MODULE 2 : Selling Products and Services

Information Sheet 2.1-1 Developing Product Knowledge

Product knowledge - is a generic term referring to knowledge about:

 Products sold  The venue
 Services provided  Policies of the company

There is no limit about what product knowledge covers and it can address knowledge about:
 The brands, sizes and differing qualities and types of physical products the venue sells
 Items on the food and drink menus –look, taste, cost and ingredients
 The credit cards accepted by the business and the payment options available to customers to pay for items
and services they purchase
 Staff and management at the venue including various roles and responsibilities of individual employees
 Operational matters such as deposits for bookings, charges for use of facilities, busy and quiet times,
opening and closing times, safety and security issues, quality control and service provision standards
 Layout of the property and the location of products, rooms, facilities and personnel.
 Local information about a wide range of topics including:
 Tours – where there is a need to know information including:
- Where they go and what they involve - Cost
- How to book them - Duration
 Transport options, where you need to know:
- Public transport options – for example, rail and - Location of stations, depots and business
bus - Cost
- Private options – hire rental cars, bikes/scooters, - How to book or obtain tickets
charters, local tourist options
 Conferences, conventions, functions and entertainment, addressing :
- Names and locations of businesses commonly - Contact details
hosting these events - What events are currently being conducted
- Facilities available at the businesses
 Shopping and restaurant facilities, where you should know:
- Names, location and contact details for specialty and generic shops with a focus on businesses for which the
area has a reputation
- Names, location and contact details for a wide range of eating and drinking options across a variety of price
points, styles and quality levels
 Retail shops operating within properties – such as:
- Bottle shops - Booking agencies
- Gift shops - Business support agencies – secretarial support,
- Foyer shops IT support, translation and interpreter services.
- Souvenir shops

As a worker in the industry, your product and service knowledge must start with and focus on the area where
you work. When you have developed sound knowledge in this area, you should start expanding your
knowledge into related area and then into supplementary areas.
Answer Self-Check 2.1.1 Developing Product Knowledge
When developing product and service knowledge:
 Start with the basics for your work role and then expand into other areas
 Actively seek out and use workplace and out-of-work opportunities to gain and update knowledge
 Realize product and service knowledge underpins effective sales activities
 Use a mixture of formal and informal research techniques to capture relevant information
 Understand the critical nature and positive impact of customer feedback in relation to product and
service knowledge
 Actively seek customer feedback as opposed to waiting for it to be provided by customers
 Take the time and make the effort to share new or updated product and service knowledge with others
at your workplace Thank those who share product and service information with you
 Be proactive in identifying changes in customer preferences, needs, wants and expectations
 Participate in market research activities to help determine customer preferences, needs, wants and
expectations
 Accept product and service knowledge is dynamic – what is relevant and appropriate today can be out-
of-date in the future
 Help your venue to identify changes that need to be made to workplace products and services to meet
ever-changing customer needs.

Information Sheet 2.1-2 Benefits of having High Product

Knowledge
Why Develop Product Knowledge? The main reasons venue staff must develop excellent product
and service knowledge are to:
1. Optimize sales within the venue – all venues will expect sales and service staff to maximize revenue from
the people they serve, without exploiting anyone and without putting pressure on them to buy
2. Encourage visitors to spend more time in the area – the more time a visitor spends in the town, city or
region, the more money they are likely to spend at the venue and in local shops and businesses.

If you can use your product and service knowledge to get a visitor to spend an extra day (or two) in your
venue, you have done a great service not only to your employer but also for local jobs and the local economy.

