Introduction of the Host

N. Rajesh Kumar, a graduate in Commerce, has over 20 years of field experience including 5 years of handling a Profit Centre and a couple of years of International Selling experience. He started his career as a Sales Executive and in a short span of time, was given the responsibility of handling the entire Country. Having started his sales career at a very early age he has had opportunities of working for different companies in various industries like - Telecom, Office Automation and Computer Networking.

He has been conducting Training Programmes on Professional Selling Skills (PSS) for over 8 years now, based on his vast practical experience.

About the Class - Weekly

ORDER IN ONE CALL

The browsers might probably say to themselves - the title "Order in One Call" is ridiculous. I have enough sales experience to know the answer if anybody does. The idea of anyone trying to tell me how I can get an order in one call - its absurd.

Fair enough - I would have felt exactly the same way. Let's be frank about it; maybe I may not be able to help you get an order in one call. I am not here with some special gimmick that will get you an order in one call. Nor do I have any magic formula, which, if followed, will result in the prospect ordering every time. I am fully aware that I am in the same boat as you are and what I speak today applies as much to me as it would to you. Therefore, you will appreciate that I would not want to convey something, which cannot be cultivated. All I can do is to show you how it COULD be possible and leave the rest to you.

I know what it means to slog all day and still have no orders. I know what it means to see the lights going out in the offices and streaming from them come apparently happy looking people, laughing their way to their homes or theaters, while I have had the most miserable day in my life and the thought of going home is not making me any happier.

I know what it means when I get to thinking about incentive for me and I realize that, that sheet is going to look very blank indeed. As a result of these experiences, I realized that if at that stage you and I pack up and give ourselves up, then we are make things more miserable.

I feel the cause for this is simple. Selling is quite unnatural and alien to our instincts. Most of us prefer to give rather than demand, and to be friendly rather than possibly to arouse antagonism by interrupting some one's work. BUT, as a salesman, I have to subdue my natural feelings and as quickly as I am able, to put the sale on such a friendly basis that my prospect is glad to have me remain with him. What we can do is realise and understand the reaction of the men to whom we are selling and understanding them, make things easier for both of us.

If I were to be a prospective buyer, what would I expect from a salesman?

• I am proud of my name and I like the salesman to use it.
• Start talking about ME. I like my family, my business, my profits and myself. I don't necessarily like you, your family or your business.
• Give me a chance to speak and then listen to me.
• Find out all about my needs. You may be barking up the wrong tree.
• Never take me for granted.
• Find out about your voice. I am a little hard of hearing but I don't like to be shouted at. Practice voice modulation, so that I can understand what you are talking about.
• Don't try to persuade me by a spate of words. Convince me by facts.
• Be optimistic. I know all the bad news without you telling me.
• Be warm and kind, not just an unsympathetic parrot. I can get all the information I want from a leaflet. I need you to make the words live.
• Ask my advice and make me feel important; if you try to talk me down I shall close the door right on your face.
• Be well mannered and friendly, but not too friendly.
• For goodness sake don't talk - talk - talk. Please ease up now and then and put questions to make me answer.
• I don't like buying from a grubby salesman. Do me a favour and look yourself in the mirror before you come to me.
• If its raining I don't object to your carrying an umbrella. But don't rest it in my room so that puddles of water form on my floor/carpet.
• If I am to make up my mind, I want to hear the whole story. Don't cut your sales sequence, even if I appear to be disinterested. That is my way of putting off weak salesman. I feel that if a salesman can be put off easily he hasn't much faith in his product. And if he hasn't, why should I??
• Don't waste my time by telling me funny stories. I rarely laugh at stage comedians.
• Know your sales aids. I don't appreciate fumblers and I'll find-it-in-a-minute salesman.
• Remember there is only one thing more contagious than enthusiasm and that is the lack of it.
• Let me feel when you leave me that I have a friend - that you'll never let me down - and do nothing to jeopardize the good opinion I have formed of you.

Are you capable of achieving the above???

When we first make contact with a buyer or when we try to put over an idea, we give off our very best. We tell everything that we can about our products or our idea. We will never have a better opportunity.

You may disagree by saying that it is wrong to be too persistent that will upset the buyers. They like to think. You cannot hurry them and as soon as you begin to press them for the order, they think there is a catch in it and instead of getting the order, you scare the buyer off…

You are very right. If I were a customer, that would be my reaction too, to a salesman who was too persistent provided I knew that he was being persistent! Persistence should be throughout our sales talk and not just at the close. We must persevere with each point until we feel that the buyer understands it, and is agreeing with our suggestion. We should sell so strongly the first time we call, that we load the dice in our favour.

Therefore, realizing that the first call is an all-important factor, let's analyze in brief, the approach that could be ideally adopted.

Before we make a call, we should be sure of three O's -

• our firm,
• our product and
• ourselves.

If we don't have belief in the worthiness of the company, we should severe our connections and join elsewhere.

To convince our prospective customer, we must be convinced ourselves. His first impression of us forms his image of the organization we represent. Most commonly used phrases are "How long have you been with or when did you join (xyz company)". During this crucial first impression we either loose or capture his interest. In regard to our product, we should not only know it in and out but also be able to answer these questions; What can it do for my prospect? What advantage does it have on our competitors? Why should he buy it?

If I want to be a professional salesman, I must always remember that the best opportunity I have to obtain an order is the first time I am able to give my sales story in full. This is usually at the 1st call. I try to keep my sales story simple and explicit. This planned presentation need not be memorized, but they should come out automatically. We know that our prospects time is valuable. If I loose his interest, I loose the sale. While I talk, I can study my prospect for signs of boredom, interest or approval. Watching for "signs" like these make our job a happy exciting endeavor. He may put up a fight but that's fun. I normally try to turn my prospect into a "yes" man at all times, without his realizing what is happening. He has to agree that he is getting real value for his money. He has to agree with each sales point that shows a benefit to him. The more "yeses" we obtain during a sale, the more certain we are of getting that final "YES" for which we are all striving.

We do not know what the other person is thinking, either about our products or us or of life in general. We can't even guess.

We think: "The prospect is really hot now! I'll zap him more"

The prospect thinks: "What's this chap talking about?"

We think: "I don't believe this man can afford my price"

The prospect thinks: "I must get rid of this fellow. I promised to pick up my new car today" So you see, we do not really know what he is thinking. There is however, one way to alter the minds of prospects.

TALK BENEFITS:

When we keep talking about THEM - when we discuss what we can do for THEM - when we can continually praise THEM - when we build THEM up and when we keep the minds of others to think on our lines.

Selling is the only job in the world in which a man is paid exactly what he is worth. He should love selling for this reason and this reason only. HE HAS ACCEPTED a man's job, and if he succeeds, it will be entirely due to his own efforts. If he fails, it will be entirely due to his own weakness.

Lastly, when we are aspiring by conditioning ourselves for an order at the first call, it is honourable even if we secure the same on the second or even the third call!!!!!!!!!

Class Schedule:
Wednesday April 10, 2002                   Lesson 02 - Salesman's Check List

Queries on this lesson?
Mail us at onlinesellingskills@sitagita.com

or write to us Onlinesellingskills, Sitagita Com Ltd.,
47, Chamiers Road, Chennai - 600 028.

Courtesy: Institute of PSS, No.14-A, Natesan Nagar,
Alapakkam Main Road, Chennai - 600 116. Tel: 044-476 7299 Mobile: 98400-40444