Unit-2 :Selling Skills and Selling Strategies

Topic-1: Selling and buying Styles,

Topic-2: selling skills,
Topic-3: situations,
Topic-4: selling process,
Topic-5: sales presentation,
Topic-6: Handling customer objections,
Topic-7: Follow-up action.
Topic-1: Selling and buying Styles

SELLING STYLES

1. IMAGE ORIENTED SELLING STYLE

These salespeople focus on the way the product or service will enhance the image of the
customer among their peer group. They emphasize how the ‘brand’ of the product will enhance
the customer’s image. If we use the example of selling cell phones, the salesperson will appeal
to the fact that the brand is the most desired, the latest, the most impressive, and how others
will be impressed when they see the customer is using the #1 brand product with the latest and
coolest capabilities.

2. RAPPORT ORIENTED SELLING STYLE

These salespeople are some of the most relationship oriented of all professionals. They greet
customers warmly and attempt to make them feel more relaxed, comfortable and at ease. They
attempt to connect first to the buyer as a person, then focus on the sale. Rapport oriented
salespeople typically begin by asking ‘safe’ personal questions to help the customer feel
welcome, feel appreciated, and feel valued by the salesperson. These salespeople take their
time to make sure the customer is appreciated and comfortable before they talk about the
purchase.

3. SERVICE ORIENTED SELLING STYLE

These salespeople emphasize the after purchase value and durability of the product or service
they are selling. They emphasize the peace of mind after the purchase, the warranties &
guarantees and after purchase service. They will also emphasize their own personal
commitment to follow-up, and extol the benefits of purchasing something that the customer
will be happy enjoying for a long, long time.

4. COMPETITIVE ORIENTED SELLING STYLE

These salespeople know the most about their competition and know how to ‘beat’ their
competitors. They compare brands and then strongly influence buyers to make the ‘best’
buying decision, which is always to purchase from them. They love to promote ‘deals.’ They
bring urgency to the buying process, and never hesitate to influence and strongly persuade, as
they hate to lose any deal to the competition. These salespeople often utilize other styles, but
then rely on their competitive style to bring home the sale. They are the strongest closers by
far.

There are 2 additional Selling Styles and 6 Buying Styles not yet described, but are also
important for salespeople to understand in order to be more effective in their selling
conversations.

• THE KEY IS RECOGNIZING AND ADJUSTING

When the salesperson can recognize the Buying Style of their customer, and then quickly adjust
to a buyer’s Buying Style, they will be more successful. The challenge is that many salespeople
never adjust their Selling Style to match the way the customer is trying to make their purchase.

Not all selling approaches work well with buying approaches. That’s why the TV salesman
could not connect with his buyer. He was using a Competitive Oriented selling style with a
customer using a more Product-Oriented buying style.

• DETERMINE YOUR STYLE AND FLEXIBILITY

It’s possible to objectively measure your own Selling Style and to find out how flexible you
are to adjust and use the other 5 Selling Styles. You can also determine what Selling Style your
company as a whole uses and how flexible your sales team is when selling to all types of
Buying Styles. The assessment is called the Selling Styles Preference Analysis.

BUYING STYLES
1. Buying Style #1 – The Decisive (D Style)
The four buying styles are based on the DISC behavioral model, and they control how we like
to communicate and be communicated with, how we prefer to make purchasing decisions, and
the speed with which we prefer to make them.

The first buying style is called the Decisive. These buyers have a clear picture in their mind of
what results they want. They are often seen as “Type-A” people, preferring to make buying
decisions very quickly. They are more often interested in “winning” or “promoting their own
agenda” so they like to buy when they feel they have “gotten their way,” so to speak. They are
attentive to actions or communication that will speed up those results. Discussions about details
and minutiae are distracting to these individuals. They prefer to discuss top-line, big-picture
concepts when considering the value of any offering.

Selling to Decisive buyer (looking for results and efficiency):

• Be practical and efficient (avoid theory)

• Highlight opportunities for change and adventure
• Avoid overly emotional discussions or opinion-based arguments
• Accentuate independence and competition
• Challenge their idea, perhaps, but not them personally
• Stick to the big-picture, bottom-line business at hand
• Be quick and to the point (do not waste their time)
• Likes new, innovative things
• Let them be in control

2. Buying Style #2 – The Interactive (I Style)

The second buying style is called the Interactive. These buyers want to shape and mold events
and enjoy “getting their way” when it comes to negotiations or buying something. Unlike the
High D, however, High I’s tend to go about this by working with or through people – much
more collaboratively. They are interested in people and like to interact with others, understand
others and to be understood by others. They are most receptive to making a buying decision
when they feel a sense of connection with the person, are in a more social environment and
have had the opportunity to express their emotions, thoughts, fears or excitement about the
offering first. Like the High D, this person is also particularly inattentive to details, preferring
to stick to the big-picture and emotional benefits of the solution.

