Professional Selling Skills Training Program

By Dr. Hisham Hussein Zaher

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After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able To :

1- Probe
When you want to encourage customer to talk freely, use open probe. When you want to limit the customers response to yes or no or to a choice among alternatives that you supply, use closed probe.

After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able To :

2- Support When you have uncovered and clear understanding of customer need : a. Acknowledge the need. b. Introduce the appropriate benefit (s) that satisfies the need.
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After Completing This Training Program You should Be Able To :

3- Close
When the customer gives a buying signal :

a. Summarize the benefit (s) that the customer accepted during the call. b. Propose an action plan and request customer commitment.
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After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able to :

4- Handling Skepticism

When the customer express skepticism : offer proof.

After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able to :

5- Handling Indifference When the customer express indifference : Probe again to uncover unrealized need.

After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able to :

6- Handling Objection
When the customer objection is due to misunderstanding :

a. Probe to confirm the need.

b. Make a support statement to clear up the misunderstanding.

After Completing This Training Program You Should Be Able to :

6- Handling Objection
When the customer objection is due to drawback :

a. Remind the customer of the benefit (s) already accepted.

b. If necessary, probe for needs.

What Is Selling ?
Selling is the process of inducing and assisting a prospective customer to buy goods or services to act favorably on an idea that has a commercial significance for the seller.

What Is A Personal Selling ?

Personal selling is the process of whereby the seller ascertains, activates and satisfies the needs or wants of the buyer to a mutual and continuous benefit for both parties ( buyer and seller ).
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What Is A Suspect ?
A Suspect is potential prospect i.e. a person or an organization that might have a need for a sales person products or services.

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What Is A Prospect ?
A prospect is a person or an organization that has a real need.
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How Can We Qualify A Prospect ?

To qualify a prospect means to find out if he has the ability and the authority to make the purchasing decision.
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Steps Of Sales Presentation

Obtain pre call information. Set specific objectives for each call.

Develop the presentation plan.

Make an appointment if possible. Develop an approach to get customer attention.
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Steps Of Sales Presentation

Plan your appearance. Recognizing the need.
Recognizing the opportunities.

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Steps Of Sales Presentation

Satisfying the customer need by : a. Probing b. Supporting c. Handling Objection d. Closing

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Steps Of Sales Presentation

1.Obtain Pre-call Information

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a. Information About The Customer Himself Such As :

The name, its proper pronunciation and its proper spelling. The address and telephone number. Marital status and number of children (if any).

Educational background.

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a. Information About The Customer Himself Such As :

Club membership and communication styles. Attitudes towards sales people, your company and competition.

Hopis and aspiration.

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b. Information About Customer Or Organization Such As :

Nature. Volume Budget Suppliers
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b. Information About Customer Or Organization Such As :

Satisfaction with present competitors. Approach to this organization. Key person (s) in buying decision. Current problems in the organization.
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2. Set Specific Objective (s) For Each Call.

Introducing your product and its cost effectiveness. Getting information. Getting an order. Follow up visit. Giving a gift or a give away. Inviting your customer for a conference.
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3. Develop The Presentation Plan.

What are you going to say? How are you going to say ? The methods and the aids. Supporting material (s) you will use to emphasize specific benefit (s). And finally the mental roll playing of the above.
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3. Develop The Presentation Plan.

Benefits of Planning The Sales Presentation:
Increasing the effectiveness of the presentation. Increasing the sales. Save time for both parties.

Build trust in the sales person.

Assist sales person.
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4. Make An Appointment If Possible.

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5. Develop An Approach To Get Customer Attention.

The approach is the first few seconds with the customer such as : Introductory approach Referral approach Your name and your company. You are coming to him with a recommendation from one of his friends. Stating an interested fact in the form of question. You start by mentioning a benefit of your products.

Question approach

Benefit approach

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5. Develop An Approach To Get Customer Attention.

The approach is the first few seconds with the customer such as : Product approach Free gift approach Is the real product itself. Calendar, pen, organizer or any other gift . Attractive premium. It is an unexpected approach which is a question or action that would raise or increase the interest of the customer.

Curiosity approach
Gimmick approach

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6. Plan Your Appearance.

Dress like your customer if possible, use basic colors (black, grey, blue and white) and classic style.

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7. Recognizing The Need (s).

Selling is the process of uncovering and satisfying customer needs. So you must first be able to recognize the need (s). For your product or service. What is a need ? A need is the customer want or desire that can be satisfied by your product or service.
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7. Recognizing The Need (s).

