Prerequisites of Sales
What are the prerequisites of sales?
There exists preceding information to a sales operation. This information should be known and present before the first stage of sales begin. Without these information the sales operation can not begin. In order for a sale to begin a customer who is in need should be present and for the sales visit to happen some preliminary work on the content of the visit should be made. These elements form the prerequisites of sales.
Firstly, in order for a sale to happen potential customers should be present. Finding these potential customers is an important part of sales. Potential customers for a sales operation can only be reached through the resource creating activities. These activities contribute to the acquirement of new customers. These activities can be classified in three categories: referencing, portfolio and field search.
- Referencing is important because getting feedback from satisfied customers plays an important role for both the salesperson and the potential customers. References can be acquired through the positive experiences of the customer and the trust relationship between the customer and the salesperson.
- Portfolio is important because the sales activities in previous fields serves as examples for the new sales field.
- In field search, the salesperson should pay visits to other potential customers located in the same area as their currently existing customers. Referencing the current customers new potential customers can be reached.
Secondly, in order for a sale to happen, the customer should have money, authority and need (MAN).
Money
Authority
Need
Without one of them, the sales cannot begin. However, most importantly, the customer should have the need. The salesperson should have the ability to help the customers recognize their needs. This can be done by asking them questions and leading them to the fact that they need something based on these questions. When the need is fully recognized the salesperson should make the customer approve of their need. The important thing in here is that, the customer should find their needs on their own and the solution to their needs as well. The customer should understand that this need can only be resolved with the help of the particular product.
Finally, after finding a customer and locating the needs explicitly, the sales visit should be planned. The content of the visit should be decided. This is called the focus of the presentation. In this step, the information that will be given to the customer in a visit is decided. The focus of the presentation should be individual specific. The relation between the product and the customer should be stated explicitly. It is important to know that the customers buy any product based on its benefit to them. The medium of the presentation focus is also important. Through which up-to-date communication platform the message will be sent should be chosen carefully. Moreover, the salespeople using their own words is important. The visit to the customer should be made after the planning of the presentation and identifying the customers’ needs. Another part of the planning period is identifying the purposes of the visit. This is done in relation to how the customer should behave after the visit. In this, the salesperson should follow “the SMART rule”. SMART are the qualities of the goals of a salesperson. SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, agreed on, realistic and time specific goals.
Specific goals stand for the precision and diligence of the goal.
Measurable goals are the goals in which the change can be measured.
Agreed on goals are goals in which what the customer should be doing is identified clearly.
Realistic goals are the goals which can be reached in every visit.
Time specific goals mean that the time period in which the goal will be reached is determined.
It is important to note that sales can happen anywhere. So, there is no need for reservations or fancy dinners. Salesperson should try to catch opportunities. Studies show that a short, momentary, well-planned visit performs better than long, appointed visits (16%) and at-lunch sale appointments (20%).
References:
Satış Teknikleri, Brisa Akademi, https://portal.brisaakademi.com.tr/Elearning/
Müşteri Odaklı Satış, Brisa Akademi, https://portal.brisaakademi.com.tr/Elearning/
Müşteri Odaklı Satış V2, Brisa Akademi, https://portal.brisaakademi.com.tr/Elearning/
https://www.flaticon.com/authors/payungkead
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