Asynchronous Activity

Personal selling is when a company uses salespersons to build a relationship and engage
customers to determine their needs and attain a sales order that may not otherwise have been
placed. The personal selling process is a seven step approach: prospecting, pre-approach,
approach, presentation, meeting objections, closing the sale, and follow-up.

The sales cycle, more generally speaking, turns leads into prospects, suspects into prospects and
prospects into customers.

Prospecting is the step where salespeople determine leads or prospects. The pre-approach is used
for preparing for the presentation through customer research and goal planning for the
presentation. The approach is when the salesperson initially meets with the customer and
determines a customer’s wants and needs. Once the salesperson knows the needs, he or she is
ready for the presentation that will entice the customer to commit. After the presentation, a
salesperson must meet objections or address customer concerns. Gaining commitment comes
next. Finally, the salesperson must remember to follow up after the sale is made.