Relationship selling through service mkt 173 chap 9e

Begin Your Presentation
Strategically

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

Chapter

9


Main Topics






9-3

The Tree of Business Life: The Beginning
What is the Approach?
The Right to Approach
The Approach—Opening the Sales Presentation
Technology in the Approach

Chapter

9

Main Topics





9-4

Is the Approach Important?
Using Questions Results in Sales Success
Is the Prospect Still Not Listening?
Be Flexible in Your Approach

Chapter

9


The Beginning
 Begin the presentation with an end
in mind.
 Seek first to understand, then to be
understood.
 Show great caring, confidence, and
excitement in your mind, body, and
speech by knowing you can help
solve problems.
 Do not give in to the temptation to

exaggerate.
 You will see that trust, integrity, and
character win out in the long run.


What Is the Approach?
 A golf shot from the fairway toward the green
 Steps a bowler takes
before delivering the
bowling ball


For the Salesperson What Is the
Approach?
 The time from when the salesperson first sees
the buyer to the beginning of the discussion of
the product


The Approach
 Could last seconds or minutes and involves:
 Meeting
 Greeting
 Rapport Building
 One of the approach communication
techniques discussed in this chapter


The Approach Is:
The 3rd step in the selling process…

but it’s the…
the 1st step in the sales presentation


Exhibit 9-1: The Approach Begins the Sales
Presentation
 The sales presentation method
determines how you open your
presentation.


Select Your Presentation Method and Then
Your Approach

Approach
Presentation


Caution Salespeople
 Take the approach seriously.
 Some feel this is the most important step in
helping someone
 If unsuccessful, you may never have
opportunity to move into the presentation.
 If you cannot tell your story how will you make
the sale?
 The approach is extremely important.


The Approach Step of the Sales

Presentation
 Is over…
…when you begin discussing the product
itself


Let’s Summarize! The Salesperson:
1. Meets
2. Greets
3. Builds rapport
4. Goes through the approach
5. Discusses the product
6. Discusses the marketing plan
7. Discusses the business proposition
8. Closes – asks for the order


The Right to Approach
 You have to prove you are worthy of the
prospect’s time and serious attention by:
 Exhibiting specific product or business
knowledge
 Expressing a sincere desire to solve the
buyer’s problem and satisfy a need
 Stating or implying that your product will save
money or increase the firm’s profit margin
 Displaying a service attitude


The Approach–Opening the Sales

Presentation
 A buyer’s reactions to the salesperson in the
early minutes of the presentation are critical to
a successful sale.
 Your attitude during the approach:
 It is common for a salesperson to experience
tension in various forms when contacting a
prospect.
 Successful salespeople have learned to use
creative imagery to relax and concentrate.


The First Impression You Make Is Critical to
Success
 Your first impression is projected by:
 Appearance
 Attitude

 You only have one chance to make
a favorable first impression.


To Make a Favorable Impression:
 Wear business clothes that are suitable and
fairly conservative.
 Be neat in dress and grooming.
 Refrain from smoking, chewing gum, or
drinking in your prospect’s office.
 Keep an erect posture.
 Leave all unnecessary materials outside the

office.
 If possible, sit down.


To Make a Favorable Impression, cont…
 Be enthusiastic and positive toward the







interviewer.
Smile!
Do not apologize for taking the prospect’s time.
Do not imply that you were just passing by.
Maintain eye contact.
If the prospect offers to shake hands, do so with a
firm, positive grip while maintaining eye contact.
Learn how to pronounce the prospect’s name
correctly.


Exhibit 9-4: Five Ways to Remember
Prospect’s Name
1. Be

sure to hear the person’s name and use it: “It’s good to
meet you, Mr. Firestone.”

2. Spell it out in your mind, or if it is an unusual name, ask the
person to spell the name.
3. Relate the name to something you are familiar with, such as
relating the name Firestone to Firestone automobile tires or a
hot rock.
4. Use the name in conversation.
5. Repeat the name at the end of the conversation, such as
“Goodbye, Mr. Firestone.”


Small Talk Warms ‘Em Up
 In most sales calls the approach
consists of two parts:

 The “small talk” or rapport-building phase
Weather, stock market, sports, etc,
 Planned, formal, selling technique used as
a lead-in to the upcoming discussion of the
product
Statement, demonstration, or question(s)


Approach Techniques and Objectives
1. Opening with a Statement
2. Opening with a Demonstration
3. Opening with a Question or Questions


Exhibit 9-5: The Approach Techniques for
Each of the Four Sales Presentation Methods













Objectives of Both Statement and
Demonstration Approach Techniques
 Capture the attention of prospect
 Stimulate prospect’s interest
 To provide a transition into the sales
presentation


The Situational Approach
 The situation you face determines which
approach technique you use.
 Influences on the approach-to-use include:
 Type of product being sold
 Whether the call is a repeat call on same person
 Degree of knowledge about customer’s needs
 Amount of time for sales presentation
 Whether customer is aware of a problem