Page 519 - Foundations of Marketing

486 Part 6 | Promotion Decisions

departments manage leads, track customers, forecast sales, and assess performance. A sales-
person with a lot of information about a prospect is better equipped to develop a presentation
that precisely communicates with that prospect.

Approach

The approach —the manner in which a salesperson contacts a potential customer—is a criti-
cal step in the sales process. In more than 80 percent of initial sales calls, the purpose is to
gather information about the buyer’s needs and objectives. Creating a favorable impression
and building rapport with prospective clients are important tasks in the approach because the
prospect’s first impressions of the salesperson are usually lasting ones. During the initial visit,
the salesperson strives to develop a relationship rather than just push a product. Indeed, com-
ing across as a “salesperson” may not be the best approach because some people are put off by
strong selling tactics. The salesperson may have to call on a prospect several times before the
product is considered. The approach must be designed to deliver value to targeted customers.
If the sales approach is inappropriate, the salesperson’s efforts are likely to have poor results.
One type of approach is based on referrals, as discussed in the section on prospecting. The
salesperson who uses the “cold canvass” approach calls on potential customers without prior
consent. This approach is decreasing. Social media is becoming more typical in gaining the initial
contact with a prospect. Repeat contact is another common approach: when making the contact,
the salesperson mentions a previous meeting. The exact type of approach depends on the salesper-
son’s preferences, the product being sold, the firm’s resources, and the prospect’s characteristics.

Making the Presentation

During the sales presentation, the salesperson must attract and hold the prospect’s attention,
stimulate interest, and spark a desire for the product. Salespeople who carefully monitor the
selling situation and adapt their presentations to meet the needs of prospects are associated
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with effective sales performance. Salespeople should match their influencing tactics—such
as information exchange, recommendations, threats, promises, ingratiation, and inspirational
appeals—to their prospects. Different types of buyers respond to different tactics, but most
respond well to information exchange and recommendations, and virtually no prospects
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respond to threats. The salesperson should have the prospect touch, hold, or use the product.
approach The manner in If possible, the salesperson should demonstrate the product or invite the prospect to use it.
which a salesperson contacts a Automobile salespeople, for example, typically invite potential buyers to test-drive the vehicle
potential customer that interests them. Audiovisual equipment and software may also enhance the presentation.

Marketing Debate

Virtual versus Face-to-Face Sales Presentations

ISSUE: Are online sales presentations and meetings presentation virtually. This requires additional training
as effective as face-to-face? for a company’s sales force. The salesperson cannot
always see the customer, and the customer cannot
Virtual online sales presentations have been touted as touch the product. On the other hand, virtual sales
a better alternative to face-to-face sales presentations presentations can eliminate long travel times, can be
due to their convenience. Yet in reality, they come with sent to a large number of prospects simultaneously,
their own set of challenges. Virtual sales presentations and can be viewed from a location of the prospect’s
require an adequate bandwidth, and users must be choosing.
b
familiar with the technology to create an effective sales

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