Effective Selling Techniques for Good Salespersons

1. Selling What you need to know to be a good salesperson!

2. Selling • Selling is: the face-to-face contact with the customer in an effort to assess their needs and satisfy those needs with appropriate products and services

3. Business Ethics in Selling • Be fair • Be consistent • Be honest

4. Sources to acquire product information • Product manuals • Formal training • Direct experience • Labels • Promotional materials • Other employees • Company’s website

5. Buying motives • Rational motives – conscious, factual reason for buying a product • Dependability, time, convenience, monetary savings, health or safety considerations, service, and quality • Emotional motives – a feeling experienced by customer based on association w/product • Social approval, power, love, affection, prestige • Patronage motives – • Loyalty to a business

6. Types of customer decision making • Extensive – Do a lot of research and take time before buy (car, house) • Limited – Does some research, spends some time before buy (computer, phone) • Routine – buy products on a regular basis – no research: soap, toilet paper

7. Feature-benefit selling • Telling the customer about both the features and the benefits of each feature

8. Features features • A physical characteristic or quality of a good or service that explains what it is. • Color • Price • Material • Texture

9. Customer benefits • Advantages or personal satisfaction that a customer gets from a good or service’s features • How does the feature on the product benefit the customer? • Feature: Camera has a automatic flash mode • Benefit: Allows for flash in all conditions

10. Preparing for the sales presentation • Know product • Have sales area clean, presentable • Have adequate inventory

11. 1st step in the sale: The approach – Establish relationship with customer • The goal of the approach is to make the customer feel comfortable and also find out information to satisfy their wants and needs • Smile, be respectful, enthusiastic

12. Service Approach • Ask the customer “May I help You?” This is the least effective approach because they can say “no”. • Only use this approach if they are in a hurry and need assistance quickly

13. Greeting approach • Greet the customer and welcome to the store • Hello and welcome to Belks, please let me know if you need any help • It lets customer know that you are there to help

14. Merchandise Approach • When you make a comment or asks a question about the merchandise the customer is looking at • Takes the emphasis off of you and the customer and puts it on the merchandise • Is the most effective approach

15. 2nd step: Determing customer’s needs and wants • Observing – nonverbal communication • Listening – good eye contact, nod • Questioning – ask questions to determine needs and wants and buying motives

16. Questioning – use open ended questions • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How?

17. 3rd step: Product Presentation • Which products to show? Products that meet customer’s needs and wants. • Price range? Start with medium-priced item. • How many? No more than three products at a time. • What to say? Talk about products features and benefits.

18. Displaying and Handling the Product • Creatively display Jewelry – velvet display pad • Handle with respect

19. Demonstrate the product and using Sales Aids • Show the customer how it works • Drop an unbreakable dish on the floor • Use Sales Aids – samples, reprints of magazine and newspaper articles, audiovisual aids, models, photographs, drawings, charts, etc.

20. Involve the customer!! • Get them physically involved with the product • Try it out • Try it on • Taste, smell, etc.

21. What are objections? Excuses? • Objections are: concerns, hesitations, doubts, or other honest reasons not to buy product • Excuses are: insincere reasons for not buying or not seeing the salesperson • Too busy • Just shopping around

22. Welcome objections. Why??? • Can help you redefine the customer’s needs and determine when customer wants more information

23. Five most common buying objections: • Need – I want it, but I don’t need it. • Product – Concerns about quality, size, appearance, or style. • Source – Negative previous experience with firm or brand

24. Five most common buying objection (continued): • Price – More common with high- quality, expensive merchandise • Time – Hesitation to buy immediately

25. Four-step process for handling objections: • Listen Carefully • Be attentive • Maintain eye contact • Let the customer talk • Acknowledge customer’s objections • Understand and care about them • “I can see your point.”

26. Four-step process (continued) • Restate the objection • Paraphrase their objection to check for understanding of their concern • Answer the objections • Answer tactfully, keeping in mind customer’s feelings • Use to further define or redefine customer’s needs

27. Methods of Handling Objections • Yes, but – I understand your point, but….. • Boomerang (Toss it back) – Objection comes back to customer as selling point • Deny it – provide proof and accurate information to answer objection

28. Methods of handling objections (continued) • Point counterpoint (superior point) – acknowledge objections as valid, but offset with other features and benefits • Inquiry (Question) – Question to learn more about objections raised • Show’em (demonstration) – Illustrating one or more features of a good or service

29. Methods (continued) • Testimonial (third party) – using a previous customer who can give a testimonial about product Try it – Let them use for themselves to disprove their objection

30. Closing the sale • The customer agreeing to buy the product • Ways to know if ready: • Observing their body language • Things they say

31. Types of closes • Which close: Have the customer choose between 2 or 3 items “Which item would you prefer?” • Standing-room-only close: use when a product is in short supply or the price may go up “The price will be going back up this Friday.”

32. Types of closes • Direct Close: You ask for the sale directly. “Would you like to go ahead and purchase this product today?” • Service Close: Explain services that may overcome obstacles to buying Examples: Gift wrapping, return policy, guarantees, warranties

33. Suggestion selling • Selling additional goods or services to the customer • Benefits: customer by saving them time • Benefits: company makes more in sales, makes customer happy

34. Suggestion selling methods • Offering related merchandise – “would you like to buy some film or batteries to go with your new camera” • Recommending larger quantities – “One pair of pantyhose costs $4 but you can buy 3 pairs for $10 which will save you money

35. Suggestion selling methods • Calling attention to special sales opportunities – “ We are having a sale on all items in this department just today, you may want to look around to see if there is anything else you may want to buy before I ring you up.”

36. Before the customer leaves: • Give them their receipt • Be sure to reassure them of their purchase • Thank them for their business

37. Follow-up after the sale (relationship marketing) • Send a thank you note • Call to check on the customer • Send a survey or questionnaire

38. Benefits of building customer clientele • You will have loyal customers coming back to you and they will refer their friends and family

39. Processing telephone orders • Be friendly • Repeat back order for verification and accuracy • Follow-up to make sure received order in timely manner

40. Product substitutions • When out of the current product • When want a better quality than the product on sale • When it is a similar value