You've Been Selling All Your Life! Principles of Relationship Selling
Edition: 5
Copyright: 2024
Pages: 156
Edition: 5
Copyright: 2024
Pages: 156
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Welcome to the world of selling, not only products and services but more importantly “Selling Yourself!”
When you asked that first person out for a date—you were selling yourself!
When you applied for that first job—you were selling yourself!
When you sought that first promotion- you were selling yourself!
This book is written by an experienced salesperson who has spent eleven years selling high-end computing equipment.
In the process, the author has won:
“100% Club” honors eleven years In a row.
Ranked in the “Top 10%” of the sales force on three separate occasions.
Sold some $40 million of goods and services
You've Been Selling All Your Life! Principles of Relationship Selling is a straightforward approach to the “Eight Steps” of the sales cycle. It takes a salesperson from understanding “Why People Buy” to “Overcoming Objections” to six techniques for “Closing the Sale.” These are the same techniques that you use for getting that first job interview; asking for that first pay raise and beating out the competition for your first promotion. It all boils down to “Relationship Selling!”
Preface
Acknowledgement
About the Author
CHAPTER 1 You’ve Been Selling All Your Life!
You Began Selling as a Teenager!
Why Consider Sales as a Career?
Are there Any Limitations to “Sales Freedom?”
Is a Sales Career Right for Everyone? No, but …
Selling—A Stressful Occupation
Selling: Another Form of Entrepreneurship
“The Buck Stops Here!”
What Differentiates Successful Entrepreneurs From Successful Salespeople?
Ratio of Talking versus Listening
Is Sales “Luck” or Plenty of Hard Work?
Eight Steps in the Selling Process
Eight Steps of the Selling Cycle
Summary
Questions
CHAPTER 2 Why People Buy!
Introduction
Leads, Prospects, and Customers!
Why People Buy?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
What Does “Maslow’s Hierarchy” Have to Do with Selling? Everything!
Understanding Personality Styles
Regardless of Personality, All People Buy Products
Brand Awareness, Brand Preference, Brandy Loyalty, and Brand Equity
Underpromise! Overachieve!
Consumer versus Industrial Goods
Summary
What’s Next? Prospecting
Questions
CHAPTER 3 Prospecting
Sales Scenario
What Is Prospecting?
Why Prospect?
What Happens to Client?
When Starting or Refilling a "Pipeline," Ask Yourself These Questions?
When Does Prospecting Begin? Immediately!
Value of an Installed Base
Source of Prospecting
Social Media
#1 - Facebook
#2 - YouTube
#4 - Instagram
#6 - TikTok
#14 - Pinterest
#15 - Twitter, Now X
LinkedIn
Summarize: Social Media
Friends/Relatives
Corporate/Industrial Prospecting
Referrals/Networking
Annual Reports
Trade Shows
Follow-up Trade Show Leads
Direct Mail
Trade Publications
Local Public Library
Manufacturers Register and Industrial Databases
Business Directories (by State)
Summary: Prospecting
Questions
CHAPTER 4 Pre-Approach
Results of Prospecting
Typical Selling Day!
Actual Selling Time?
Time-Thieves?!
Identifying Your “Top 20” Prospects
Identify the Two Purposes of Pre-Approach
Pre-Approach
How Do You Confirm Your “Top 20” Prospects?
Marketwatch.com and Google.com/Finance
Hughes Supply Corp. Orlando, Florida
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Summary
The Next Step
Questions
CHAPTER 5 Approach
Approach Call
Communications and Listening
Communications and Personal Space
Process for Making That First Appointment
Provide a Benefit Statement
Uncovering a Client’s Personal Interests
Adapting Benefit Statements to Personality Styles
Techniques for Reinforcing Learning Goals
Wrap-Up
Summary
What’s Next?
Questions
CHAPTER 6 Qualifying
What Is Qualifying?
Overview: Directed and Open-Ended Questions
Begin Your Sales Call with a Pre-approach: Determine Your Sales Objective
Directed Questions (Close-Ended Question)
Probing or Open-ended Questions
Listening
Sample Qualifying Questions
Flexibility
Half a Loaf!
