9-1
Chap 8 - Planning a Sales Call is a Must Summary of Major Selling Issues
 Careful planning of the sales call is essential
to success in selling
 Planning builds self-confidence, develops an
atmosphere of goodwill, creates
professionalism, and increases sales
 Sales call planning
 Have a sales call objective that is SMART
 Develop or review the customer profile
 Develop your customer benefit plan
9-2
Chap 8 - Planning a Sales Call is a Must –
Overview of the Selling Process
 Uncover The Prospect’s Five Mental Steps in Buying



 Attention – Interest – Desire – Conviction - Purchase
Getting the prospect’s attention and interest by
having the prospect recognize a need or problem,
and stating a wish to fulfill the need or solve the
problem
Uncovering and answering the prospect’s questions
and revealing and meeting or overcoming objections
results in more intense desire
Desire is transformed into the conviction that your
product can fulfill the prospect’s needs or solve
problems
9-3
Carefully Select Which Sales
Presentation Method to Use
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Chapter
9
Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter
9
9-5
Main Topics
The Tree of Business Life: Presentation
Sales Presentation Strategy
Sales Presentation Methods–Select One Carefully
The Group Presentation
Negotiating So Everyone Wins
Sales Presentations Go High-Tech
Select the Presentation Method, Then the Approach
Let’s Review before Moving On!
Chapter
9
9-6
The Tree of Business Life:
Presentation Methods
T
T T
T T TT
T T T T
Builds
Guided by The Golden
Rule:
 Master the art of creating effective



Relationships
9-7
sales presentations
Have fun presenting your product
Select your presentation method
based on:
 Prior knowledge of customer
 Sales call objective
 Customer benefit plan
You will see that ethical service
builds true relationships
The Sales Presentation
 A Sales Presentation…
 Completely and clearly explains all aspects of the
salesperson’s proposition as it relates to a buyer’s
needs
9-8
There are Several Sales Presentation Methods
and You Must Select One According to Your:
 Prior knowledge of the customer
 Sales call objective
 Customer benefit plan
9-9
Exhibit 9-1: The Third Step in the Sales Process
is the First Step in the Sales Presentation
 The sales presentation method
determines how you open your
presentation
9-10
Sales Presentation Strategy
 Salespeople face numerous situations:
 Salesperson to buyer
 A sales person discusses issues with a prospect or customer in person
or over the phone
 Salesperson to buyer group
 A sales person gets to know as many members of the buyer group as
possible
 Sales team to buyer group
 A company sales team works closely with the members of the
customer’s buying group
 Conference selling
 The salesperson brings company resource people to discuss a major
problem or opportunity
 Seminar selling
 A company team conducts an educational seminar for the
customer company about state-of-the-art developments
9-11
Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales
Presentations
 The clients needs can be stimulated by the sales presentation or the
client is already interested and is wanting more information
 The sales person does 80-90% of the talking during a memorized sales
presentation
Sales person does not necessarily have to know the client
Sales person does not attempt to determine the prospect’s needs, but gives the same
presentation to every customer
9-12
Exhibit 9-3: Participation Time by Customer and
Salesperson During a Memorized Sales Presentation
9-13
Why Choose the Memorized (Canned)
Sales Presentation Method?
 Because it:
 Ensures the salesperson gives a well-planned presentation
 Ensures all of the company’s salespeople discuss the same
information
 Both aides and lends confidence to the inexperienced
salesperson
 It is effective when:
 Selling time is short, as in door-to-door or telephone selling
 The product type is non-technical – such as books, cooking
utensils, or cosmetics
9-14
Why Not to Choose the Memorized
(Canned) Sales Presentation Method?
 Because it:
 Presents FABs that may not be important to the buyer
 Allows for little prospect participation
 Is impractical to use when selling technical products that
require prospect input and discussion
 Requires the salesperson to proceed quickly through the
sales presentation to the close, resulting in several closes or
requests for the order, which may be interpreted by the
prospect as high pressure selling
9-15
Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales
Presentations
 Assuming that similar prospects in similar situations can be
approached with similar presentations. The Salesperson must first know
something about the prospective buyer.
