The beginning of a New Year - a good time to review the different steps of your sales call process. Whatever you call these steps it is important to review and clearly understand the purpose of each, methods for implementing, and most importantly measures of effectiveness.
| Contact |
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Purpose |
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Develop two-way communication
Build credibility must and rapport |
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Method |
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Introduce self and company
Choose an appropriate subject
Use multiple open-ended questions
Build style awareness
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Show good technique to relax the customer?
- Use good open-ended questions to get information, operative words, business climate, and priorities?
- Promote trust and a desire to help?
- Show sincerity?
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| Quality / Interest Generation |
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Purpose |
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Opportunity evaluation
Earn the right to continue |
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Method |
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Restate operative word (theme)
Review purpose of call (build partnership, gather information)
Qualify customer interest to continue |
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Create interest in customer?
- Use specific references?
- Earn the right to continue?
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| Investigate |
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Purpose |
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Identify key customer needs |
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Method |
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Identify specific goals and strategies
Establish and clarify all needs
Listen, listen, and listen
Summarize needs
Understand business process
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Stay on customer's agenda?
- Prioritize goals and needs?
- Listen?
- Clarify needs and summarize?
- Gain understanding of their business process?
- Determine customer buying influence and adjust to it?
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| Solution Presentation |
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Purpose |
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Provide a solution based on customer needs |
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Method |
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Solution overview
Match each need with solution feature and advantage
Question to determine value to customer |
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Tailor solution to specific customer needs?
- Discuss your features, advantages as they pertain to your customer's needs?
- Link your exclusives to customer needs?
- Get customers
- Statement of benefit?
- Quantification of benefit?
- Insure "win-win" results for buyers?
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| Close |
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Purpose |
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Obtain customer commitment |
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Method |
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Use fundamental close
Assumptive statement
Summarize benefits
Ask for commitment
Action plan |
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Review customer acknowledged benefits?
- Re-close after objection?
- Lay out action plan
- Their responsibilities?
- Your responsibilities?
- Next meeting?
- Thank the customer?
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| Handling Objections |
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Purpose |
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Understand and alleviate customer concerns |
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Method |
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Listen, acknowledge, respond, don't panic, don't bluff, maintain a positive atmosphere |
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Measures of effectiveness |
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Did you . . .
- Question to understand
- Empathize
- Answer the concern
- Re-close
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