Personal Selling Process

Step 1> Opening :
Example: Retail Salesperson - "...in can see that you appear to be interested in our stereo equipment. What kind of system do you have in mind?..."

Step 2> Need andProblem identification: Need analysis approach suggests that early in the sales process the salesperson should adopt a question-and-listen posture, to identify what actually the customer is looking for. salesperson should focus on questioning open ended questions rather than closed ended questions.

Step 3> Presentation andDocumentation: Benefits should be analysed at two levels: * ...the benefits which can be obtained by purchasing of a particular type of product. * ...the benefits that can be obtained by purchasing that product from a particular supplier.

NOTE: Many sales situtations involve risk to the buyer. The buyer may be reluctant to change from the present supplier or present model because doing so may lead to unforseen problems - like delievery of product may be unsatisfactory in the new model or unreliable.
There four major ways a salesperson can reduce the risk:
(a) Reference Selling
(b) Demonstration
(c) Guarantees
(d) Trial Orders

Step4> Dealing with Objections: Objections are any concerns or questions raised by the buyer, while some objectives are an exception of confusion, doubt or disagreement with the statements or information presented by the salesperson. What the buyer is asking for is further information because s/he is interested in what the salesperson is saying...!! Effective approaches for dealing with objections involve two areas: *...the preparation of convincing answers. *...the development of a range of techniques for answering objections in a manner which permits the acceptance of these answers without the loss of face on the part of buyer.

The various techiniques are as Follows:
(i) Listen and do not interrupt
(ii) Agree and Counter
(iii) Question the Objection
(iv) Trial Close
(v) Hidden Objections
(vi) The Straight Denials .......
TBConti.