SellingThis unit is to prepare you for employment in sales.

Even if you don’t plan to go into sales this unit will

benefit you in that you will have the basic skills needed to sale an idea, be elected to political position, and even

landing a job.

Sales PresentationUpon completion of this unit you will be

expected to conduct an actual sales presentation, demonstrating mastery of

each step of the sales process.To prepare for this activity, you will need

to research a product of your choice and prepare a written feature-benefit chart

for it.

Preparing for the Sale

There are 8 steps in the selling process. These 8 steps spell out Padpocsr:

Pre-ApproachApproachDetermine the needsPresent the merchandiseOvercoming objectionsClosing the saleSuggestive sellingReassurance

Approaching the Customer

The first face-to-face contact with customer. Salespeople can make or break a sale during their first few minutes with a customer; therefore, the initial approach is critical. The approach sets the

mood for the other steps of the selling process. The approach has three purposes: to begin conversation, to establish a relationship with the customer, and to

focus on the merchandise.

The Approach to Business-to Business Selling

• Arrive early for your appointment (this shows the customer you are interested and gives you time to organize your thoughts

• Introduce yourself and your company with a firm hand shake and a smile

• Use your customer’s name

The approach in retail selling

Good technique must be learned when approaching customers in a retail setting. You

must pay attention to your customers and decide if you think they are in a hurry or undecided and approach based on that

determination. There are three methods you can use in the initial approach to retail customers – the service approach, the

greeting approach, and the merchandise approach.

Greeting approach

The salesperson simply welcomes the customer to the store. A standard greeting would be

“Good morning”. Be sure to use a rising tone in your voice as a falling tone sounds

unfriendly and starts the sale off on the wrong note.

Service approachThe salesperson asks the customer if he or se needs

assistance. A common question for this approach is

“How may I help you?”. Great if the customer is in a

hurry, but in most other situations is ineffective.

Merchandise approach

The salesperson makes a comment or asks questions about a product in which the customer shows interest. An example would be “That necklace is eighteen karat

gold.” or you could ask “Do you prefer gold to platinum?”. This method is usually the most effective

approach in retail sales because it focuses the attention on the merchandise.

Determining Needs in Sales

Customer needs are directly related to buying motives. In this step of the sale, your job is to uncover the customer’s reasons for wanting

to buy. In a retail selling, the salesperson should begin to determine needs immediately

after the approach. In business-to-business selling, needs can be determined in the pre-

approach. In both cases the salesperson should continue determining needs

throughout the sales process.

How to determine needs

There are three methods that will help you determine customer needs. They are observing, listening, and questioning.

ObservingA salesperson looks for buying motives that are

communicated nonverbally.• Nonverbal communication – expressing

yourself through body langauge.Observing how long a customer looks at a

product can give you an idea about their interest level.

The key to observing is the proper selection of facts. You want only those that are important

to the sales process.

ListeningHelps you pick up clues to the customer’s needs.

You can use this information for the product presentation.

There are five important listening skills you should remember when talking to a customer:

• Maintain good eye contact• Provide verbal and nonverbal feedback• Give customers your undivided attention• Listen with empathy and an open mind

• Do not interrupt

QuestioningWell-chosen questions can help you uncover

needs and buying motives while putting the customer at ease. When you begin first ask

questions about intended use of the product and any previous experience with it. Build

your questions around words like who, what, when, where, how, and why. Once you have

an idea of the customer’s general needs, then you can ask more specific questions relating to

the product.

Assignment1. List the 7 steps of the

selling process.2. What 3 general things

would a business-to-business sales rep say and do during the initial approach?

3. Name the 3 approach methods retail salespeople use. Which is the most effective?

4. When should you begin determining needs in the sales process?

5. At what point in the sales process do you stop determining the customer’s needs?

6. Name 3 methods used to determine customer needs.