2. Name: Aneesh Ragave.
Age: 36.
Profession: Outdoor Salesman
Company: Harpic
Nationality: Indian
Product: Power Plus
Experience in
This Field: 7 Years
3. After the interview of Mr. Aneesh,
what I understood is, he mostly
preferred personal selling. And he
shared his experiences, methods of
his personal selling and the secrets
of best selling and of a better
salesman!..
4. First, He Focuses On Prospecting
The Customers:
Searching for prospects is prospecting. And here, prospect is a person or an
institution who is likely to be benefited by the product the salesman wants to sell and
can afford to buy it.
[Prospecting is the work of collecting the names and addresses or persons who are
likely to buy the firm’s products and services. Provide encompasses even the
discovery of special needs and multiplying the sales with existing clientele.]
While collecting the details, ‘suspects’ he separates from ‘prospects’ to avoid or
reduce waste of time, treasure and talent. There are definite methods of prospecting.
The most popular methods that he follows are:
1. Endless chain method,
2. Centre of influence method,
3. Personal observation method,
4. Spotter’s method,
5. Cold-canvas method;
6. Direct mail and
7. Telephone method.
5. Now the Second step is Pre-approach:
Pre-approach is to get more detailed facts about a specific
individual to have effective sales appeals on him or her. It
is a record round effort to get details regarding the
prospect such as his ability, need, authority, accessibility
to buy; it is a closer look of prospects, likes and dislikes,
tastes, habits, financial status, social esteem, material
status, family background and the like.
The objectives of pre-approach are to providing
additional qualifying information; to design an effective
approach strategy; to better the planning information; to
avoid serious errors and to build-up confidence.
The sources of information are his fellow salesmen,
customers, local newspapers, special investigators, sales
office, directories, observation and the prospect.
6. And now this is his 3rd Approach:
Approach means the meeting of the prospect in person by
the salesman where he makes face to face contact with
prospects to understand them better. Approach is such a
delicate and critical stage of the sales process that the sales
are either won or lost.
And he mentioned ‘’Approach is stepping stone for sales
presentation’’. It is because of this delicacy that sales are
likened to a chain where break of one link will break it into
useless lump of hooks.
Success follows the salesman who possesses courage,
courtesy and confidence, this is what he believes.
The objectives of approach are:
To help the salesman to make a favorable impression;
to amplify the detailed information obtained by the
salesman at pre-approach level;
to convert the favorable attention of the prospect easily and
smoothly into the sales proposition.
7. This is the 4th Step, He follow -
Presentation and demonstration:
It is the heart of selling process. Effective presentation has the capacity
to convince the customer of his sales proposition. It creates and holds
the interest of customers towards the products. It would be wrong to
assume that all those who enter the shop do buy the products.
Normally, most of the prospects visit the shop to see prior to their
decision to buy. This casual visit can be a commitment visit provided
products are displayed, presented and demonstrated by the salesmen in
an appealing manner. Demonstration is a part of presentation because,
more description is not enough. Sales presentation varies in style. There
are three styles of sales presentation,.
– Canned approach,
– formulated approach and
– Need-satisfaction approach.
Canned approach is memorized sales talk covering the main points
while formulated approach identifies the buyer’s needs and buying style
and then uses an appropriate approach. The need-satisfaction
approach starts with a search for customer’s real needs. It encourages
the customer to talk of his own needs.
8. 5th Step is overcoming objections:
– For a creative and persuasive salesman, the process of selling
really starts when the prospect raises objections. In absence of
sales resistance the salesman is merely an order booking clerk.
For every action of salesman there is prospect’s pro-action or
reaction that is, approval or disapproval. Each salesman should
understand the reasons as to why prospects raise objections
because; each objection has its roots in the buying decision. An
objection is the expression of disapproval of an action taken by
salesman; it is an adverse reason or an argument indicating
clearly that the prospect is not yet ready to buy. These
objections may be genuine or mere excuses. Overcoming
objections is really a delicate stage that makes or mars the
unbroken chain of selling process. Being a very crucial aspect,
the experts have a set procedure for overcoming the objections
namely, listen to the prospect cushion the jolt anticipate the
objections and prevent their occurrence. It is the creative task of
bringing the customer to the sales track once again.
9. Now, it’s almost the end - Closing:
All the earlier stages of sales talk namely, prospecting, pre-
approach; approach, presentation and handling the objections
have been designed to induce the prospect to make decision to
buy so that a sale can be concluded.
The success in earlier stages will lead to the last stage of closing
the sale and clinch the deal. Here, ‘close’ means the act of
actually getting the prospect’s assent to the sales proposal or
he gets an order.
The underlying point of closing sale is to persuade the prospect
to act right now than postponing or delaying the action. It is
here that the prospect is turned into a customer desire into
demand. Though it sounds very easy, it is the most difficult
task. It is the positive attitude and self-confidence that plays a
decisive role in converting wish into desire and desire into
demand. A poor closer is a poor salesman and salesman who
cannot close well will have to close the line.
10. Follow-up and maintenance is the Last
Step, Were an Outdoor Salesman
Finally Follows!..
Immediately after closing the sale, the
salesperson should take some follow up
measures. He may give details about delivery
time, purchase terms and mode of payment
of price, etc. The salesperson can ensure
customer satisfaction by properly attending
matters which are important to the
customers. Thus, follow up is necessary if the
salesperson wants to ensure repeat
purchase.
11. At Last, He mentioned me about the
qualities of a sales man, as a
salesman; they need patience, good
appearance, communicative skills,
self confidence, tackling situations,
product knowledge, etc.
