Sales Dialogue and Call: Techniques for Effective Communication
Chapter 6
Sales Dialogue V. Sales Call
Sales dialogue is the series of conversations that exist between the buyer and the salesperson to initiate that relationship, to develop it over a period of time, and to enhance that relationship.
Sales call is an in‐person meeting between the buyer and a salesperson, or in some cases a sales team.
Types of Sales Presentation
Canned vs. Organized-(Structured)
Canned include scripted sales calls, memorized, and automated presentations, can be complete, and logically structured, do not vary from buyer to buyer; should be tested for effectiveness. Organized sales dialogues and presentations- address individual customer and different selling situations, allow flexibility to adopt to buyer feedback, most frequently used format by sales professionals.
Formula or Mental States (Semi Structured)
First stimulate the person or the prospect at the beginning through some sort of an approach and then you allow them to talk more towards the end of the presentation. The salesperson tends to do most of the talking up front and they tend to stimulate the person through visuals and through other types of persuasive methods. Towards the end, the salesperson involves the customer or the prospect more.
This method is more free‐flowing.
Needs Satisfaction (Unstructured)- (Also Called Consultative Sales)
This technique is used when you have a situation that requires you to meet and/or have multiple conversations with the prospect. The sales process is not normally transactional in nature; rather, it is based on uncovering the needs or problems of the buyer, allowing the prospect to do most of the talking. In most cases, the salesperson needs to meet with the buyer on more than one occasion.
The model is used in industries and/or with products that are more complex. Examples can include financial services, technology and software solutions, high priced goods/services such as vehicles, real estate, expensive furniture, industrial equipment, transportation services, professional services, and so on.
Problem Solving (Customized)
Flexible, customized presentation based on finding
FAB and the Sell Sequence
Features Advantages Benefits-
Features- physical characteristic, quality, or characteristic of a product or service that is designed to prove value to a buyer.
Advantages– is what the product actually does, what it’s able to do, and how you can actually use the product. It’s how the product performs, how it will help the buyer.
Benefits- Added value or favorable outcome of the product or service the seller offers.
SELL SEQUENCE
a crucial aspect of the sales call.
FAB + trial closes
What is a Trial Close?-
Verify what the buyer is saying so you are essentially repeating what the person is saying to get feedback, etc
Characteristics-
Benefits-
Open Ended Questions-
Chapter 7
Keys to Effective Sales Dialogue
Planned and practiced by salespeople
Encourage buyer feedback
Focus on creating value for the buyer
Present value in an interesting and understandable way
Engage and involve the buyer
Support customer value through objective claims
Type of Openings
Intro- Most common/least powerful open w/name & business. Needed when meeting prospect 1st time
Complimentary-Based on compliment. Giving buyer sincere compliment that is going to create value for customer
Referral-talking about someone you know. Not easiest approach because you need background on prospect. Effective w/ credibility.
Premium- free sample or novelty item to catch attention in the beginning.
Confirmed Benefits
Benefits the buyers indicate are important & represent value. Able to communicate how buyers needs will be met.
Use of Verbal Support, Visual Characteristics, Anecdotes, Examples, Comparisons, and Analogies
Verbal Support
the use of voice characteristics, examples and anecdotes, and comparisons and analogies to make sales dialogue interesting and understandable
Voice Characteristics
the pitch and speed of speech, which salespeople should vary to emphasize key points
- slow speed for important characteristics, faster for less important
- raise volume for emphasis on importance, lower volume to build intrigue and pull the prospect into the conversation
- DO THESE THREE THINGS – vary the pitch, fluctuate the speed, and alter the volume
Example
brief description of a specific instance used to illustrate features and benefits of a product
Anecdote
type of example that is provided in the form a story describing a specific incident or occurrence
Comparison
statement that points out and illustrates the similarities between two points
Analogy
special and useful form of comparison that explains one thing in terms of another
Use of Sales Aid
Capture prospective buyer’s attention
Generate interest in the recommended solution
Make presentations more persuasive
·Increase the buyer’s participation and involvement.
·Provide the opportunity for collaboration and two-way communication
·Add clarity and enhance the prospect’s understanding
·Provide supportive evidence and proof to enhance believability
·Augment the prospect’s retention of information
·Enhance the professional image of the salesperson and selling organization.
Diff types and how each creates value
·Visual material (printed)- photographs, illustration, charts, graphs. Engage buyer’s visually.
·Electronic material-slides,vids, multimedia presentations. Used by pharmaceutical companies (Apps, & URL for doctors)
·Product demonstration to engage & involve buyers
the use of printed materials, electronic materials, and product
demonstrations to engage and involve buyers
* help to capture and hold the buyer’s attention
* boosts the buyer’s understanding
* increases the believability of the claims
* builds the buyers’ retention of information
When can you use them to support your claims?
