CHAPTER 1: A CAREER IN PROFESSIONAL SELLING
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SALES CAREERS
LOW order taking (reactive)
Respond, react, and suggest
MEDIUM direct selling (proactive)
Direct selling is a useful supplement to an individuals income, but its not an optimal career path
HIGH personal selling (relational / relationship)
MARKETING VS. SALES
Marketers indirectly communicate with prospects and try to inspire them to buy % sales professionals directly communicate
PERSONAL/RELATIONSHIP SELLING
Personal Selling is process of seeking out people who have a particular need, assisting them to recognize & define that need,
demonstrating how a particular service or product fills that need and then persuading them to use that service/product
GREAT RELATIONSHIP SALESPERSON
Develops a vision to identify & solve prospects needs short & long term to anticipate issues BEFORE they occur
Theyre a solution provider
EXPLORING THE VALUE OF SALESPEOPLE (3 perspectives)
1. For their Clients
2. For their Company
3. For themselves
SALES TRAINING
Sales training is a competitive advantage and also builds confidence in the sales force its a critical investment
MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF PERSONAL NEEDS
** personality, sales training, a positive attitude, and authenticity will move you upwards on Maslows pyramid, which is essential
to do to be most effective in Relationship Selling
Peak
Experiences
Self-actualization
Psychological Needs
Safety Needs (comfort)
B a s I c N e e d s (survival)
KEY TYPES OF SALES JOBS
1. trade selling
help customers to sell more product
long-term relationship are important
ex. delivering orders & replenishing inventory as well as, setting up displays, distributing samples
2. missionary selling
often work directly for manufacturers
largely consists of education those persons who decide which products the customer will use
ex. drug reps selling to doctors
3. technical selling
detailed specialists who explain the benefits of a companys product, acting more like consultants who analyze
ex. engineer, scientist
4. new business selling
finding new customers & persuading them to buy for the first time vital for firms seeking to focus on sales growth
order taker (responsive selling) responds to requests vs. order giver (creative selling) is a creative problem solver
TYPES OF SALESPEOPLE
1. Sales Engineer sells products requiring technical know how (often in chemical, machinery, & heavy equip. areas)
2. Detail Salesperson doesnt directly solicit orders- has informative/promotion function. (pharma sales reps selling to doctors)
3. Service Salesperson sells intangibles (insurance, advertising, financial, or professional services)
4. Accounts Representative minimal pressure to establish new accounts or relationships
5. Non-Technical Industrial Products sells tangible product to users (selling office equipment, packaged goods)
**Similarities: need to understand prospects problems, need for appropriate technical and/or product knowledge and self-
discipline to execute sales plan, ability to translate product features into benefits.
Q: On average, what percent of time does the typical salesperson spend directly in front of their clients?
A: 15% (*allocating sufficient face to face time with prospects is a common problem for most sales professionals)
Q: which type of salesperson focuses on performing promotional activities & introducing products to prospects
instead of directly soliciting an order?
A: Detail Salesperson
Q: what type of salesperson primarily sells intangibles?
A: Service Salesperson
CHAPTER 2 RELATIONSHIP SELLING
VALUE CREATION THROUGH RELATIONSHIP SELLING
Only 20% of companies have embraced relationship selling
Position self as partner/consultant vs. salesperson to create a more equal relationship
Current selling trend: relationship, problem-solving selling
Ultimate goal: customer satisfaction
Relationship Management: managing account relationship & ensuring service is provided to clients before and after the sale
Timeline: LT relationship built on trust, mutual reward, and mutual benefits
Relationship killers: A party in the relationship that fails to deliver on their promise leads to suspension, separation or contract
termination is imminent
RELATIONSHIP SELLING VS. TRADITIONAL SELLING
THE SALES CYCLE FRAMEWORK FOR RELATIONSHIP SELLING
3 Phases in the Sales Cycle:
Phase 1. Identifying qualified prospects (they have need, money, authority) & planning pre-approach activities (i.e. telephone
activities)
Phase 2. Approaching the prospect, discovering needs, making the presentation, handling objections & gaining commitment
Phase 3. Closing the sale & service after sale. (relationship doesnt really start until buyer says yes)
Cognitive dissonance (buyers remorse) must be addressed & resolved by the salesperson
W. Edwards Deming was the founder of total quality management and relationship selling
85-15 Rule: When things go wrong, 85% of the time the process or system is at fault and only 15% its the fault of the
employee or salesperson
TQM- CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Total Quality Management (TQM)
- listen and learn from customers AND employees
- continuously improve the partnership
- teamwork through mutual trust and respect
- do it right the first time
- get your whole company involved