Benefits of product and service knowledge The benefits of having high levels of product and service
knowledge include:
1. Have confidence in your ability to sell and the approach you take with customers
2. Present products and services in an appropriate way meeting identified customer needs, wants and
preferences
3. Establish a rapport with customers based on their confidence in you and your demonstrated credibility
4. Engage with customers and build an ongoing relationship encouraging repeat and return business
5. Show, display or present products and services in such a way that demonstrates their best features and
highlights their appropriateness for potential purchasers
6. Offer potential customers the opportunity to test, try or sample the products or services being considered or
offered for sale.
7. Meet customer service expectations
8. Able to distinguish alternatives
9. Maximize selling opportunities
10.Enables to meet and overcome buying objections –high product knowledge enables you to present logical
reasons why the objections are unfounded and explain why the offer being made is sound allowing closing the
deal and making a sale or booking.
Information Sheet 2.1-3 Customer Ethics and Legal
Commitments

Customer Ethics
 It is defined as a set of ethics that service providers follow to ensure that they treat their
customers with respect.
 Ensures every customer is treated with respect regardless of age, religious or cultural background,
race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class.
 Valuing the relationship with the customer over making a sale

Common Ethical Values:

 Honesty  Value
 Responsiveness  Loyalty
 Transparency  A drive to solve problems
 Respect

Putting Ethics into Action

 Making sure customers get the best deal by honoring competitors’ offers
 Believing all customer claims, even those that seem exaggerated or fabricated
 Publishing information about how the company sources its materials
 Connecting all customer service callers directly to human representatives rather than a robot menu
 Rewarding loyal customers with discounts, price lock-ins and special promotions
 Resolving every customer problem that arises, even those that were not the company or its products
fault
 Tailoring the type of service each customer receives to his unique needs
 Discussing products and services in honest terms, rather than trying to upsell and oversell
 Advertising honest promotions and prices and avoiding “bait and switch” advertising tactics
 Bait-and switch: the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods which are an apparent bargain, with
the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods.
 Complying with consumer protection laws:
 Consumers in the Philippines have 8 basic rights under the law, namely, the rights to:
(1) basic needs, (6) redress or remedy for an undesirable or
(2) safety, unfair situation,
(3) information, (7) consumer education, and
(4) choice, (8) healthy environment
(5) representation,
 Thoroughly testing all products before they  Honestly assessing customers’ challenges
reach the market and issuing prompt and recommending the best solutions for
recalls for every released product found to them, rather than the solutions that will be
be defective the most profitable for the company
 Using customers’ names and terms like  Never sharing customers’ personal data
“sir” and “madam” when interacting with without their consent
them
 Responding to all customer inquiries
promptly
Answer Self-Check 2.1.3 Customer Ethics and Legal Commitments
1. Why is ethics an important part of any business and customer service?
 Ensures that customers are treated with respect regardless of age, religious or cultural background, race,
sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class
 Values the relationship with the customer ensuring profitability in the run

Information Sheet 2.2-1 Establishing Rapport

The rapport between the decision maker and the sales staff lies at the core of a positive customer relationship.

According to an article in Forbes.com, Within the first seven seconds of meeting, people will have a solid
impression of who you are — and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start
determining traits like trustworthiness. (Gibson, 2018)

When rapport is strong, each sale deepens the quality of the relationship, making successive sales easier.
When rapport is weak, selling becomes difficult and awkward, and when rapport is missing, selling becomes
an exercise in futility.

Therefore, learning how to build and maintain rapport should be at the top of every salesperson’s list of critical
skills to master.
The 5-step Sales Process:
1. Creating initial rapport 4. Appealing to the buying motive
2. Gathering information 5. Obtaining commitment.
3. Proposing a solution