Selling to Interactive buyer (looking for interaction and an experience):

• Avoid challenging them or personal conflict
• Don’t aggressively close or push
• Be enthusiastic and express emotions
• Let them talk!
• Highlight potential improved appearance, social standing, approval by others
• Have fun!
• Accentuate the “newness” factor

3. Buying Style #3 – The Stabilizer (S style)

The third buying style is called the Stabilizer. These buyers are more passive and introverted
and interested in the how and why of a solution (i.e., the details and minutiae that the I and D
couldn’t care less about). Their primary interests are in maintaining stability within themselves
and whatever situation they find themselves in. Messages that don’t address the specifics, or
that champion radical change, are likely to alienate rather than resonate. They prefer to buy
things that will increase the stability in their lives, provide more security, and are well known
and well proven. They prefer to “take their time” more than any other dimension so any offering
should give them plenty of time to decide.

Selling to Stabilizer buyer (looking for security and stability):

• Avoid conflict (with them or trashing anyone else, even those not present)
• Reassure and reduce risk as much as possible
• Provide structure, step-by-step details and security
• Give them ample time to decide (as in days or weeks in some extreme cases)
• Accentuate your support and commitment long-term (think family)
• Be sincere, modest and unassuming
• Don’t get too personal too fast

4. Buying Style #4 – The Conscientious (C style)

The fourth and final buying style is called the Conscientious. These buyers are also more
passive and introverted. Like the High S, they too take a much more detailed (the most) and
accuracy-based approach to their buying habits. Their buying decisions are very much driven
by questions of accuracy, detail, reliability, level of proof, etc. Without sufficient data to prove
any statements made to a High C, you will fail to achieve their buy in. Why is a favorite
question for a high C buyer. Prove it is the second most common one. They are very concerned
with doing things accurately. They are receptive to offerings that provide proof that the solution
works, proposals that are meticulously detailed and absent of ANY grammatical mistakes or
typos.
Selling to the Conscientious buyer (looking for accuracy and information):

• Provide high levels of high quality evidence and proof (data, facts, statistics, etc.)
• Connect to solving problems
• Make sure zero typos, grammatical mistakes or forgotten deliverables never happen
• Ensure accuracy, reliability and dependability
• Avoid pointing out any mistakes they may make
• Be organized and logical
• Be unemotional
• Establish trust, through proof

Topic-2: selling skills,

SELLING SKILLS

1. Educate prospects with new ideas and perspectives

Today’s buyer brings value to the table. Salespeople don’t just need to sell, they should
expand buyer’s horizons and give them new ideas that change their thinking. In fact,
RAIN’s study found “sales winners” educated buyers with new ideas and perspectives
2.9 times more often than second-place finishers.

For example, if you’re an automobile salesperson, you know the buyer is coming in
with research on the model, make, and even color of the car they want.

2. Collaborate with prospects

Buyers want to be part of the solution. That means salespeople must work with them to
develop solutions to achieve mutual goals. In fact, at 43%, high-performing salespeople
rate their ability to work collaboratively with accounts higher than the rest.

In the car-buying example above, you wouldn’t show your buyer a variety of larger,
more expensive cars just because you think you should. You’d learn more about their
needs, their desired use for the car, and their plans for the next few years.

3. Demonstrate potential return on investment

Salespeople need to paint a clear, persuasive, and believable picture of the results an
investment will yield. If you’re selling expensive software with a lengthy
implementation time, it’s important to share the potential benefits of making that kind
of investment.

4. Listen to prospects
You must listen to your buyers. By asking engaging questions and following up in ways
that demonstrate understanding, you’ll build trust and a more valuable relationship.
Adopt the mantra of “Always be helping.” It’s a pillar of the inbound sales
methodology.

5. Understand prospect needs

Even though buyers today are sophisticated and good at diagnosing their own needs,
winning salespeople still need to demonstrate that they “get it” when it comes to their
prospect’s goals, pains, and desires.

