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CHAPTER 11

CONTENTS OF THE SALES

TRAINING PROGRAM: SALES
KNOWLEDGE AND THE
SELLING PROCESS

Copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The training of a salesperson makes all the difference between a
successful sales career and an unsuccessful one. This chapter
should help you understand:
 The connection between training and learning.
 The importance of sales knowledge and how such knowledge
is developed.
 The use of computer technology to make the salesperson’s job
easier and to provide better customer service.
 That persuasive communication is a fundamental aspect of
sales skills development.
 The selling process as a vital tool for the salesperson and the
importance of each step.
 That quality customer service is a necessity.
 The research that reinforces the sales success strategies
discussed in this chapter.
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 SHOULD IT BE CALLED
TRAINING OR EDUCATION?

Learning is a relatively permanent change

in behavior occurring as a result of
experience. Training is included in one’s
experiences. Thus, training is part of an
individual’s total learning experience.

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FIGURE 11.1 THE LEARNING PROCESS INVOLVED IN TRAINING THE
INDIVIDUAL SALESPERSON
O r ga n iz a tio n a l T r a i n i n g ’s
T ra in in g L ea r n i n g
Input O b j e ct i v es I n d i v i d u a l L ea r n in g
P la n n in g S a les
N e ed s A s s e s s m e n t K n o w l ed g e

O r ga n iz in g
T r a i n i n g M et h o d s S a l es
T r a in i n g P la ce S k ills
- C la ssr o om
- O n th e J ob
T r a i n i n g F a ci l i t y A ttitu d e tow a r d
T r a i n i n g F r e q u en c y T r a in in g
- S a l es M ee t i n g s

S t a f fi n g I n t en ti o n to O TJ
W h o T ra in s U se T r a in in g B eh a v i o r

D i r e ct i n g
T r a in in g C u ltu r e O TJ
H a b its
E v a lu a ti n g
Q u a n tita ti v ely
Q u a l i ta ti v el y

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 RELATIONSHIP OF TRAINING
TO LEARNING
ON-THE-JOB BEHAVIOR
The positive attitude and the OTJ
experience result in the trainee:
1. Being receptive to new information.
2. Looking forward to future training.
3. Possibly seeking new training.
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Operational and behavioral information:

Operational learning involves sales knowledge

development such as new procedures, new
product information, how to call in orders, new
territorial forms to complete, new technology,
and changes in the financial incentive program.

Behavioral training involves the sales skills

development area.

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 SALES KNOWLEDGE
DEVELOPMENT
• Company knowledge.
• The sales role.
• Product knowledge.
• Prices.
• Advertising and sales promotion.
• Channels of distribution.
• Customers.
• Competition, industry, and economy.
• Territorial management skills.
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PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
Product knowledge may include these technical
details:

• Performance data.
• Physical size and characteristics.
• How the product operates.
• Specific product features, advantages, and
benefits.
• How well the product is selling in the
marketplace.

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CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION
Some important information salespeople need
includes:
• The likes and dislikes of each channel
member’s customers.
• The product lines and assortment each one
carries.
• When each member sees salespeople.
• Each member’s distribution, promotional,
and pricing policies.
• What and how much of a product each has
purchased in the past.
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KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Several reasons to train salespeople to use
a PC are:
• More effective management of sales leads and
better follow-through on customer contacts.
• Improves customer relations due to more
effective follow-ups.
• Improves organization of selling time.
• Provides more efficient account control and
better time and territorial management.

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Several reasons to train salespeople to use
a PC are: continued

• Increases number and quality of sales calls.

• Improves speed and accuracy in finishing and
sending reports and orders to the company.
• Helps develop more effective proposals and
persuasive presentations.

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SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
ENHANCEMENT

Computers are at the heart of salespeople’s ability

to provide top-quality customer service by
receiving and sending out information efficiently.

Technology not only helps salespeople increase

their productivity but also allows them to gather
and access information more efficiently.

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PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY
Contact Management – A listing of all the
customers contacts a salesperson makes in the
course of conducting business.
Calendar Management – The management of
time.
Automated Sales Plans, Tactics, and Ticklers –
Sales strategies often involve a sequence of
events that can be identified and plotted.

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PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY continued

Geographic Information Systems – Allows

salespeople to view and manipulate customer and
prospect information on an electronic map.
Computer-Based Presentations – The computer
can be a powerful presentation tool.

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COMMUNICATIONS WITH CUSTOMERS
AND EMPLOYER

Today's most popular sales force automation

systems involve:

• Word processing.
• Electronic mail.
• Fax capabilities and support.

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CUSTOMER ORDER PROCESSING AND
SERVICE SUPPORT

The process of obtaining, generating, and

completing an order is much more complicated
than it may seem.

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Salespeople’s Mobile Offices

Salespeople have begun installing small offices

directly into vehicles such as minivans.

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E-COMMERCE AND THE SALES FORCE

An Internet site can be a help to salespeople in

servicing and selling customers.

•Builds customer loyalty.

• Saves customers money.
• Speeds the sales process.
• Improves relationships.
• Lowers sales costs.
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GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY
The ability to access information anywhere is a
valuable asset.

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 SALES SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Involves two key elements:

1. Persuasive communications.
2. The selling process.

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Several main persuasive communication
skills are:
•Talking about product benefits to the
prospect rather than the product’s features
and advantages.
• Nonverbal body language – learning to
recognize a buyer’s nonverbal signs and how
to send out positive nonverbal body signals.
• Questioning or probing skills and courses in
listening.
• Using visual aids, drama, and demonstrations
in the sales presentation.
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 THE SELLING PROCESS

Most sales trainers believe logical,

sequential steps do exist that, if followed,
can greatly improve the chance of making
a sale.

