MAKING THE SALES CALL

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.


MAKING THE SALES CALL

How should the salesperson make the initial approach to make a good impression and gain the prospect’s attention?

How can the salesperson develop rapport and increase source credibility?

Why is discovering the prospect’s needs important, and how can a salesperson get this information?

How can the salesperson most effectively relate the product or service features to the prospect’s needs?

Why is it important for the salesperson to make adjustments during the call?

How does the salesperson recognize that adjustments are needed? How can a salesperson effectively sell to groups?

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chapter 9

SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE:

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.9-3

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“If it wasn’t for the familiar faces, responsiveness, and addressing the customers’ needs directly with a friendly smile, we would not have been considered for the business, let alone the contract.”

~Chad StinchfieldHospira


Essential Elements of the Sales Call

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The content of an actual sales call depends on:– The specific situation– The extent of the established relationship

Four A’s selling process:– Acknowledge– Acquire– Advise– ________

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Introduction

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Waiting for the Prospect

Be on time or call if you’re going to be a few minutes late

Make good use of your waiting time

15 minute rule When to reschedule



Very First Impressions

Making a favorable first impression usually results in a prospect who is willing to listen

How you dress How you look

– Be well groomed– Be confident– Smile

Modify behavior based on prospect’s state

Customer’s name



Selecting a seat– Be aware of your surroundings– Read the prospect’s nonverbal cues

Getting the customer’s attention– Prospects use the first few minutes to

determine if they will ________ from the interaction

– Salespeople basically have less than ________ minutes to get credibility with the client

– Presentation openings

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Making a Good Impression (continued)

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Introduction opening: Simply introduce yourself Referral opening: Tell about someone who

referred you to the buyer Benefit opening: Start by telling some benefit of

the product Product opening: Demonstrate a product feature

and benefit as soon as you walk up to the prospect Compliment opening: Start by complimenting the

buyer or buyer’s firm Question opening: Start the conversation with a

question

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Openings That Salespeople Can Use to Gain Attention

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Developing ________ – Should be the goal of every salesperson– Small talk– Office scanning– Consider cultural and personality differences– Share goals or agenda

When things go wrong– Maintain the proper

perspective and a sense of humor

– Apologize– Think before you speak

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Making a Good Impression (continued)

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________ in selling is a close, harmonious relationship founded on mutual trust.


After capturing the buyer’s attention, it is time to identify the buyer’s ________

Use transition sentences Don’t be surprised if the buyer is

reluctant to provide confidential information

Discovering needs is part of qualifying the prospect– This process can be uncomfortable for the

prospect

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Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions

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Discovering the Root Cause of the Need

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Asking Open and Closed Questions

Open questions require the prospect to go beyond a simple yes-or-no response

Closed questions require yes, no, or short “fill-in-the-blank” type response

In most cases salespeople need to ask both open and closed questions

Summarize the prospects needs



Situation questions– General data-gathering questions– Many situation-type questions can be answered

through precall information gathering and planning

Problem questions– Questions about specific difficulties, problems,

or dissatisfactions Implication questions

– Help the prospect recognize the true ramifications of the problem

– ________ the prospect to search for a solution to the problem

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SPIN® Technique

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Need payoff questions– Questions about the usefulness of solving a

problem– ________ centered

Conclusions about SPIN®– Encourages the prospect to define the need– Prospect views the salesperson more as a

consultant trying to help than as someone pushing a product

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SPIN® Technique (continued)

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Reiterate needs you identified before the meeting– Both parties can agree about the problem they

are trying to solve Prepare a set of questions that maximize

the use of available time Develop a ________ for the presentation

– Prioritize buyer needs– Discuss features that address buyer needs

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Reiterating Needs and Developing a Strategy for the Presentation

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Offering Value: The Solution to the Buyer’s Needs

Relating features to benefits– Feature: quality or characteristic of the product

or service– Benefit: the way in which a specific feature will

________ a particular buyer– FEBA (feature, evidence, benefit, ________ )



Assessing Reactions

Using nonverbal cues Verbal probing

– Allows the salesperson to stop talking and encourages two-way conversation

– Lets the salesperson see whether the buyer is listening and understanding what is being said

– May show that the prospect isuninterested

Making adjustments– Changing direction– Collecting additional information– Developing a new sales strategy– Altering the style of presentation



Clearly delineate the time she or he thinks the call will take and then stop when the time is up

Offer concrete ________ to back up verbal statements

Avoid making statements that do not have the ring of truth to them

Make a balanced presentation that shows all sides of the situation

Recognize sub-cultural differences

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Building Credibility During the Call

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Demonstrate product expertise Keep it ________ Be willing to say, “I’m sorry, I was

wrong on that,” or “I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ll get it to you.”

Never use a word unless you know the exact definition

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Building Credibility During the Call (continued)

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Selling to Groups

Groups behave like groups, with group standards and norms and issues of status and group leadership.

Salespeople should discover (for each prospect group member):– Member status within the group– ________ – Perceptions about the urgency of the problem– Receptivity to ideas– Knowledge of the subject matter– Attitude toward the salesperson– Major areas of interest and concern– Key benefits sought– Likely resistance and ways to handle it



Selling to Groups (continued)

Salespeople should also discover the ego involvement and issue involvement of each group member

Develop objectives and plan Learn the names of group members and

use them when appropriate Listen carefully and observe

all nonverbal cues



Make every possible effort to create a good impression during a sales call.

Use any of several methods to gain the prospect’s attention.

Establish the prospect’s needs before beginning any discussion of product information.

Translate features into benefits for the buyer.

Make any necessary adjustments in the presentation based on buyer feedback.

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Summary

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Build credibility. When selling to groups, the

salesperson should:– Gather information about the needs and

concerns of each individual who will attend

– Uncover the ego involvement and issue involvement of each group member

– Develop meeting objectives and individual prospect objectives

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Summary (continued)

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MAKING THE SALES CALL