6. Help prospects avoid obstacles

Salespeople should be honest with buyers about the pitfalls that can occur both before
and after they buy -- and how they will help prospects avoid them.

If, after asking questions and listening, you don’t believe you can help your prospect -
- or they don’t have the budget or resources to buy your solution right now, it’s best to
end things amicably.

7. Craft a compelling solution

Your buyer must be convinced. Salespeople should show prospects how their solution
will help achieve their desired outcomes. Remember, your solution shouldn’t be to
discount your product. If that’s how you solve for the customer -- you’ll struggle in
sales and you’ll devalue your offering.

8. Accurately depict the purchasing process

If you don’t set and meet expectations with buyers, it will be difficult to build trust.
66.7% of winning salespeople reported accurately describing the purchasing process to
their prospects, in RAIN’s survey.

This ties back to the “Always be helping” mentality. Winning salespeople help their
prospects by telling them the truth about what they will receive when they buy from
them.

9. Connect with prospects personally

People buy from people they like. Salespeople need to make personal connections with
buyers to maintain and strengthen their business relationships.

10. Differentiate based on value

Salespeople must provide maximum value compared to their competitors. That doesn’t
mean having the lowest price. Value is in the eye of the buyer and often comes in the
form of insights and expertise salespeople and their companies can provide.
Topic-3: Selling situations,
SITUATIONS OF SELLING/ TYPES OF SELLING
1) transactional selling

Using this type of sales technique, the intention of the salesperson is to overtly sell their
product. There doesn’t appear to be much of a sales process. Any process that is in
place normally follows the adage of ‘pile them high, sell them cheap’. This type of
selling is reserved for the one-off sale where there isn’t much chance of repeat business.

2) product-oriented selling

As you can imagine, this is where the salesperson just talks about the product and very
little else. Salespeople often get roped into this type of sale when a prospect says to
them ‘what do you do and why are you selling this to me?’

It revolves around the features and benefits of the product and tries to blind the prospect
with science Demonstrations and examples of the product in action are the normal way
of proceeding with this particular type.

3) needs-oriented selling

Using this type of sales technique, a salesperson will identify and figure out the needs
of a customer through different questions and then present a solution to those needs as
is required by the customer. This creates a discourse between the salesperson and
prospect but doesn’t go so far as to solve specific problems that the customer may have.

4) consultative selling

This type of sale requires an element of trust and relationship between the salesperson
and the prospect.

The whole purpose of this type is not to focus on just the product but to focus really on
the relationship and how that is going to be established between the salesperson’s
company and the prospect’s company.

This requires a constant review of how the prospect’s business can be helped by the
salesperson and turns the salesperson into a form of consultant to their business.

5) insight selling

Lots of research has proved that salespeople who have this specific type of
salesmanship do different things to the norm.

It’s based on a simple 3 level model that brings on successful results:

Level one is to connect, where salespeople connect the customer needs and their
company solutions to the issues that the buyers have.

Level two is the convince stage, where salespeople convince their prospects they can
achieve maximum returns with lower risk and that they are the most effective company
to deal with if you want the results that have been promised.

Level 3 of insight selling is known as the collaboration stage, where salespeople bring
new ideas to the table and have insights as to the future operations of the company they
will be working with.

It’s important to recognise that each of these types of sales has their place. If you
understand the type of sale that’s absolutely right for your customer, then you will be
in a strong position to use the specific type in the right way at the right time to bring
the right results for both you and your customer.

Topic-4: selling process,

Second PDF attachment

Topic-5: sales presentation,

SALES PRESENTATION

1. Make the sales presentation relevant.

One of the most common mistakes people make is to use a generic presentation. They
say the same thing in every presentation and hope that something in their presentation
will appeal to the prospective customer. I have been victim to this approach more times
than I care to remember having been subjected to many “canned” PowerPoint
presentations. (See The 4 Cardinal Rules of Effective PowerPoint Presentations for a
better approach.)

The discussion of your product or service must be adapted to each person; modify it to
include specific points that are unique to that particular customer. This means
researching your customer beforehand and becoming familiar with their business and
the industry that they operate in. Check their business web site or Facebook page and
peruse newsletters, blogs, annual reports and other relevant information. Research their
competitors and if possible tailor your presentation to demonstrate how your product
can help them gain a competitive advantage.
If you use PowerPoint or other presentation software, place the company’s logo on your
slides and describe how the key slides relate to their situation. Show exactly how your
product or service solves their specific problem. This means that it's critical to ask your
prospect probing questions before you start talking about your company.

