Selling and sales management 365
question differentiates successful and less suc-
cessful salespeople. Nevertheless, too often
salespeople overemphasize the oral presenta-
tion and ignore the written sales proposal, the
quotation or the subsequent follow-up, which
technically can also be considered part of the
presentation. It is vital to ensure that the
buyer’s needs have been correctly identified,
that the solution offered is as expected and, if
possible, that the customer’s expectations are
exceeded rather than merely satisfied. Fur-
thermore, in the right circumstances the use of
visuals can reassure the buyer and instil con-
fidence in the salesperson, their product and
their company. Most experienced salespeople
rate canned and stylized presentations much
less important than the well-organized and
individually tailored presentations (Hite and
Bellizzi, 1986). Research in manufacturing has
also shown that there is a need to segment
customers and target your demonstration
depending on the type of product. Many
demonstrations were too long for the product
and customer, in other words overselling (Hei-
man and Muller, 1996). Industrial buyers are
looking for credibility, reliability, responsive-
ness and the ability to provide answers from
salespeople, rather than aggressiveness or per-
suasiveness (Hayes and Hartley, 1989).
Stage 5. Overcoming objections
It is human nature that a buyer may stall and
raise objections to a sales presentation. Again,
experienced salespeople will claim that objec-
tions are to be welcomed, since they confirm
the buyer’s interest in the product or service,
although the idea of questions is to reveal real
needs so that surprises are kept to a minimum.
Good salespeople differentiate between types
of objections. Some objections are no more than
clarifying questions and should be welcomed.
However, there are also objections that express
real concerns. The advice here is to listen
carefully to the problem, clarify that both
parties understand the real issue and agree how
it can be solved. Listening enhances trust in the
salesperson and leads to anticipation of future
interaction (Ramsey and Sohi, 1997). Tradition-
ally, salespeople have put too much emphasis
on the ability to overcome resistance by tech-
nique instead of by sound solutions that meet
the buyers’ real needs and provide clear bene-
fits. In other words, salespeople have been
overly concerned with a performance orienta-
tion rather than a learning orientation, but
those who learn, and learn how to adapt, will
increase their performance (Sujan et al., 1994).
Effective communication is helping the cus-
tomer learn (Wernerfelt, 1996).Stage 6. Closing
Since most selling is repeat business to existing
and known customers, closing is a bad idea.
Nevertheless, the salesperson has set an objec-
tive and achievement of this objective is neces-
sary to progress the relationship. Very often,
salespeople just simply forget to ask for the
order. They are so busy with their presentation
that asking for commitment is neglected or
forgotten. In some cases, adding on extra
features and advantages that the buyer may not
be interested in loses the sale by not asking for
a decision at the right time. Effective closing
means agreeing on the objectives that both
parties are trying to meet and which take the
relationship forward to further integrated
activities.Stage 7. Follow-up
Vital to the customer-driven business is what
happens after the sale. Most buyers object
when promises are not delivered and the
salesperson doesn’t do what was expected. In
the modern business this is fatal – where
building relationships and the ability to
deliver as promised, go the extra mile and
delight the customer are at the heart of what
a business should be about. The most impor-
tant question a salesperson can ask is: ‘What
do I need to do, Mr or Mrs Customer, to get
more of your business?’