Salesmanship is an act persuading the prospective buyer to buy to commodity or services. It involves that process of convincing prospective customers about the superiority of the product, so as to persuade them to purchase them. Thus, it refers to the sincere and skillful presentation of accurate information about the products by the salesman to those who are in need of these products in such a ways as to effects a sale such products.
Salesmanship is different from selling. The word selling is
used in a much narrower sense and denotes the act of transferring the ownership
of goods or services to a buyer. This is a very easy task. But the scope of
salesmanship is much wider than that. It is the process of convincing a
prospective customer about the desirability of some article, service or idea
and persuading him to buy or accept it. In the modern days selling has become
the most important activity of any business.
The success of a business depends upon effective and
efficient selling. But effective selling has become a difficult problem.
Selling over the counter is not enough to ensure success. It is only giving
what the buyer wants.
Demand and markets have to be newly created. In order to do
this, the salesman requires a scientific approach to the problem. They must
know the art of salesmanship. True salesmanship does not mean selling at any
cost. Selling by using high pressure tactics or buying playing on the ignorance
of customers is not true salesmanship. Selling in this way is not only
ethically wrong but it also harms the reputation of the business in the long
run. Therefore, true salesmanship means persuading a prospective customer by
sound and factual agreements in such a manner that he is really convinced of
the quality of the product and the desirability of buying it and not merely
carried away by the flood of arguments. Therefore, importance of salesmanship
need not be stressed too much. It is very valuable not only to manufacturers
and the various middle men but also to the consumers and the entire community
as well. The benefits that accrue to them are given as:
A true salesman acts as a friend and a guide of the
consumers and supporter and aid of the producer.
Salesmanship has made large scale production feasible and
profitable.
It has helped the producer to reduce to the cost of
production and made the goods available at a much lower price.
It widens the market for the goods of the producers.
It increases the rate of stock turnover. This helps to
eliminate or minimize the chances of economic stagnation.
It increases the employment by increasing the business
activities and thus increases the income of the community.
It helps the consumers to consume those goods which will
best satisfy their wants. Thus, salesmanship has become the lubricating oil for
the wheels of trade, commerce and industry.
Salesmanship is a highly skilled profession. Therefore it
demands a very high degree of efficiency and good qualifications. The pioneers
of salesmanship have framed certain principles. An intelligent salesman should
try to study these principles, put them into practice and improve his weakness.
Though it is difficult to lay down precisely the qualities that will exactly
fit all types of salesman, he can lay down some common requisites of a
successful salesman. They are Knowledge of self and one’s own sales
personality. They are knowledge of one’s product and its utility. Knowledge of
one’s firms its philosophy and its policies. Knowledge of one’s customers,
their nature, temperament etc. Knowledge of techniques of selling goods. The
duties and responsibilities of a good sales people are…
The main function of a salesman is to affect sales, increase
sales and maintain the reputation of the firm.
He should be honest and loyal to his employers as well as to
his customers.
He should act as a guide and a friend of his customers.
He should attend to the complaints of his customers
immediately and redress their grievance as early as possible.
He should take keen interest in sales promotional
activities.
If he is a travelling salesman, he should prepare a tour
program plan every month and cover the area allotted. He should collect the
bills from his customers if the goods have been sold on credit. He should
prepare daily and weekly report and send the same to his superiors.
He should collect information about the creditworthiness of
the customers and send the same to his superiors for further action. He should
attend the meeting conducted by his employer for intensifying the sales
promotional activities and for discussing such other problems concerning the
business of the organization. All such activities are depends upon the size of
the industry, the manufacturing capacity of products and type of industries.
But selling strategies are same considering the terms and conditions, policy
and activities of the company.
SALES TIPS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! TIME TO EXPLORE!
Your professional selling skills training focuses primarily
on two activities: getting up to the bat more often, and improving your batting
average.’ Getting up to the bat’ is defined as a quality sales call. ‘Improving
your batting average is closing the sale, or getting a commitment to an action
that leads directly to a close.
These selling practices enrich yours customers, your sales
people and shareholders/directors. They are based on the consultative nature of
the sales person’s job. Any company salesperson, or his successor, has a
continuing relationship with the customer, particularly after the initial sale
has been made. This approach is the persuasive teaching of customers--- with
the customer’s doing 80% of the talking—to own what is being sold. This is very
persuasive and effective, yet it is low key. It can be learned and used by
anyone and is not reliant on the salespersons personality.
The great and strong strength of any company is its Sales
Forces. A great company has built its business through different selling
strategies and activities, legions of salespeople, like you, have imaginatively
solved maintenance problems, giving the customer an economic value far in
excess of their investment. Company will develop a rich legacy of consultative
selling skills. The following written sales tips and activities and selling
practices, captures our selling legacy, yet modernizing our approaches for the
competitive realities of today. The following program me was built by me
(sales/marketing/business consultant) and is designed so you can reach even
higher level of customer service, enhance your professionalism, and earn more
money.
The material teaches and reinforces selling strategies and
techniques in every page. Although it is recommended that you studied the
program approximately in the way it is arranged.. And as it is introduced to
you over time.. You can study any content area independently. You can literally
pick up your text at any page for any activities. Throughout this program
activities selling techniques are illustrated with suggested approaches. These
are suggestions. Please adopt them to your own style. However, do not fall in
to the trap of replacing these approaches with ineffective, but comfortable
technique. A sales person provides an important business and societal-
beneficial function. You materially lower your customer’s overall costs of
doing business. Our skills, in combination with selling skills and enormous
support, speed assembly reduce scrap, prevent downtime, providing good product
and improve your customer’s ability to compete. So, in a very real sense you
are selling money. That is an easy sell, if the customer is educated to the
savings. The educational process is a challenging job of the professional
salesperson. You must overcome the barriers of ignorance, unawareness or being
unconvinced (note: do not interrupt “Ignorance” as lacking intelligence. You
customers are smart they just may not know the total capabilities of your
selling skills/company) the education process also requires problem
identification accurate solution selection product demonstration application,
benefits quantification, and test or trial. These and other steps have to be
performed by you.
YOUR SELLING TIPS.
Consequently, the customer is buying you, the professional,
consultative salesperson, as much as he is buying the money saving you are able
to give your customers these benefits, and more, because of the quality and
integrity of your products your company, your people and solution.
Please study and practice the content of this program every
day. This will strengthen your ability to handle objections, improve your
listening skills develop your business, increase your customer base and closing
skills, and so on.
Suggestions for program improvements and good selling ideas
to add are always welcome. Your comments are welcome.
Great article
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