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Part III—Teaching Guide
Part III Role-Plays 2A and 2B—Understanding Your Customer’s Buying Strategy
Session I—Prior to this session have students read Sales Memorandums 2A and 2B (T468
and T469).
(Make copies of I33, I34, I37, and I38, “T” refers to text and “I” to Instructor’s Manual page #’s
1. (5 minutes) Introduce assignment by discussing salesperson instructions for role-plays
2A and 2B (T468 and I469). Direct all students to prepare information-
gathering questions.
2. (8 minutes) Pair salespeople with customers for Role-Play 2A. Have salespeople leave
room. Distribute Customer Instructions for Role-Play 2A (I33). Explain
and answer any questions.
3. (8 minutes) Assign salespeople complete Role-Play 2A (T468).
4. (5 minutes) Collect customer instructions immediately. After sales interview distribute
Assessment Form 2A (I34) to salesperson; and refer customer to
Assessment Form 2 (T471). Assign completion of assessments and collect.
5. (18 minutes) Complete Role-Play 2B by having students switch roles and follow items
2–4 above (distribute I37 to customer). After sales interview distribute and
assign I38 to salesperson and refer customer toT471.
6. (11 minutes) Discuss student reactions, and assign Sales Memorandums 3A and 3B
(T472 and T473).
MINIMUM CLASS TIME NEEDED TO COMPLETE PART III: 55 minutes
Additional Considerations in Presenting Part III
1. Discuss the importance of preparing and using open-ended, general survey questions. The
tendency will be to ask Specific survey questions immediately. This could result in the
customer feeling interrogated, causing him/her not to open up or share all the information
and buying condition the salesperson needs to make the proper recommendations.
2. Based on the information in the customer instruction, it is very important for the salesperson
to ask a Specific survey question after the General survey question. This will secure all the
information regarding each need. Salespeople should frequently use a confirmation question
to make sure they understand the customer’s needs correctly. To ask accurate confirmation
questions and the summary confirmation question, the salespeople will have to take notes.
These notes will also be used when the salespeople take the test (Assessment Exercises 2A
and 2B) following this role-play.
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3. This role-play provides an excellent opportunity to use a videocassette recorder to illustrate
the ongoing development of relationships. The video will reveal the use of pleasant facial
expressions, enthusiastic voice levels, and hand and arm gestures to emphasize points. The
camera should be set up to view the entire group, with close-ups of individual students. An
optional individual video recording can be made of this role-play. If you have minimal class
time available, students can recreate and videotape this presentation outside of class. Because
of the experience gained in Role-Play 1, the development of general relationship-building
skills will be more evident in Role-Play 2.
4. Remind students that one of their call objectives will be to discover the customer’s buying
needs or conditions. They should not attempt to use Probing or Need-Satisfaction questions
to sell their product during this role-play, even though they will feel an enthusiastic urge to
start selling when their customer indicates something they know they have. Selling at this
point could result in a weak presentation of benefits based on the lack of a strong and
organized demonstration.
5. Use your imagination to apply this role-play to information discussed earlier in your course.
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ROLE-PLAY 2A—Association Accounts Customer’s Instructions
Discovering a Customer’s Buying Strategy
Background Information
You are to assume the customer role of Erin Adkins. You are very active in the YWCA.
Your local YWCA has decided to sponsor a local physical fitness seminar to coincide
with National Fitness Week, and you have been elected chairperson in charge of the meeting.
You telephoned the Park Shores Convention Center and asked them to send out a salesperson,
which recently called on you to talk about your needs for the Association convention meeting.
For this sales meeting, you need a convention center that can meet the following six buying
conditions:
____
I need a meeting facility for a one-day YWCA Physical Fitness Seminar/to fit a budget of $15,000.
____
I want a chicken banquet lunch served at noon for 150 people/for the first Thursday of next month.
____
I need a 3000 sq. ft. room for vendors to display their products/from 3:00 to 7:30 P.M.
____
I need a meeting room that will accommodate 150 people/from 1 to 3 P.M. with theater-style
seating.
____
I also want nonsmoking, single guest rooms for 40 seminar leaders/to stay in the night before.
____
I want a convenient downtown location with a lot of convenient parking.
Role-Play Instructions
1. Allow the salesperson to initiate greetings, sharing of names, handshake, seating (if
appropriate), etc. Discuss relationship if the salesperson seems friendly, interested, and
inquires about you and your background. (See T464), the contact sheet for relationship
information.)
2. Provide individual needs in direct response to the salesperson’s General survey and
Specific survey questions. Where there is a slash mark (see/in first five buying conditions
above), provide the information that precedes the slash mark in direct response to the
General survey question. Provide the information that follows the slash mark in direct
response to the salesperson’s Specific survey question.
3. When your salesperson restates your need with a confirmation question, respond by
saying “yes that is what I want” or a similar phrase following your affirmative answer.
4. When the salesperson summarizes all of your buying conditions with a summary-
confirmation question, respond with “yes, those are all the things I need” or “I think you
understand precisely what I want.”
5. When your salesperson asks to set up a meeting to make a presentation, schedule that
meeting for a week from today at 7:30 A.M. in your office. Your busy schedule won’t
allow you to set it up at any other time. End the meeting with, “I’ll look forward to seeing
your proposal.”
