SALESPROMOTIONANDPUBLICRELATIONS 217
hereis,"Whatinformatio:lwilltheJrospectrequirebeforetheywillchoosetobuymy
offering?"
DeliveringthePresentation Allsalespresentations arenotdesignedtosecurean
immediate sale. Whethertheobjectiveisanimmediatesaleor a futuresale,the chancesof
gettinga positiveresponse froma prospectare increased whenthesalesperson:(1)makes
thepresentationintheproperclimate,(2)establishescredibilitywiththeprospect,(3)ensures
clarityof contentinthe presentation,and (4)controlsthepresentationwithinreasorable
bounds.
HandlingObjections Duri;lgthe courseofthesalespresentation, thesalesperson
canexpect the prospecttoobjectto oneor more pointsmadebythe salesperson.Salesobjec-
tionsraisedby theprospectcanbedefinedasstatementsorquestionsbytheprospectwhich
canindicate anunwillingnesstobuy.Salespeople canlearntohandlecustomer'sobjections
by becomingawareofthereasonsformeobjections.Theobjecfonsofcustomersincltde
objectionstoprices, products,service,thecompany,time,orcompetition.Thereasonsfor
objections include th at customers havegottenintothehabitof raisingobjections,customers
havea desirefor more information, andcustomers havenoneedfo r theproductorservice
beingmarketed.Salespeople canovercome objectionsbyfollowingcertainguidelinesinclud-
ing viewingobjectionsassellingtools, beingawareofth ebenefitsoftheirproduct;.and
creating alistofpos sibleobjectionsandthebestanswerstothoseobjections.
Closing Toa largedegree, theevaluationofsalespeoples'performanceisbeseton
theirability to closesales.Certainly,otherfactorsareconsideredinevaluatingperform-
ance,but the bottomlineformostsalespeopleisthei~'abilitytoconsistentlyprodL:ceprof-
itable salesvolume.Individualswhoperformas salespeopleoccupya uniquerole:theyare
the onlyindividuals intheircompanieswho bringrevenueintothecompany.
There maybeseveralopportunitiestoattempttocloseduringa presentation, o r oppor-
tunitymay knockonlyonce. Infact,sometimesopportunitiesto closemaynotpresentthem-
selvesatallandthesalespersonmustcreateanopportunitytoclose.Situationswherea
closing attemptislogicalinclude:
- Whena presentationhas beencompletedwithoutanyobjectivesfromthe prospect.
- Whenthe presentationhasbeencompletedandallobjectionsandquestionshave
beenanswered.
MARKETING CAPSULE •
1.Personalsellinginvolvesthedirectpresentationofa prod-
uctor s ervice ideatoa customerorpotentialcustomer by
a representativeofthecompanyororganization.
2.There arevarioustypesofselling:insideordertaker.deliv-
erysalesperson,route-merchandise salesperson,mission-
arysalesperson, technicalsalesperson,creativesalesperson
oflangibles,creativesalespersonofintangibles,indirect
salesperson, salespersonengaged inmultiplesale~.
3.The sellingprocessincludesthefollowingsteps:
a. Prospecting
b. Preapproach
c. Planningforpresentation
d.Deliveringthepresentation
e. Handlingobjectives
f. Closing
g.Follow-up