The New Project
Capital Equipment versus Operating Expense Monies
Wrap-Up
Next Step
Summary
Questions
CHAPTER 7 Sales Presentation/Demonstration
Make or Break Time
Considerations: Presentation versus Demonstration
Presentation
Demonstration
Murphy's Law
Presentation/Demonstration Sites
Product Recommendations: Technical and Pricing Proposals
Be Flexible (There’s That Word Again)
Features, Advantages, and Benefits (FAB)
Product Advantages
Benefit Selling by Personality Style
Gain Commitment—“Little Yes’s”
Involve Your Prospect in a Presentation/Demonstration
Wrap-Up: Presentation/Demonstration
Summary
What’s Next?
Questions
CHAPTER 8 Objections Handling and Trial Closes
Status of Your Sales Call
Overview
Guidelines for Handling Customer Questions/Concerns
Minor Objections
Use “Little Yes’s” to Overcome Objections
Use of Third-Party “Proof Statements”
Client is Skeptical of Your Claims
Outstanding Technical Questions
Resolving Outstanding Technical Issues
Major Objections
Examples: Major Objections
Trial Closes
“He Who Speaks First, Loses!”
Financial Objections
Financial Terminology: Capital versus Operating Expense Budgets
Capital Equipment Objections
Summary
What’s Next?
Questions
CHAPTER 9 Closing Techniques
Concepts of Closing
Knowing When to Close
How Many Times Do You Ask for the Order?
Closing Techniques
Surprise! Financial Objection!
Summary
What’s Next
Questions
CHAPTER 10 Art of Negotiations
Definition of Negotiations
Is There a Better Way?
Motivation: Why People Negotiate
Steps in Successful Negotiations
Negotiating Tactics
Bottom Line: Make It a Win-Win
No Agreement? Maybe Next Time!
Summary
Next Step
Questions
CHAPTER 11 Order Administration
Introduction
Purchase Order Process
Credit Application
Order Entry Process
Purchase versus Lease
Shipment, Delivery, and Receipt of Equipment
Relationship Selling: Building Trust
Assessment
Once Again—Relationship Selling
Summary
What’s next?
Questions
CHAPTER 12 Customer Service = Follow-on Business
Introduction
Carl Sewell's Business Motivation
Sewell Asked Customers "What Are Your Opinions?" Uncover Hidden Objections
Lake Mary Shell
College Teaching
Geek Squad - Best Buy
Publix Grocery Stores
Macy's Department Stores
Dunkin' - Coffee Shop
Cheng’s Chinese Restaurant
Owner of Kia and Chevrolet Dealerships
Service During and After the Sale
Honda Dealer: A Different Story
Chevrolet Dealer: Worse Yet!
COVID-19’s Impact on Store Closings and Services
Airlines and Tourism
Customer Service Today
If Customer Service Does NOT Improve...
Summary
What's Next?
Questions
CHAPTER 13 Ethics in Selling
Ethics
Victory Over Corporate Scandals
Authority, Accountability, Responsibility
Responsibility in Action
Sarbanes–Oxley: Federal Reaction to Unethical Corporate Behavior
Ethics in Selling
Business Law
Uniform Commercial Code: Warranties and Guarantees
Product Liability
Elements of Contract Law
Elements of a “Lawful Contract” Include the Following
Breach of Contract
Summary
Questions
Tom Walker is originally from Wisconsin. He graduated from the US Military at West Point, NY, and served in the US Army for five years, mostly in Germany. He earned a master’s degree in Western European History from Butler University and a Master of Arts degree in Marketing from Webster University.
He spent twenty years working for various companies such as Honeywell Corp., Data General Corp., and Digital Equipment Corp. He held positions in marketing and sales while spending eleven of those years in sales and sales management.
He made sales quota eleven years in a row while earning Top DEC Honors three times (Top 10% of the sales force). He managed accounts for Kennedy Space Center and Harris Corporation; as a sales manager, he was an account manager for the State of Florida.
He spent seven years performing competitive analysis while traveling to Canada, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
He has been teaching at Seminole State College in suburban Orlando, FL for over twenty years in Leadership; Management; Marketing, and Salesmanship. Additionally, he is an advisor to senior students for their final Capstone Project—before their graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Information Management.