7 Ways to Build Rapport in Sales and Connect with People by Mike Schultz
1. Be Yourself. Be genuine. Be yourself. Don't try to be anything you're not, create a new persona, or adopt a
"sales-like" tone. Relax, smile, and go in with a positive attitude. Good things will follow. As Oscar Wilde said,
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
2. Be Friendly. Smile, give a firm handshake, make eye contact, and engage. Do so in an authentic way. If
you're forcing the friendliness, buyers will notice and your attempts will backfire. Show genuine interest, overly
friendly may be seen as inauthentic and turn off the other person.
3. Show real interest. Buyers want to feel like they have an opportunity to share what they're thinking,
including their desires, fears, and problems. More importantly, they want to feel like they're being heard. The
more you can show you're listening to them and are genuinely interested, the more likely they are to be relaxed
and willing to share.
4. Find common ground. People like people who are similar to themselves. The more you can uncover
shared interests, the greater your ability to build rapport.
5. Give genuine interest. Flattery gets you nowhere, but genuine compliments are endearing. If you like the
office, the buyer's website, or are impressed with their book, say so. If your prospect had a recent
accomplishment, relay your authentic congratulations. They'll appreciate it, and this will go a long way towards
building rapport.
6. Calibrate the rapport. Do your best to read the other person and find the right amount of rapport-focused
conversation. Do not rush without an ice breaker nor spend too much time chatting trying to break the ice.
7. Read the culture. Don't change who you are to fit the culture, but be aware of how the culture works and
how it best responds. It's always best to be yourself, but remember to adjust your approach depending on
whom the other person is and/or which company they work for. For example, if they're a suit and tie people,
showing up in a t-shirt won't fly so well.
Answer Self-Check 2.2.1 Establishing Rapport
1. Why is establishing rapport important?  Rapport is important because it builds the quality of
the relationship between the seller and the buyer making successive sales easier. When rapport is weak,
selling becomes difficult and awkward, and when rapport is missing, selling becomes an exercise in futility.

Information Sheet 2.3-1 Reading your Customers

If you read your customers well, you should realize there are certain actions you should take, or certain
services you should offer. By “reading‟ your customers and interpreting their body language and anticipating
their needs, you are much more likely to achieve a win-win situation.
You can start to read your customer by:
1. Looking at the clothes they wear 4. Noting how they walk, talk and act
2. Noting the car they drive 5. Looking at their facial expressions
3. Observing the brands they are considering 6. Identifying their general outward behavior

Positive non-verbal signals:

1. Smiles 6. They start to handle the item, fiddle with it and
2. Nodding of the head “use‟ it
3. A more “open‟ stance indicating acceptance and 7. They hold the product in a proprietorial way
agreement indicating they have already taken possession of it
4. A more relaxed posture even before it has been bought and paid for.
5. They pick up the item under consideration

Negative non-verbal signals

1. Sighing 4. Drumming fingers on the table or desk
2. Slumped shoulders 5. Eyes rolled backwards
3. Looking around anxiously 6. Looking tired, angry, frustrated or “lost”.

Answer Self-Check 2.3.1 Reading your Customers

1. What is the importance of recognizing non-verbal signals ?  By “reading‟ your customers
and interpreting their body language and anticipating their needs you will be able to recognize and interpret
non-verbal communication which is useful when selling products and services.

Information Sheet 2.3-2 Using Appropriate Communication

Skills-Questioning
Asking of questions is a powerful tool in communication. Using questions in promotion and sales situations is
important because questions enable you to gather information, and to direct the course of the conversation.

The Role of Questions and Answers

 Questions and selling should be constant companions to the successful sales person.
 Don‟t be afraid of asking questions – the more the better!
 Asking questions is not an indication of a lack of knowledge on your part. It is an indication you know
your trade and are being active in finding a solution to meet customer needs.
 The key to this approach is it is „customer focused‟. This means the customer drives the entire
process, guided by you.
  Remember, it is an old, old maxim but it is so true: “The customer is always right‟. You hear this so
often it has a tendency to lose its impact but it is something to always bear in mind.
 The questions you ask should be generated to supply an everincreasing pool of
knowledge in relation to:
 Personal preferences  Time available
 Specific needs  Status needs
 Levels of individual capacity, experience and  Immediacy of the need
ability with the product or service  Previous experience of the customer with similar
 Budget available for the purchase products or services.

Reflective Questions
 Involves repeating back to the customer what they have just said.
 Puts the words of the customer in the shape of a question.

Example: "So you want a fairly inexpensive tour, you don’t mind if it is a group tour but it must be today?"
“So you want a snack more than a meal, it must have with local flavor and ingredients and you want it to take
away?”.

