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What is LCC in sales. Effective Sales Methods

The success of sales directly depends on the correct approach to a potential buyer. It is no coincidence that employers who work in the field of trade are introducing various employee incentive systems. Those consultants who manage to attract more buyers receive more impressive income. Proper communication with the client is the key to success. There are 5 main stages of sales that every sales assistant should know about.

Stage one - establishing contact

The first impression of a person is the most important. This opinion is indeed justified and applies not only to communication in everyday life. It matters how the store will be presented for the first time in the eyes of a potential buyer. And if the consultant manages to make a good impression, the sales volume will definitely be increased. At the same time, you can not ignore the client or be intrusive. You should choose the "golden mean".

In this business, those who are able to recognize the type of client at a glance become successful. Some potential buyers do not like contacting them, they are sure that they themselves will be able to ask a consultant a question if necessary. Others are waiting for attention to their nature immediately upon arrival at the store. And if the seller does not pay attention to such a client, the impression of the outlet will be negative. All these points should be clearly understood by a successful sales assistant in a clothing, footwear, household appliances, etc. store.

How should a person who works in the field of trade behave? As soon as a potential customer crosses the threshold of the store, you should definitely smile and greet him. Over the next few seconds, you need to evaluate the buyer, to understand whether he needs help. Then you can turn to the client with the question “Is there something to suggest to you?” In case of refusal, in no case should it be imposed.

Also plays an important role appearance store employee. Even the best selling technique of a sales assistant will not work if he looks untidy. The employee of the market must be well-groomed. It is good if the dress code is respected in the store.

Stage two - recognition of needs

A good sales assistant can in any case increase sales and sell goods that are not in demand. However, in this way it will not be possible to establish contact with a potential buyer for long-term cooperation. It is important to find out what exactly the client came for, what he is really interested in. How can I do that? First of all, you need to let the person talk without interrupting him. Active listening is the key to success. The only thing you can do is ask a few clarifying questions. So, if we are talking about shoes, it is worth clarifying what size and color a potential buyer is interested in.

The sales assistant technique involves choosing questions that begin with the words “when?”, “Where?”, “For what purpose?” (for example: “Where do you plan to use this or that shoe model?”). Potential buyers will not be able to answer “yes” or “no” to such questions. He will have to provide detailed information that the seller can use to offer several product options at once. The buyer will certainly be able to choose one of the proposed models.

Most important qualities seller at this stage are: courtesy, friendliness, ability to listen. Patience is a quality that is also of great importance. The seller will have to deal with a variety of buyers. Many of them will find it difficult to formulate their wishes. But statements like “you yourself do not know what you want” in relation to the client are not acceptable.

Stage three - product presentation

If communication with the client went well in the first two stages, the buyer managed to figure out in which direction to proceed further. It is necessary to offer a potential buyer several models of the selected product at once, describe their benefits. Do not persuade a person to a more expensive model. There is a risk that a potential buyer will generally abandon the idea of ​​​​buying goods here and now.

What should be the sales technique of a clothing sales assistant? The specialist found out why the buyer came to the store. Next, you should ask clarifying questions and offer a potential buyer several suitable options. At the same time, it is worth assessing the physical parameters of a person, in no case discussing them aloud. So, you should not offer a woman with impressive forms a tight-fitting mini dress.

Communicating in the client's language is another important step. A person should feel comfortable in the store. If the consultant uses professional slang, calls the product with words unknown to the buyer, then most likely it will not be possible to increase sales. The consultant will be able to show his competence in a completely different way - offering a potential buyer product options that really suit him.

Stage four - questions and objections

Any objections and questions from a potential buyer are a good sign. Such moments should not scare the seller. After all, they show that the client is really interested in purchasing the product. Any questions are steps that lead to a successful completion of the transaction. The task of the seller is to correctly answer any objections, to persuade the client to buy.

Consultants who have learned how to work with objections can consider themselves true masters. Indeed, for this it is necessary not only to have complete information about the product that is being presented, but also to have the skills of a psychologist. It is important to understand the very essence of the buyer's objection in order to find an appropriate answer or offer an alternative product.

"Too expensive!" - this is the objection sellers hear most often. Discussing the cost is a separate moment of successful sales. The consultant must be able to argue the price of a particular model. What should be the sales technique of a phone sales assistant? The specialist should explain that a particular model costs more because it is made in England and not in China. Durable materials were used in its manufacture. The buyer must understand that by buying a cheaper model, he receives only a temporary benefit.

What if the potential buyer agrees with all the arguments of the store specialist, but simply does not have the full amount to purchase the goods now? The sales technique of a sales assistant involves the promotion of not only store products, but also partners. So, almost any outlet cooperates with banks that can issue a loan for a particular product. This information should be provided to a potential buyer.

Stage five - closing the deal

The final stage of sales is the most difficult. The client still doubts whether he should make a purchase, and the seller is afraid of being refused. Now it is important not to step back. In most cases, buyers are waiting to be nudged into action. They already had the product in their hands, and parting with it can be quite difficult. At this stage, you can remind the indecisive buyer that, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the goods can be returned to the store within 14 days. This argument usually goes in favor of the sale. Although in reality no more than 5% of purchases are returned.