2. Create a connection between your product/service and the prospect.

In a presentation to a prospective client, I prepared a sample of the product they would
eventually use in their program. After a preliminary discussion, I handed my prospect
the item his team would be using – instead of telling him about the item, I placed it in
his hands. He could then see exactly what the finished product would look like and
examine it in detail. He was able to ask questions and see how his team would use it in
their environment.

Also, remember to discuss the benefits of your products, not the features. Tell your
customer what they will get by using your product versus your competitors'.

3. Get to the point.

Today’s business people are far too busy to listen to long-winded discussions. Know
what your key points are and learn how to make them quickly. I remember talking to a
sales person who rambled at great length about his product. After viewing his product
and learning how much it would cost I was prepared to move ahead with my purchase.
Unfortunately, he continued talking and he almost talked himself out of the sale. Make
sure you know what key points you want to discuss and practice verbalizing them
before you meet with your prospect.

During and after making your key points, be prepared to listen to the customer - ask
questions and take notes of comments so you can better discern their specific need(s)
and:

Tell them how your product addresses their need(s)

Respond to any objections or reservations they may have about the product
Use their feedback to improve your product and/or refine future sales presentations
Do not interrupt or argue with a customer! If you are making a presentation to a group
and the discussion veers off topic, try to gently nudge the conversation back on track.

4. Be animated.
The majority of sales presentations I have heard have been boring and unimaginative.
If you really want to stand out from the crowd make sure you demonstrate enthusiasm
and energy. Use your voice effectively and vary your modulation. A common mistake
made when people talk about a product they are very familiar with is to speak in a
monotone - causing the other person to quickly lose interest in your presentation.

I recommend using a voice recorder to tape your presentation. This will allow you to
hear exactly what you sound like as you discuss your product. I must profess to being
completely humiliated when I first used this tactic. As a professional speaker, I thought
all my presentations were interesting and dynamic – I soon learned that my stand-up
delivery skills were much better than my telephone presentation skills.

5. Use showmanship.
In The Sales Advantage, an example is given of a vending sales person laying a heavy
sheet of paper on the floor, saying, “If I could show you how that space could make
you some money, would you be interested?” Consider the impact of this approach
compared to the typical approach of saying something like, “We can help you make
more money.” What can you do to incorporate some form of showmanship into your
presentation?

6. Use a physical demonstration.

A friend of mine sells sales training; he often uses the whiteboard or flip chart in the
prospect’s boardroom during his presentation. Instead of telling his client what he will
do, he stands up and delivers a short presentation. He writes down facts and figures,
draws pictures, and records certain comments and statements from the discussion. This
approach never fails to help his prospect make a decision.

7. Lastly, believe in your product/service.

Without a doubt, this is the most critical component of any presentation. When you
discuss solutions, do you become more animated and energetic? Does your voice
display excitement? Does your body language exhibit your enthusiasm? If not, you need
to change your approach. After all, if you can’t get excited about your product, how can
you expect your customer to become motivated enough to buy?

Topic-6: Handling customer objections,

HANDLING CUSTOMER
OBJECTIONS

1. Let Them Feel Heard

One of the most off-putting aspects of interacting with a seller is feeling like they are
not listening to you. When a customer objects, simply take note and confirm their
concern back to them: "So what I'm hearing you say is this," and repeat back the
customer's objection. Chances are you have an answer to their objection, but adding in
the confirmation and acknowledgment of it goes a long way. - Christopher Kingman,
TransUnion

Customers are typically lost after objections if the sales professional gets defensive,
overbearing or unclear. Objections can be easily overcome in the process by using a
simple but effective technique called "feel, felt, found." Get your client to understand
that their concern makes sense, give them an example of a client with a similar concern
and explain how your solution solved that problem.
3. Take The Opportunity To Start A Conversation

Objections are usually thrown out when a specific client need isn’t being met, often
from a lack of communication or miscommunication. Spending time understanding
client needs, as well as their value drivers, will help avoid difficult situations.
Customers want to be understood and have their needs cared for. Remember that
objections are really opportunities for conversations!

4. Acknowledge And Address

I think internally you have to ask yourself, "Is their objection valid?" If it is then you
have to acknowledge that and provide a coherent solution. If you truly believe their
objection is off base, then you need to explain that in a way that doesn't seem combative
or could make them feel they are not being taken seriously. The last thing a customer
wants is to be told they are wrong.