This method shows the customer:

 You have listened to what they have said
 Gives them feedback as to whether or not you have focussed on their main points or requirements
 Encourages them to go on and provide more information
 Encourages them to clarify what they have already stated

Closed Question
 Are asked in such a way as to elicit only a “Yes”, “No” or short answer.
 They are suitable only in relatively few customerservice instances, such as:
 When you are busy  When fine tuning your response to what the
 When seeking to clarify information already customer has identified they need, in general
provided terms.

Open Questions
 These are questions probing the talker for more information and encouraging them to supply further
detail.
 They are questions beginning with:
 "What ..."  "Why ..."  "How ..."  "Where ..."  "When ..."
 Open questions show attention, interest, concern and a desire to assist, as well as giving another
opportunity to gain further information.

Answer Self-Check 2.3.2 Using Appropriate Communication Skills-Questioning

1. Why is Questioning an important skill to learn in promotion and selling?
 Using questions in promotion and sales situations is important because questions enable you to
gather information, and to direct the course of the conversation.

Information Sheet 2.3-3 Using Appropriate Communication

Skills-Listening
Listening is sometimes referred to as the neglected skill because you listen so often there is often the
assumption you are good at it and do not need to spend any time worrying about how to do it, or how to
improve doing it.

Effective Listening Options:

1. Active Listening: involves listening only
2. Reflective Listening: involves giving verbal feedback

Methods to aid Effective Listening

1. Get into the right service oriented frame of mind
2. Focus on what is being said. Look interested by asking yourself how you can use what you are being told to
provide a service and make a sale.
3. Keep an open mind. Never interrupt.
4. Identify the main idea. Extract the core message.
5. Listen critically. Critical Listening provides clues about when and where you need to use your product
knowledge to correct customer misconception about a product or service.
6. Do not get distracted. Focus your attention on the speaker.
7. Take notes. Do not be afraid to write down vital points.
8. Help where necessary. Where the customer pauses, prompt them into continuing.
9. Restate a point the customer has made. For example "You said you did not want a room overlooking the
ocean ..."
10.Keep quiet. Interrupting is a major cause of communication breakdown.

Answer Self-Check 2.3.3 Using Appropriate Communication Skills-Listening

1. Why is listening considered as a neglected skill and why it is an important skill
to learn?
 As listeners, we often fail to do our part in the communication process skill because often the assumption we
are already good at it and do not need to spend any time worrying about how to do it, or how to improve doing
it.
 Close-mindedness and over-stimulation make us quick to judge the speaker's accent, appearance,
impression and poor delivery contribute to the factors why listening is often neglected.
 Listening is an important skill to learn because we receive more information by listening than by any of the
other means of communication—writing, speaking, or reading.

2. What is the difference between hearing and listening?

 Hearing is the act of perceiving sound and receiving sound waves or vibrations through your ear.
 Listening is the act of hearing a sound and understanding what you hear.
 Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences while
hearing simply happens without any thought.

Information Sheet 2.4-1 Using Descriptive Phrases

In descriptive promotion, the promoter does not just tell the client what was seen, felt, tested, smelled, or
heard. Rather, the promoter describes something from personal level and, through careful choice of words and
phrasing, makes it seem real. Descriptive words are vivid, colorful, and detailed.

BE MORE DESCRIPTIVE
AMAZING NICE GOOD HAPPY
astonishing enjoyable excellent amused
astounding pleasurable amazing blissful
awesome courteous wonderful bright
fabulous lovely pleasant charmed
fantastic likable marvelous cheerful
incredible pleasing exceptional contented
stupendous gracious super delighted
wonderful admirable outstanding ecstatic

Keys in the effective use of descriptive phrases are:

1. Prepare them in advance – spend some time developing a suite of appropriate phrases before you need to
use them.
2. Make sure they are all accurate – never take liberties with descriptive phrases.
3. Match the phrases used to the identified situation of the customer:
 If they talk about „seeing things‟ then you use words that fit with this perspective and ask them to “see for
yourself‟, “take a look‟, “it looks fabulous‟ or “read the label‟ or “look at the map/menu/itinerary‟
 If they say they have “heard good/bad reports‟ then use words that focus on hearing and sound such as
“listen to the DVD‟, “it sounds like …‟, or “it’s as quiet as a mouse”
 Where they “have a feeling”, then concentrate on using words that convey feeling and emotion like “it’s a
real experience‟, “it feels right‟, “you can feel the quality the moment you walk in‟ or “lots of people feel the Day
package is the best value‟.

