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| ISBN-13: | 9781481700351 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 01/25/2013 |
| Pages: | 222 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.51(d) |
Read an Excerpt
SALES PROCESS
Can You Sell Me a Pen?By Darin George
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2013 Darin GeorgeAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4817-0035-1
Chapter One
Can You Sell Me a Pen?
Once upon a time at a job interview for a sales position, the interviewer asked the potential new sales representative; "Can you sell me a pen?" The interviewee said "sure I can" and began to show how they would do it. The problem is; the question is not about showing how you would sell a pen but can you sell a pen right now, on the spot. While the question may seem like a very simple task for most prospective sales people, it is very difficult to do with any type of success and professionalism.
What I am going to show you can be used for any type of product or service you are selling; i.e. appliances, furniture, roofing, advertising, life insurance, windows and doors, bank financing, computer sales, men and women's clothing, shoes, home renovations, automobiles, boats, and the list goes on. The following dialogue conversation is on how to answer the title of this book. You will have to put yourself in the position of the salesperson and then make up the customer's replies. Have fun with it.
Example Conversation
Interviewer Says: "So ... Can You Sell Me a Pen?"
Salesperson or Interviewee Replies:
"Sure I can, no problem ... Welcome to our pen company my name is Darin George and your name is? ... Ok great ... Tim, its nice to meet you. Is this the first time you have contacted or been to our pen company?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Did you know that we are one of the largest pen companies in the world?"
• Pause and listen to their response; if any. It's important to give a bit of your company's history at the beginning of your sales process; not after they have purchased.
"We have been in business since 1965 and produce all of our pens at our factory in New York City."
• Pause and listen to their response; if any.
"So what feature are you looking for in your new pen or pens?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Any ink color preference ... blue, black, red or green?
• Pause and listen to their response.
"What style of pen are you looking for?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Who will be the main user of this pen?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Is the pen going to be used for business use or personal use?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Is there anyone else involved in the purchase of the pen or pens?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Great, I'd like to show you our newest pen. It sells for $10.00 and has been designed with many special features."
• You will do a pen presentation now. You have to show every detail of why this is a great pen ... the clip part that attaches to your shirt pocket, the rubber piece for better grip and writing, the smooth ball point ink flow, the way you can close the pen tip preventing ink stains, the color of the ink and design of the pen ... etc, etc.
"Will you please test the pen on this paper."
• It is very important to do a pen demonstration now. Let the customer test the pen by writing on some paper. Let them test a couple of pens if necessary.
"How do you like the feel and flow of the pen?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"So have we selected the right pen for you?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Do you have any other questions regarding the pen or our company?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Great, If there was anything preventing you from getting this pen right now, what would it be?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
The following are Two possible scenarios that will happen.
• It will be understood that the customer can also object and say they don't want to buy today or they want to think about it etc. But in this example we are going with a customer that is serious about possibly purchasing right now.
Scenario Reply #1
• There is no customer negotiation. The customer or interviewer purchases the pen for the asking price.
The customer says: "I'd like to buy the pen".
You will say: "Great, let me wrap it up for you. Will that be cash or credit Tim?"
Scenario 1 Note:
• This happens when you have done such a good job at selling yourself and your product, that the customer just makes the purchase.
Scenario Reply #2
• The customer or interviewer wants to negotiate the price of the pen. They want a discount or a bulk purchase order.
Ask the customer: "So what you are suggesting to me Tim, is that, if the price is agreeable with you and our company, you would like to get the new pen as soon as possible, is that correct?"
Example of a Customer reply: "Yes, if you can get the cost agreeable with me, I want the pen now."
You will say:
"So Tim you want a discount or special? Well ... we don't usually do that here but I will see what I can do for you."
"What I'm going to do now is pull out a worksheet and go over the details on the pen you want."
• The worksheet would usually only be done for volume sales not just one pen.
"Like I mentioned earlier Tim, this pen is for sale at a price of $10.00 and we don't negotiate our prices (pause) but what if I could sell it to you right now for $9.95?"
• Pause and listen to their response. The customer then says, they want a lower price.
"No ... you want a bigger discount off. (pause) What price were you thinking you can get the pen for?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"Wow ... You only want to pay $9.00 ..., maybe we are not looking at the right pen. I can show you some of our less expensive ones ... No; you really want this one ... Ok then Tim, how did you come up with the number of $9.00?"
• Pause and listen to their response.
"I can not do it for that price but I am willing to be flexible with you, what if I could do it for about $9.90?"
