Acquiring or gathering knowledge is one thing. It is only a part of knowledge utilization task. What is more important is its skillful, strategic and opportune use. Salesman is an utter failure if does not know how to use the rich fund of knowledge at his command as it makes his mass his and company’s fortunes. The fruitful use of a given knowledge so acquired is a matter of sound practice and its application in the most logical way. The following points, if followed effectively, that leads best use of product knowledge. The points to be pondered are :
1. Organise the Collected Information:
In the process of collection of facts and figures, descriptions and prescriptions, he should not just store the knowledge in a haphazard way. The collected information is to be organised classified, arranged and reduced to the void points or pointers. It is not an easy task. It is the scientific array of these facts, features, merits and limitations that will guide the salesman ii approaching a problem. The information reached and reduced to handy classifications and pointers will make his work more easy, cosy and effective. It is like keeping alternative dose; of medicines for combating a disease; if one fails, another can be administered immediately for sure success.
2. Matching the Specifications for Market Integration:
The seller has his product specifications or the selling points. At times, all selling points will not work. Hence, he should try to match his selling points to the buying motives or the consumer specifications or expectations. Applying a particular product sellers point or points lies in his ability to smell, discover the consumer need that dominates and gives him the much needed information in the context to bring his need to the surface for buying action. Discovering or uncovering the hidden motive is possible by means of meticulous inquiry, liberal listening and outcoming observation.
3. Never Offend Others:
When a salesman is to give a comparative account of his product in relation to that of a competitor, he should never talk ill of that competitive product this approach should be positive rather than castigating. Instead of telling that competitors product is inferior to his product, he should say that his product is superior to all the products available in the market. It means that competitive products are good but his products are better. He should speak through facts, reasons and proofs. A salesman who tries to tarnish the image of competitor is, in fact, tarnishing his own image, his products image and his company image in the eyes of his prospects. Positioning a product in the minds of a prospect or a customer is a critical and crucial yet delicate task.
4. Avoid Technical Jargon:
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Salesman might have totally mastered the technical specifications of his product or products as he is in constant touch with the very ins and outs of his products. For him, a technical specification may mean nothing extra, as he is conversant with each term and intricacies of specifications. However, for a customer, his technical jargon may block his way towards conclusion of sale. That is why, a wise salesman reduces the technical terms to more easy or easily understandable words. For a layman, he should give what is needed with minimum or no technicalities. For instance, in case of selling a “P.M.P.O.” sound system, he should explain what is “equalizer stereo-phonic”, ‘hi-fi’, “watts output” and so on. In case of ‘quartz’ watches and clocks, he should explain the meaning, role of quartz. The reasons for preference to buy should also be narrated nicely.
5. Cut to the Core:
The salesman must expose to the extent the customer wants him to expose. His statements must be specific and to the point, which speak of his sharpness and authority in presentation. Generic remarks are meaningless as they hardly create any lasting impact. Choosing of words and shooting them have their due role in scientific presentation. The generic words like ‘pretty’, nice’, ‘fine’, ‘good’, ‘not bad’, ‘tolerable’ and like are misleading. Instead, he should cut to the point. If he is speaking about saving in the initial investment and operating of an equipment, the general statements as “its initial investment is pretty small and operating cost are damn low”, is to be replaced by the statement say “the initial installment is less by rupees two thousand and the operating cost per day is less by rupees ten as compared to other such equipment”. This latter statement is impinging and imprinting for better results.
6. Bring Home the Benefits:
A salesman’s job is not just to talk about products like caged parrot which is trained by his or her master or mistress. He is not a pre recorded cassette which repeats from start to finish as recorded. He is to highlight the outstanding product features, benefits and merits to die buyer. In the final analysis, it is the consumer satisfaction that on to be cased and fulfilled. Every drop of energy of salesman should funnel towards this end like a poultry bird eating the feed and converting into adding flesh or laying more eggs. He should endeavour to project the specific product or service benefits. Thus, a salesman selling a cable T.V. service should speak of benefits of four channel relay of programs, twenty hour entertainment and education, three films, no heavy investment, lower monthly service charges, free periodic installation check-up, faster adjustment of consumer complaints and so on.