Basic Selling Skills

Selling is a dynamic and energetic profession which requires a lot of hard work, skill and enthusiasm. As our business and the market place is constantly changing, we frequently need to take a long hard look at ourselves and appraise our operation. In a difficult economic climate, it is the well trained and organised sales people who lead the field. Points that need to be reviewed regularly include: How are we operating in the market place individually and as a team? How effective are we in what we do? Do we really know what the company expects of us? How can we positively contribute to the overall development and increase the sales and profitability of the company? After noting the above mentioned points, there is a need for us to clarify both the areas we are covering and the direction in which we are going. The objectives include: to provide a clear understanding of the performance standards that are required of the sales people in their day to day operation; to be fully competent to carry out a structured selling call and to set standards to utilise all steps and tools; to be able to apply this knowledge in the work environment and ensuring that high standards of performance are maintained; and, overall, to become better organised and effective in both the short and long term business tasks.

Table of Contents:
Basic Selling Skills Need for the Course in Selling Qualities of a Good Salesman Tools of Selling Steps of Selling Journey Planning Detail Work Checklist Territory Checklist Sales Negotiations Planning and Preparation Prior to Sales Calls The customer's role and level of responsibility Establishing the customer's requirements Sales objectives to meet customer's and company's requirements Assessing customer's negotiating stance prior to meeting Prioritising sales negotiation's objectives Identification of all requirements and authorised concessions Identification of potential problems Identification of sales resources necessary Awareness of company objectives Sales proposals within set requirements Establish Conditions Necessary to Successfully Negotiate Sales Identifying customer's needs Identification of customer's constraints Customer's understanding of information given Communication Buying signals Body language Tactful questioning Company, legal and regulatory requirements Opportunities Flexibility in the negotiation approach Formulate Proposals to Agree Terms of the Sale Formulation of proposals Prioritising objectives Authorisation for special concessions Anticipation of problems Identify customer's requirements Changes in customer's requirements Company, legal and statutory requirements Negotiate and Agree Terms of the Sale Overcoming objections Closing the sale Supply of product/service Confirmation of order Legal, regulatory, organisation and statutory requirements Organisational, legal statutory records Legalities of proposals PART I The Regional Sales Manager Training Motivation Control PART II The Sales Manager As the Manager The Task Physical Resources Manpower Deployment The Business Personal Management Planned Use of Time Report Writing Circulars and Bulletins PART III The Sales Manager as the Standard Setter Appearance Car Enthusiasm Firmness Honesty Fairness Knowledge Patience Time Keeping Organisation and Planning Administration Behaviour Loyalty Attitude, Needs and Motivation Mcgregor's Theory X and Y Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Motivation to Work PART IV The Sales Manager As the Trainer The Structured Call Framework Steps of Selling Tools of Selling Planning & Preparation House Check Presentation Closing the Sale Types of Close Merchandising Records Principles of Training The Purpose of Training Training Programmes Initial Training Team Spirit Control of the Sales Team Sales Audit Accompaniment Training Techniques Personal Development with Carlsberg Tetley as an Example PART V Sales Meetings What is a Sales Meeting How to Construct a Sales Meeting Running the Meeting Questioning Techniques Techniques for Delivering

About the Author :
Claudio Vignali joined Leeds Metropolitan University in September 2003 and is the Arnold Ziff Chair in Retail Marketing Management. He has written a plethora of articles and book on retailing subjects. One of his latest text books, Customer Satisfaction, was co-written with Professor Vranesevic of Zagreb University, received the Croatian prize for "best works 2003". He is the case study editor for the British Food Journal, co-editor for the International Journal of Management Cases and is on the editorial board for International Entrepreneurship, the American Journal of Food Product Marketing and ZVONO, a Croatian marketing journal. Prior to joining Leeds Met, Claudio Vignali worked at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) for 12 years, where he led a number of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and was the head of the Consumer section for taught programmes and research in the Faculty of Food, Clothing and Hospitality Management. He also studied at MMU for an MPhil in Consumer Behaviour and a PhD in Marketing Management. Tihomir Vranesevic, Associate Dean, is Professor of Marketing Research and Marketing Management at the Graduate School of Business & Economics at the University of Zagreb, Croatia and leads the MBA programme. He is a member of the editorial boards of the British Food Journal, International Journal of Management and Trziste (Croatia). He has written about 50 articles and books about marketing, marketing research, customer satisfaction research and management and undertakes consultancy work in these areas. He is also a senior advisor of Accent, a marketing research agency based in Zagreb. Demetris Vrontis is Head of Marketing Department, School of Business, Chair and Director for the Woolworth's Retail Centre. Dr Vrontis studied in the UK and obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Business from the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), a PGCE (HE) from MMU, a MBA (Distinction) from the University of Hull and a PhD in International Marketing from MMU. From 1997 to 2003 he has worked at the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (MMUBS), where he was leading and directing two of the University's postgraduate programmes. Currently, Dr Vrontisis the Head of Marketing Department at Intercollege University and holds the Chair for the Woolworth's Retail Centre.