Service Quality
- theres a process & an outcome, which are both necessary for customer satisfaction
RISKS OF TEAM SELLING
1. requires special planning
2. requires a team leader
3. all must agree on objectives
4. must be well-rehearsed
BENEFITS OF TEAM SELLING
1. customer involvement with more than 1 person
2. more accurate needs definition
3. very useful if the product is technical
4. different individuals bring more selling skills
5. gives the client added confidence that theyre not dependent on a single contact
CHAPTER 3 ETHICAL & LEGAL ISSUES
traditional values have given way to a widespread sense of entitlement
Ethos
- Ethical standards derive from society and its behavior
- Legal standards are enforced
Drs. Ken Blanchard & Norman Vincent Peale
- authors of the power of ethical management
- dont have to cheat to win
- nice guys arent finishing last, theyre running a different race
THE BASIS FOR ETHICAL SYSTEMS
Systems to describe ethical thinking:
1. Deontological uses specific rules
2. Teleological defines right and wrong in terms of end results (utilitarian concept)
3 GUIDELINES FOR ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
1. Universal Nature (the golden rule; everyone plays by same rules)
2. Truth telling
3. Take responsibility for ones actions
6 INFLUENCES ON A SALESPERONS ETHICS
1. Company code of ethics
2. Role models (executives & sales managers)
3. Examples set by colleagues/competitors
4. The bottom line survival is higher priority than profit
5. Group think
6. Gamesmanship (winning for sake of winning)
DEVELOPING PERSONAL CODE OF ETHICS
- responsibility to self, the company, competitors, and to customers
OPERATING IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
Global Rule of Thumb: salespeople should follow the laws of THEIR HOME COUNTRY & COMPANY, as well as adhere to rules of
country where theyre working if theyre in synch with each other
BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES
How the company treats the salesperson sets the stage for proper or improper ethical behavior
- some incentives encouraging fudging
- management may not be accessible to help with ethical issues
- are there control mechanisms in place? (customer complaints? salesperson dissatisfaction? expense accounts?)
VIOLATIONS USUALLY FALL WITHIN 2 BROAD CATEGORIES
1. Deceptive Actions false claims, disparaging remarks
2. Monopolistic Actions price fixing, acquiring all competitors
Cooling-off law pertains to newly-entered contracts that allows obth sides of the part a period of time (After the contracts been
signed) to release themselves from any obligations without penalty
CHAPTER 4: PURCHASE BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION
KISS method: Kept It Simple Stupid
*make sure your listener (customer) understands what youre talking about
Consumer Behavior is the set of actions that make up an individuals consideration, purchase, and use of products and
services. This includes both the purchase as well as the consumption of those products and services
THE 5 STEP PURCHASE DECISION PROCESS
1. Problem Recognition (Motive Arousal)
May occur when the customer receives information from advertising or from conversations with friends that causes
awareness of need
In relationship selling, this often hinges on the salespersons ability to uncover a need
Or may occur when consumer re-evaluates current situation & perceives dissatisfaction
2. The Search For Alternatives internal search (habitual) or External search (Extensive)
3. The Evaluation of Alternatives
4. The Purchase Decision
5. Post-Purchase Evaluation
Cognitive Dissonance is post-purchase anxiety or buyers remorse
Relationship salesperson can reduce this by reinforcing the buyer that the right decision was made & demonstrating
the capabilities and quality of the product
INFLUENCES ON THE PURCHASE DECISION PROCESS
1. Behavioral Influences
2. Psychological Influences
3. Socio-cultural Influences
Psychological Influences:
1. perception
2. mood of the moment
3. attitude habitual patterns of response to previous experiences
A negative attitude must be overcome before a sale can be made
4. self-image in communicating with a Prospect, what they believe is true is more important, than the true.
self-image is an individuals unique and personal self-appraisal at any given moment in time.
Socio-cultural Influences:
Culture is an influence thats completely learned and handed-down way of life
ORGANIZATIONAL BUYING VS. CONSUMER BUYING (KEY DIFFERENCES)
most purchase decisions are based on rational buying motives vs emotional driven (consumer buying)
decisions often made after extensive research & analysis of product and selling comp. prior to purchase
Organizational Buyers:
Decision maker usually a buying center
Buying Criteria more complex
Strategic Business Alliances longer lasting
Buying Motivation rational, economic or emotional
Characteristics: fewer in number, purchases usually involve larger dollar volume, less freedom of decision
MULTIPLE BUYING INFLUENCES
The Buying Center
1. users
2. buyers
3. influencers
4. gatekeepers
5. decision makers
THE COMMUNICATIONS AGENDA
The channels which communications must flow through:
1. source the sender of the message (origination point)
2. encoding the message using symbols
3. the message itself
4. evaluating the prospects decoding of the message did they get it?
