Follow Up Calls Work : Contact post sale shows that the customer matters and may lead to future and repeat business or referrals. Regular follow up is an integral part of good customer service. It tells the customer that he or she continues to matter and this perception might make him receptive to repeat business. Ranging from a simple phone call or thank you note to an office visit for some coffee, the follow up gives the customer a chance to be heard and to engage in a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the salesperson.
The time frame in which the follow up takes place also impacts the experience. Short term follow up occurs right after the sale has closed while long term follow up may include a card on a birthday or anniversary or a note commemorating a milestone or a thank you card for a referral. Show appreciation that motivates sales teams to do more follow up to facilitate repeat business and referrals. Try to build a more personal relationship with the client by finding common ground for discussion other than the product or transaction.
This can also be achieved by helping the customer with a problem by connecting them with one of your non-competing contacts for help. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes—principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support. The overall goals are to find, attract, and win new clients, service and retain those the company already has, entice former clients to return, and reduce the costs of marketing and client service.
Customer relationship management describes a company-wide business strategy including customer-interface departments as well as other departments. Measuring and valuing customer relationships is critical to implementing this strategy. The rationale behind using the CRM is to improve services provided directly to customers and to use the information in the system for targeted marketing and sales purposes.
Illustrate the rationale and use of customer relations management CRM as part of personal selling and sales promotion. A Customer Relationship Management system may be chosen because it is thought to provide the following advantages:. Instances of a CRM attempting to contain a large, complex group of data can become cumbersome and difficult to understand for ill-trained users. The lack of senior management sponsorship can also hinder the success of a new CRM system.
Stakeholders must be identified early in the process and a full commitment is needed from all executives before beginning the conversion. But the challenges faced by the company will last longer for the convenience of their customers.
Stakeholders : The picture shows the typical stakeholders of a company. The stakeholders are divided in internal and external stakeholders. All of these stakeholders must be identified and considered, and the ones considered most important to the CRM system must be identified. This fragmented implementation can cause inherent challenges, as only certain parts are used and the system is not fully functional. The increased use of customer relationship management software has also led to an industry-wide shift in evaluating the role of the developer in designing and maintaining its software.
Companies are urged to consider the overall impact of a viable CRM software suite and the potential for good or bad in its use. Sales force automation SFA involves using software to streamline all phases of the sales process, minimizing the time that sales representatives need to spend on each phase. This allows a business to use fewer sales representatives to manage their clients.
At the core of SFA is a contact management system for tracking and recording every stage in the sales process for each prospective client, from initial contact to final disposition. Many SFA applications also include insights into opportunities, territories, sales forecasts, and workflow automation. CRM systems for marketing help the enterprise identify and target potential clients and generate leads for the sales team.
A key marketing capability is tracking and measuring multichannel campaigns, including email, search, social media, telephone, and direct mail. Metrics monitored include clicks, responses, leads, deals, and revenue. Alternatively, Prospect Relationship Management PRM solutions offer to track customer behavior and nurture them from first contact to sale, often cutting out the active sales process altogether.
In a Web-focused marketing CRM solution, organizations create and track specific web activities that help develop the client relationship. These activities may include such activities as free downloads, online video content, and online web presentations. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Personal Selling and Sales Promotion. Search for:. The Personal Selling Process. Learning Objectives Explain tools used in evaluating customer needs. Key Takeaways Key Points Where the potential market is very wide, there are significant advantages to limiting oneself to just one or two specialized market segments.
The profile should include psycho-demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, jobs, and interests. Key Terms unique selling proposition : Any aspect of an object that differentiates it from similar objects. Preapproach The preapproach is when you gather relevant information regarding the prospect in order to create a customized sales presentation. Learning Objectives Examine the elements of the sales pre-approach used in personal selling and sales promotion.
Through careful planning, salespeople can focus on important customer needs and communicate the relevant benefits to the buyer, address potential problem areas prior to the sales presentation, and enjoy the self-confidence that arises after thorough preparation. Key Terms cold call : A sales call either by telephone or personal presence, made without a referral or without preparing the recipient of the call. Approach How you approach a sales pitch in terms of attitude, prospect knowledge, and customized product will determine your success.
Learning Objectives Describe the characteristics and requirements for a sales approach as part of personal selling and sales promotion. Key Takeaways Key Points Every salesperson should prepare a customized elevator pitch to quickly entice the customer to view the product offered as the solution to his needs. Key Terms gatekeeper : A person or group who controls access to something or somebody.