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FIGURE 11.2 THE SALES PROCESS

P r o s p e c tin g

P re a p p ro a c h
(P r e c a ll P la n n in g )

A p p ro a c h

P a r tic ip a tio n P e rs u a s iv e C o m m u n ic a tio n

D e m o n s tr a tio n P r e s e n ta ti o n P ro o f
D ra m a tiz a tio n V is u a liz a tio n

T ria l C lo s e

D e te r m in e O b je c ti o n s

M e e t O b je c tio n s

T ria l C lo s e

C lo s e

F o llo w -u p a n d S e r v ic e

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Salespeople can ask themselves three
questions to determine if an individual or
organization is a qualified prospect:

1. Does the prospect have the money to

buy?
2. Does the prospect have the authority
to buy?
3. Does the prospect have the desire to
buy?

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TABLE 11.2 POPULAR PROSPECTING METHODS

• Cold canvassing • Public exhibitions and demonstrations

• Endless chain – customer referral • Center of influence

• Orphaned customers • Direct mail

• Sales lead clubs • Telephone and telemarketing

• Prospect lists • Observation

• Get published • Networking

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Referrals are Popular

The prospect pool is a group of names gathered

from various sources. The prospect pool is
usually created from four main sources:

1. Leads
2. Referrals
3. Orphans
4. Customers

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FIGURE 11.3 THE PROSPECT POOL

L ead s

C u s to m e r s

R e fe r ra ls
P ro sp ec t
Pool

O rp h an s

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PREAPPROACH IS PRECALL PLANNING

During the preapproach, the salesperson

investigates the prospect in greater depth and
plans the sales call.

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Reasons for planning the sales call:

• Helps build a salesperson’s self-confidence.

• Develops an atmosphere of goodwill and
trust with the buyer.
• Helps create an image of professionalism.
• Increases sales because people are prepared.

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FIGURE 11.4 STEPS IN PLANNING THE SALES CALL

D e te r m in a tio n o f D e v e lo p m e n t o f D e te r m in a tio n o f D e te r m in a tio n o f

C a ll O b je c tiv e s C u s to m e r P r o fi le C u s t o m e r B e n e f i ts S a l e s P r e s e n ta t i o n

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Developing a Customer Benefit Plan

Step One: Select the features, advantages, and

benefits of the product to present.
Step Two: Develop the marketing plan.
Step Three: Develop a business proposition.
Step Four: Develop a suggested purchase order.

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THE APPROACH – OPENING THE
SALES PRESENTATION

The sales opener, or approach, is the first major

part of the sales presentation.

The first impression is critical to success.

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Approach Techniques are Numerous

• Introductory approach.
• Product approach.
• Customer benefit approach.
• Curiosity approach.

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FIGURE 11.5 THE SALESPERSON’S PRESENTATION MIX IS TYPICALLY
DEVELOPED BY SALES MANAGERS AND TRAINERS

Persuasive
Participation
Communication

The Sales
Presentation
Mix

Demonstration Salesperson Proof

Dramatization Visual Aids

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Stimulus-Response Method
This method assumes that the prospect’s needs
can be stimulated by exposure to the product or
already have been stimulated because the
prospect has sought out the product.
Some of the method’s shortcomings are:

• Talks about product features not important to

buyer.
• Uses same “pitch” for different people.
• Assumes salesperson is in total control.
• Has little prospect participation, making it
difficult to uncover needs.
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Formula Method
The salesperson may use a structured series of
steps such as the AIDA approach.

Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
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Need-Satisfaction Method

The need-satisfaction method is different from

the stimulus-response and the formula approach
in that it is designed as an interactive sales
presentation.

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THE TRIAL CLOSE
The trial close involves checking the prospect’s
attitude toward the sales presentation.

Salespeople may at any time use a trial close like

one of these:
• How does that sound to you?
• What color do you prefer?
• If you bought this, where would you use it in your
business?
• Are these features what you are looking for?
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OBJECTIONS ARE SALESPEOPLE’S
FRIENDS

An objection is opposition or resistance to

information or a request.

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Types of Objections

Real objections are tangible. Prospects will

sometimes give an excuse to keep objections
hidden. Prospects will usually not purchase until
these hidden objections are answered.

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Techniques for Meeting Questions:

• Postponing objections
• Boomerang
• Asking questions

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THE CLOSE

Closing is the process of helping people make a

beneficial decision.

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Closing Techniques

• The compliment
• The summary
• Minor decision
• Assumptive

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 RESEARCH REINFORCES
CHAPTER’S SALES SUCCESS
STRATEGIES
1. Ask questions to gather information and
uncover needs.
2. Recognize when a customer has a real need
and how the benefits of the product or
service can satisfy it.
3. Establish a balanced dialogue with
customers.
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 RESEARCH REINFORCES
CHAPTER’S SALES SUCCESS
STRATEGIES continued

1. Recognize and handle negative customer

attitudes promptly and directly.
2. Use a benefit summary and an action plan
requiring commitment when closing.

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 ADAPTING TO GLOBAL
MARKETS
Five rules for successful selling abroad:
1. Be prepared and do your homework.
2. Slow down.
3. Develop relationships and trust before
getting down to business.
4. Learn the language and its nuances, or get
a good interpreter.
5. Respect the culture.
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 THE BOTTOM LINE
Sales training is now defined as part of a salesperson’s overall
educational experience.
Training can be divided into two categories: operational and
behavioral.
Companies are using and teaching technology more frequently
than ever.
Sales skills development includes two key elements: persuasive
communications and the selling process.
The selling process is usually seen as a series of steps.
The close is the last step in the actual selling process.
Copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.