5. Ask, Don’t Tell

An objection is an amazing opportunity to understand the needs of the customer. Most

sales professionals squander this opportunity. They try to minimize the objection or
convince the customer that their solution is best. Instead, try to ask as many questions
as you have to in order to understand their concern. Your demeanor should be calm,
upbeat and inquisitive. Once you understand the root of the problem, deal with it head-
on.

6. Start With The End

Begin every customer resolution with one simple question, "What is your desired
outcome?" The answer sets the tone for resolving the situation expeditiously while
working within the realm of what's possible in the scope of the business. It can be
surprising how fair-minded and thoughtful customers can be while taking their own
personal interests and the business' interests into consideration.

7. Be Honest About Your Product

No product or service is 100% what the customer is looking for. There will always be
some concessions to be made. Be upfront in detailing what your product can and cannot
do. Back it up with customer stories. Being honest and straightforward in dealing with
objections will help alleviate customers' concerns and they will trust you. Honesty
builds credibility.

8. Follow The Light

Bring every objection back to the goal you initially created with your client during the
sales process. This goal is the common ground with your client, it's the guiding light of
your relationship with them. Should the relationship ever go off-course, this goal will
be the benchmark to measure the issue against. Determine if the issue helps or hinders
their objective and act accordingly.

9. Set Expectations, Follow Through And Follow Up

Good customers always push the envelope of what a product or service can do, this is
what makes them valuable to any business. It is important to listen to their objections
because these often turn into opportunities. Allow the customer to clearly define their
thoughts, mutually agree on a course of action and keep them in the loop throughout
the process. Good customers want to be a part of the solution.

10. Share Customer Testimonials

My advice is to share stories about other customers who had similar objections during
the sales process, but ultimately moved forward with your offering and saw business
success as a result. That way you are demonstrating empathy for the customer by
acknowledging their concerns, while also showing why other companies made the
decision to move forward and ultimately found value in your solution.

11. Listen With Empathy

Listen, be authentic and show empathy to ensure the customer is heard. Your sales team
must have a genuine curiosity to solve their problem. If price was the main issue, I've
found vulnerability by the salesperson can truly help resolve the problem. For example,
rewind the conversation to allow yourself the ability to articulate your value versus
negotiating on price.

12. Take An Educational Approach

So often, we end up trying to prove our customers wrong when overcoming their
objections, when we should really take an educational approach. Who wants to buy
from someone that is smug and superior? Educate your client on how your product will
add value to their business and they will be a long-term customer!

Topic-7: Follow-up action

FOLLOW UP ACTION

Here are five simple steps to effectively follow-up after a sale.

1. Send a note to say thank you

Some companies send emails. Others say it with a card they enclose with the invoice.
Whatever your method, it’s important to say thanks after making a sale as part of
making it a good experience for your client.
You can include messages such as “We are here for you” in your thank you note. Also
make sur the note contains contact details and the name of a person who can be reached
in case the client has an issue or question. Ideally, that person should be the account
manager or salesperson who handled the transaction since that is the employee the client
knows and trusts.

2. Check in
It’s a good strategy to call clients a week or two after the sale and find out how
everything is going. Are they happy with their purchase? How was the service they
received? Do they have any questions? But don’t overdo it. The customer’s time is
precious. Especially, avoid trying to make a sale at this stage. Instead, listen to your
customer’s needs and opinions, and try to resolve any issue they might have.

3. Keep the lines of communication open

Ask your clients for permission to communicate with them. Then send helpful
information and advice based on their needs and interests. Focus on high-value content,
such as guides, articles or educational webinars. This is the phase of consolidating the
trust between you and your client.

4. Think second sale

Talking to existing clients who already bought might seem like a waste of time, but it
is actually the key to future sales. Regular contact will help you understand their needs,
give you ideas about product improvements and set the stage to offer a complementary
product.

By creating a relationship, you are going beyond a simple transaction and giving
yourself an opportunity to offer more products or services to the client.

5. Ask for referrals

Happy customers will refer you other customers. When a recommendation comes from
someone who has actually used your services, it has an extra layer of credibility and
trust. Delighted clients make the best advocates because third-party claims of
excellence carry more weight than self-promotion. For the most part, customers are
willing to refer because they know how important referrals are and people like to help.