MAKING THE SALES CALL

2. MAKING THE SALES CALL chapter 9 • 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? SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE: 9-2 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

3. “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 Stinchfield Hospira 9-3 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

4. Essential Elements of the Sales Call 9-4 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

5. Introduction • 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 • ________ 9-5 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

6. 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 9-6 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

7. 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 9-7 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

8. Making a Good Impression (continued) • 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 9-8 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

9. Openings That Salespeople Can Use to Gain Attention • 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 9-9 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

10. Making a Good Impression (continued) • 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 ________ in selling is a close, harmonious relationship founded on mutual trust. 9-10 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

11. Identifying the Prospect’s Needs: The Power of Asking Questions • 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 9-11 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

12. Discovering the Root Cause of the Need 9-12 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

13. 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 9-13 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

14. SPIN® Technique • 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 9-14 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

15. SPIN® Technique (continued) • 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 9-15 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

16. Reiterating Needs and Developing a Strategy for the Presentation • 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 9-16 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

17. 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, ________ ) 9-17 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

18. 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 9-18 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

19. Building Credibility During the Call • 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 9-19 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

20. Building Credibility During the Call (continued) • 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 9-20 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

21. 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 9-21 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

22. 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 9-22 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

23. Summary • 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. 9-23 McGraw-Hill/Irwin

24. Summary (continued) • 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 9-24 McGraw-Hill/Irwin