The key words that customers tend to use when expressing needs include :
Need Interested e.g. We need to find a way to e.g. What we are interested in..

Like
Looking for Want Wish

e.g. I would like to deal with

e.g. We are looking for a solution to.. e.g. I want to.. e.g. I wish to have a way to

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8. Recognizing Opportunities.
Opportunities differ from needs in that : opportunities do not contain a clear statement of the customers want or desire to solve the problem with this dissatisfaction.
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8. Recognizing Opportunities.
What Is An Opportunity ? An opportunity is a customer problem or dissatisfaction that could be solved by your product or service.
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8. Recognizing Opportunities.
For Example :
I use an answering machine which is quit efficient, but I do get some complaints from people who do not like talking to a machine.

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9. Satisfying Customer Needs.

In order to satisfy customer needs more effectively and more efficiently than the competitors, it is very important to understand the difference between features and benefits.
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9. Satisfying Customer Needs.

Feature : Is a characteristic of your product or service. Benefit : Is the value of a feature to the customer.

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Need Satisfaction Selling Skills

The need satisfaction selling process involves three basic selling skills : I- Probing Probing is to gather information and uncover customer need (s).

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Need Satisfaction Selling Skills

The need satisfaction selling process involves three basic selling skills : II- Supporting Supporting is to satisfy customer need (s).

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Need Satisfaction Selling Skills

The need satisfaction selling process involves three basic selling skills : III- Closing Closing is to obtain customer commitment. (business)

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I- Probing
Probing is the skill of asking questions to gather information and uncover customer need (s). There are two types of probes : - Open Probes - Closed Probes
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Open Probes
Open probes encourage customer to talk and respond freely. Some key words used in making an open probes include : ( Who What When Where Why How Tell me.etc.)
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Example for open probes

- Who handle this system for you ? - When did you begin to notice the problem ? - Where did it begin ? - Why do you think it had happened ? - How does the system been working ?
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Closed Probes
Closed probes limit a customer response to yes or no or to a choice among alternatives that you supply. Some key words used in making closed probes include : Do Did Does Have Has Are Which.etc.
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Examples For Closed Probes

Do you have to make repairs on your current equipment ? Does that happen often ? Is there any one else who will be involves in the decision ? Are you concerned about the turn over rate ? Which one do you prefer, the red or the blue ?
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When To Use Open Probes And When To Use Closed Probes ?

Generally, it is a good idea to keep your probing as open as possible ?
By doing so, you provide your customers with more chance to reveal problems, needs and attitudes freely.
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When To Use Open Probes And When To Use Closed Probes ?

The type of probes you use depends largely on what your customer says or does not say.

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For Example
If a customer is responsive ( talkative ) and is providing you with useful information, you should use as many open probes as possible.

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For Example
While if your customer is unresponsive or although talkative, is not providing you with useful information, your probing will have to become more closed.

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Open Probes To Uncover Customer Need (s).

Many customers have a good understanding of what they are looking for, and should encourage such customers to reveal their needs freely. Open probes are particularly useful for this purpose.
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For Example
What exactly are you looking for ? Could you tell me about your requirement? What improvement are you interested in ? What are you trying to achieve ?
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Closed Probes To Confirm Need (s). By nature customers always do not express their needs.
Often, they describe what we have called before opportunity.
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Closed Probes To Confirm Need (s). In other word, if you are not sure that the customer is expressing a need, probe to confirm the need. Closed probes are particularly useful for this purpose.
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For Example
I Got a lot of products and some of my customers complain that they are frequently not available

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For Example
You could use a closed probes to confirm this opportunity as a need as follow : - Are you looking for a way to solve that problem ? - If I understand you correct, are you looking for a way to make sure the availability of the products ?
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For Example
- Would it help you if you had a way to prevent that from happening ? - Would you be interested in a way to prevent those complaints from recurring ?
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For Example
If as a result of the probes, the customer express a desire to solve the problems, you are now dealing with a need. You could then go on to support the need with the suitable benefit of your product or service.
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Using Of Open And Closed Probes To Uncover Background Information In addition to uncovering customer needs, you also have to obtain a certain amount of background information for each account or customer you call on.

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For Example :
You may need information about : - The company, departments, or person you are calling on. - Current products or services used.

