Personal Selling Process

Personal Selling

•         Personal selling is also known as face-to-face selling in which one person who is the salesman tries to convince the customer in buying a product.

•      It is a promotional method by which the salesperson uses his or her skills and abilities in an attempt to make a sale.  

Description

•      Salesperson uses his or her interpersonal skills to persuade a customer in buying a particular product.

•      The salesperson tries to highlight various features of the product to convince the customer that it will only add value.

•      The company wants to spread awareness about the product for which it adopts a person-to-person approach.

•      Personal selling can take place through two different channels through retail and through direct to the consumer channel.

–     Under the retail channel, a sales person interacts with potential customers who come on their own to enquire about a product. The job of the salesperson is to make sure that he understands the need of the customers and accordingly shows various products that he keeps under that category.

–     Under the direct channel, a salesperson visits potential customers in an attempt to make them aware about a new product that the company is launching or it may have a new offer which the customers may not get from the open market.

Steps in Personal Selling Process

1. Prospecting. 

2. Pre-Approach.

3. Approach.

4. Presenting.

5. Handling objections.

6. Closing.

7. Follow up.

Prospecting

•      Sales representatives look for new customers that they can potentially sell their products to.

•      This can be done by cold calling or by going out into the market and talking to people.

•      This part of the process is a numbers game, and the sales representative has to contact many people.

•      Prospects may come from Referrals from existing customers, suppliers & dealers.

•      They may come from resources such as directories newspapers public activities of the firms.

•      Once prospects have been identified the need is to qualify for being screened to see if they are good prospects.

Pre-approach

•      Once the Prospect has been identified and qualified the next step is to approach.

•      Salesperson gatherers information to use in the attempt to make the sale.

•      Salesperson investigates the prospect in Greater depth and plan the sales call.

•      Salesperson determines where the specific target market consumer is in the purchasing process.

Approach

•      The approach is the next step in the process and it is also one of the most important.

•      During this step, the sales representative takes a minute or two to try to get to know the prospect.

•      This phase usually involves some small talk to warm up the prospect and help them open up. 

Presentation

•      This involves demonstrating the product or service and showing the customer why they need it.

•      The Sales Representative should focus on the features and benefits of the product or service during this part of the process.

•      Purpose of presentation is to provide knowledge about the future advantages and benefits of the product.

•      Telling the product story to the prospect showing how the product will solve a problem for the market.

Handling Objections

•      Sales representative will have to overcome objections by the customer.

•      Many customers have questions and concerns at this point of the sales process.

•      The sales representative can answer the questions and overcome any objections successfully, the barriers for a successful sale will be removed.

•      Sales representative will have to overcome objections by the customer.

•      Many customers have questions and concerns at this point of the sales process.

•      The sales representative can answer the questions and overcome any objections successfully, the barriers for a successful sale will be removed.

Closing

•      This can involve writing up an invoice.

•      Providing any final information to the customer.

•      At this stage of the process, you may need to negotiate the final sales price and any payment terms.

Follow up

•      Sales representative follows up with the customer to find out if they are pleased.

•      If there were any issues with the product, the sales Exe. can work with the customer to get them resolved.

•      If the customer is happy, the sales exe. can also try to obtain additional referrals from the customer.

Common Mistakes

•      Not understanding the selling.

•      Expecting things to improve by themselves.

•      Talking too much and not listening.

•      Using words that kill sales.

•      Not knowing when to close the sales.

•      Not knowing how to close the sale.

•      Lack of Sincerity.

•      Not paying enough attention to details.

•      Letting yourself slump.

•      Not keeping in touch.