Chapter 7

1. Chapter 7 Creating and Communicating Value

2. Participation Participation Insight Insight Learning Principles Learning Principles Association Association Transfer Transfer General Guidelines for Effective Sales Presentations • In sales presentations and demonstrations, salespeople can facilitate prospect involvement and the learning process by using 4 learning principles. • Prospects remember new information better if they can connect it to their personal knowledge, past experiences, or frames of reference • Prospects who participate in the sales presentation and demonstration retain more information and develop more favorable attitudes • Product demonstrations should weave facts and figures from the sales presentation into the prospect’s own experience • Prospects who see the product being used in situations similar to their own can better visualize its benefits

3. Solution Selling • Solution selling is the stage at which the salesperson: • Assumes a knowledgeable role • Begins to earn the right to be an advisor to the prospect • Customizes her presentation of product features and benefits to the prospect’s specific needs and wants

4. Buying Motives (these were mentioned in chapter 6) Should first identify: Major Buying Motives These are the prospect’s most important concerns and the salesperson should give them top priority. Minor Buying Motives These are peripheral concerns and the salesperson should discuss these only after addressing the major buying motives.

5. Importance of Communication • Selling is a listen before you speakbusiness • Each communication must bring knowledge to the prospect • Communications that focus on benefits and value are viewed as quality communications (remember the SPT) • Salespeople are responsible for making information available to the members of the buying center

6. Asking the Right Questions • Developing a list of questions will allow salespeople to target their benefits to customers’ needs • Astute salespeople anticipate prospects’ concerns and prepare answers before meeting with prospects

7. Prospect Involvement • When seeking to partner with prospects, effective salespeople attempt to involve the prospects. • Listen carefully to align your suggestions with the prospect’s needs and wants • Read all non-verbal communication • It is important that Salespeople show a willingness to collaborate

8. Check-Backs and Response-Checks – very important! Closed-ended questions designed to clarify, check for understanding, confirm interest, or confirm resolution of a concern. • Examples: • Is that what you had in mind? • Does this make sense to you so far? • How does that sound to you? • Does that answer your concern?

9. Video Analysis Look for the following: • Prospect Involvement • Impact of communication • Verbal communication • Non-verbal communication • Implication questions (power of them) • Check-back questions • FAB technique • Objection Handling

10. What Your Prospect Wants to Know • What are you offering me? • Exactly how does it work (product, service, process)? • How will it help me? • Is it as good as you say it is? Who else says so? • What evidence can you offer that it is as good as you say? • Is it worth the price? Why? • Will it help me accomplish what I really want to accomplish? • Sell the prospect results( benefits, not features). Why?

11. Preparing and Presenting the Sales Proposal – Features v. Benefits FAB leads to SELLS F S —Features are the obvious characteristics of the product/service. —Advantages are the performance traits of the product that show how it can be used to help the customer better solve a problem than present products can. —Benefitsare what the customer wants from the product. —Show the product’s features. —Explain its advantages. —Lead into the benefits for the prospect. —Letthe prospect talk. —Start a trial close. E A L L S B

12. Reasons for UsingPresentation Tools and Sales Aides • Capture prospective buyer’s attention • Generate interest in the recommended solution • Make presentations more persuasive • Increase the buyer’s participation and involvement • Provide the opportunity for collaborationand two-way communication

13. Reasons for UsingPresentation Tools and Sales Aides • Add clarity and enhance the prospect’s understanding • Provide supportive evidence and proof to enhance believability • Augment the prospect’s retention ofinformation • Enhance the professional image ofthe salesperson and the sellingorganization

14. Sales Aids: Verbal Support • Voice Characteristics • Examples and Anecdotes • Comparisons & Analogies

15. Sales Aids: Sales Call Setting • Location • Positioning & Seating Arrangements – Proxemics are an important consideration • Disruptions

16. “In January, Fortune magazine recognized CDW as the top rated technology vendor on the basis of services provided to the buying customer.” Sales Aids: Proof Providers • Statistics • Testimonials • Case Histories

17. Sales Aids: Visual Aids • Product Demonstration & Models • Printed Materials • Photographs & Illustrations • Graphs & Charts

18. Sales Aids: Electronic Media • Computer-Based Presentations • Video • Slides • Overhead Transparencies

19. Group Sales Presentations “When selling to groups, salespeople can expect tough questions and should prepare accordingly” “When selling to a group, salespeople should take every opportunity to pre-sell individual group members prior to the group presentation”

20. Sales Tactics for Selling to Groups • Arrival – Arriving early may provide the opportunity to connect with each group member prior to meeting as a large group. • Eye Contact – Make periodic eye contact with each member of the buying group • Communication – Solicit opinions and feedback from each member of the buying group and avoid taking sides

21. The Pinnacle of aSales Presentation Once a salesperson has: • Pointed out the problem • Prescribed how a product/service will solve that problem • Presented the terms of the sale It is time to ascertain if the relationship will proceed with or without a transaction