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For Example :
You may need information about :

- Competitive products or services under consideration. - The decision making process for what you are selling and the people involved in that process.
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For Example :
Since you want to encourage the customer to respond freely with relevant information, most probes for background information tend to be opened.
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For Example :
If the customer is unresponsive or if open probes do not provide you with the information you want, your probing will have to become closed.
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Supporting
When to support ?
1- When you have uncovered customer need. 2- When you feel that you have a clear understanding of the need.
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Supporting
How to support ?
When you support you should do two things : 1- Acknowledge the customers need.
2- Introduce the appropriate benefit (s) that will satisfy the need.
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For Example
Need Customer : What I want is someone who can tell me what kind of plants to put and where, so that they can get their right amount of light and so on.

I mean it does not look very good if you have a lot of half dead plants in an office.
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For Example
Acknowledgement Sales Person : You are right, correct selection and positioning of plants can make all the difference in the world.

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For Example
Benefit Our staff will look at your whole office and give you an advice on what types of plants would be best, and where to put them given the available light.

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For Example
Benefit
You will find that right plants will live longer and look healthier.

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Acknowledgement Phrases For Supporting Include :

I agree with you, you need. You are right about I can see how that could be a problem Exactly.. I can understand why that is important to you. Absolutely right.
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Overcoming Objection

Why People Object ?

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Why People Object ?

1- Negative Psychological Factors : - Fear of pain or punishment - Fear of unknown or strangers - Fear of making decision - Fear of hurting competitors

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Why People Object ?

1- Negative Psychological Factors : - Suffering disapproval of others - Disliked of personal characteristics i. e. loud voice, shortness, fatness, tallness etc.

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Why People Object ?

2- The Desire To Get Red Of The Sales Person :
Customers might not have time or interest or mood to listen, or they might have happy incidence.

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Why People Object ?

3- No Money : This is for a suspect who deems a need.

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Why People Object ?

4- Do Not Need Product Or Service :

Unqualified prospect

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Why People Object ?

5- Unrecognized Need : Either the customer does not able to recognize the need and/ or the sales person.

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Why People Object ?

6- The Need For More Information : - The customers are not fully understanding the presentation or they may want to receive assurance or points about which they are doubtful.

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Why People Object ?

6- The Need For More Information : - The customers have some emotional conflict between reasons or between you and competitors.
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Why People Object ?

7- Habit Or Custom : Out of fear, ignorance, natural reservationetc.

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Why People Object ?

8- Value Does Not Exceed Cost : -The value received must be compared with some other sacrifice. i.e. one has to sacrifice something to buy anther.
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Common Objections
1- Price Price is usually makes or hide the real reasons for reluctance.

2- Product Efficiency of the product e.g. I prefer.. e.g. My expectation.

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Common Objections
3- Service - Not satisfactory or not available - Personnel 4- Company - Financial stability, personnel, policies and/or product i.e. one of the area of objection.
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Common Objections
5- Sales Person - Clashing personality. 6- Acting Now - People hate to do it now.
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Common Objections
7- Other Objection - I always buy from friends.. - My partner must be consulted.. - I am not interested - Or any other excuse.

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N.B.
The main objections usually concentrate on quality, price or services and they are called objective objection.
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When Do Buyers Object ?

During :

Approach or Presentation
or Close

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Preparations Required To Handle Objections

1- Build up a skill

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Preparations Required To Handle Objections

2- Develop a positive attitude
- Listen carefully and positively. - Answer sincerely. - Refrain from arguing or contradicting. - Welcome the objection. - Develop the attitude of helper or advisor and. not that of providing that customer is not right.
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Preparations Required To Handle Objections

3- Anticipate objections i.e. Expect objections 4- Forestall objections i.e. Be ready for objections
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Preparations Required To Handle Objections

5- Evaluate objections - Which are classified as real objections and
excuses. 6- Time the answer - Answer the objection before its arising or immediately after it or later on.

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Recognizing Customer Attitudes In Objections

A customer attitude towards your product will usually fall into one of four categories : 1- Acceptance : Approves of or agree with benefit. 2- Skepticism : Questions or doubts a benefit.

3- Indifference : Perceives no need for benefits.

4- Objection

: Opposes something about your product or service.

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Attitude Example
Acceptance
Acceptance is a customer statement of agreement with or approval of benefit. - It sounds as if you can save us a time, effort and money.

Skepticism
skepticism is a customer statement that questions or doubts whether your product will provide the benefit you say it well.