WARNING SIGNALS
Signs that the prospects either not understanding or not accepting the message:
-- rubbing nose, resting head in hands with elbows on desk, finger under collar or rubbing back of neck
CHAPTER 5 FINDING YOUR SELLING STYLE
understanding different social styles leads to better communication
CARL JUNG
founder of the concept of identifying various behavioral styles
expanded Freuds studies on the adult ego to state that personalities include 4 functions:
1. intuition
2. thinking
3. feeling
4. sensing
THE SOCIAL STYLES MODEL
Basic Concepts:
1. Primary Style is a persons favored/ usually most utilized style
2. Back up Style is occasionally used (especially in stressful situations)
3. Clues to style is shown in manner of speech, use of time, gestures used
** we usually respond best to a style similar to our own
Behavior Styles in Selling
style reflects surface behavior. Its not an in-depth personality analysis
VERSATILITY AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL
Psychological Reciprocity: (most desired) when we adjust/move towards our prospects style, and then they feel compelled to
move towards our style
THE SOCIAL STYLES MODEL
4 Types:
1. Driver takes it in now and REACTS
2. Expressive is intuitive, imaginative, abstract
3. Amiable is touchy/feely and emotional
4. Analytical thinks and organizes information logically
RECOGNIZING SOCIAL STYLES
DRIVERS high assertiveness and low responsiveness. Control specialists.
EXPRESSIVES high assertiveness and high responsiveness. Social specialists.
AMIABLES low assertiveness and high responsiveness. Support specialists.
ANALYTICALS low assertiveness and low responsiveness. Technical specialists.
GENDER STYLE DIFFERENCES
Proxemics is the distance that individuals prefer to keep between themselves
READING THE PROSPECTS ENVIRONMENT
Being able to identify a social style doesnt provide a crystal ball that predicts a prospects every action, but it does provide a
basis for forming reasonable expectations about recurring behavior
NEUROLINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP)
Perceptual fields are ways in which people view the world
Modes of Perception (most of us favor one mode)
1. auditory
2. visual
3. kinesthetic
IDENTIFYING A PROSPECTS BEHAVIOR
NLP can help you develop the ability to identify a prospects mode of perception
adapt your mode of selling to their mode of learning
CHAPTER 6: PREPARATION FOR SUCCESS IN SELLING
PREPARING TO SELL
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance
GET ORGANIZED BEFORE A SALES CALL
Ask yourself these 6 questions about your own business and how it helps your prospect, also, ask these questions about your
competitors to determine how you can differentiate and how you can beat them
1. Who?
2. What?
3. Where?
4. Why?
5. When?
6. How?
*make the person you are calling on, WANT to meet with you
KNOW THE 8 STEPS OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE.. BE THE EXPERT
1. the product itself
external characteristics, how to use it, all available options, adaptability
2. performance
life expectancy, tolerance to wear and stress, maintenance and supplies needed
3. manufacturing data
how is it made, quality control
4. what services are available
service policies, service personnel
5. distribution channels
distribution strategy, pricing policies, media support
6. company information
its history, philosophy, product evolution, present customers
7. product knowledge application
know when to use it, dont over-sell, remember KISS
8. knowledge on the competition
by knowing your competitors strengths & weaknesses, you can plan accordingly & defeat them
TECHNOLOGY
The days of the salesman with nothing but his sample bag are OVER.
Technology changes everything
Sales forces will become automated or else they wont survive
Numerous software/cloudware providers offer a centralized hub to conduct all business activities from
MARKET POSITIONING
1. find out what qualities of your product/service are most important to your customers
2. put together a marketing strategy
3. remember the way you sell or service your customers
4. focus on what sets you apart
5. keep an eye out for competitors
*motivation is a priority for everyone involved (wishing is not the same as being motivated)
3 TYPES OF MOTIVATION
motivation arises as a response to either an external or internal stimulus:
1. fear motivation is external, temporary and negative
2. incentive motivation is external, temporary and positive
3. attitudinal motivation is internal, permanent and positive
whether it originated from negative or positive inputs, external motivation factors DONT work in the LR.
WINNING IN SALES MEANS
Knowledge + Technology + Positioning + Motivation = SUCCESS.