Pushing a doubting client into action should be unobtrusive. In this case, the probability that a person wants to return to a particular outlet, increases. It is recommended to further encourage the client - offer him a discount on the next product or issue a discount card.

The success of a consultant directly depends on the chosen sales technique. The 5 stages described above are fundamental. But you should also be aware of the mistakes that most novice sellers make. If you manage to avoid them, your income will increase significantly.

Mistake #1: Not Listening

A seller who knows everything about the product and talks about it in silence will not be able to become successful. To really interest the buyer, you need to let him speak. The client must tell why exactly he came, what he would like to see in the proposed model. In no case should it give the impression that the seller is imposing something on a potential buyer. A consultant is an assistant who guides the client to the right choice.

Listening to the interlocutor, the seller must understand when and how to ask clarifying questions. If a potential client loses interest in communication, this should be noticed. The first 10-15 seconds of contact between the seller and the buyer who has come to the store are the most important. It will be easy to win over the client if you take notes during the meeting and conversation with him. Such a moment necessarily involves the sales technique of a furniture sales assistant. When ordering this or that model, the buyer must be sure that he was understood correctly and in the end he will really get such a sofa (bed, cabinet, wardrobe) that he wants.

Another important rule: if the conversation has reached a dead end, it should be stopped. Aggressiveness and obsession are traits that do not paint the seller. If the buyer receives negative emotions from communication, he will never want to return to the store again.

Mistake Two - Ignore the Buyer's Point of View

Each seller should carefully study the chosen sales technique, the 5 stages of which are described above. The correct presentation of this or that model is a necessity. However, it is worth remembering that the buyer turns to the store, based on their own benefit. He does not always care whether a particular product is the most in demand on the market (this is what most sellers report during the presentation).

Be sure to study the buyer's point of view. A person came to the store to buy cheap shoes? No need to dissuade him and report that economical models do not last long. The client himself knows what is more profitable for him. The footwear sales assistant's sales technique should include the presentation of models from various price categories.

Mistake three - to convince, not to explain

Beginning salespeople are confident that they will be able to increase profits if they drive the buyer into a corner, describe all the benefits of a particular product and achieve a purchase. It is possible that on the way of such consultants there will be weak clients who will nevertheless bring the deal to the end. But even such buyers will not want to return to the store again.

In no case should the seller aggressively convince the client that this or that product is the most beneficial for him. All that needs to be done is to argue the real benefit for the buyer. The sales technique of a sales assistant should include polite communication, clarification of the client's desires. If a person does not make contact, it is impossible to impose. Only if the buyer is really interested in the product and asks questions, it is worthwhile to honestly explain to him why it is worth making a purchase.

Mistake #4: Underestimating the Buyer's Intelligence

When a sales assistant comes to a clothing store for the first time, he does not know how to behave with potential customers. All the people who visit the outlet seem exactly the same. At the same time, many inexperienced sellers may underestimate the capabilities of the client. A consultant who talks about the benefits of acquiring a particular dress to a stylist looks rather funny. A successful seller must be able to evaluate buyers almost at a glance. This will avoid a funny situation.

Overestimating the mental capabilities of a potential buyer is another big mistake. When a consultant begins to operate with professional words that are not clear to everyone, a person feels his own incompetence in this matter. It’s good if the client is not embarrassed, wants to ask again and still makes contact. Many buyers decide to end the conversation if the information provided is not clear to them.

Active offer of additional services

How else can you interest a potential buyer? Should be actively promoted additional goods and services. The possibility of obtaining a particular product on credit has already been mentioned earlier. Additionally, you can offer the buyer to insure the purchase. This service is especially relevant in mobile communication salons. Perhaps the client will agree to purchase a more expensive smartphone if he is told that he can be insured against falls or theft.

What products can be additionally offered in clothing stores? It will be possible to increase sales very well with the help of various accessories. If the buyer came for trousers, you can offer him a belt or socks. Neckerchiefs and tights are also on sale. More income can be obtained if preparations for sales have been made correctly. Related products should be placed side by side on the shelves. Clothing stores also do well with additional services, such as a discount on dry cleaning, tailoring, and the possibility of delivering goods.

Client base

Those who decide to devote their lives to sales should start their own customer base. All you need to do is save the buyer's data when making a transaction. In the future, using the specified number or email, you can notify the client about the arrival of a new product or discounts on old products. Such tactics must necessarily include the sales technique of a sales assistant of household appliances. A person who bought a refrigerator will sooner or later need a microwave or a slow cooker. In addition, any technique eventually fails. In addition, the client can tell about the possible benefits to his relatives and friends. In this case, sales will grow exponentially.

Even more effective will be direct contact with the client through phone call. During the conversation, you can interest a potential buyer with new promotions and great deals. In this case, it is also important not to impose. Already from the first seconds of communication, a professional sales assistant must understand whether the conversation is interesting to the client.

