STEP 3 of Sales Process – Presentation

By Jim Hernandez (Click here to read article in Latin Business Today).

(Do it and business will grow a minimum of 15%… Guaranteed)

This is article # 1 based on a 4 part selling cycle that is further broken down into 8 major steps.

The four areas are focused on How to Find, Sell, Close, and Keep More Customers. We will begin by discussing step 1 of 8:

STEP 3 – Presentation

The presentation is one of the things in the sales process that is probably most written about after the closing and negotiating steps.

The fundamentals of this step will always work extremely well, but only if you have successfully completed Step2 in Part 1. Let me explain why. All too often a customer today will call in, walk in, and e-mail/chat in and ask for what they want, and then the salesperson will give them what they asked for, which may not be what they really need. Salespeople who prospect or are presented with a B2B situation which normally requires getting to know the customer can do a much better job of presenting what they sell based on the needs of the customer because they know them.

As a result to be successful at a great presentation you must have the following in your brain as you enter the presentation:

 

  1. You understand what your customer is like –  there are many techniques (we use the DISC method) in which a salesperson can learn about how the customer would like to be treated.
  2. You must understand the customer’s buying motivation – what is important to them when wanting to consider, or buy what you are selling. (Fear, safety, comfort, style, etc.)
  3. Great product knowledge – you must intimately know everything you possible can about the product you sell and the industry you are selling in.
  4. Knowledge of the competition – I doubt there is an industry out there that does not have great competition, and not knowing how you compare in variety of areas can be a major weakness.
  5. Knowledge of the company you work for –  it is important for each salesperson to know how the company he represents will take care of the customer, before, during, and after the sale.
  6. The Feature, Advantage, Benefit model for selling value. Basically it is about explaining to each customer the what you have to offer, how it works, and how it will help your specific customer.

 

NOTE: It is combining these six items in your brain with a customer, and building a presentation that fits the customer’s interests, and in a way they would like to see it, that will give you a clear advantage. In making sure you have all six working for you, you will become the professional or consultant for the customer, and over the long term the presentation will help start on the road to being their long term advisor, or trust confidant with the items you sell.

Selling is about 8 simple steps and a lot of discipline

The following articles are based on a four-part selling cycle that is further broken down into eight major steps. The four areas are focused on “How to Find, Sell, Close, and Keep More Customers”.  Click on the modules for more details.