Sales Presentation A well-prepared sales presentation will engage prospects with relevant information and entice them to make a purchase commitment. Learning Objectives Describe the characteristics of a sales presentation within the context of personal selling and sales promotion. Key Takeaways Key Points A sales pitch is a planned presentation of a product or service designed to initiate and close a sale. Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toiletries, and grocery items.
Though the absolute profit made on FMCG products is relatively small, they generally sell in large quantities, so the cumulative profit on such products can be substantial. Handling Objections The prospect may object to points made in the presentation, so the salesperson should be prepared to listen and address those concerns.
Key Takeaways Key Points Sales objections can be defined as statements or questions raised by the prospect which can indicate an unwillingness to buy. Key Terms rapport : A relationship of mutual trust and respect. Closing the Sale Closing refers to the achievement of the desired outcome, which may be the exchange of money or the acquiring of a signature. It is reserved for more artful means of persuasion. Situations where a closing attempt is logical include when a presentation has been completed and all objections have been answered, or when the buyer indicates an interest in the product by giving a closing signal.
The assumptive close is one of the most commonly used closing techniques. The salesperson assumes the customer has made the decision to buy, so the salesperson will tell them what they are going to do to complete the sale. Key Terms assumptive : Forward or presumptuous.
Following Up Following-up will build customer satisfaction, maximize long-term sales volume, and if a sale has not been made, it may lead to a sale. Learning Objectives Identify the basis for and the importance of follow up as part of the personal selling process and sales promotion. Personal selling often occurs face-to-face, however it can also take place through telephone conversations, online video conferencing or online text communication. This is because the person-to-person approach allows for detailed explanation of products and any individual questions or concerns the customer has can be immediately addressed.
There are many steps involved in the process of personal selling: prospecting, pre-approach, approach, sales presentation, handling objectives, and follow up. Prospecting refers to locating potential customers. There are many sources from which potential customers can be found: observation, social contacts, trade shows, commercially-available databases, commercially-available mail list and cold calling. The pre-approach involves preparation for the sales presentation.
This preparation involves research about the potential customers, such as market research. How many people work for them? Where is the home office located? How many years have they been in business? Financial performance. All publicly held companies are required to post their quarterly earnings on their websites. If consumers, what age, education, and income level? If businesses, what size and kind of businesses? About the Current Buying Situation Type of purchase.
In Chapter 6 "Why and How People Buy: The Power of Understanding the Customer" , you learned the different types of buys—straight rebuy, modified rebuy, or strategic alliance.
Knowing that information is extremely valuable during your preapproach research. Is the customer making a first-time purchase of the product? Or will this purchase be a rebuy? Maybe the customer is an interior design firm. The firm already buys paint from a certain supplier but is thinking of making a modified rebuy: purchasing a more environmentally friendly line of paints, either from the same supplier or from someone else hopefully you!
On the other hand, maybe the design firm is already buying from you and is perfectly happy with the paints and with you as a supplier, so it decides to make a straight rebuy of the same product. For example, Pepsi has a strategic alliance with Frontier Airlines in which Frontier agrees that all the soft drinks it serves on board the airline will be Pepsi brand. Knowing the type of purchase will help you position your solution to best fit the situation. What do you know about this company and their products?
Consider the interior design firm that is about to make a rebuy. Our company offers a wide range of color choices, too, and our product consistently gets high reviews. Using soy-based paints will increase your reputation as a progressive, socially responsible business. Current pricing. This information will give you the edge to competitively position your solution.
If you charge less than your competitors, you can highlight your product as a cost-saving alternative. If your products cost more, you might consider offering a discount or other benefit to provide a better solution.
Video Clip Preparation Is Essential click to see video Listen to Priya Masih, sales representative at Lupin Pharmaceuticals, talk about how she prepares for a sales call. About the Contact Person Title and role in the company. This is basic and essential information to know. It will help you to personalize your communications and will give you a better sense of your business situation. What role does this person have in the buying decision?
Are you dealing with an influencer in the organization? Does this contact person have the authority to make a buying decision, or is this person a gatekeeper, a person with whom you must talk in order to get to the decision maker?
Professional background. How long has this person been at the company, and what positions has he held? What roles has he had at other companies? This information will help you to adapt your communications and solutions to the individual.
You can find valuable information on professional social networks such as LinkedIn and Plaxo. For instance, you might find out that someone in your network knows the person you are planning to approach and she can provide an entry for you. You might also learn that the person you plan on calling on was previously a buyer at two other companies and usually likes to bring in his previous vendors.
