon following things:– steps of sales process– Interpersonal communication process– Sales negotiation process– Initial steps of the global selling process

• Interpersonal communication and sales negotiation processes interwoven into the global selling process

The Sales Process

Eight basic steps of the Sales Process:1. Prospecting

2. The pre-approach

3. The approach

4. Need identification

5. Presentation

6. Handling objections

7. Gaining commitment

8. Follow up

Prospecting

• Qualified Sales leads- potential customers who have a need for the salesperson’s product, the financial means to purchase the product, and the authority to make the buying decision.

• Referrals- obtained by the salesperson asking current customers if they know someone else who might need the product.

Pre-approach and Planning

• The pre-approach is the collection of information about the potential customer and the customer’s company prior to the initial visit.

Approaching the Client

• The approach is the development of rapport with the customer

• Four basic social style categories

1. The driver

2. The analytical

3. The expressive

4. The amiable

Identifying Client Needs Through Probing Questions

• Success at the need-identification stage of the sales process requires asking probing questions of the prospective customer to determine needs.

– Organizational needs

– Personal needs

Presenting the Product

• The presentation should be adapted to address the specific customer needs.

• Features versus Benefits

• Types of Presentations

– Flexible (need-satisfaction) Presentation

– Memorized (canned) Presentation

Handling Objections

• When faced with objections, the salesperson should approach the objection as a sign of interest on the part of the prospect, and provide information that will ensure the prospect’s confidence in making the purchase.

Gaining Commitment

• Commitment is gained when the prospect agrees to take the action sought by the salesperson.

• The salesperson must ask for the order.

Following Up and Keeping Promises

• Follow-up requires that the salesperson complete any agreed upon actions.

• Salespeople should stay in touch after a sale to ensure that the customers are still happy with their purchase decisions.

In Short

THE SALES PROCESS Personal Selling ProcessPersonal Selling Process Personal Selling ProcessPersonal Selling Process

The Sales Process

• Prospecting: personal-selling function of identifying potential customers

• Qualifying: determining that a prospect has the needs, income, and purchase authority necessary for being a potential customer

Prospecting Prospecting and and

QualifyingQualifying

Prospecting Prospecting and and

QualifyingQualifying

The Sales Process

• Approach: salesperson’s initial contact with a prospective customer

• Precall Planning: use of information collected during the prospecting and qualifying stages of the sales process and during previous contacts with the prospect to tailor the approach and presentation to match the customer’s needs

ApproachApproachApproachApproach

The Sales Process

• Presentation: describing a product’s major features and relating them to a customer’s problems or needs

PresentationPresentationPresentationPresentation

The Sales Process

• A demonstration allows the customer to experience a good or service

• Even ads as well done as the one on the following slide can not substitute for an effective demonstration ride in a new automobile

Demon-Demon-strationstration

Demon-Demon-strationstration

The Sales Process

• Objections: expressions of sales resistance by the prospect

• Example: A customer’s “I don't like the color” is probably their way of asking what other colors are available

• Objections are reasonable and professional salespeople are prepared to handle them appropriately

Handling Handling ObjectionsObjections

Handling Handling ObjectionsObjections

The Sales Process

• Closing: stages of personal selling where the salesperson asks the customer to make a purchase decision

• Nearly 80% of salespeople fail to close when the buyer is ready

ClosingClosingClosingClosing

The Sales Process

• Follow-up: post-sales activities that often determine whether an individual who has made a recent purchase will become a repeat customer

• Follow-up helps build mutually beneficial long-term relationships

Follow-upFollow-upFollow-upFollow-up

Other functions of Sales Process

• Finding customers

• Preparing

• Relationship building

• Product offering

• Offer clarification

• Securing the purchase

• Maintaining the relationship

Relationship Building

• Making a favorable impression and gaining trust of potential customer– Time required varies by culture

• Number of ways to meet client:– Guaranteed introduction– Referral introduction– Personal introduction– Benefit introduction

Relationship Building

• Should know appropriate greeting and phrases in customer’s language– Business cards in English and customer’s

language– Business cards have taken the place of personal

introductions in Japan

What is a Buying Center?

• One or more people in the B2B customer firm that play different, but important, roles in the buying process. They include:– Initiators– Users– Influencers– Buyer– Gatekeeper– Salesperson must identify and interact correctly

with each group of clients playing specific roles

Product Offering

• Salesperson must select an appropriate method to offer the product to the client

• This step normally includes one or more of the following styles:– Stimulus response

– Mental States

– Need satisfaction

– Problem solving

– Consultative selling

Stimulus Response

• Salesperson provides appropriate stimulus through words and actions that will derive desired response– Utilized with canned sales presentations– Seen with low involvement products– Purchaser involvement limited– Often not flexible– Used for one-time interactions

Mental States

• Salesperson attempts to move customer through the purchase stages (attention, interest, desire, action)– Presentation must be well-planned– Limited purchaser involvement– Hard to know what stage customer is in– Difficult when used across cultures– Not well received by professional purchasers

Selling Approaches

• Need satisfaction – meets and asks questions in an effort to identify and satisfy a customer need– Focuses on customer’s need(s)

• Problem solving – extension of Need Satisfaction that includes study or team of experts

• Consultative selling – salesperson functions as a consultant and may even recommend a competitor’s product that best satisfies customer need(s)

Buyer-Seller Meeting

• Meet with customer at appointed time– Punctuality more important in some cultures

– Make favorable impression• Sharing information through small talk

• Presenting gifts

• Begin meeting by restating last communication as understood– Insure customer’s goals understood

– No slick presentations

– Explain how the solution solves goals and needs

Offer Clarification

• Once presentation finished, expect questions– Clarify offer or ask for price concessions– Remember that negotiations take place during

the entire process– May request test data or testimonials from

satisfied customer– View this step as normal negotiations

Securing the Purchase

• Simply asking the customer to purchase– Difficult to manipulate buyer into purchase– This is especially true in B2B interactions

• Best approach is the direct one– Since our product addresses your need(s), shall

we agree to the purchase?– Some countries, like China, seller may await

the buyer to raise issue of purchase

Maintaining the Relationship

• Final, but very important step in sales process– Satisfied customers purchase again and again– Customer wants supplier they can trust and who

will be there when problems arise– Customer satisfaction very important in Japan– B2B firms track customer satisfaction levels– Salesperson must have authority to keep

customer satisfied

Ethical Considerations

• Personal selling generates buyer complaints– Salespersons believed to have low ethical

standards– Some firms operate from a selling orientation– Most complaints attributable to management

• Setting unrealistic sales goals/quotas

• Rewarding for sale even when questionable behavior is involved

Role of Salesperson

• That of a boundary spanner– Must bring buyer and seller together– Initial positions often far apart

• Seller wants: highest price, standard product, longest delivery, and no service

• Buyer wants: lowest price, custom product, shortest delivery, and service contract

• Salesperson must mediate

Role Conflict

• Salesperson experiences role conflict when two or more parties want her to comply with their expectations– Each party can reward or punish salesperson

• Sales manager can give or withhold raise• Customer can order or withhold purchase• Family can give or withhold love, approval

• Salesperson must attempt to satisfy concerns of all parties – not an easy task!

Summary

• The sales process is completed– Approach must be modified based upon culture

of buyer– No “tricks” to selling; just hard work!

• Salesperson may be viewed as being less than ethical because of role played

• Role conflict can occur in B2B sales• Ethical behavior always the best approach