CHAPTER 9
Begin Your Presentation Strategically
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. THE CORE PRINCIPLE: THE APPROACH
A. First seek to understand, then to be understood.
1. Salespeople should understand the customer’s needs in order to
suggest solutions.
B. Care shown at the beginning of the conversation allows you to proceed
II. WHAT IS THE APPROACH?
A. For the salesperson, the approach refers to the time from when the buyer is first
seen to when the salesperson begins to discuss the product.
B. The approach is the third step in the selling process, but it’s the first step in the
sales presentation.
C. Many approach techniques are available; it is very important to choose the right
one.
III. THE RIGHT TO APPROACH
A. You have to prove you are worthy of the prospect’s time and serious attention.
1. Justify your right to sell your product to the prospect by showing him how
your product will benefit him (and his company).
B. You may earn the right to his attention in a number of ways:
1. By exhibiting specific product or business knowledge.
2. By expressing a sincere desire to solve a buyer’s problem or satisfy a need.
4. By displaying a service attitude.
IV. THE APPROACH – OPENING THE SALES PRESENTATION
A. Your attitude during the approach. Cope with stress by:
1. Using creative imagery.
2. Asking yourself questions.
B. Why are first impressions important
1. Thin-slice judgments: Our decisions or judgments about someone or
something occur automatically
a. Customers are automatically and quickly judging the salesperson.
2. Appearance.
3. Attitude.
C. How to make a good first impression
1. Preparation
3. Dress
5. Manners
D. Approach techniques and objectives
1. Approach techniques are grouped into three categories:
a. Statement.
b. Demonstration.
2. Choice of approach technique depends on sales presentation method
selected and the situation
3. Three objectives of the statement or demonstration approach techniques
are:
a. To capture the attention of the prospect.
b. To stimulate the prospect’s interest.
c. To provide a transition into the sales presentation.
E. Small talk warms ‘em up. In most sales calls the approach consists of two parts:
1. The “small talk” or rapport building phase.
2. Planned, formal selling technique used as a lead-in to the upcoming
discussion of the product.
F. The situation determines the approach
1. The situation you face determines which approach technique you use to
begin your sales presentation.
2. Some common situational variables are:
a. The type of product you are selling.
b. Whether or not this is a repeat-call on the same person.
c. Your degree of knowledge about the customer’s needs.
d. The time you have for making the sales presentation.
e. Whether the customer is aware of a problem.
3. Avoid the temptation to over-hype your product. This will only create
problems down the road.
4. Use of questions in your approach is preferable to statements or
demonstrations.
a. Questions allow you to uncover needs, whereas statements and
demonstrations are appropriate when you assume knowledge of the
prospect’s needs.
V. BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR APPROACH
A. In some instances, you will need to adapt immediately to the buyer and situation
B. Be prepared to make changes in your approach and the overall presentation.
C. Openings with statements.
1. Introductory approach – needed when meeting a prospect for the first time.
2. Complimentary approach – stimulates interest and goodwill.
3. Referral approach – the use of someone’s name that your prospect respects.
5. Agenda statements
a. Allows salesperson to be respectful of the customer’s
b. time and schedule
c. Agenda: a plan or a brief framework of the goals of the meeting or
the targeted discussion areas
d. Use customer-focused language in agenda
6. Using an agenda to overcome existing issues
a. Ensure buyer’s attention is not focused on a business issue you have
not identified.
b. Ask if any critical issues exist that need to be discussed
VI. Opening with questions.
A. Multiple questions approach (SPIN) – ask questions to determine:
1. Step 1 – the prospect’s general situation as it relates to your product.
2. Step 2 – specific problems, dissatisfactions, or difficulties perceived by the
prospect relative to your situation question.
3. Step 3 – the implication of the prospect’s problems, or how a problem
affects various related operational aspects of a home, life, or business.
5. The product is not mentioned in the SPIN approach.
6. Questions added to SPIN
a. Needs-summary section
b. Needs prioritization section
B. Customer-benefit approach – asking the prospect a question that implies that the
product will benefit him.
1. Should carefully be constructed to anticipate the buyer’s response.
C. Curiosity approach – make the prospect curious about your product.
D. Opinion approach – ask the prospect for his opinion on your products.
E. Shock approach – the use of a question phrased to make the prospect think
seriously about a subject related to your product.
2. Information is often not known by customers. Salesperson is bringing
customer valuable knowledge to consider their existing situation.
VII. USING QUESTION RESULTS IN SALES
A. Asking questions is an excellent technique for:
1. Obtaining information from the prospect.
3. Increasing prospect participation.
B. The nondirective question begins with who, what, where, when, how or why
C. The direct question requires a short answer – usually “yes” or “no.”
D. The rephrasing question allows the salesperson to better clarify what the prospect
means.
E. The redirect question.
F. Three rules for using questions:
1. Carefully plan your question
3. Listen actively
VIII. IS THE PROSPECT STILL NOT LISTENING?
A. Quickly hand or show him the product.
B. Ask him a question.
C. Demonstration opening.
1. Product approach – the salesperson silently hands the prospect his product
and waits for the prospect to start the conversation.
2. Technology in the demonstration – Technology incorporated in the
approach can be a powerful attention getter.
3. Showmanship approach – doing something unusual to capture the
prospect’s attention (example: dropping a new “unbreakable” china platter
to demonstrate durability).
IX. TRANSITOINS: MAINTAIN CONVERSATIONAL FLOW
A. Link two ideas or sections of the conversation. For instance, how do you
eloquently