Anyone can become a successful salesperson. The main thing is not to despair and try to correct the mistakes made. It is also important to choose the right field of activity. So, a woman who is not well versed in automotive technology, most likely, will not be able to achieve great success in an auto parts store. Also, a male sales assistant is not the best option for a women's underwear salon.

Introduction

Sales is a process in which the seller exchanges his goods for the buyer's money. Sales are the final stage of the business cycle of a commercial company, and themselves consist of several stages. Sales stages represent a specific scheme (algorithm) in accordance with which sales are carried out. In different sources, the sales stages are represented by a different number of their constituent blocks: some authors distinguish four or five stages in the sales process, others believe that there are six such stages, since, in their opinion, the sales stages should include, in their opinion, a separate item exiting the contact with the buyer. The most common concept, however, is to view the stages of sales as a sequence of five stages in the course of a sale.

Today's products are so complex that it is sometimes difficult for customers to understand them. And what they need in this case is the appearance at the right time of a reliable person who can tell them how to make the right choice and how to make the right decision. They do not need someone who is just trying to sell them something. They need someone who can teach them how to use the product properly. Suggest how this product can help them.

The basic rule of sales is that people do not buy products or services, but the benefits they can derive from them. And the businessman's job is to sell that benefit. And his task during business negotiations is to find out for what particular benefit the client is willing to pay.

The purpose of this term paper- to study the features of sales at the service enterprise.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve a number of tasks:

To study the concept of sale, to identify the main ways of selling,

Consider the goals and objectives of the seller,

Determine the main types of buyers,

Detailed study of the main stages of sales,

Consider the features of sales at a service enterprise.

The theoretical basis of the study was the works of domestic and foreign authors in the field of sales technology. Also in the work were used materials of the periodical press.

The specifics of sales as a tool for the system for the sale of goods and services

The concept of "sale", the main methods of sale

A sale is a transaction between people in which each of the participants has his own task and pursues his own goal. This is not a random meeting, not a simple conversation that two participants start to pass the time. This is a business meeting, this is a commercial activity, where everyone defends his interest, plays his role, uses his opportunities and, in the end, exchanges favors with a partner, making every effort to ensure that the exchange conditions in this transaction are the most favorable for him.

In this sense, the act of sale can be viewed as a negotiation, because the interests of the parties do not always coincide. But if a sale is a negotiation, it is also a meeting, and an attitude, and a connection between its participants.

It is an encounter between two related individuals, each with their own status, role, motivations, real and imagined desires. Therefore, in the process of selling, as in every meeting, there are streams of likes or dislikes and emotional ties are imperceptibly tied or broken. This is the realm of emotions, in which desires and images move and return [Mukhina, 2012, p. 63].

So, the act of selling is a negotiation between two parties that come face to face and, as it were, try on each other, and the sale is a relationship between people with all the properties inherent in such a relationship. However, it should not be forgotten that the sale is mediated and made possible by the presence of some item or service. This item and this service is most often a product that has technical and commercial characteristics, is present on the market, and is experiencing competition.

When selling goods, various methods of customer service are used, including the following (Fig. 1.1).

Benefits of Personal Selling:

  • 1) the presence of direct contact (which is not in advertising) between the buyer and the seller: face to face or through telecommunications, for example, in telephone sales. Personal interaction provides communicative flexibility: the seller sees or hears the potential buyer's reaction to the message and can modify the message in the course of its transmission in accordance with the reaction. Personal, individualized communication allows the seller to tailor the message to the specific needs of the consumer's situation. The effect of the presentation can be assessed by the seller immediately due to the presence of direct and reliable feedback. In case of an unfavorable reaction, the seller can modify the message;
  • 2) direct orientation to target markets and types of consumers. Personal selling is the most effective element marketing communications. Based on the results of studies that summarized performance data for several enterprises that used print advertising and mailing along with personal selling, the following distribution was obtained:
    • advertising publications - 5-7% of clients;
    • mailing list - 10-25 % clients;
    • direct sales - up to 70 % clients.

Disadvantages of personal selling:

  • 1) high cost of contact. A visit to the consumer includes the cost of recruiting the seller, his training, wages, his transportation and travel expenses. Reaching large audiences through personal selling can be costly;
  • 2) limited audience coverage. The high cost of personal selling does not allow reaching a large number of consumers;
  • 3) different delivery of the message. Different people may not get the message across in exactly the same way. This makes it difficult to deliver a coherent and unified message to all consumers.

Scope of personal selling

There are several conditions for using personal selling:

  • the company is small or does not have sufficient funds for advertising;
  • buyers are concentrated in a small area;
  • the personal influence of the sales representative helps to establish contacts and develop confidence in the company and its products;
  • high prices for products;
  • the product must be demonstrated in action;
  • products must be customized according to the individual requirements of customers;
  • goods are purchased infrequently;
  • the goods are those that are exchanged for a new one when the old one is returned and the corresponding surcharge is paid.

