SELLING IS:Assisting the Customer inMaking a WiseBuying Decision

WHAT TYPES OF HELP DO CUSTOMERS EXPECT FROM SALESPEOPLE?

Types of Customers:• decided• undecided• just-looking

THE SALESPERSON’S MOST IMPORTANT

FUNCTION IS SELLING

Salespeople Can Provide Assistance To Their Customers By:

• Asking questions• Assisting customer in selecting product• Demonstration product features• Explaining customer benefits• Answering customer objections• Asking the customer to buy• Suggesting additional merchandise• Reassuring the customer

What to Learn About Your Products or Services

• Appearance• Material composition• Manufacturing process• Uses of product• Performance of product• Service of product• Care of product• Product brands• Price of product• Product competition• Related items

Sources of Product Information

• merchandise itself• salespeople• customers• personal experience• merchandise publications• other sources

BUSINESS

“In business, the U comes before the I.”

PURPOSE OF THE APPROACH:

• Welcome the customer• Gain the customer’s confidence

and trust• Direct the customer’s attention to

the product

TYPES OF CUSTOMER APPROACHES

•Merchandise approach•Welcome approach•Service approach

QUALIFYING YOUR CUSTOMER

•Observe your customer•Give a selling statement•Ask questions•Listen to your customer

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE LISTENING

• Prepare to listen• Stop talking and listen• Pay attention• Look and act interested• Don’t interrupt• Give customer time to think• Use listening responses• Practice listening

Prepare the Feature-Benefit Sales Presentation by:

•Determining what to say•Determining what to do

STEPS IN PLANNING A FEATURE-BENEFIT SALES PRESENTATION

STEP 1 Identify your product features.STEP 2 Learn your product’s performance

and what it will do for the customer.STEP 3 Translate product features into buyer

benefits.STEP 4 Develop qualifying questions to

determine your customer’s buying motives.

A Product Feature…• is anything you can:

-See or hear -Feel or touch -Smell or taste

• answers the question: What is It?

A Buyer Benefit…

• Is a gain, satisfaction, or personal benefit received by the customer.• Answers the question: What does

it mean to me? Or how will I benefit?

HOW TO TRANSLATE PRODUCT FEATURES INTO BUYER BENEFITS

1. List the product features.2. Determine what each feature

will do for the customer.3. Explain how your customer will

benefit from the product performance.

TYPES OF QUALIFYING QUESTIONS

• WHO will use the product?• WHAT does your customer expect from

the product?• WHERE will the product be used?• HOW will the product be used?• WHEN is the product needed?• WHAT are your customer’s likes and

dislikes?

CUSTOMERS BUY BENEFITS!

Buying Decision Objections

•product•Place•Price•Time•quantity

HOW TO ANSWER CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS

• Listen to the objection• Pause before answering• Show empathy for your customer• Restate the objection• Answer the objection

Techniques for Answering Objections

• Yes, but• Direct denial• Superior point• Boomerang• Question• Demonstration• Third-party• Close on an objection

WHEN TO CLOSE THE SALE:

BUYING SIGNALS

CLOSING TECHNIQUES

• Ask-Your-Customers-To-Buy Close• Choice Close• Assumption Close• Advantages-and-Disadvantages Close• Premium Close• Last-Chance-To-Buy Close• Standing-Room-Only Close• Testimonial Close• Objection Close• Related-Merchandise Close• Others

Suggestion Selling Is…

• A personal service to the customer.• A reminder to customers of needed

merchandise.• A help to customers in satisfying their needs

and wants.• A benefit to the business, salesperson, and

customer.

Business Benefits From Suggestion Selling Through…

• Increased profits•Better satisfied customers• Improved store image•Better satisfied salespeople

WHAT TO SUGGEST TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

• Related Merchandise• New Merchandise• Larger Quantities of Merchandise• Better Quality Merchandise• Merchandise Specials• Merchandise for Special Occasions

How To Make Customer Suggestions

• Close the original sale first• Make the suggestion from the customer’s

point of view• Make a specific suggestion• Demonstrate the benefits of the suggested

merchandise