| Selling is the major activity that all our businesses | | | | 4. Establish the Need |
| depend on, from the smallest one-person start-up | | | | To make your sale, you need to find out if the |
| to the largest conglomerate. There are three | | | | prospect wants to buy your goods: |
| basic ways that goods (products and services) | | | | - Ask them open questions about: what need |
| are sold at present: | | | | they want to solve, what benefits they are |
| - When there is little choice or little competition, | | | | seeking, how quickly they want to buy and how |
| the customer can only buy what is offered to | | | | they want to pay. |
| them by the village shop, the internal stores or | | | | - Listen actively to what your customer says. |
| the mobile delivery van. | | | | - Summarise what you hear the prospect needs |
| - When we sell high-volume commodities - such | | | | and |
| as baked beans or CDs - we offer the customers | | | | - Regularly check what you understand the |
| a self-service approach. This allows the customers | | | | prospect has said. As you become clear about |
| to scan the mail catalogue, supermarket shelves | | | | your prospect's needs and desires, you are helping |
| or ecommerce web page to pick what they want | | | | them to clear what value they want to pay for. |
| to put in their basket. When they have finished | | | | 5. The Presentation |
| making their selections, they pay for their basket | | | | Practised sales people have a default order in |
| of goods. | | | | which they present their goods. Being logical and |
| - For competitive, low-volume sales, we take a | | | | orderly in the presentation enables you match |
| more active style to that we get the sale (rather | | | | each need that your prospect states. Then you |
| than our competitors). | | | | can use your prospect's reactions to pace and |
| Skills of Active Selling | | | | shape the presentation. |
| There are seven skills to being an effective sales | | | | Where your prospect objects to aspects of the |
| person: | | | | goods on offer, use this trigger to explore their |
| | | | needs in that area more fully so that they are |
| 1 Product knowledge | | | | properly convinced that what you offer is what |
| You need to learn about your products and | | | | they want. |
| services, so that you are well prepared. You need | | | | 6. Close the Sale |
| to understand: | | | | When your prospect has asked some detailed |
| - What are they? | | | | questions, ask for the order in a way that makes |
| - What benefits might they offer? | | | | it easy for them to say "Yes". |
| - How are they priced? and | | | | Watch your prospect closely for buying signals - |
| - What delivery can you offer? Without this | | | | such as nodding, reaching for their credit card, or |
| knowledge, you will mis-lead your customers by | | | | picking up the goods. If any objections come up |
| offering something you cannot deliver. | | | | here, re-explore that area of their needs and then |
| 2. Prospecting | | | | ask for the sale again. |
| You need to learn how to identify your | | | | 7. Follow through |
| prospective customers. You need to understand | | | | Once your prospect has agreed the sale, don't |
| how to qualify: | | | | stop there: |
| - Whose needs you can satisfy? | | | | - Check that your customer is satisfied - and |
| - Who can afford your product or service? | | | | handle quality issues promptly. |
| - Where are you likely to find them? | | | | - Where it is relevant to the goods, respond to |
| - When is the best time for them to buy? | | | | maintenance requests. |
| - How can you help customers find you? As a | | | | - Ask your customer for referrals to their friends |
| rule of thumb, 1% of cold approaches will result in | | | | or relatives who have similar needs for your |
| a sale whereas 30% of qualified and warm | | | | goods. o Look for repeat sales or future re-supply |
| prospects will listen to your approach and buy | | | | needs. |
| from you. | | | | - Ask if there are related goods (on-sales) that |
| 3. The Approach | | | | your customer wants to buy at the same time. |
| Customers generally buy from people they like. | | | | - Try to build a relationship so that your customer |
| So a major part of selling well it to show how | | | | will come back to you in future. There are lots of |
| interested you are in the issues that interest your | | | | sales training courses that can teach you these |
| prospect. | | | | skills. Unfortunately there is a gap between |
| Beyond showing that you are concerned that | | | | hearing about a skill and knowing how to practice |
| your customer gets the benefits they want, you | | | | it. If this is new to you, why not find someone to |
| must also show you are efficient in using their | | | | coach you as you learn the skill of being an active |
| time and professional in what you claim for your | | | | sales person? |
| goods. | | | | |