Basically, personal sales are realized in the industrial goods market (Business to Business - B2B). Until now, this form of marketing communications has been successfully used in the consumer market (Business to Customer - B2C).

In the consumer market, personal selling has become known as multi-level marketing.

Multilevel Marketing- this is the organization of the company's sales system on the principle of "multiplication" of distributors, which, thanks to this, have the opportunity to receive multiplex income. With the help of multi-level marketing, you can distribute almost all the products that are sold in the store. When implementing multi-level marketing, it is supposed to create a network of distributors, each of which attracts new sellers.

Currently, the multi-level marketing system is used only in the distribution of consumer goods.

Stages of personal selling

In the most general approach, the sales process is usually divided into three phases:

  • 1) pre-sale preparation. Refers not only to the product (inspection, elimination of defects and packaging), but also to the seller himself (appearance and demeanor);
  • 2) work at the point of sale;
  • 3) post-sales analysis. It means the collection and processing of information - stereotypes of customers regarding the seller and the goods being sold, i.e. recording objections to the purchase, new uses of the product and thinking through responses to objections.

There is another short definition of sales stages called sales scale according to J.-F. Crolar:

  • customer reception and contact establishment;
  • identifying needs and listening;
  • argumentation and presentation of the goods;
  • implementation of the sale.

In more detail, the sales process consists of seven stages.

Stage IFinding and evaluating potential buyers. To implement this stage, the following methods are used:

  • clarifying the names of potential customers from existing customers;
  • analysis of information sources such as suppliers, dealers, non-competitors, bankers, trade association officials;
  • membership in organizations in which potential clients are members or members;
  • implementation of correspondence and personal contacts to constantly maintain attention to oneself;
  • analysis of media sources (newspapers, magazines) in order to find the names of potential customers;
  • contacting potential customers by phone and mail;
  • visits to various institutions without prior arrangement.

Stage II. Preliminary preparation for the visit. The seller must learn as much as possible about the potential client: both about the company (its needs and requirements, the circle of people involved in making purchasing decisions), and about the buyers themselves (about their character traits and style of purchasing behavior). Information about the company can be obtained from official sources and obtained from third parties. Before each visit, the seller must set himself certain tasks: either to qualify (ie evaluate) a potential client, or to obtain information, or to make an immediate sale. The next task is to decide on the best way to approach the client: a personal visit, a phone call or a letter. You should also think about the most convenient contact time, because during certain periods of time, many potential customers are busy. Finally, the salesperson must consider an overall strategic approach to the trade relationship with the customer.

Stage III. Approach to the client. The salesperson must know how to greet and greet the customer in order to set a good start for the subsequent relationship. In this case, the appearance of the seller, and his introductory words, and his subsequent comments play a role. The salesman should be dressed in much the same way as the buyer, be polite and attentive to him, avoid distracting mannerisms, say, pacing up and down the office or staring at the client intently. The introductory words of a traveling salesman must necessarily be positive. Then you can ask a series of the most important questions or demonstrate samples to attract the attention of the buyer and arouse his curiosity.

Stage IV.Presentation and demonstration of goods. The seller talks about the product, demonstrates how the product will help you earn or save money. He talks about the properties of the product, focusing on the benefits that the product brings to the buyer. The presentation uses the formula AIDA(attraction of attention, retention of interest, arousal of desire and motivation for action).

There are three types of presentations:

  • 1) method of pre-worked approach, in which the seller memorizes the main provisions of his story. Pre-worked presentations are used primarily when peddling or over the phone;
  • 2) approach from the standpoint of formulating the needs and requests of the client. First, the needs and style of the customer's buying behavior are identified, then they are formulated for him. The buyer is drawn into the conversation in such a way that he himself talks about his needs and attitudes, then the seller formulates them for the buyer and tells how exactly the product is able to satisfy these needs;
  • 3) approach from the standpoint of meeting the needs and requests of the client. The salesperson starts by identifying the customer's true needs, encouraging them to talk about their needs. This approach requires the ability to listen and quickly respond to the problem, offering a suitable solution.

You can improve the quality of sales presentations by using visual materials (diagrams, slides, brochures, product samples). The more opportunities the buyer has to see or try out the product, the better he will remember its properties and benefits.

Stage V Overcoming objections. A potential client always has objections, both during the presentation and at the end of it. This is due to psychological characteristics or logical considerations. Faced with objections, the seller must be positive, ask the buyer to clarify the essence of the objections, ask questions in such a way that the buyer himself answers his claims. The seller must either refute the objections or convert the objection into an additional argument in favor of making the purchase.

Stage VI. Make a deal. After overcoming the objections, the seller should try to close the deal. Not all salespeople reach this stage, and many don't know how to get it right. Typically, sellers lack confidence or feel guilty about insisting on getting an order, or they can't grasp the psychological moment of the deal. The seller must pick up signs of the buyer's readiness, such as certain physical actions, statements, comments, questions. There are several ways to close a deal. The seller can directly ask for an order, specifying the main points of the agreement, the type of goods, offer assistance in placing an order, hint that the buyer may miss out on his profit if he does not place the order right now. The seller may also offer certain perks, such as a discounted price, free extras, or a gift.