• The customer then says ... No, but they will pay $9.50.
"Ok I can see you are willing to be a bit flexible as well. I'll go and talk with my manager and see if we could do it for $9.85."
• Pause and listen to their response.
"No, you want me to tell my manager $9.70. Ok give me one minute I'll be right back."
• You will now go and discuss the final negotiation with your manager, if required. In some situations you would ask for a credit card to confirm their intention to purchase now.
"My manager has approved the sale at $9.80 ... Ok. (pause and wait for their response. If its ok finish the sale. If you still need to negotiate, do it.) ... Great, Let me wrap it up for you. Will that be cash or credit Tim?"
Scenario 2 Note:
• As you can see in this scenario, I went down to the least amount possible with the negotiating customer. I kept as close to our original asking price of $10.00 as possible and made the sale. It wasn't full priced but it was sold. Every sale will be different in final price but you will sell more and achieve higher profits by being in control of the negotiation.
So if you are ever asked,
Can you Sell me a Pen?
Do it right and its Sold or You're Hired.
Now that I have taken you through a sales process conversation, let's go through all of the chapters in the book that will give you your own selling process.
Chapter Two
The Education of the Salesperson
The number one reason people will Buy from you and your company is, You & Your Sales Staff. It's also the reason they don't buy.
Note: This is also providing your products or services are as good as or even better than anyone else in your marketplace.
The majority of people entering the sales profession today have received a post secondary education. Their studies range from Degrees and Diplomas in Architecture, History, Engineering, Accounting, Economics, Journalism, Education and many more. These chosen fields of study have played a major role in their personal developments but have very little to do with the profession of sales. I am also aware that some of you have not even finished high school. It really doesn't matter because some of the greatest business and sales people have no post secondary educations but instead, they have a natural intelligence or talent that enables them to perceive, assess and positively influence one's own and other people's buying emotions. This is referred to as Emotional Intelligence (EI) and is measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ). Your EQ is the most important thing you can have as a salesperson. Think of some famous people, do they have emotional intelligence?
One of the biggest problems that sales management and business owners face everyday is how to motivate their sales people so they will perform above the average. The answer is education; a professional sales training process delivered not just in a 'hit and miss' session but one that is well thought out and ongoing, daily, weekly and monthly.
Is being a salesperson a Career or a Job?
If you think it's a job - don't read this book.
If you think it's a career - then please continue reading.
A regular job is limited to a yearly income, nine to five, with a possible 1% to 3% wage increase per year, if you're lucky. There might even be some type of advancement in the future. A job is definitely a steady pay check which is good but is it really a secure employment position?
A career will provide you with the potential to earn a much higher yearly income, 35 to 60 hours per week with a yearly increase of 5% to 20% and much greater advancement opportunities. A career is what you make of it and will always provide you much better long term security.
Darin's formula to becoming a Professional Salesperson
Education/Process + Practice + Consistency + Goals + Self Control = Professional Salesperson
There are "No Tricks" to selling, just practice like all professionals do and get good at it. It's just like a professional golfer cannot par every hole without the same practiced principles.
Something to Think About!
• How many hours does an Olympic sprinter practice before their 10 second race?
• How many practice golf balls does a professional golfer hit daily and weekly?
• How much education and practice does a surgeon go through before operating?
• How much education does a lawyer receive before being able to practice law?
• How many hours of practice does a hockey player put in before making the NHL?
Note: These examples all take time, education, practice, money, self-control and goal setting.
Do the Math?
If you are a Sales Manager or Business Owner, do an assessment of your sales team and evaluate the benefits of having a salesperson at your company for 2 to 10+ years. What type of financial gains would you and the salesperson have? Obviously the customer will benefit from being able to rely on the salesperson that is still employed at your company. I've done these calculations and of course it's a win, win situation.
Everyone knows that the top sales people are consistent every month. This is related to their years employed at the company, repeat business they bring in, referrals, and being 100% professional at all times.
Becoming a great salesperson is like owning your own small business. The great thing is you have no overhead, just pure revenue.
Chapter Notes ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Chapter Three
Understanding Your Potential Customer
The title of this chapter is a Ph.D. in itself. It would take years, a life time, to be able to even think you could really figure this out. I'm definitely not saying I know the actual answer but if you're a salesperson or manager of salespeople you better make sure you have some kind of idea what it means. This book has not been written for this huge topic, but I hope this chapter will give you some insight on how important your rapport and people skills are in the selling profession.