Answer Self-Check 2.4.1 Using Descriptive Phrases

1. Why is it recommended to use descriptive phrases?  It is recommended to use
descriptive phrases because it describes and creates a personal level interaction between promoter and
seller.

Information Sheet 2.4-2 Selling Benefits

All products and services have both “features‟ (the physical elements of something) and “benefits‟.
“Sell the benefits‟ approach requires you to deliver the item to the customer in a manner that makes
them feel they will benefit from the purchase.
For everything you sell, try to think of at least one benefit that you could pass on to a potential customer. The
key to implementing this approach is to convert the physical property into a benefit.
Benefits might include:
 It will save time – pre-purchasing tickets for an  It provides status or exclusivity
amusement park allows customers to walk straight  It saves effort It will make you feel better
in meaning they do not have to queue in the hot  It provides a different experience
sun  It is faster or slower, as appropriate

Answer Self-Check 2.4.2 Selling Benefits

1. Why is it recommended to sell benefits over features?  It is recommended to sell
benefits over features because buyers will have a feeling that they will benefit from the purchase.

Information Sheet 2.4-3 Using Comparison

Promoting products and services can be more effective when comparisons are made.
Comparisons can be made:
1. Between same products and services – for example comparing
 One size of a product against a different size of the same product
 Longer durations of a service against a shorter duration services
2. Between packages – identifying and differentiating:
 Inclusions  Value for money
 Cost
3. Between venues – highlighting:
 Facilities that are better at your venue than  Awards won
at the opposition  Recent refurbishments and new additions.
Keys when comparing options:
1. Comparisons made must accommodate known customer needs, wants and preferences
2. Sell the benefits as well as the inclusions
3. Show the customer why and how one option is the best choice for them on the basis of matters such as:
 Value  A unique experience  Comfort
 Available time  Safety

Information Sheet 2.4-4 Making Suggestions and

Recommendations
Customers expect sales staff to be able to make suggestions and recommendations about products and
services for sale.
Many questions from customers focus on “What would you recommend?”

To make effective suggestions to customers:

1. Identify what they want, need or prefer
2. Determine any constraints to their purchase – money, time, previous experiences
3. Recommend a product or service meeting these needs
4. Base recommendations on personal experience and feedback from previous users. Never be afraid of
saying „This is our most popular tour, meal, room – everyone loves it‟
5. Ensure details of recommendations provided are fact-based and truthful
6. Be alert to the possibility to up-sell – or make add-on sales to optimize the buying opportunity for the benefit
of the customer. This may be achieved by providing them with a better or new experience, giving them better
value-for-money or advising them of something they did not know about
7. Focus on the needs of the customer rather than meeting designated sales targets
8. Involve the customer to the greatest extent possible – for example, where appropriate:
 Show them a DVD, photographs or brochures
 Let them have a taste test of a food or drink
 Show them a room, facility or feature

Information Sheet 2.4-5 Marketing, Promotion and Selling

Marketing
 Activities of a company associated to promote the buying and selling of a product or service.
 What a company does to acquire customers and maintain relationship with them.

Marketing activities associated to promote buying and selling :

1. Advertising: form of communication designed to persuade potential customers to choose your product or
service over that of a competitor.
2. Selling: exchange of goods or services for an agreed sum of money.
3. Promotion: Any type of marketing communication used to inform, persuade, or remind target audiences of
the relative merits of a product, service, brand or issue in order to boost recognition and generate sales or
create brand loyalty.
4. Public Relations: building good relations with the public of a business by obtaining favorable publicity,
building a good corporate image and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories and events.

