CHAPTER 9Important Topics of This ChapterCharacteristics of Top Business Sales PerformersPersonal Selling in Business MarketingSales Management in Business MarketingSales management in Business Marketing (Cont.)Slide 7Expected Skills of A Professional Sales PersonBusiness Salesperson’s ActivitiesUnderstanding Buyer BehaviorPlanning a Sales CallApproaches for Effective Buying-Selling ProcessSelling Styles and TasksProfessional Selling ProcessSalespeople Expect— and Even Like—ObjectionsHandling Sincere ObjectionsClosing the SaleThe Cost of Personal SellingTrend in Selling in Business MarketingTrend in Selling in Business Marketing (Cont.)Trends in Selling in Business Marketing (cont.)Do You Have These Salesperson Characteristics?CHAPTER 9PROFESSIONAL SELLINGImportant Topics of This ChapterProfile of a professional salesperson.Understanding buyer behavior in business selling.The Importance of planning in business selling.Different approaches may be used in business selling. Selling styles and sales tasks in the business-to-business market.The professional selling processContemporary trends in business sellingCharacteristics of Top Business Sales Performers• Goal-Setting • Efficiency• Readiness to Learn• Helping People• Integrity• Vision• Passion• Communication Skills• CommitmentPersonal Selling in Business MarketingSales Engineer:Sells to OEMs, users or distributors.The executive salesperson:Sells computers, insurance and other services to executives.Business supplies salesperson:Sells raw and processed materials to OEMs.Detailed salesperson:Sells to nonusers.Inside sales person:Telephone salesperson.Missionary salesperson:Factory reps.Sales Management in Business MarketingReport to marketing manager•Formulation of goals and objectives•Implementation of plans•Evaluation of goals and revisionsSelection of business sales person•Enthusiasm . Excellent verbal skill•Well organized . Good recommendations•Ambitious . Follow instruction•Persuasive . Sociable•ExperiencedSales management in Business Marketing (Cont.)Salesperson’s personality•Energetic . Sensitive•Aggressive . Good planner•Creative . Realistic thinker•Drive . Initiator•Good communicator . Self-disciplinedTime Management of Business Salesperson: 25% for selling, 75% for traveling and other duties.Sales management in Business Marketing (Cont.)Compensation:• Straight salary•Salary plus commission•Draw against commission•Salary plus commission plus bonus•Salary plus group bonus•Salary plus individual bonusExpected Skills of A Professional Sales PersonSegment the business market.Find ways to value price to suit each segment.Understand how customers run their business.Talk with everyone who has a role in their buying process.Show how the product/service fits into customer business.Communicate with each member of buying center about their concerns.Make all actions/decisions consistent with the predetermined level of quality, service, price and performance.Business Salesperson’s ActivitiesSelling:30% of the time.Maintenance of Distributor Relationship:Role playing.Conflict resolution.Planning:Sales calls, contacts and prospecting new accounts.Decision making:80/20 principle.Managing Communication:70% of the time.Understanding Buyer BehaviorUnderstanding the Needs:Increasing sales and profits.Maintaining the quality.Increasing the efficiency.Methods Used to Uncover Important Buyer Needs:Ask questions: •Questions often can bring out needs that the prospect would not reveal or does not know exist.Observe: •Successful salespeople are particularly sensitive to customer expressions and body language.Listen: •Salespeople must remember that telling is not selling. The instant a salesperson asks a question and waits quietly for an answer, the prospect’s entire attention is focused on the salesperson. Thus, a basic rule of selling is, never to say something if you can ask it.Planning a Sales CallPlanning is valuable to focus thinking and prepare the salesperson for what is expected.Typical planning process involves:Setting objectivePreparing an openerPreparing qualifying questionsListing main features and advantages of product/serviceListing main benefits of product/serviceListing support to substantiate benefitsListing expected buyer’s objections and salesperson’s responsesPlanning the closeApproaches for Effective Buying-Selling ProcessAIDABuying Decision Model:Decide to pay attention.Decide there is a problem. Decide product/service, company and salesperson.Decide to buy.Problem Solving Model:Gain the interview.Establish the problem.Solve the problem.Close the sale.Selling Styles and TasksCreative Selling:Influencing demand.Service Selling:Assists customers.Professional Selling ProcessPreliminary Activities:To review customer account.Update the customer profile.Search for new prospects.Face-to-Face Activities:Introduction.Presentation.Handling objections.Closing.Follow-Up Activities:Customer service.Make sure shipping and delivery completed.Salespeople Expect—and Even Like—ObjectionsHandling objections correctly will lead to your close.Well-handled objection is a positive buying signal.Ask for the orderAsk for the trialAsk for actionHandling Sincere ObjectionsFind out what the objection means—ask questions and listen. What does “it costs too much” really mean?Restate objection as you understand it.Get in step—agree that it is a wise concern. Never say, “You’re wrong.”Answer objection by –Offsetting with other benefits–“Boomerang method”—converting objections into a benefit–Converting objection into question so it becomes a request for further informationClosing the SaleClosing:It is simply asking for the order. A professional salesperson knows several closing techniques from which to choose, based on prospect and setting.When to close:After a positive buying signalAfter a successful answer to an objectionAt the end of the presentationTypes of closings:Direct: •Can we write up the order?Alternative proposal: •Do you prefer truck or rail shipment?Assumptive: •We can ship tomorrow if you’ll sign here.Minor decision: •Takes customer through decision-making process— either/or, step by step, open-ended questions, summary, balance sheetThe Cost of Personal SellingIndustry average