Personal information. Everyone likes to do business with people they like. This is useful information to keep on hand for the opening of the sales call when you want to put your prospect at ease and convince him of your goodwill. Knowing this information takes you right to the heart of the issue. Maybe your prospect is the marketing manager at the company and has recently been given the task of finding a new breakthrough idea for a promotional product to give away at a major upcoming industry trade show.
Or maybe your prospect owns a grocery chain and needs to increase her sales in the frozen food area with organic products.
Learning the specific problems your contact faces in his role at the company is the only way you can adapt your solution to meet his needs. Motivation for buying. If your contact is already buying from another supplier, what reasons might he have to start buying from you instead? If he is satisfied, what value can you bring that provides a reason for him to consider changing suppliers? On the other hand, if this is a first time purchase, what will drive his initial decision to buy?
About Your Existing Customers Your current customers are your best prospects. Opportunities for synergy. How can you partner with your customer in new ways that will benefit both companies? For example, Linksys has its Linksys One program, which offers B2B customers high-speed wireless networks combined with an Internet telephone service and several software services. If you can demonstrate potential synergy The working together of two or more things companies, services, technology, ideas that produces a greater effect than any one of those things could produce alone.
Sources of Information When you want to dig deeper with your research, you can often return to the same sources you used during the qualifying process and simply get more specific with the information you gather. Online searches. Search online databases and directories such as Hoovers and current news stories on Yahoo!
Finance, Bloomberg, and other business Web sites see Chapter 7 "Prospecting and Qualifying: The Power to Identify Your Customers" for a complete list of sources for company information to find out about company demographics and key people in the organization.
If you want to learn more detailed information about your contacts in the company, try online professional social networks like LinkedIn. Business directories. Remember the value of your local library where you can search business directories in print and access some online directories free of charge.
Publicly available contracts. Trade journals. Trade journals are a good source for learning more about people and companies in your target industry. Making a habit of reading these publications or subscribing to RSS [Really Simple Syndication] feeds, as described in Chapter 7 "Prospecting and Qualifying: The Power to Identify Your Customers" helps keep you up-to-date on developments in these companies and in the industry.
Blogs, social networks, and online forums. These online resources can provide insight about the prospect, the competition, and the environment. Many company employees and executives post regularly about their perceptions and feelings on many topics. These comments can provide valuable insight about the prospect.
Professional organizations. Joining professional organizations in person and online can help you build relationships with contacts at your target companies. These organizations also serve as a source for competitive knowledge and for your connection to industry buzz. Before you make your sales call, you should know the objectives of the meeting. You should record these objectives, along with basic company information, on a precall planning worksheet.
Preapproach research includes information like company demographics, company news, and financial performance to help you discover sales opportunities and go deeper in your qualifying process. Research your existing customers to find opportunities for expanding the relationship and creating more sales.
What demographic information would you gather about the company during the preapproach stage? What would recent company news tell you in preparation for your sales call? What do current customers think about Gap? Imagine you work for a company that sells interior design services and acts as an art broker finding and purchasing artwork to display for large companies.
One of your customers has used your broker services in the past, but you are hoping to expand the relationship. What additional information would you need to know to make a proposal?
Assume you are selling payroll services to small businesses. Identify three pieces of information you would learn about your prospect during your preapproach research and identify the sources where you would find the information. Imagine that you sell life insurance. Describe how customer demographics can help you with your preapproach research. Assume you are selling security systems and you have just qualified a prospect, Fine Dining, Inc.
Your contact is Lee Crowan, the operations manager. The corporate office is located in the Willowwood Corporate Center in Willowwood.
You have learned that the chain is growing, with expansion to ten new restaurants planned in the next twelve months. You have also learned that security is a major issue since two of the existing restaurants have had break-ins during the past six months.
Assume you are selling financial services to consumers. You have identified a couple in their forties as qualified prospects. They are interested in retirement planning. What are three questions you would ask them during your initial meeting with them? Know your problem or opportunity. Once you have a clear idea of the problem or opportunity, set it out in specific terms to guide your brainstorm.
Start the session by stating the objective. What problem do you want to solve? It also helps to frame the question in positive terms. In fact, Kopervas has devised the Five Fs of Brainstorming to guide a more effective process. They are outlined in Figure 8. Source: SocialEdge. Step 3: Identify General and Specific Benefit Statements Once you have brainstormed a customer-specific solution, you want to find a way to showcase your solution in the best light.
Table 8. Is that something you might be interested in? If I can prove that I can help you reduce your labor costs by 10 percent, would you be willing to make a commitment? I have some ideas about how to increase traffic to your Web site. Is that something that is of interest to you? If I can show you how our social networking tool can drive 15 percent more traffic to your Web site during key seasonal periods, would you be willing to consider it?
