Sales Training Means Business
Copyright 2006 Sherry Harris
You can be a master in producing world-class products and may be
among the best in the business, but that is not enough. You have
to sell the product and anytime and anywhere in the world
convincing a consumer is not an easy task. It is a well-accepted
perception that to sell a product in numbers, product quality is
not always the top priority. It has been observed that a
reasonable product can outnumber a superior product by selling
more units. It may sound harsh but it is a fact and the
corporate world agrees with it. So we can conclude that selling
a product is a craft and sales pundits nurture that and try to
refine it everyday. To attain this craft we have to get sales
training under the supervision of these pundits and
professionals.
In sales training a set of steps are taught that need to be
adhered to sell products. These are:
1. Planning and/or preparation 2. Introduction or opening 3.
Questioning 4. Presentation 5. Overcoming objections/negotiating
6. Close or closing 7. After-sales follow-up
These are the golden rules of sales and followed by all sales
training programs everywhere in the world. After completing
sales training a person can apply these set of rules in his/her
own way. Sales training teaches these rules but how you
implement this rule is up to you.
What else is included in this type of training? In short, the
course should be designed in such a way that any one from any
background can understand and learn the subject. You are taught
the basics of demonstrating a product. The course puts stress on
the psychological aspects too. You may be giving your full when
selling a product but that is not enough. It has to be on the
buyer's mind. The buyer decides to purchase the product, not
you. Thus in the course you learn how to influence your buyer.
If you can do this, then the rest of the transaction is just a
formality.
Salesmen in the entire world more or less follow a similar set
of rules. The idea is learn the rules, then closely follow the
rules and then work on your plan. This is the safest way to sell
your product.
'Sales' is the buzzword in any business. Any businessman in the
world is always fascinated about the sales of his products. If
you are a businessman, then you must be dreaming of increasing
the sales of your product.
As a businessperson, either you are a producer and selling your
products through dealers or simply a seller of the various
products. In any case you are selling products. So we can
conclude that, a sale is an inseparable activity of business.
In the world everything follows a cycle. The cycle is a series
of events linked together in a systematic manner. In business a
cycle also exists. In the business cycle there are different
stages and in a stage there are certain activities. In any
business cycle multiple types of sales happen.
Demand for a product is the first stage of a business cycle.
Demand creates the need for production. The product is produced
and then it goes to market for sale.
A product can be sold in three ways.
1. Sales through various outlets to the consumer directly. 2.
Sales through dealers, retailers and then a secondary sales to
consumer 3. Producer sells the product in the wholesale market.
Many wholesalers purchase the product. A wholesaler sells the
product to a retailer and then the retailer sells the product to
a consumer.
The bottom line is every industry in the world to survive
requires sales. You survey the market; find a product to produce
or sell. You may be a marketing person or from a production
house, in any case the basic criteria for selecting a product
are the selling probability of the product. To sell a product
you have to be a good salesman. Otherwise despite the good
quality of the product you can fall short of the target sales.
Another reason, a sales training course is essential.