Stage VII. Bringing the transaction to completion and checking the results. This stage is implemented if the seller wants to check if the buyer is satisfied and plans repeat business. After the conclusion of the transaction, the seller must work out all the necessary details regarding the time and conditions of delivery, etc. The seller plans his next visit so that by the second visit the buyer has already received the goods and can be sure that all subsequent actions regarding the goods are carried out properly. A repeat visit allows you to identify problems that have arisen and demonstrate to the buyer that the seller is interested in him.

It's no secret that any business is based on mutually beneficial relationships, built, as a rule, on sales. And the success of a commercial enterprise depends on what types and techniques of sales are used in the work. To date, there is a fairly wide typology of sales using their own methods of implementation. Next, we will consider the general characteristics of the most common of them, because. this topic is perhaps the most suitable for getting to know the sales process in general.

Active and passive sales

Active and passive sales are what should be said first. The basis for dividing sales into these two types is who initiates the contact:

  • In passive sales, contact is established by a client (buyer) interested in a product or service.
  • At active sales contact is established by a sales manager or a seller interested in selling a product or service.

Each of these types of sales can be very effective, but the sequence of actions in both cases will differ (we will introduce you to the classic algorithm of active sales, which are considered the most common, a little later).

Personal and impersonal selling

The division of sales into personal and impersonal is due to the role of a person in the sales process:

  • Impersonal sales are those where a person (salesperson, sales manager) is not directly involved in the communication process. These include sales through vending machines, Internet sites, self-service points, etc.
  • Personal sales are those where a person (seller, sales manager) directly interacts with a client / buyer. It is this type of sales that is considered the most popular, and most sales trainings are devoted to it.

It is also worth noting that personal selling has its own classification: they can be based on stimulating a response, on management, on meeting a need, and on solving a problem. Consulting selling is also classified as personal selling.

Direct and indirect sales

The basis for the division of sales into direct and indirect are different sequences of actions of the seller, based on the segmentation of customers / buyers:

  • Direct sales are aimed at the direct (final) consumer of a product or service, who himself consumes the product or uses the service.
  • Indirect sales are made through intermediaries who resell goods or services further.

This separation should be considered in cases where it is required to increase sales through the existing customer base. It is also important that the algorithm of actions of the seller (sales manager) depends on the client base he has to deal with. Sales standards are developed individually.

Design, industrial, large, complex, long, complex and simple sales

Under all these names, in fact, the same type of sales is hidden, which differs in a number of features:

  • Long transaction cycle
  • Repeated meetings ending in an uncertain outcome
  • Non-obvious decision-making cycle for the client/buyer
  • Many participants in the process of negotiating the transaction on the part of the client/buyer

The division of sales into simple and complex is based on the principle of making a purchase decision for individuals and legal entities.

Regional Sales

Regional sales are singled out as a separate type, because have a complex of their technological features. They are also divided into distribution and wholesale, because depend on the work algorithms of the regional sales manager and the typical tasks that he needs to solve; in different cases, sales standards also change.

B2B and B2C sales

The essence of B2B and B2C sales can be understood by deciphering their abbreviations:

  • B2B sales are business for business when corporate clients and legal entities become buyers.
  • B2C selling is a customer/consumer business where the buyers are individuals.

Sales in each of these cases can be direct and indirect, active and passive. In the case of B2B, they can also be regional. Among other things, B2B sales can have several goals: to increase sales in a city, a specific region, or a number of regions. From this follows the fact that for the implementation of these goals it is customary to apply different algorithms of work.

Sale of goods, services and franchise

The division of sales into the sale of goods, services and franchises is due to the specifics of the subject of sales:

  • The sale of a commodity is the sale of a materialized object
  • The sale of a service is the sale of an intangible object
  • To increase the sale of services, special sales technologies are used
  • When selling services, it is necessary to take into account the differences between sales to individuals and legal entities.
  • When selling a franchise, the beginning of the sales process takes place a long time before the moment when the franchise package to be sold is created, plus selling a franchise is characterized by more complex technologies and a long investment of time.

Two-stroke sales

The essence of two-stroke sales is that the process is implemented with the participation of two specialists - the seller and technical specialist discussing special technical details with the client/buyer. This type of sales is more typical for the equipment market, the industrial market and the IT sector. As a rule, the effectiveness of push-pull sales depends on the characteristics of the organization of the commercial service and the actual business processes within the company.

Conveyor sales

Conveyor sales involve a special approach to the scheme of building the sales process. This approach is based on the following principle: sales should be organized so that the activities of the sales department resemble a conveyor belt. The sales process is divided into several separate stages, each of which is responsible for different specialists. For example, one calls clients and sends a warm contact to the manager (or sets up a meeting with the manager), the manager starts working with the client, etc. By the way, conveyor sales have become the basis of info-sales used in Russia as a sales system on the Internet.