In your Customers Eyes, You are your Company. If they like You ... They will like your Company.
Most sales people are excellent rapport builders and some of you just need to be aware of how critically important it is in sales process.
Mirroring is one of the most important aspects to building rapport. Mirroring the actions and wording of your customer is how you accomplish this. Matching what you customer does; their breathing pattern, touching their head, rubbing their nose, their body posture, their mood, happy, sad etc.
People like people Who Act like Themselves
There are 3 main types of people.
Visual People
This type of person uses visual words like; birds eye view, looks like, I like the looks of that. Their eye contact will always be moving upwards. They need to picture themselves owning your product. They need to see themselves in your product. An example would be; can you see yourself in this new red sports car?
Auditory People
This type of person uses a variety of words and nods their head a lot. Their eye contact is medium with eyes moving back and forth and down to the right. They are very interested in all of the benefits of your product and use many words and ask specific questions regarding your product and company. They will talk to themselves when making a decision like; that sounds good and I like the way that sounds.
Kinesthetic People
This type of person uses a lot of body movement and will like to feel the product. Their eye contact will be face to face with movement down to the left. They will be very touchy feely with you; don't be afraid to do the same with them (use discretion). These types of customers will buy on emotions.
Trying to determining what type of customer you have will affect the time you spend with them.
Visual person = less time
Auditory person = more time
Kinesthetic person = less and more
If I know what I'd do; I'll know what your going to Do.
Before you became a salesperson, you were and always will be a customer. Answer the following questions with more than just a yes/ no or good/bad. Give an explanation of your answers. Your answers will be something you can refer to at a later date.
How have you felt about any of your bigger purchases?
(Examples: TV's, furniture, computers, home reno's, vehicles, houses etc.) Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
What type of research did you do before you bought? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
How long did it take you before you made your purchase? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
Did you call any other companies for information and pricing? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
How many companies did you go to before you bought? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
Did you ask your friends and family what they thought of a particular product? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
Did you care where you actually purchased your new product? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
Was the product manufacture a major concern? (example: Samsung, BWM, Sony, Apple, Honda, Dell, Hugo Boss) Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
Was the salesperson important in your final decision? Your Answer: ____________________________________________________
You have to be the Customer ...
To Sell to Them.
Being able to understand a customer is easy, only when we understand ourselves as customers. Everything we have said and done to a salesperson is exactly what our customers are saying and doing to us now.
Your customers have already made their decision in terms of looking and possibly purchasing your product long before they contacted your company. Now it's only a matter of your professional approach to assist them with the selection of their new product.
You must always remember one important thing. Your customer is at your place of business for a reason; they are interested in your product or service.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from SALES PROCESS by Darin George Copyright © 2013 by Darin George. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 Can You Sell Me a Pen?....................1Chapter 2 The Education of the Salesperson....................9
Chapter 3 Understanding Your Potential Customer....................15
Chapter 4 Customer Prospecting and Marketing....................23
Chapter 5 Your Sales Managers Involvement....................33
Chapter 6 Greeting Your Potential New Customer....................39
Chapter 7 Qualifying Questions You Have to Ask....................47
Chapter 8 Product or Service Presentation....................53
Chapter 9 Product or Service Demonstration....................59
Chapter 10 Selling the Benefits of Your Company....................67
Chapter 11 Asking for the Sale and Closing....................73
Chapter 12 Using a Company Worksheet to Close....................83
Chapter 13 The Psychology of Negotiating....................91
Chapter 14 An Example of a Price Negotiation....................103
Chapter 15 Handling Customer Objections....................113
Chapter 16 I'm Just Looking - I'm Just Shopping....................115
Chapter 17 What's Your Best Price - Bottom Line?....................119
Chapter 18 I Want to Think About It....................125
Chapter 19 Dealing with the Price Shopper....................129
Chapter 20 How to Answer In-Coming Sales Calls....................139
Chapter 21 Customer Follow Up Programs....................147
Chapter 22 Increasing Your Customer Be Backs....................155
Chapter 23 Salespersons Tracking Program....................161
Chapter 24 Who's a Qualified Buyer....................169
Chapter 25 Interviewing and Finding Employment....................171
Chapter 26 Designing your Resume....................175
Chapter 27 Organizing your Sales Training Meeting....................177
Chapter 28 Book Quiz - Grade Yourself....................179
Chapter 29 How to Break 80....................189
Chapter 30 Common Talk - Korean....................193
Consulting Services Offered....................199
Acknowledgements....................203
About the Author....................205