Telephone sales:
Telephone sales is a method of direct marketing in which
a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products
or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent
face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled
during the call. Telephone sales can also include recorded
sales pitches programmed to be played over the phone via
automatic dialing.
Telephone sales is defined as contacting, qualifying, and
canvassing prospective customers using telecommunications
devices such as telephone, fax, and internet. It does not
include direct mail marketing.
Inside sales :
Inside sales is the sale of products or services by personnel
who reach customers by phone or online, rather than by
meeting them in person. Inside sales relies on the phone,
email and the internet to reach customers and is common in
the retail industry.
4. Need satisfaction:
Need satisfaction selling is a sales approach where the sales
person probes into the needs of the consumer, both stated or
expresses needs and unstated or tacit needs and then prepares his
sales pitch or presentation in accordance to these needs in order
to satisfy the consumer.
5. Problem solving:
The process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues.
Selling is about solving customer problems. Your prospective
customers may be aware of these problems, or you can bring
these problems to their attention. Your prospective customers
may face these problems currently or they will face these
problems as the situation and their needs change.
3. Steps in the Sales Process?
1. Prospecting
The first of the seven steps in the sales process is prospecting. In
this stage, you find potential customers and determine whether
they have a need for your product or service—and whether they
can afford what you offer. Evaluating whether the customers
need your product or service and can afford it is known as
qualifying.
2. Preparation
The second stage has you in preparation for initial contact with a
potential customer, researching the market and collecting all
relevant information regarding your product or service. At this
point, you develop your sales presentation and tailor it to your
potential client’s particular needs.
3. Approach
In the approach stage, you make first contact with your client.
Sometimes this is a face-to-face meeting, sometimes it’s over
the phone. There are three common approach methods.
Premium approach: Presenting your potential client with
a gift at the beginning of your interaction
Question approach: Asking a question to get the prospect
interested
Product approach: Giving the prospect a sample or a free
trial to review and evaluate your service
4. Presentation
In the presentation phase, you actively demonstrate how your
product or service meets the needs of your potential customer.
The word presentation implies using PowerPoint and giving a
sales spiel, but it doesn’t always have to be that way you should
actively listen to your customer’s needs and then act and react
accordingly.
5. Handling objections
Perhaps the most underrated of the seven steps of a sales process
is handling objections. This is where you listen to your
prospect’s concerns and address them. It’s also where many
unsuccessful salespeople drop out of the process 44% of
salespeople abandoning pursuit after one rejection, 22% after
two rejections, 14% after three, and 12% after four, even though
80% of sales require at least five follow-ups to convert.
Successfully handling objections and alleviating concerns
separates good salespeople from bad and great from good.
6. Closing
In the closing stage, you get the decision from the client to move
forward. Depending on your business, you might try one of
these three closing strategies.
Alternative choice close: Assuming the sale and offering
the prospect a choice, where both options close the sale—
for example, “Will you be paying the whole fee up front or
in installments?” or “Will that be cash or charge?”
Extra inducement close: Offering something extra to get
the prospect to close, such as a free month of service or a
discount
Standing room only close: Creating urgency by
expressing that time is of the essence—for example, “The
price will be going up after this month” or “We only have
six spots left”
7. Follow-up
Once you have closed the sale, your job is not done. The follow-
up stage keeps you in contact with customers you have closed,
not only for potential repeat business but for referrals as well.
And since retaining current customers is six to seven times less
costly than acquiring new ones, maintaining relationships is key.
2. Assumptive close:
Assumptive close Also known as the presumptive close, in
which the salesperson intentionally assumes that the prospect
has already agreed to buy, and wraps up the sale. "Just pass me
your credit card and I'll get the paperwork ready."
1. Empathy
They are stepping into the customer’s shoes. They are able to
identify with the customer and to understand their concerns and
needs. They are on ‘the customer’s side’ and becoming someone
who wants to help the customer, not just sell to them. Customers
really appreciate that dedication and feel like they have found a
partner in the salesperson, someone that they can rely on when
needing a solution to their problem. That is why empathy is an
extraordinarily valuable trait for salespeople to both have and
develop.
2. Persistence
3. Courage
Yes, hearing ‘NO’ over and over can be de-motivating and not
knowing whether or not someone is going to yell at you over the
phone can be scary, but in order to be a successful salesperson
you can’t allow yourself to be scared! Rude potential customers
are just humans after all, and can sometimes react impulsively
because they are getting tons of cold calls and cold emails daily,
but it has nothing to do with you personally, so just get over it,
chin up, and on to the next thing on your agenda! For some
people, this might be harder to do than for others, but again, like
any of these characteristics, it can be developed over time if the
salesperson makes the effort to do that. There’s really no other
option here – being scared of being rejected or yelled at makes
you avoid the situations that may cause that to happen, which
means you’re just cancelling tasks, making excuses and going
nowhere – so efforts must be made! Every time you’re being put
down, don’t let it get to you – get up ASAP and continue with
your work. In the end this will contribute to the things you’ll be
learning everyday about how to be good at sales.
4. Focus
5. Loyalty
Your job doesn’t end with closing the deal and that’s something
that all successful salespeople know. Being there for the
customer, stepping in when they are dealing with a problem and
offering post-sales support is what makes the customer stick
with you and not change to one of your competitors, which is
very easy to do nowadays when there are numerous options for
every problem. Get to know your customers, think of them as
your partners and not just some deal you have won, understand
that you must help each other so that you can both get the
benefits, and the customer will feel the same way about you – be
a partner and not just a provider!
A sales plan is a strategy that sets out sales targets and tactics for
your business, and identifies the steps you will take to meet your
targets.
A sales plan will help you:
define a set of sales targets for your business
choose sales strategies that are suited to your target market
identify sales tactics for your sales team
activate, motivate and focus your sales team
budget and clarify steps you'll take to achieve your targets
Review your goals periodically and improve your
approaches to sales.
A sales plan sits within, or alongside, a marketing plan to direct
the efforts of your sales team.
Most businesses develop or update sales plans periodically -
every 6 or 12 months. Treat your sales plan as a 'living'
document that you can revise regularly.
The Sales Plan:
1. Sales Objectives:
Develop and write sales objectives based on the sales
goals. These are the specific achievements that, if
realized, will assist a company in meeting its sales
goal.
For example, a sales objective might include to
increase sales by a certain number of units through
cross-selling widget B with widget A during a given
time period. Sales objectives frequently include an
increase in marketing expenditures on promotions and
advertising outputs.
2. Sales budget:
TERRITORIES:
A Sales Territory Comprises a group of customers or a
Geographical area assigned to a sales unit.
It may or may not have a geographical boundary.
It includes
1. Market potential
2. No of customer Accounts
3. Firms Experience
4. Market Share
5. Capability of sales person and frequency of callsmade
QUOTAS:
A Sales Quota refers to an expected routine assignment to
sales units, such as territory, districts or branches etc.
Sales Quotas can be set for individuals
Used to Plan, Control and evaluate the selling activities of a
company
4. Four Characteristics of Personal Selling in
Hospitality and Travel?