Box sales

If expressed in the language of salespeople, then boxed sales are sales according to a specific sales system that you can simply purchase and “install” in your business. The system is a package of documents that describes a "universal" sales system that does not depend on the situations and characteristics of the product market.

Despite the effectiveness voiced by the suppliers of such “boxes” (sales systems), in most cases they require improvements and efforts to be introduced into the organization’s work system. In addition, it is rather problematic to find out what is inside the “box” until it shows itself in action, and the results from the application of innovations will be available only after a few months, and there is no guarantee that they will be positive.

These are the general characteristics of the main types and types of sales. But our course is devoted for the most part to active and direct sales, so in the next lessons we will consider issues related to them. The first lesson, as it was said, we will continue with a description of the classic sales scheme, and in its third block we will talk in detail about the sales funnel - effective tool, which is used in their work by professional sellers and sales managers.

Classic sales scheme

The classic sales scheme will be used in most cases with active sales, but its basics can also be used with sales of other types and types. The sales structure according to the classical scheme is built in five stages. Each of these stages is expressed in a specific format of directed interaction with a client - a potential buyer.

In the future, we will analyze the stages of the scheme in detail, but for now we will only give their general description:

  • Stage one - establishing contact(sometimes referred to as attracting attention). It is carried out through a direct appeal of the seller to the client. The goal is to create a positive atmosphere for communication. You can start a conversation with a neutral question or statement, not even related to the subject and the sales process in general. But it is necessary to build a phrase in such a way that the client agrees with it or answers the question in the affirmative.
  • The second stage is the definition of the need. At this stage, the seller is faced with the task of identifying actual problems the needs and wishes of the client. It is recommended to use general and leading questions. Here it is extremely important not only the skill, but also the interlocutor.
  • The third stage is the presentation of the product or service. The third stage is built on the satisfaction of customer requests through its product. It is very effective to give examples from life, tell real stories, successful, unsuccessful, funny cases with customers who have dealt with a product that is relevant to the current situation.
  • The fourth stage -. It is considered one of the most difficult stages, and almost no sale goes through without it. According to statistics, in the process of interacting with the seller, the buyer may have an average of five objections. All of them can be put forward at any time. Eliminating them, you need to try to maintain a positive atmosphere, but direct the client in the right direction. In most cases, experienced managers and salespeople are armed with pre-prepared answers, because. there may be a limited number of objections to the terms of the transaction or the product.
  • The fifth stage is the completion of the transaction. The buyer must be encouraged to conclude a deal with leading questions or an offer to try out the product, make a test order. If you do not motivate the client, there is a risk that he will either lose interest or think that they want to deceive him, “divorce” him (especially often this situation occurs when a person is actively convinced of the benefits of the product).

It is always necessary to “work through” a client in stages. If suddenly contact with the client is lost at one of the stages, this indicates the presence of errors in the previous stage. Therefore, the whole scheme should not only be worked out, but also supported by practical experience. However, we will talk about this later.

Now let's move on to the third topic of today's lesson - the sales funnel, its functions, tasks and structure.

Sales funnel: definition, functions, stages

Increasing sales figures is a concern for literally everyone who is involved in the field of trade, from ordinary sellers to management. If there are no sales, then things are going very badly, and this, in turn, can lead to serious losses and even bankruptcy. Various tools can influence the deplorable state of affairs, one of which is a sales funnel. It is it that allows you to understand what stages a client goes through before making a purchase, as well as identify sales mistakes made by managers and salespeople, and predict sales volumes in the future.

How did the sales funnel appear and what is it

Not every person has heard of a sales funnel, but it is not some kind of innovation at all, because. people started talking about it in the 19th century, when the American advertiser Elias St. Elmo Lewis proposed the term “consumer funnel” in 1898 and described the four stages that a buyer goes through before making a purchase.

  • Introducing the customer to the product
  • The emergence of interest in the product
  • Formation of desire to purchase a product
  • Making a purchase

St. Elmo Lewis was convinced that the consumer funnel helps to understand the specifics of the buyer and, as a result, sell him more goods and services.

In simple terms - without using specific marketing terminology, you can describe a sales funnel like this: a tool that describes the process of selling a product and clearly shows the number of buyers going through all stages of interaction with a sales manager. The funnel serves as a perfect illustration of all the cycles of the sales scheme, from the establishment of a contact to the completion of the transaction. The funnel looks like this:

Visually, the sales funnel is similar to an inverted pyramid, and at each stage of the transaction a specific number of potential buyers will be screened out. As a result, at the final stage (completion of the transaction) there will be much fewer people than at the initial stage (acquaintance with the product).

What are the functions of a sales funnel?