6. Return this form to your instructor. Fill out Assessment Form 2: Customer Strategy on
T471.
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Salesperson’s Name __________________
SALESPERSON’S ASSESSMENT FORM 2A—Association Accounts
DISCOVERING A CUSTOMER’S BUYING STRATEGY
Your Customer
T F
1. Needs a 2000 square foot room.
T F
2. Is planning a meeting for his/her company.
T F
3. Wants double rooms to hold two people each.
T F
4. Wants access to a fax machine.
T F
5. Is scheduling a two-day meeting.
T F
6. Expressed a need for convenient parking.
T F
7. Is scheduling a meeting for the second Thursday of this month.
T F
8. Wants theater-style seating in the meeting room.
T F
9. Wants an evening banquet meal.
T F
10. Will have 150 people at the meeting.
T F
11. Wants a room from 8:15 to 11:15 A.M.
T F
12. Wants a meeting room from 1 to 3 P.M.
T F
13. Has 30 seminar leaders that will stay in your hotel.
T F
14. Wants to stay within a budget of $ 14,000.
T F
15. Wants the 1 to 3 P.M. meeting room for vendors to display products.
T F
16. Needs 10 nonsmoking rooms.
T F
17. Will have 150 people at the banquet meal.
T F
18. Is scheduling this meeting to coincide with National Physical Fitness Week.
T F
19. Needs a meeting room for 10 people.
T F
20. Said they were also visiting with the Embassy Suites Hotel/Convention Center
about the convention.
The four types of questions used in discovering a customer’s buying strategy are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Salesperson’s Name _____KEY__________
SALESPERSON’S ASSESSMENT FORM 2A—Association Accounts
DISCOVERING A CUSTOMER’S BUYING STRATEGY
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ROLE-PLAY 2B—Corporate Accounts Customer’s Instructions
Discovering a Customer’s Buying Strategy
Background Information
You are to assume the customer role of Leigh Combs. You are the Customer Service
Manager for Epic Design Systems, a high-tech computer distributor.
You telephoned the Park Shores Convention Center and asked them to send out the sales
representative, who recently called on you, to talk about the company sales meeting you are
planning. For this sales meeting, you need convention facility that can meet the following six
buying conditions.
____
I need an attractive, conveniently located meeting room to comfortably seat 80
salespeople/classroom-style tables.
____
My sales meeting is scheduled for the first Thursday of next month/from 6 to 9
P.M.
____
I would like to have 80 banquet-style baked chicken dinners/served from 5 to 6
P.M., before the meeting, priced under $ 50, including taxes and gratuities.
____
We need 60 single, spacious guest rooms / with an attractive swimming pool for
my out-of-town salespeople.
____
I will be getting a proposal from the Marriott.
____
I would like to keep the total cost under $14,500.
Role-Play Instructions
1. Allow the salesperson to initiate greetings, sharing of names, handshake, seating (if
appropriate), etc. Discuss relationship if the salesperson seems friendly, interested, and
inquires about you and your background. (See T465, the contact sheet for relationship
information.)
2. Provide individual needs in direct response to the salesperson’s General survey and
Specific survey questions. Where there is a slash mark (see/in the three buying conditions
above), provide the information that precedes the slash mark in direct response to the
General survey question. Provide the information that follows the slash mark in direct
response to the salesperson’s Specific survey question.
3. When your salesperson restates your need with a confirmation question, respond by
saying “yes, that is what I want” or a similar phrase following your affirmative answer.
4. When the salesperson summarizes all of your buying conditions with a summary-
confirmation question, respond with “yes, those are all the things I need” or “I think you
understand precisely what I want.”
5. When your salesperson asks to set up a meeting to make a presentation, schedule that
meeting for a week from today at 12 P.M. in your office. Ask the salesperson to call
Monday morning to confirm the appointment. End the meeting with, “I’ll look forward to
seeing your proposal.”
6. Return this form to your instructor. Fill out Assessment Form 2: Customer Strategy on
T471.
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Salesperson’s Name __________________
SALESPERSON’S ASSESSMENT FORM 2B—Corporate Accounts
DISCOVERING A CUSTOMER’S BUYING STRATEGY
Your Customer
T F
1. Will not be able to spend more than $ $15,000.
T F
2. Needs facilities next month.
T F
3. Wants an Orange Roughy fish dinner
T F
4. Needs a meeting room for 80 people.
T F
5. Need a room next Thursday.
T F
6. Wants to spend less than $50 per meal, including taxes and gratuity.
T F
7. Works for a company called Acme Design Systems.
T F
8. Is setting up a meeting for company accountants.
T F
9. Wants you to secure a VCR for use in the meeting.
T F
10. Asked about parking facilities.
T F
11. Appears to be more interested in price than in high-quality solution.
T F
12. Wants to have each person order off a menu.
T F
13. Wants meal served from 6 to 7 P.M.
T F
14. Wants the meeting rooms reserved from 7 to 9 P.M.
T F
15. Needs guest rooms for 80 people.
T F
16. Wants to put four people in each room.
T F
17. Will also be visiting the Marriott.
T F
18. Wants theater-style seating in the meeting room.
T F
19. Wants a pool available.
T F
20. Has many out-of-town people coming to the meeting.
The four types of questions used in discovering a customer’s buying strategy are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
