Personal Selling

This is the one-on-one relationship between a sales rep and a customer, and is arguably the most successful form of promotion. Personal selling targets the very best Prospects, or potential customers, and provides immediate feedback that can be applied to the marketing strategy as well as the Selling Process. There are 6 steps in a good selling process

Locate Prospects

Sales leads can come from referrals, trade shows, sales records, or Cold Calling.

Contact Prospects

Depending on the potential customer and the nature of the product, contact may be made via a letter, email, in person or over the phone.

Make a Presentation

Many good ideas have been killed by bad presentations. Many bad presentations are the result of poor listening skills.

Address any Objections

Answering questions posed by the prospect will alleviate their concerns and promote better customer service.

Close the Sale

Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale. It’s easier for the average customer to answer a question such as “would you like that delivered?” than to initiate the ordering process.

Follow up

Making sure that the order was delivered on time and/or that the customer is satisfied may mean the difference between a loyal customer and a one-time purchase. Valuable information that can be applied to future marketing campaigns is often learned by following up.