Chapter 8
Also called resistance- it’s a good thing
·Buyers objections to product/service during sales presentation
USE of active listening LAARC Meaning?
LAARC- Listen, Acknowledge, Access, Respond, Confirm
L– If you aren’t listening then you wont hear the objection and it’ll go past you.
Ack- as buyers complete their statements, salespeople should acknowledge that they received the message and that they appreciate and can understand the concern.
Assess– asses if it’s a time/price/whatever objection
R- Know what you’re responding to. Maybe it’s a genuine complaint.
C- “is it ok if I try to explain to you this value proposition in a little different words?”
After responding, the salesperson should ask confirmatory questions – response check to make sure that the buyer’s concerns have been adequately met.
Objection types
·Need Objections (or No Need)
·Product of Service Objection
·Company or Source objection
·Price Objections (Price is too high)
·Time (delaying) objection
Need objection
·Resistance to a product/service in which a buyer says that he or she does no need the product/service.
·Ex: “I’m all stocked up” “The equipment I have is still good” “I am satisfied with the company we use now”
Product or service objection
·Resistance to a product/service in which a buyer does not like the way the product/service looks or feels.
·Ex: “I do not like the design, color, or style” “A maintenance agreement should be included” “how do I know you’ll meet our delivery requirements?”
Company or source objection
·Resistance to a product/service that results when a buyer has never heard of or is not familiar with the product’s company
·”You’re company is too small to meet my needs”..
Price objection
·Resistance to a product/service based on the price of the product being too high for the buyer
“I cannot afford to spend that much”
“We have a better offer from your competitor”
“Your price is not difference enough to change suppliers”
Time objection
·Resistance to a product/service in which a buyer puts off the decision to buy until a later date
·”Ask me again next month when you stop by”
·”I am not ready to buy yet”
·”I have not made up my mind”
Overcome objection techniques
•Forestall – Introduce the source of the objection before the prospect brings it up.
•Direct Denial – A rather harsh response that the prospect is wrong.
•Indirect Denial – Softening the blow when correcting a prospect’s information.
•Translation or Boomerang – Turn a reason not to buy (the source of the objection) into a reason to buy.
•Compensation –
Counterbalance the
objection with an offsetting benefit.
•Question – Ask the buyer assessment questions to gain a better understanding of the what they are objecting to.
•Third Party Reinforcement – Use the opinion or data from a third party source to help overcome the objection and reinforce the salesperson’s points.
•Feel-Felt-Found – Salesperson relates that others actually found their initial opinions to be unfounded.
•Coming-to-That – The salesperson tells the buyer that he or she will be covering the objection later in his or her presentation.
*USED POSTIVELY/NEGAVTIVELY. Salespeople use them to add value to their proposal.
Chapter 9
4 components of effective follow up
•Interact-salesperson acts to maximize the number of critical encounters w/ buyers in order to encourage effective dialogue & involvement b/w salesperson & buyer.
•Connect-Salesperson maintains contact w/ multiple individuals in buying organization influencing purchase decisions and managers the various touch points the customer has in the selling organization.
•Know- salesperson coordinates/interprets the info gathered through the buyer seller contact and collab to develop insight on buyer changing situation, need, and expectation
•Relate- salesperson applies relevant understanding/insight to create value-added interactions and generate relationships b/w salesperson/buyer
Customer expectations
•Build the relationship to the point that your customers are comfortable complaining.
•Listen carefully and get the whole story.
•Ask customers how they would like their complaint resolved.
•Gain agreements on a solution. (tell the customer what you can do, not what you cannot do).
•Take action – educate the customer so he/she has realistic expectations.
•Follow – through on all promises. Add value.
Attitude/skills needed by customer centric salespeople
Chapter 10
What is Self Leadership? Doing the right things & doing them well
5 Sequential steps
•Setting goals & objectives
•Territory analysis & account classification
•Development & implementation of strategies & plans
•Tapping technology/automation
•Assessment/evaluation
Importance of setting goals
•People who have short term and long term goals tend to get more accomplished and are much more successful and happier, not only in their own personal lives but also in their professional careers.
SMART meaning
•Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time specific objectives, also called SMART. A good goal needs to have all five elements.
Diff levels & types of goals
Personal Goals
A salesperson’s individual desired accomplishments, such as achieving a desired annual income over a specific period of time.
Account Goal
A salesperson’s desire of selling a certain amount of product to one customer or account in order to achieve territory and person goals.
Sales Call Goal
A salesperson’s desire of selling a certain amount of product per each sales call in order to achieve account, territory, and personal goals
Classify account importance
Placing existing customers & prospects into categories based on their potential as a customer.
Sales, growth potential
Classification is complex diff to understand Single Profolio
How accounts are classified?
Based on a single characteristic
Importance of internal relationships
Relationships salespeople have with other individuals in their own company. The salesperson’s success depends on the degree of support he or she receives from others in the various functional areas of the organization.