 The sales person controls the conversation during the sales talk, especially near the
beginning of the sales presentation
 Sales person may attempt to solicit comments from the buyer when using trial
closes, questions and objections
Derived from AIDA – Attention, interest, desire and action (Chapter 8, Exhibit 8.10)
9-16
Exhibit 9-5: Participation Time by a Customer and
Salesperson During a Formula Sales Presentation
9-17
Why Choose the Formula Sales
Presentation Method?
 Because you:
 Are contacting similar prospects in similar
situations
 Know something about the prospect
 Have called on the prospect in the past
 Want to ensure all information is presented
logically
 Want to have reasonable amount of buyer-seller
interaction
9-18
Why Choose the Formula Sales
Presentation Method?, cont…
 Because it allows for smooth handling of
anticipated questions and objections
 Examples of product types that work well
with this method are:
 Consumer goods
 Pharmaceutical goods
9-19
Why Not to Choose the Formula Sales
Presentation Method?
 Because you:
 Do not know the prospect’s needs
 See a need for the prospect to talk more
 Have a complex selling situation such as:
 Selling a technical product
 Selling to a group
9-20
Exhibit 9-6: The 10-Step Productive Retail
Sales Call – SmithKlineBeechham
9-21
Exhibit 9-7: A Formula Approach Sales
Presentation
9-22
Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales
Presentations
 This is designed as a flexible, interactive sales presentation –
challenging and creative. The sales person generally opens with probing
questions to gain a better understanding of the client.
Three primary Phases:
 Need-Development – devoted to a discussion of the buyer’s needs
 Need-Awareness – clarify the client needs by restating the buyer’s needs
 Need-Fulfillment – sales person knows how the product will satisfy mutual needs
and demonstrates these needs to the customer
9-23
Exhibit 9-8: Participation Time by Customer and Salesperson During
Need-Satisfaction and Problem-Solution Sales Presentations
9-24
Why Choose the Need-Satisfaction Sales
Presentation Method?
 Because you:
 Need a flexible, interactive sales presentation
 Need to uncover needs by asking questions
 Need the prospect to talk about his needs
 Use this method the first time you call on a
prospect
 Should you have to come back a second
time, you would use the formula sales
presentation method
9-25
Why Choose the Need-Satisfaction Sales
Presentation Method?, cont…
 Examples of product types that work well with
this method are:
 Financial services
 Systems – software and/or hardware systems
 High priced goods/services such as vehicles, real
estate, computer systems, industrial equipment
9-26
Why Not to Choose the Need-Satisfaction
Sales Presentation Method?
 Because you:
 Need more control over the conversation
 Feel should not ask too many questions
 Are new to the sales profession
9-27
Exhibit 9-9a: A
Need-Satisfaction Presentation
9-28
Exhibit 9-9b: A
Need-Satisfaction Presentation
9-29
Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales
Presentations
 Used to develop a detailed analysis of a prospect’s needs.
 After the analysis the sales person will develop a solution(s) and
present written and orally.
 The sales person is considered more of a partner or partnering, helping
creatively resolve a problem
9-30
Exhibit 9-8: Participation Time by Customer and Salesperson During
Need-Satisfaction and Problem-Solution Sales Presentations
9-31
Why Choose the Problem-Solution Sales
Presentation Method?
