Selling and salesmanship

Scope and Importance of Personal Selling

• In the US, 14 million people are employed in sales

positions, according to the department of labor.
• Many CEOs like Mark Hurd (HP), start in sales
• According to a jobs provider company ‘Manpower’,
sales positions are the hardest to fill
ARE YOU BORN TO SELL?

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

TO BE A SALESPERSON?
 PERSONAL INVENTORY TEST IF YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE A SALESPERSON

Instruction: Just answer YES or NO. There is middle

between yes and no, for sales people called “working on
it.” You better say no until you achieve that
characteristic.

1. I have set my goals in writing. 12. I can handle the details.

2. I have good self-discipline. 13. I am loyal.
3. I am self-motivated. 14. I am enthusiastic.
4. I want to be more 15. I am observant.
knowledgeable. 16. I am a good listener.
5. I want to build relationships. 17. I am perceptive.
6. I am self confident. 18. I am a skillful
7. I like myself. communicator.
8. I love people. 19. I am a hard worker.
9. I love challenge. 20. I want to be financially
10.I love to win. secure.
11. I can accept rejection with 21. I am persistent.
positive attitude.
 CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

 If you have 15 and up honest YES answers, you’ve got what it

takes to be a salesperson.

 If you have 10-14 yes answers, it could go either way (better

chance if you answered yes to knowledge, enthusiasm,
self-confident, perceptive, self-motivated and persistent.)

 If you have below 10 yes answers, just don’t try it,

even if it means world peace.

Note: The science of selling can be learned and applied easily if you
embody the above traits. JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
 SALESMANSHIP

Practice of investigating
and satisfying customer needs
through a process that is efficient,
fair, sincere, mutually beneficial,
and aimed at
long-term productive relationship.
Functions of a salesperson:

1. Sales research and planning.

2. Demand creation.
3. Sales costs and budget.
4. Price fixations.
5. Development of products.
6. Establishing sales territories.
Nature of sales management
• It is an art
• Conceptual skill
• People skill
• Technical skill
• Decision skill
• It is a science
• It is a process with defined steps
 WHY DO SALES PEOPLE FAIL?

 15 % IMPROPER TRAINING – Both product and sales skills

 20 % POOR COMMUNICATION – Both verbal and written

 15 % NO MGT. SUPPORT – Problematic Boss

 50 % ATTITUDE – Negative attitude towards the job.

Sales people can succeed 50% more

if they just CHANGE the way they think.
 SIMPLE ATTITUDE TEST
Just answer YES or NO

1. I watch the news at least one hour per day.

2. I read the paper everyday.
3. I read a news magazine every week.
4. I sometimes have a bad day, all day.
5. My job is a drag.
6. I get angry for an hour or more.
7. I talk and commiserate with negative people.
8. I look to blame others when something goes wrong.
9. I get angry at my friend and don’t talk for days or week.
10. I bring personal problems to work and discuss them.
11. I expect and plan for the worst.
12. I am affected by bad weather (too cold, too hot, rain)
enough to talk about.
Rating
0-2 Yes answers – You have a positive attitude
3-6 Yes answers – You have a negative attitude.
7 – up Yes answer – You have attitude problem.
Everyone will say they have a positive attitude, but the truth is only
1 in every 1,000 have what it takes.
Facts about Customers
• The Customer is the business’ biggest asset

• The Customer pays all our salaries wages and bonuses

• The customer will go where he/she receives the best attention

• There is no profit, no growth, no jobs without the customer

• Hence, You must be your customers’ best choice!

Types of customer
Based on unique behavioral attributes, customers are of
following types

• Loyal customer
• Discount customer
• Impulse customer
• Need based customer
• Wandering customer
 QUESTIONS SOLVES PROBLEM

“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life

depended on it,
I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper
question to ask, for once I know the proper question,
I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”
 Do you believe that more sales are made
with friendship than salesmanship?

“ If you make a sale, you earn a commission.

But if you make a friend, you
Earn a fortune.”

“ People buy people first, then goods and service.”

Types of Sales Persons
Order Takers
Seek repeat sales, make certain that customers have sufficient
product quantities where and when they need it. Do not require
extensive sales effort. Arrange displays, restocks them, answer phone
calls. Low compensation, little training required. High turnover of
personnel. 2 types:
Inside Order Takers receive orders by mail/phone, sales person in a retail store.
Field Order Takers travel to customers. Use laptop computers to improve
tracking of inventory and orders etc.
Order Getters
Sell to new customers and increase sales to present customers,
sometimes called creative selling.
Generate customer leads, provide information, persuading customers
and closing sales. Required for high priced, complex and/or new
products. High pressure, requires expensive, time consuming training.
Types of Sales Persons…
Support Personnel
Facilitate the selling function. Primarily business to business products.
Missionary Salespeople Distribute information regarding new goods or
services, describes attributes and leaves materials, does not close sales. Assist
producers' customers in selling to their own customers. IE call on retailers and
persuade them to carry the product. Pharmaceuticals may go to doctors
offices and persuade them to carry their products.
Trade Salespeople May perform order taking function as well. Spend much
time helping customers, especially retail stores, to promote the product.
Restock the shelves, set up displays. Technical Salespersons Offer technical
assistance to current customers. Usually trained engineers etc.
Service Salespeople interacts with customers after sale is complete.
Team selling...entire team of selling professionals in selling to and
servicing major custom
Selling Process
• Elements of the Personal Selling Process
• No two salespersons use exactly the same sales
method, but it is generally a seven step process:
1. Prospecting and Evaluating
• Seek names of prospects through sales records,
referrals etc., also responses to advertisements.
Selling Process…

2. Pre-approach (Preparing)
• Review key decision makers esp. for business to
business, but also family
• assess credit histories
• prepare sales presentations
• identify product needs.
• Helps present the presentation to meet the
prospects needs.
Selling Process…

3. Approaching the Customer

• Manner in which the sales person contacts the
potential customer. First impression of the sales
person is Lasting and therefore important. Strive to
develop a relationship rather than just push the
product.
Can be based on referrals, cold calling or repeat
contact
Selling Process…
4. Making the Presentation
Need to attract and hold the
prospects Attention to
stimulate Interest and stir
up Desire in the product so the
potential customer takes the
appropriate Action. AIDA Try to
get the prospect to touch, hold
or try the product. Must be
able to change the
presentation to meet the
prospect needs.
Selling Process…

5. Overcoming Objections
Seek out objections and address them.
Anticipate and counter them before the prospect can raise them.
Try to avoid bringing up objections that the prospect would not
have raised.
Price objection is the most common
Need to provide customers with reasons, build up the value
before price is mentioned Must be convinced of price
in own mind before you can sell to customer.
Selling Process…
6. Closing
Ask prospect to buy product/products. Use trial
closes, IE ask about financial terms, preferred
method of delivery.
Need to be prepared to close at any time.
Selling Process…
7. Following Up
Must follow up sale, determine if the order was
delivered on time, installation OK etc. Also helps
determine the prospects future needs.
Accomplishes four objectives: