Personal Selling Process

Learning Objectives
• Understand the components and steps of personal selling
• Explain the role of prospecting and how it helps in identifying and locating
customers
• Appreciate the importance and process of pre-approach and approach as steps
to start interaction with prospective buyers
• Understand ways of identifying the needs of the prospects
• Identify the different presentational techniques and ways of handling customer
objections
• Learn the importance and techniques of closing the sales
• Get insights of how to make follow-up calls after selling

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Personal Selling
• Personal selling begins with identifying customers and ends with
ensuring satisfaction to them.
• It involves series of steps that are diverse, complex and knowledge
based.
• Personal selling is considered as an indispensible promotional tool.

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 The Selling Process

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 Salesperson’s Knowledge Universe

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 Prospecting

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 Process of Prospecting

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 Methods of Prospecting

Cold canvassing
Direct mail
Prospect pool
Centers of influence
Observation
Endless chain customer referral
Customer sales lead clubs
Non-competing sales force
Trade shows/demonstration
Telemarketing
Networking

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 The Selling Process

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Prospecting
• Prospecting relates to locating and qualifying new customers.
• A prospective customer has
• A need for the product/service.
• The willingness to buy.
• Purchasing capacity.
• Authority to buy.
• Accessibility to the salespeople.

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Prospecting
• Identifying or locating prospective customers involves:
• Identifying potential customers.
• Generating sales leads.
• Screening out weak leads.
• Selecting qualified prospects.
• Defining target customers.

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 Sources of Identifying Prospects
• Present customers. • Telephonic contacts.
• Former customers. • Cold Calling.
• Centre of influence • Electronic mail
approach campaigns.
• Personal contact • Exhibitions and trade
method. shows.
• Endless chain method. • Direct mail.
• Non-competing sales • Media.
force. • Intermediaries.

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Pre-Approach
• Pre-approach is a stage of collecting detailed information about
prospects and deciding on the best sales method to reach them.
• Decide on the mode of appointment with the contact.
• Deciding the call planning.
• Preparing the sales talk.
• Deciding on the sales strategy

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 Approach
• Make an appointment to meet the prospect
• Make favourable first impression
• Select an approach technique:
• Introductory
• Customer benefit
• Product
• Question
• Praise
• The approach takes a few minutes of a
call, but it can make or break a sale
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 Approac h
• Make an appointment to meet the prospect
• Make favourable first impression
• Select an approach technique:
• Introductory
• Customer benefit
• Product
• Question
• Praise
• The approach takes a few minutes of a
call, but it can make or break a sale
SDM-Ch.2 16
Techniques for Approaching Prospects
• Use referral.
• Cite the company or brand name.
• Compliment the prospect.
• Offer a gift.
• Give the prospect a feel of influence.
• Ask a planning question or statement.
• Demonstrate the innovativeness in a product or service.

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Customer’s Need Discovery
• Uncover the perceived need of the prospect.
• Initial aim should be to build trust and rapport with the prospect.
• Basic task of salesperson is to make the prospect feel free and
uncluttered.

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Guidelines for Questions

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Sales Presentations (Dos)
• Specify unique features and benefits that competitors cannot offer.
• Create an association between product features and customer
benefits.
• Combine verbal deliberation with demonstration.
• Ward off doubts and confusions of the customers.

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Sales Presentations (Don’ts)
• Do not indulge in one-sided presentation.
• Do not criticize competitors unnecessarily.
• Do not involve in any argument with customers.
• Do not hide the demerits of the product or service.

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Presentation Methods
• Canned Presentation.
• Structured.
• No modification in script.
• May fail to arouse customer enthusiasm.
• Organized Presentation.
• Salespeople are given checklist.
• Flexible
• Tailored Presentation.
• Prepared for an individual customer.

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 Developing an Effective Presentation
Some of the guidelines are:
• Plan the sales call
• Adopt presentation to the situation and person
• Communicate the benefits of the purchase
• Present relevant and limited information at
a time
• Use the prospect’s language
• Make the presentation convincing –
give evidence
• Use technology like multi-media presentation

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 Using Demonstration
• Sales presentation can be improved by
demonstration
• Demonstration is one of the important selling
tools EGs: Test drive of cars; demonstration of
industrial products in use
• Benefits of using demonstration for selling are:
• Buyers’ objections are cleared
• Improves the buyer’s purchasing interest
• Helps to find specific benefits of the prospect
• The prospect can experience the benefit

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 Overcoming Sales Objections / Resistances
• Objections take place during presentations /
when the order is asked
• Two types of sales objections:
• Psychological / hidden
• Logical (real or practical)
• Methods for handling and
overcoming objections:(a) ask
questions, into(b) benefit,
objection turn an (c) deny
a tactfully, (d) third-party objections
compensation certificate,
(e)
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Handling Objections
• Objection is the resistance from the prospective buyers to block the
completion of selling.
• Objections should be welcome as they indicate prospect’s interest in
the offer.
• Objections should be seen as an opportunity than an obstacle to
sales.

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Types of Objections
• Time Objection.
• Need Objection.
• Competition Objection.
• Source Objection.
• Service Objection.
• Price Objection.
• Pseudo Objection.

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 Handling Customer Objections

Suggested by SMITH
• Start with your highest expectations
• Avoid conceding first
• Be sure the customer understands the value of a concession
• Make concessions in small amounts
• Admit mistakes and make corrections willingly
• Be prepared to withdraw a concession
• Avoid ‘split the difference’ strategy
• Do not advertise willingness to concede
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 Methods of Handling Price Objections

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 Methods of Handling Customer Objections

 Superior feature method

 Yes…But method
 Reverse English method
 Indirect denial method
 Pass out method
 Comparison method
 Direct denial method
 Another angle method
 Narrative method
 Testimonial method
 Question or WHY method

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Closing the Sale
• Final attempt by the salesperson to make the prospect agree to the
business proposal and place the order.

• ‘Closing the sale’ refers to a situation when the salesperson reaches

an agreement with the propect.

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When to Close
• Gauge the buying signal from the prospect.
• Buying signal can be verbal or non verbal.
• Use trail close before the actual close.
• For trial close, ask questions like:
• I think the proposals match your requirement.
• Is this what you have been searching for?
• I think this was in your mind.

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How to Close
• Alternative close.
• Assumption close.
• Concession close.
• Gift close.
• Balance sheet close.
• Direct close.
• Action close.
• Bonus close.
• Best-time close.

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 Trial close and Closing the sale
• Trial close checks the attitude or opinion of the
prospect, before closing the sale (or asking for
the order)
• If the response to trial close question is
favourable, then the salesperson should close
the sale
• Some of the techniques used for closing the
sale are: (a) alternative-choice, (b) minor points,
(c) assumptive, (d) summary-of-benefits, (e) T-
account, (f) special-offer, (g) probability, and (h)
negotiation
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After Sales Follow-up
• Complement customer for taking a purchase decision in favor of the
company.
• To prove that the company takes care of customer’s convenience.
• To affirm that the customer has taken the right decision.
• To build a relationship of trust, dependability and integrity.
• To generate more referrals from present customers.

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 Follow-up and Service
• Necessary for customer satisfaction
• Successful salespeople follow-up in different
ways: For example,
• Check order details
• Follow through delivery schedule
• Visit when the product is delivered
• Build long-term relationship
• Arrange warranty service

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