- It is hard to believe we would achieve the level of saving you are suggesting.

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Attitude Example
Indifference
Indifference is a customer statement of lack of interest in your product because of no perceived need for its benefits. -

I see no reason to change brands at the moment. I am quite happy with what I have got.

Objections
Objections is a customer statement of opposition to your product. The customer dislikes something about your product.

We are definitely not going to buy this. Your price is far too high, it is 20% more expensive than that of your competition.

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Stalling
There are times when a customer will attempt to hide a negative attitude by stalling.
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Stalling
For Example :
- Why do not you come back in about four months ? We are very busy now.
- Look ! Why do not you leave me a brochure ? I will contact you when we want to take it further.
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Stalling
If you think that a customer is attempting to hide a negative attitude by stalling, You should continue to probe to uncover that attitude.
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Handling Skepticism
When a customer questions or doubts whether your product will provide the benefit you say it, you make a proof statement.
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Handling Skepticism
You make a proof statement by giving a proof source. A proof source is any reference or piece of information that proves the benefit in question.
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List Of Commonly Used Proof Sources

1- Brochures 2- Photographs 3- Specification sheets 4- Data from research studies 5- Trade journals 6- Demonstration 7- Third-Party references
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N.B.
You should know the proof source for each of your products or services.

You should also know which proof source are best for each benefit and for different types of customers.

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Proof Statement Examples

It is usually a good idea to begin a proof statement with phrases like :
- Dr. Ahmed, you will achieve - Let me explain further how we. - We have done some research on the subject of. - I can understand why you are interested in. - You may be interested in what we have done
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Be Careful
Once you have offered proof, you may also found it is useful to explain to the customer how the proof relates to his situation.
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Proof Statement Examples

Use phrases to personalize a proof statement as follow :
What this means in your situation. So we can also expect.. As you can see Therefore your patient

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Be Careful
You have to be careful not to agree with customer skepticism and make it more difficult to handle.
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What To Do When Your Proof Fails ?

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What To Do When Your Proof Fails ?

After you make a proof statement, you should carefully evaluate your customers attitude towards your proof. Did the customer accept your proof and thus the benefit ? Or, is the customer still skeptical ? If you are not sure what the customers attitude is, you should probe to determine attitude.
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What To Do When Your Proof Fails ?

If you find that the customer has rejected your proof source and you have a clear understanding of why it was rejected, you should go on to offer a second proof, or a more acceptable one.
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Indifference
The problem with an indifferent customers is that this type of prospects are : - Satisfied with a competitive product or service. - Satisfied with an internally developed system or procedure. - Perceived no need for your type of product or service.
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Handling Indifference
Probe to uncover unrealized need. The easiest way to understand the strategy for uncovering unrealized needs is to ask yourself the following questions when handling indifference.

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Handling Indifference
1- Do I have enough background information about the customer to know which opportunity to probe for ? - No, probe to gain background information. - Yes, probe to gain whether or not the opportunity exists.
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Handling Indifference
2- Does the opportunity exists ? - No, go back to question 1 - Yes, go on to question 3

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Handling Indifference
3- Do I have a clear understanding of the opportunity ?
- No, probe to gain clear understanding. - Yes, go on to question 4
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Handling Indifference
4- Has the customer expressed the opportunity as a need ?

- No, probe to confirm the need, go on to question 5. - Yes, support the need.
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Handling Indifference
5- Was I able to confirm the need ? - No, go back to question 1 - Yes, support the need.

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N.B.
The previous strategy can be used in any sales call where you feel that you are unable to uncover enough customer needs to close.

In most situations you will use Closed Probes to uncover opportunities.

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Handling Objections
There are two types of customer objections :

1- Misunderstanding
of your product or service due to lack of information.

2- Drawback
of your product or service.
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Handling A Misunderstanding Objections

You handle the misunderstanding objections in the same way as an opportunities.

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Handling A Misunderstanding Objections

So, once you have a clear understanding of the reason for the customers objection, you should :

1- Probe to confirm the customers need. 2- Make a support statement to clear up the understanding.
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Handling A Drawback Objections

Your strategy in handling a drawback objections is to minimize the importance of the drawback to the customer and magnify and highlight the benefits of your product or service.
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Example Of Handling A Drawback Objections

If a customer objects the price of your product and you are unable to lower your price, you are dealing with a drawback. You should handle this objection by making the customer aware of the benefits of your product that would out weigh the importance of the price.
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Example Of Handling A Drawback Objections

To outweigh drawbacks you should : 1- Remind the customer with the benefits already accepted. 2- If necessary, probe to uncover the needs.

