PRESENTING THE PRODUCT

CHAPTER 14

PRODUCT PRESENTATION

During this phase, you show the product and tell about it.

As you determine the customer’s buying motives, you should display products that match the needs you have discovered.

The goal is to match customer need to the product’s features and benefits.

SHOW AND TELL

The following determinations must be made as you decide to show the products: Which products to show What price range to offer How many products to show What to say

Make sure you use layman’s term when in a retail situation.

Avoid jargon unless in a business to business situation Avoid slang

MAKING THE PRESENTATION COME ALIVE

Displaying and Handling the Product Some products need better presentation than others Handle products carefully unless intended otherwise

Demonstrating This helps the customer build confidence and understanding of the

product.

Using Sales Aides These include samples, reprints of articles, audiovisual aides, models,

photos, drawings, graphs, charts, spec sheets, testimonials, and warranty info.

Involve the Customer Try to get the customer physically involved with the presentation. This keeps the customer’s attention and interest.

OBJECTIONS AND REJECTIONS

UNDERSTANDING OBJECTIONS Objections are concerns, hesitations, doubts, or

other honest reasons a customer has for not making a purchase.

Excuses are insincere reasons for not buying or not seeing the salesperson. Not in the mood to buy.

Objections should not be viewed negatively, but as a challenge to present more info about the product.

Objections can guide your sales presentation productively.

COMMON OBJECTIONS

Objections are usually based on the following items: NEED—this occurs when a customer may want an item,

but may not actually need it. PRODUCT—these are concerns based on construction,

ease of use, quality, color, size, or style. SOURCE—based on negative past experience with the

firm or brand. PRICE—common with high end, expensive merchandise. TIME—reveal a hesitation to buy immediately. Generally

not really interested in buying.

FOUR STEP PROCESS FOR HANDLING OBJECTIONS

1) Listen Carefully—let the customer talk

2) Acknowledge the Customer’s Objections—this shows that you understand, even if you disagree. Never say, “You’re wrong.”

3) Restate the Objections—try to paraphrase what the customer has said. This shows you understand and can clarify the situation.

4) Answer the Objections—answer each objection tactfully and knowledgeably.

SPECIALIZED METHODS OF HANDLING OBJECTIONS

BOOMERANG—brings the objection back to the customer as a selling point.QUESTION—keep questioning the customer to overcome the objectionSUPERIOR POINT—offset the objection with a valid reason and offset with other features/benefits.DENIAL—this is based on customer misinformation.DEMONSTRATION—overcome by showing how to use the product.THIRD PARTY—use a previous customer or neutral person to provide a testimonial. Letters or stories exemplify other’s experiences.

**See pg. 250 for examples of each.**