Many people without special education, whose activities are related to trade, often prefer not to use a scientific approach in their work. Meanwhile, the sales funnel performs several very useful and important functions:

  • Helps control the sales process. Selling as such is a multi-step process. Knowing and understanding his customers well, the seller can count on a significant increase in their sales.
  • Contributes to the control of the effectiveness of the sales manager. If you are a manager and use a sales funnel in your work, it will be much easier for you to analyze the performance of your employees, i.e. to determine who performs the best and whose work requires any changes and adjustments.
  • Contributes to the conversion analysis of the various stages of the transaction. With the help of a sales funnel, you can determine how many potential buyers moved to the next stage after getting acquainted with the product, and how many dropped out. Exceeding the permissible norm (at the first stage) indicates that it is necessary to make improvements in working with the target audience.

But not only in the functions performed is the value of the sales funnel as a practical tool. In addition to this, it is designed to solve a whole range of serious problems.

What problems does a sales funnel solve?

If in your work you have begun to notice the presence of problems regarding the implementation of your product, you should not waste your time waiting for the situation to correct itself. Instead, immediate action must be taken. But in order to understand exactly what needs to be done, it is just necessary to turn to the sales crow.

The sales funnel allows you to solve the following problems:

  • Identify the difference between a successful manager and an unsuccessful one. In most trading companies there is always a person whose sales figures are higher than others; the one who works great with clients and brings in the most revenue. The sales funnel not only allows you to determine who it is, but also the most direct way to influence the work of low-performing managers.
  • Increase the number of potential buyers. If the sales funnel shows that at the first stage the number of people getting acquainted with the product is extremely low, you should use all sorts of methods to attract the attention of the target audience to your organization and your product, for example, starting a new advertising campaign.
  • Identify the stages at which the maximum dropout of customers occurs. For example, if 100 people got acquainted with your product, and only a few became interested in it, it is worth taking measures to correct the situation.
  • Increase the number of people going through all stages of the sale. At the final stage of the transaction, the largest number of customers is screened out. It even happens that people who are very interested in the product are “cut off” at the stage of making a purchase. The sales funnel allows you to find errors in your work, and then analyze them.
  • Increase profit margins. By correcting mistakes in your work and achieving an increase in the number of people passing through all stages of the sale, you will thereby increase your profits.

Obviously, the sales funnel has not just gained popularity and has found wide application in trade. But in order to apply it effectively, you need to know about the stages that form it.

Sales funnel stages

As we have already said, in his consumer funnel, Elias St. Elmo Lewis identified four stages that a person goes through before making a purchase. But today there is incredible competition in all areas of trade, and customers themselves have become more sophisticated in their choice. Based on this, the modern sales funnel consists of six stages, and these are the ones that salespeople and sales managers who want to succeed in their business should focus on.

The six stages of a sales funnel are:

  • First stage- formation of a unique offer. Before you start working with a buyer, you need to create your own unique offer. This is required to interest representatives of your target audience with the product. To do this, the product must be presented in the most favorable light.
  • Second phase- cold contact. This assumes that your customers don't know anything about your interest in them yet. For example, you can make a list of potential customers - those who are generally able to be interested in your offer. Then calls will be made on this list or mailing will be done.
  • Third stage- drafting a proposal. At this stage, you need to make direct contact with a potential client and convey to him the essence of your offer. Because here it is very important to arouse interest in a person, you need to formulate a proposal very clearly and briefly, monitor your speech and intonations, have a presentable (corresponding to the situation) appearance, competently answer the interlocutor's questions and avoid excessive pressure on him, so as not to cause irritation. The third stage plays a big role, and if mistakes are made, the sales funnel will form incorrectly, and profit will be lost. There is only one explanation for this: it is at this stage that a person becomes interested in your product, so this interest must be maintained.
  • Fourth stage- belief. In practice, there are almost no situations when a client is ready to make a purchase after hearing the offer. A person does not need to be convinced only when he came to a specific place for a specific product in order to satisfy specific need(like going to the grocery store). To maximize the number of people moving to the next stage, it is necessary to convince them competently, smoothly and unobtrusively, and for this you cannot use pressure, threats, aggressive strategies and other “techniques”.
  • Fifth stage- completion of the transaction. If all the previous steps have been completed consistently and correctly, there is no doubt that. In the end, everyone will be happy: the buyer will receive the desired product, you will make a profit.
  • Sixth stage- analysis of results. By and large, you can stop at the fifth stage, because. the main goal has already been achieved. But this is only worth doing when the bulk of your customers have purchased a product or service, and the sales figures are worthy of praise. But if the indicators still leave much to be desired, it is recommended to analyze each stage passed - this will give you an understanding of whether mistakes were made, at what stages they were made, and what needs to be done next to avoid these mistakes in the future in order to increase the number of people who made a deal with you.

And one more note, which will not be superfluous: in order for the sales funnel to form correctly, already at its second stage, you need to attract the maximum number of potential buyers. In simple terms, you need to use a variety of advertising and promotional tools for your product, which will allow you to enter into cold contact with a large number of people who are ready to reach the fifth stage and make a purchase.

And, in fact, to illustrate the use of a sales funnel, we will give one small example.

Sales funnel example

Let's look at the use of a sales funnel using the example of an online store.

