Sales

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(Redirected from Salesman)
An example of a salesman

Sales are the activities involved in selling products or services in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity. A salesman is someone who sells products or services, thus generating sales.[1]

Salespeople reach out to contacts that might be interested in purchasing the product or service that their company is selling — prospects that demonstrate interest through actions like visiting the company website or interacting with the company on social media. The goal is to reach out to leads who have shown interest in or fit the description of the company’s target customer, in hopes of providing them with a solution that results in a purchase of your product or service.[2]

Marketing[change | change source]

Sales are closely connected with marketing because they have the same goal. Sales serve as a result and confirmation of the correctness of the company's marketing work.[3]

Sales are more practical than theoretical. Sales theory certainly exists as the recommended stages of the sales process, and continues to develop.[4] The concept of sales is included as a basic in many other modern terms and business systems.

Many big companies have some problems with their sales and marketing departments.[5]

Handling objection[change | change source]

A sales objection is an explicit expression by a buyer that a barrier exists between the current situation and what needs to be satisfied before buying from that particular seller. While selling there will be objections from the buyer which the seller needs to handle wisely without losing the leads.

When a buyer indicates objections, the salesperson does not get discouraged but takes it as a chance to explain the value of the product or service. And if the seller can't persuade them, that's a good sign they're a poor fit. [6]

How to be a successful seller[change | change source]

In order to make sales the seller should be credible, he should earn the trust of his customers. There are 7 basic selling techniques:

  1. Emphasizing Choice - When nearing to closing a deal, the most common problem a seller faces is the dilemma faced by the buyer, whether to buy the product or not. The ability to underline a choice and persuade the buyer to make that choice is a key required skill of a sales person.
  2. Active Listening - It is the best selling techniques a sales person can have in their repertoire. A sale can be made only through a two-way conversation. The seller should keenly listen to what the buyer wants to say, and should make his next move according to that. Active listening helps foster trust between a client and the company, and in turn, that trust helps build relationships that can be integral to your business for years.
  3. Warm Calls - This is an alternative selling technique for cold calls, which is both impractical and have been proven not to work. Warm calls takes into account the importance of subjective calling. Warm calls target prospective clients who are more likely to be receptive to your sales call. They include people who have reached out for information, people you’ve met at industry events, and people others have referred to you.
  4. Stories with Contrast - Selling techniques that rely solely on extolling the features and benefits of a particular product or service are less effective than selling techniques that emphasize the contrast between a product and its competitors. Drawing parallels between competing products can help set your company apart from the rest of the pack. Customers like contrast; they like authoritative reasons why your company is the better choice.
  5. Using Referrals - This is a method to draw in new potential customers. With any clients you currently have, encourage them to submit referrals that you can use in upcoming sales calls. Being able to point to the positive experiences of other clients is a great way of demonstrating the legitimacy of your product or service. People will instinctively feel more comfortable making a purchase if they’ve been given evidence that the product comes highly recommended.
  6. Being Consistent - Consistency in actions, efforts, and performance is one of the essential traits of a successful salesperson. Maintaining a consistent and dependable approach to sales entails making sure that one's actions and tactics are foreseeable and dependable. Building trust with clients and customers requires consistency since it shows dependability and professionalism. A reliable salesperson keeps their word, fulfils obligations, and consistently reaches or beyond sales goals. They create routines and procedures that allow them to prospect, qualify leads, and contact clients on a regular basis. Successful salespeople cultivate long-lasting connections, encourage customer loyalty, and produce long-lasting sales outcomes by remaining consistent in their sales approach.
  7. Adapting to Change - A good salesperson must also have the flexibility to evolve with a dynamic work environment. Emerging technologies, industry trends, and client preferences all have an impact on how business is performed, resulting in a continually changing sales landscape. A salesperson must be adaptable, responsive, and open-minded in order to adapt to change. To keep ahead of the competition, they must be eager to adopt new approaches, tools, and strategies. Salespeople that are successful are fast to spot changes in customer behaviour, business trends, or market conditions and modify their strategy accordingly. They have the capacity to pick up new abilities, including understanding digital sales strategies or using social media platforms for engagement and prospecting. Successful salespeople maximise their potential by embracing change and positioning themselves as market leaders.

Methods[change | change source]

There are many classifications of sales:

  • Wholesale and retail sales
  • Sales in the B2B and B2C segment
  • Active sales
  • Direct sale
  • Multilevel marketing
  • "Short" and "long" sales
  • Mobile sale
  • Sale of goods and services
  • Industry sales: food, building materials, etc.
  • Live Auctions
  • Spot bid sales
  • Retail sales
  • Agency Sales
  • Consultative Sales

References[change | change source]

  1. Hart, Meredith. "What Is Sales? A Quick Guide [+ Examples]". blog.hubspot.com. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  2. "5 best practices for sales opportunity management". Method. 2018-04-17. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  3. "What is the Meaning of Sales & Marketing and Their Advantages?". Tenfold. 2017-07-19. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  4. Paul H. Selden (December 1998). "Sales Process Engineering: An Emerging Quality Application". Quality Progress: 59–63.
  5. "Ending the War Between Sales and Marketing - Sponsored by SAS - Harvard Business Review". 2014-08-19. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  6. Blount, Jeb (2018). Objections: The Ultimate guide for mastering the art and science of getting past no.