A good approach is one, which is characterized by the following essentials expected of an effective approach. These essentials are the tenets, which are aptly developed by Professors Russel, Beach and Buskisk. These requisites can be called as the basics or the principles of good approach. Ten such points are worth emphasized and hence one may call them as the ‘TEN COMMANDMENTS’.
The then ten commandments were developed by Mr. Moses, a great political organizer a military chief, a diplomat, a law-maker, a judge as well as religious leader. These Ten Commandments are Biblical rules that state the basic religious and moral ideals of Judaism and Christianity. These are also called as the Decalogue from two Greek words meaning ten words. The Old Testament tells that the finger of God wrote the commandments on two stone tablets given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Secrets of Good Approach are:
1. Make Suitable Appointment:
The appointments of salesman with a prospect may be definite or elastic in terms of time. Whatever may be the types the salesman is to plan his visits with sufficient margin of time between two appointments or interviews. Much depends on the prospect himself as to prefer a definite appointment to elastic one or otherwise.
2. Select Most Opportune Time of Approach:
Wise salesman meets his prospect at the most opportune time. Opportune time implies his receptive mood. To sell products like fans, air-coolers, fridges, he is to meet just before the beginning of the summer season. It should not be an off-season time. The person selling cars, TV sets, two-wheelers should see the prospect just before the financial hikes or a promotion or after a windfall fortune as lotto or lottery.
3. Use the Business Card:
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It is almost a necessity these days to use visiting cards. Visiting card is like an identity card. Views differ as to when the card should be given to the prospect. Some say that it should be given before meeting the prospect. Some are of the opinion that it should be given at the time of personally meeting him. Still some sales’ experts add that visiting cards should be followed by some gift novelties to make deep impact and a clear distinction.
4. Look Attractive:
Appearance of a salesman is of top importance in approach. What impression others carry about him is a key factor. As a part of impression management, among other things it is his look or appearance that creates an atmosphere of talking to him. It is the attire that creates and clears the way and can straight talk to the prospect. Charming or magnetic appearance and alluring attack fits the occasion and make him more important that speaks of his poise and dignity.
5. Avoid Each Dismissal:
Quite often, a salesman has the fear of being dismissed well before he could present his ideas of his proposal. This happens either because of the disinterest or because of the inability of the man to make the scene. The secret lays us his appealing to the buying motives of the prospect and presenting interesting and latest information in a perfect stance. That is when salesman stands in front of his prospect or prospects, he must not appear to be either insecure or over aggressive.
A confident appearance can be achieved by having an appropriate stance. An impropriate stance implies : (a) Keep feet about 12 inches apart to improve stability (b) Standing at a 45- 90 degree angle to the customer standing strength across from the customer can be seen threatening (c) Keeping the shoulder relaxed and the arms off the hips, (d) Standing two to four feet from the customer because standing too close will look threatening and keeping too much away gives an impersonal feeling.
6. Tender No Apology:
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Some people of selling house have very bad habit of apologizing for everything. In fact, no salesman should apologies for taking much of his valuable time. In fact, he should feel elevated that he is doing the prospect a favour by calling on him. Apology for time indicates that salesman a guilty of making a call and even unsoundness of his proposal so presented. For his late arrival, or poor entrance, he can apology.
7. Win Undivided Attention:
Getting the prospects, attention is not a new thing. As time is very valuable to prospects and prospects concentrate their attention on the first few minutes with salesman to determine weather they will benefit from the interaction. The first few words the salesman says often set the tone of the entire sales call. The ‘hallow effect’ seems to operate in many sales calls. The hallow effect is how and what you do in one thing changes a person’s perception about other things you do. If the salesman is perceived by the prospect as effective at the beginning of the &LL he or she will be perceived as effective during the rest of the call, and vice versa. That is, salesman should command undivided attention of his prospect to involve him in his sales proposal. Some prospects have the habit of listening to others and doing their work too. A prize, an awaiting, an exhibition or a present helps in capturing his attention. To have undivided attention flatter the prospect, put the model of product on prospects table, demo the product, show charts diagrams, cite the case where product has been adjudged as the best. Rule says that first catch sight, touch and then hearing.
8. Focus the Attention:
As soon as the salesman meets the prospect, the attention of prospect is focused on the man and not on his proposition. To divert his attention from him to his product or proposal should follow a business etiquette called ‘Rules of Twelve’, (a) The sales person’s first twelve words should include a form of ‘Thank you’ – ‘thanking for seeing me’, (b) The twelve inches the shoulder’s up should suggest high quality grooming say hair, collar and the like, (c) first twelve foot-steps should reflect confidence by using erect posture, a lengthy stride and a brisk pace. Further, the salesman should not forget to smile because if he smiles, out of 100 times 99 times he gets a return smile. To divert his attention from him to product, he should as an effective conduit pipe to centre his attention not on him but on his product or the proposal. He will do so if he demonstrates or speaks about F.A.B. (Features – Advantages – Benefits) of the product or products at his command.
9. Remove Sales-tension:
Removal of sales-tension is the major mission of a smart and shrewd salesman. The movement the salesman starts speaking about his company’s product or service, the prospect cost develops a sale tension. That is, salesman has come to sell his product or service at any. He looks at salesman as an imposter or some one impelling and compelling to buy his product or service. He has the fear in mind that he is likely to be duped by mince words a sales talk presentation by the salesman. Therefore, the prospect tries to avoid him by creating some barriers of resistance. This is quite common with most of the prospects. Such frigidity tension can be eased by the salesman that he has come to present his product or some ideas his selling proposal. He should make clear his intention that he is there not to sell the product but present his ideas or proposal. His honest and sincere way and style of convincing evaporates the likely resistance. He is to be very careful and should follow “Camel head in the tent” policy or strategy.
10. Call Back Again:
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Making and maintaining a good impression is important. How nice it would be the beginning of every call went smoothly! Actually, things do go wrong some times. All salesmen will be succeed in selling the proposal at the very first attempt. Failure at first sight need not lead total rejection. Second and subsequent calls may result on sale. The way he approached first might have been the cause of failure. As prospect have many dimensions of look at the sales proposal, a new and matching approach is sure to bring him success. It is not the number attempts, but the final success than failure that is counted as it happens in professional course like C.A., C.S., I.C.W.A, and so on.