THE SALES PROCESS

Part 2

TACTICS TO INFLUENCE THE BUYER

HOMEOSTASIS

SUMMATION

REACTIONS

RESISTANCE

SUGGESTION

HOMEOSTASIS

(satisfaction with the status quo)

« I don ’t need this product »

« I ’m satisfied with my current supplier »

« I have all I need right now »

What do you do if the customer resists change ?

OVERCOMING HOMEOSTASIS

Try this technique

Explore the prospect ’s needs

Identify the ones your product can meet

Draw out his problems

Ask what he ’s doing to solve them

Bring out his needs and values

this creates dissatisfaction

he ’ll start listening

you ’re increasing the chances of a sale

PLAN YOUR QUESTIONS

to fit with the person you ’re calling on

By product or product category

to disturb complacency

to elicit data he has about the product

to determine his need for the product

By prospect category

Depending on WHO you ’re selling to

different needs will emerge

amount & kind of buying data will differ

OTHER KINDS OF QUESTIONS

Questions are useful tactical devices

Preliminary

Use fact not opinion

Clarifying

Fit the puzzle together

Reverting

Return to an item not adequately discussed

Completing

Get the full picture

SUMMATION

A repeated stimulus elicits a response

a dripping tap

an alarm clock

a telephone

A sale is the cumulative effect of

a series of sales points

SUMMATION & THE SALESMAN

Summation can be temporal or spatial

TEMPORAL

same stimulus, same location, different times

a sales point is repeated at intervals

SPATIAL

same stimulus, different locations, same time

a sales point is presented in different ways

A given sales point can be expressed through various phrasings

SUMMATION : WHEN AND HOW

When the prospect shows interest in your proposal

Run through sales points using questions

Note which ones appear to interest him

These points will lead to a sale if accepted by prospect

Take a single point

Make an overall claim

Follow up with a specific point

When the prospect accepts that point

Move on to the next one

SUMMATION NEEDS PLANNING

Every salesman should

List all major sales points for his product

Note alternate phrasings

Use them during the interview

By knowing in advance what he ’s going to say, he can

Adopt a natural & convincing manner

Observe his prospect more closely

Note : the principle of summation applies between

as well as within sales calls

PROSPECT REACTIONS

The salesman ’s tactics

Observe

Understand

Adjust to

the prospect ’s reactions

CLASSIFYING REACTIONS

Positive

any reaction favorable to the call objective

Negative

any reaction unfavorable to the call objective

Voluntary

pertinent comments, questions, objections

Involuntary

body language, spontaneous comments

SALES TACTICS

for positive reactions

The salesman adjusts his behavior to bring the prospect nearer a close

Positive voluntary

move on to the next point

close, if sufficient points have been covered

Positive involuntary

reinforce the point that prompted the response

don’t move toward the close too quickly

provide more information

SALES TACTICS

for negative reactions

Negative involuntary

change to another sales point

if you don ’t, the reaction may become voluntary

Negative voluntary

assess the cause (personality, mood, co. policy)

change the approach

Classifying reactions forces the salesman to pay close attention to his prospect

SALES RESISTANCE

Verbal or nonverbal behavior that interferes with a sale

Psychological

Logical

Deliberate

It ’s a signal that the prospect feels a conflict between buying and not buying

Sales resistance is normal because it shows the prospect is evaluating your proposal and

trying to relate it to his situation

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESISTANCE

Resistance to interference

Preference for established habits

Budget consciousness

Tendency to resist domination

Predetermined ideas about the product

Dislike of decisionmaking

Neurotic attitude toward money

LOGICAL RESISTANCE

Price

Delivery

Specifications

or any other variable

DELIBERATE RESISTANCE

The prospect

Observes the salesman ’s technique

Belittles the salesman or the product

Agrees with everything the salesman says

Uses physical techniques

SUGGESTION

Uncritical acceptance of an idea

The buyer acts in accordance with

the wishes of the salesman

ADVANTAGES

Saves time - there ’s no discussion

Avoids friction between buyer & salesman

Focuses on benefits only

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUGGESTION

Suggestion takes place

When reasoning is inhibited

When there is dissociation

factors influencing suggestibility

prejudice

ignorance

low intellligence

KINDS OF SUGGESTION

and when to use them

Direct : appropriate for inhibition

Try this product

Indirect : appropriate for dissociation

This product should solve your problem

Positive

Order it today

Negative

Don ’t put off ordering this

PRINCIPLES OF SUGGESTION

for use by salesmen

Indirect is better than direct

Positive is better than negative

Prestige of the suggester is a key factor

Several people suggesting the same thing is better

Attention level is a factor in suggestion

Absence of an opposing idea increases effectiveness

Repetition increases the probability of a result

Ignorance of the topic helps get an idea adopted

A disturbed state increases suggestibility

It ’s easier to suggest when a relationship exists already

Wording of the suggestion influences the customer

Seeing an act performed is a good motivator

SUGGESTION : OTHER USES

Reassurance

Testimonials

Guarantees

Comparison