I have some ideas about how to decrease your transaction time and take care of more customers every hour. Is that something you are interested in? If I can show you how our product can decrease your transaction time for each customer by at least one minute, would you be interested in looking at the proposal?
Your research, including the questions you ask your customer, should help you identify needs and opportunities. Knowing the best solution for your customer will help you craft a general benefits statement and a specific benefits statement that will help the customer envision the way your solution or opportunity meets his needs. Exercises Think about a local bank that offers free checking accounts.
How does free checking provide a solution for a business customer? How would this solution be different for an individual customer? How do you think the personal banker changes her sales pitch based on the customer? Think of the last major purchase you made where you bought from a salesperson not online.
Did the salesperson adapt his or her approach to address your specific needs and concerns? If so, how? Identify one general benefit statement and one specific benefit statement for each of the following: iPod MacBook Pro iTunes Assume that due to the recession, donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation are below expectations.
Work in teams of two to conduct a brainstorming session using the guidelines covered in this section. Each team should present their ideas to the class. In the example cited by Gary Duncan, the salesperson is setting out to gather three specific pieces of information. This will help you strategize about which actions to take next.
The first two parts of the example are measurable with a simple yes or no Did I find out the names of the current vendors? Did I identify issues and challenges my customer has encountered? It might involve asking questions, explaining something, or suggesting something. Whatever the case, it should be something on which you have the ability to act. If you set your goal too high or try to move your sales process along too quickly, you will only be setting yourself up for disappointment and failure.
Not only should you know what you hope to achieve, but you should also know when you hope to have it accomplished. Source: Skills Connection. The goals for your sales call should be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound: SMART. Setting SMART goals will help you direct your approach, take action, and measure the results of your sales call. Identify current insurance carrier and conduct needs analysis by Friday. Call the customer and ask some questions to learn about his current situation.
Conduct online research about the customer and understand why he chose his current insurance carrier. Call at least six new prospects by the end of the day today. Imagine you sell Web site consulting services and are going into a sales call with an existing customer. You want to expand the selling relationship in two ways: by extending your contract with the customer for another two years and by getting referrals for the network support department.
Assume you are a financial advisor and you are meeting with a prospect for the first time. Describe the difference in the sales cycles between selling jeans to a college student compared to selling a home to a newly married couple. You are a sales rep for medical supplies and just took on a new prospect, Springfield Nursing Homes, a regional chain of twenty-two nursing homes. You have a contact, but you are not clear if he is a decision maker. In the past, the company has allowed each nursing home to make its own purchasing decisions, but it is moving toward a more centralized approach.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to present your comprehensive product line. You are preparing for your first call, and your sales manager has asked you to review your SMART objectives for the call with him.
How you will present them to your sales manager? Four Ps of Presentation Preparation Preparing your sales presentation can seem like an overwhelming task. Prioritize Your Agenda Your presentation should be well organized. Personalize It Figure 8. Prepare Illustrations People respond best to things they can see and experience for themselves. Practice Figure 8. Key Takeaway As you plan your sales presentation, keep four things in mind: Prioritize and organize your agenda.
Prepare visual aids and product demonstrations to illustrate your point and engage your audience. Practice your delivery. You are a commercial real estate agent making a presentation to top-level managers at an accounting firm for the new location of their downtown office.
You are a video game developer presenting your newest game concept to a small start-up company that makes video games. You have identified Gymboree as a prospective corporate donor. If you were the salesperson for Red Bull and you were calling on a major grocery store chain, identify three potential illustrations that you could use during your presentation. Describe how your preapproach would differ in dress, tone, conversation for each of these situations: Selling pharmaceuticals to a doctor Meeting with the dairy farmers of Wisconsin to sell cheese packaging Calling on a professor to sell textbooks Selling computer software to a start-up liquor manufacturer.
Power-Packed Tool 5: Get Out There Finally, when you want to let people know you are on the market and have unique skills to offer, consider integrating a number of methods discussed in other chapters of this book to let people see your face. Informational interviews. Could I come in and learn about how you got into the industry?
Informational interviews are excellent resources for establishing connections and generating job leads. You are never too young nor too old to have a mentor.
Mentors can help you develop your knowledge and skills, build your network, and learn inside information about working in your chosen field. Mentors are your allies: the people who most want to see you succeed—and the ones who often have the resources to help you do so.
Online tools like LinkedIn are powerful resources, but face-to-face networking with personal and professional connections alike can generate surprising results. You might want to talk to him about a job.
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