 Because you:
 Are selling highly complex or technical products
 Are required to make several sales calls to
develop a detailed in-depth analysis of a
prospect’s needs
 Need a flexible, customized presentation based
on findings
9-32
The Problem-Solution Presentation’s
Usually Consists of Six Steps
Step 1 - Convincing the prospect to allow the
salesperson to conduct the analysis
Step 2 - Making the actual analysis
Step 3 - Agreeing on the problems and determining
that the buyer wants to solve the problem
Step 4 - Preparing the proposal for a solution to the
prospect’s needs
Step 5 - Preparing the sales presentation based on the
analysis and proposal
Step 6 - Making the sales presentation
9-33
Exhibit 9-2: The Structure of Sales
Presentations
 See EXHIBT 9.10 on page 291 for an excellent quick reference
9-34
Sales Presentation Methods–
Select One Carefully, cont…
 The group presentation – the audience may be
one, two or many. You must change your
presentation style depending on your audience:
 May be less flexible than a one-on-one meeting
 The larger the group, the more structured your
presentation
 Communication medium may change and need to
include:
Video conferencing, power-point, video, meeting
space, etc.
9-35
Sales Presentation Methods–Select One
Carefully, cont…
 General steps of a group sales presentation:
 Give the proper introduction
 Establish credibility (yourself and company-industry awards, etc)
 Provide an account/client list (testimonials)
 State your competitive advantages
 Give quality assurances and qualifications
 Cater to the group’s behavioral style (Chap 4)
 Also, know the political hierarchy
 Who is the decision maker
 Who’s needs need to be addressed first
9-36
Sales Presentation Methods–Select One
Carefully, cont…
 Negotiating so everyone wins – Negotiating is a two-way street:
 Many salespeople negotiate during the confirming (or end) phase of the

sale
Phases of negotiation:
 Planning
Plan ahead by knowing your strengths/weaknesses compared to your
competition; what can you offer or overcome to beat your competitors bid
 Meeting
Establish a trustworthy client relationship and you can ease tough
negotiations – (easier to negotiate with someone you know and trust)
 Studying
Study your client’s business and determine the “must haves” and “would like
to have”; understand these can make negotiating decision much easier
 Proposing
Your proposal needs to be based on mutual trust and honesty
Your proposal also needs to outline what’s important to the client and how
you separate yourself from the competition
9-37
What Is the Best Presentation Method?
 Memorized
 Formula
 Need-satisfaction
 Problem-solution
 Group
Each of these
methods is the best
one when properly
matched with the
situation
9-38
Sales Presentations Go High Tech
 Videos
 CD-ROMs
 Satellite conferencing
 Computer hardware and software
9-39
Select the Presentation Method, Then the
Approach
 Know which method to use before developing
the presentation
 Plan the presentation
 Select the approach/opening
9-40
The Parallel Dimensions of Selling*
Discussion Sequence
Discuss Product
Prospecting
Show Feature
Explain Advantage
Lead into Benefit
Let Customer Talk
Preapproach
Discuss Product
Present Marketing Plan
Explain Business Proposition
Suggest Purchase
Buyer’s Mental Steps
Money
Authority
Desire
Approach
Attention
Interest
Present Marketing Plan
Presentation
Selling Process
Presentation
Availability, Delivery,
Guarantee, Merchandising,
Installation, Maintenance,
Promotion, Training, Warranty
Desire
Trial Close
Determine Objections
Explain Business Prop
List Price, Shipping Cost,
Discounts, Financing, ROI,
Value Analysis
Meet Objections
Conviction
Trial Close
Suggest Purchase
Close
Product, Quantity, Features,
Delivery, Installation, Price
Action
(Purchase)
Follow-up & Service
9-41
The Golden Rule Makes Sense
 Its use sets you apart from all of the other
salespeople who only want to make a sale
and a fast dollar
 Treat your prospects and customers as your
business neighbors
9-42
Let’s Review Before Moving On!
 It’s important to know that:
 Parallel dimensions interact
 Discussion sequence
 Selling process
 Buyer’s mental steps
 Discussion sequence
9-43
Summary of Major Selling Issues
 You must master the art of giving a good sales




presentation
The sales presentation method selected should be
based on prior knowledge of the customer, your sales
call objective, and your customer benefit plan
Show that you have a right to present your product
because it has key benefits for the prospect
Many different presentation methods are available
There is no one best method; each one must be
tailored to meet the particular characteristics of a
specific selling situation or environment
9-44