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Reminding
One way to outweigh a drawback is to remind the customer with the benefit (s) already accepted. The benefits you can use are those accepted during the call or on previous call (s) with the customer.
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Reminding
By doing this, you help the customer to remember what he previously agreed was important, so you have to be able to remember the benefit (s) that the customer accepted.

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Reminding
You do not have to remind the customer with every accepted benefit (s) but remind him only with those benefit (s) you feel will help to minimize the importance of the drawback.
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Reminding
You should restate benefits in relation to the nature of the drawback. For example: With the drawbacks due to price, you could restate the accepted benefits emphasizing economics, saving, R.O.I., etc.
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Introductory Phrases Or Remarks To Begin To Outweigh The Importance Of Drawback : Well, let us consider your overall requirements Well, let us review all the factors involved in your decision. Well, let us review the return on your investment. Well, let us take a look at costs, in detail.
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N.B.
If you do not have any accepted benefits to reintroduce, or if the accepted benefits are not strong enough to overcome the objection, you will have to probe to uncover further needs that will outweigh the drawback.
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N.B.
The strategy you will use in this situation is the same strategy you use for handling indifference.
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Closing
Closing is the climax and the most important step in the sales presentation. It is the point at which the buyer agrees to purchase the product or service. It is a meeting of mind between the buyer and the sales person.
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Closing
When To Close ?
You can close when the customer gives you a buying signal subtle or obvious. A gesture, facial expression, word phrases or question can be cues that your customer is ready to close.

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Closing
You do two steps in close :
1-Summarize the benefits that the customer accepted during the call. 2-Propose an action plan request customer commitment.
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Closing
Summarizing accepted benefits can be of great value because it takes into account how will your customer listens. Most people are not effective listeners.

By summarizing, you help the customer remember what he agreed was important.
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Closing
However you will have to depend on your active listening ability in order to remember those benefits. If at the end of a call you can not remember the benefit (s) that the customer accepted, you can be sure that your customer would not remember it either.
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Closing
Summarizing accepted benefits also increase the likelihood that the customer will agree to the action plan you suggest because the benefit (s) supply reasons to the customer for making commitment.
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Phrases You Can Use To Begin A Benefit Summary Include :

Let us review what we have agreed We have agreed that.. Let us summarize Let us go over what we have talked about so far.. We have already talked about..
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Key Events You Can Ask The Customer To Commit Himself Include : Signing an order. Introducing you to the decision maker. Attending a demonstration. Allowing you to make a presentation. Agreeing to a follow up meeting.

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What Causes Difficulties In Closing Sales ?

1- Wrong Attitude
The sales person fear to close or great eagerness to close or unwanted excitement when seeing the readiness of the customer to buy.
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What Causes Difficulties In Closing Sales ?

2- Poor Presentation
The customer does not understand the presentation. The customer does not see the benefit. The presentation has been wrongly timed.
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What Causes Difficulties In Closing Sales ?

3- Poor habits and Skills

Talking too much or listening too little.
Some sales people become so fascinated by the sound of their own voices that they talk themselves out of the sales that has already been made.

A presentation that turns into a monologue is not likely to retain the buyers interest.
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What If Trial Close Fails ?

This means that you did one or more of the following : Premature attempt to close. Misinterpretation of a closing signals. Incomplete presentation. Unsatisfactory handling of objection. Appealing to wrong buying motives.
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What To Do When Your Close Fails ?

You close when the customer gives you a buying signal. If the customer does not accept your close, you should probe to find out why. N.B. When a buyer says no : this means not now, I do not know, I need more information,etc.
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How To Close Successfully ?

1- Maintain A Positive Attitude. Having a confidence in your self and the attitude of I will make this sale. It becomes the question of how or when will the prospect buy ? not the question of will the prospect buy or not ?.
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How To Close Successfully ?

2- Put The Customer At Ease. Let him set the pace, some customer react very slowly and need much time to buy, give him a chance to buy, others are quick deciders.

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How To Close Successfully ?

3- Keep some Selling Point IN Reserve. 4- Sell The Right Item In The Right Amount.

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Dr. Hisham Hussein Zaher

would like to thank all of you very much and see you later.
Good Luck
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