Imagine that you have an online store, and it has 10,000 subscribers. Considering that sales have fallen in the last period, you decide to increase their level through subscribers. To do this, you send each subscriber a letter, where you talk about your offer, and wait for feedback.

Suppose that in the second stage the answer was sent to you by 1,000 people who want to ask some questions, clarify incomprehensible points, learn about discounts, etc. In other words, 1,000 potential customers are interested in your offer, but they are not yet ready to make a deal. Let's calculate the conversion of this stage of the sales funnel: 10,000/1,000*100% = 10%. As a result, the conversion of the second stage is 10%.

As soon as 1,000 people clarified the information, 100 people remained, promising to think it over again. The rest are eliminated and your proposal is not considered. Thus, after simple mathematical calculations, the conversion of the third stage will be 1%.

Let's represent it schematically:

It is easy to see that the conversion rates are very low. But in order to change this situation, you need to think about what you did wrong in the second or third stage, when the bulk of customers are weeded out. And, having already found gaps in your work, you will be able to correct actions, which means increasing conversion rates and profit.

If you do not neglect the use of the sales funnel, you will very soon be able to see its effectiveness as a tool that leads to excellent results and high income. It is not difficult to understand it at all - it is only a matter of practice, but, as we understand, the matter will not rust behind you.

And, logically continuing the conversation about tools that increase the effectiveness of sales, we move on to the second lesson, in which we will consider the best sales techniques. We will talk in detail about the classic sales algorithm with all its stages, spin technologies, the price division technique, the result display technique, and a number of others.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. Only 1 option can be correct for each question. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on passing. Please note that the questions are different each time, and the options are shuffled.

Sales Process Methodology

Sales Process is a series of stages, through which the employees of the company consistently create a solid customer base and stimulate repeat sales, while increasing the profit of the enterprise. Each stage consists of several steps, at each of which it is possible to predict and measure the result.

A clear definition of the sales process (or its formalization) is essential to help the sales force identify and evaluate benefits, find additional opportunities for repeat sales, negotiate and close more deals, and establish a post-sales customer satisfaction tracking and value-added service process.

The formal sales process also helps you understand each customer's commercial challenges, determine their need for the products and services you provide, and provide evidence that your products can meet their needs. A well-established sales process helps to more accurately assess the opportunities for generating income from working with a particular client. For example, having a summary of all the customers in your sales channel in front of you, you can compare your company's offerings with those of competitors, as well as build stronger relationships with customers and business partners.

The sales process methodology consists of five steps:

1) search for clients,

2) customer evaluation,

3) proposal development,

4) assistance in making a decision,

5) ensuring repeat sales.

Each stage consists of several key actions, the results of which are predictable and measurable.

1) Search for clients

In the first step of the sales process, the salesperson identifies potential customers, finds new opportunities to work with existing customers using the database, and determines where the company's competitive advantage lies. Ways to identify potential customers are varied and depend on the type of company activity: it can be online research, holding seminars and trade shows, sending out marketing materials and surveying by phone.

The purpose of this step is to find a decision maker or potential ally who can influence the decision.

2) Customer evaluation

At this stage of the process, the manager and the client evaluate each other. The manager evaluates the potential income and costs associated with a given client to decide whether it is worth pursuing this further, and the client decides whether the company can satisfy his requests. To carry out work at this stage, sales personnel must have the ability to determine the true and hidden needs of the client. Then it is required to clearly explain to the client how the product or service of the company can uniquely solve his problems.

The purpose of this step is to convince the decision maker to take the next step and examine your proposal in detail.

3) Proposal development

At this stage of the process, the client will usually reduce the number of companies to consider the most interesting specific proposals.

At this stage, you need to demonstrate to the potential client that you can actually fulfill your obligations. You can discuss and agree on a plan for the sale of a product / service together in order to reach agreements that will be beneficial to both the client and the seller.

The purpose of this stage is to demonstrate the value of your company to the client through a clear work plan with a cost estimate. If the project is complex, the client will benefit if you can implement all the steps in the plan, because it takes time, money, and other resources to attract additional people.

4) Decision support

Despite the closeness of the deal, plans and circumstances, unfortunately, can change. For example, at the final stage of negotiations, a manager may make a too generous offer to the customer and thereby reduce the profit from the transaction to zero, or, conversely, not make small concessions that would ensure a good deal. This is a very delicate and unstable stage of the sales process.

The purpose of this stage is to conclude transactions that are profitable for both your company and the client.

5) Ensuring repeat sales

This is a critical step in the sales process. After signing a contract or paying a commission on sales, the manager must fulfill his obligations in full in accordance with the contract. A sales professional whose goal is long-term cooperation must support the customer and ensure quality at all subsequent stages of using a product or service. A satisfied customer is more likely to place new orders and attract new customers.

The implementation of the stages allows the manager to succeed, which is facilitated by the following factors:

– Focus on critical commercial issues facing clients.

– Creating potential value for customers.

– Awakening in the buyer the desire to purchase goods or services offered by your company.

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