CHAPTER

10th Edition

Selling Today

Manning and Reece

Acquiring Product
Information

6-1

Strategic/Consultative
Selling Model

FIGURE

6.1

6-2

Solutions
Are ______ shared answers to
recognized customer problems
Are more encompassing than
specific products
Provide _________ results
Require a greater effort to define and
diagnose the customers problems
6-3

Tailoring the Product Strategy

The product strategy should be tailored to
the customers buying needs

FIGURE

6.2
6-4

Explosion of Product Options

More than ______ consumer products are turned
out each year
The good news is: greater consumer choice
The bad news is: with more choice, buying
process is more complicated

6-5

Product Configuration
Shows how different parts of your product
mix can combine to solve the customers
problem
Product configuration software
Incorporates customer selection criteria
Identifies options, pricing, delivery schedules
Can integrate with contact management
software like ACT!
6-6

Written Proposals
Many clients ask for ______ proposals
and some provide detailed guidelines
Most written proposals include:
Budget and overview
Objective
Strategy
Schedule
Rationale
6-7

As a Salesperson,
You Need to Know:

Your products
Your company and its policies
Your competition and industry
6-8

Product Information Categories

Product development and quality
improvement processes
Performance ____ and specifications
Maintenance and service contracts
Price and delivery

6-9

Product Development and

Quality Improvement
Development
Be familiar with
product history
Know stages of
product testing
Link key features
and customer
needs

Quality
Quality control
involves measuring
against standards
Extensive salesforce training is key
element of quality
control
6-10

Performance Data and

Specifications
Most clients interested in product
performance and specifications
Salespeople must be prepared to answer
performance-related questions
Data often critical when
customer compares
various products
6-11

Sea Ray
Salespeople
Know the
Product

6-12

Maintenance and Service

Contracts
Provide service-related information in
proposal and/or at the time of sale
Understand customers service and
maintenance requirements
Customized service agreements add
value
6-13

Price and Delivery

Clients expect salespeople to be well
versed in price and delivery policies
Giving salespeople price and delivery
decision power yields strong position
Price objections often common barrier
to closing the sale
6-14

Quantifying the Solution

Process of determining whether proposal
adds value
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis using costs
and anticipated savings
See Table 6.1 for an example (next slide)

Calculate a return on investment

Key decision makers respond favorably to ROI
6-15

CostBenefit
Analysis

TABLE

6.1

6-16

Know Your Company

Salespeople sell their company as much or
more than they sell a product
Organizational ________ is a collection of
beliefs, behaviors, and work patterns
common to a firms employeesinfluences
customer orientation of salespeople
Many ________ use a firms past
performance as index for current
products/services
6-17

Know Your Competition

Acquiring knowledge of the competition is
an important step
Knowing strengths and weaknesses of
competing products allows you to
emphasize your benefits
Prospects do raise questions about
competitionbe prepared to answer
6-18

Handling Competition

Avoid referring to the competition during

sales presentations

Never discuss the competition unless

you have your facts straight

Avoid criticizing the competition

Be prepared to neutralize competitor

proposals by adding value to yours
6-19

Be an Industry Expert
Salespeople need to become an expert in
industry they represent
Need to move beyond product specialist
to business analyst
Knowledge of industry must be both
current and detailed

6-20

Industry Expertise:
Its Never Too Early
Process often starts in college experience
Read trade journals
Regularly attend industry
seminars and conventions
Become active in industry
associations; many have
special student membership
rates
6-21

Sources of Product
Information

Product literature, catalogs, Websites

Plant tours

Internal sales and sales support team

Customers

The product itself

Trade publications
6-22

Features and Benefits

A feature is data, facts, or
characteristics of your product or service
A benefit is whatever provides the
customer with a personal advantage
or gain
General benefits
Specific benefits
6-23

Bridge Statements
Transitional phrases linking a feature
statement to a benefit statement
Sample bridge
This product is nationally advertised, which
means you will benefit from more pre-sold
customers

Best method for presenting benefits to

customers
6-24

Bridge Statement Application

For each of the following cell phone features,
write down a benefit for the customer, then
use a bridge statement to link them.
Features:
Small and lightweight
Has voice-command capability
Has wireless Internet capability
Can store MP3 files/comes with earbuds
GPS technology can provide onscreen directions
6-25

Benefits Not Features

I dont think that we understood our real
goal when we first started Federal
Express. We thought that we were selling
the transportation of goods; in fact, we
were selling peace of mind.
Frederick Smith, founder of Federal Express

6-26