Information Sheet 2.4-6 Principles of Selling

MARKETING SELLING
Focus on the needs of the buyer Focuses on the needs of the seller
Satisfy the customers needs through the product Turns products into cash
Competition is centered on customer satisfaction Competition is centered on sales
The Five Principles of Successful Selling By Daniel Disney
1. Selling is all about relationships
 How?
 Build rapport  Show genuine interest  Add value
 Identify needs  Build trust
2. The sale is not about your product, but their problem
 The key to success in sales and a principle that will count for all forms of selling is the need to identify
the pain behind the buying decision.
3. Price and value go hand in hand
 Price is what you pay , value is what you get
4. There is no sale unless you can close it.
 It doesn't matter what you're selling, where you're selling or who you're selling too, your ability to
succeed in sales will always come down to your ability to close deals and actually sell!
5. Those who listen, WIN.
 Selling is not about talking, it is about listening

Types of Selling
1. Upselling/Up-selling
 Aka Suggestive Selling, Add-on Selling
 Sales technique used to get a customer to spend more by buying an upgraded or premium version of what’s
being purchased.
2. Cross Selling
 Sales technique offering the customer a related product or service.
3. Down Selling
 Sales technique which you have to use when a customer is trying to back-down from a purchase.

Need to bend the rules

As sales staff you must be the customer’s friend. But this does not mean you have to be the venue’s enemy.
Obviously establishment rules (policies and procedures) are essential for the proper and profitable running of
the venue but you must be an advocate for the customer.
You need to eliminate the “them and us‟ mentality some staff seem to have about customers. The customer
must be treated as if you are “on their side‟.
This means you must strive to: Get the best deal for them without penalizing the company.
In short, bending the rules comes down to simply exercising common sense so the customer wins and the
venue wins.
Central to this idea are the concepts of “discretion‟ and “scope of authority‟. This is the authority delegated to
you by management to enable you to make judgment calls and decisions involving the customer.
Note: Bending the rules does not mean breaking them. Bending the rules does not mean you are doing the
customer a favor – they are entitled to this level of service. No staff member ever does a customer a favor; it is
the customer who does you and the company a favor by spending their money to your product and or services.

Answer Self-Check 2.4.6 Principles of Selling

1. How do you build rapport with customers?
 Be Yourself.  Find common ground.  Read the culture.
 Be Friendly.  Give genuine interest.
 Show real interest.  Calibrate the rapport.
2. What type of selling is best used to start with?
 It is best suggested to base your selling type to the rapport established between the customers.
 As a rule of thumb; to best maximize selling it is best to start with upselling and work your way around
it. If the customer claims that the product or service is beyond their means you can still have the option
to down sell and cross sell.

Information Sheet 2.5-1 Overcoming Buying Objections

Buying Objection
 A reason presented by a customer stating why they cannot make a purchase.
 As part of the sales process you can expect customers to have objections to buying what you have on offer,
at the price you are asking.
 Sometimes it can be used as a sales tool as it demonstrates ongoing interest in the product or service
because it indicates a request for more information.
Categories of Objections
1. Price: the price being asked for a product or service is too expensive.
2. Time related: based on a specific date or time (i.e. immediate or for a later date)
3. Product and service characteristics: such as inclusions of package deals, safety or security factors, type
and style of services

How to Accept Objections

1. Acknowledge and accept the legitimacy of their objection or concern.
2. Always bear in mind a primary objective is to never become engaged in an argument with the customer.
3. Present information addressing the objection or concern, convincing the customer to go ahead and buy.
4. Always make sure what you say in these situations are ethical, honest and accurate --- Never compromise
your integrity or the reputation of the company, just to make a sale.
5. Offer possible solutions ---The Art of the Possible.
Steps in problem solving:
1. Identify the problem. Look at the facts.
2. Listen to customer views. Isolate some factors: price, size quality or taste
3. Physically examine the product/service
4. Consider options
5. Make a decision
6. Convey the decision
7. Review and agree on the decision

Information Sheet 2.6-1 Methods of Closing the Sale

Methods of Closing Sale
1. MINOR CLOSE - Trial Close
2. MAJOR CLOSE – Classified into Six Methods

Minor Close
 a.k.a Trial Close
 Definition: A minor closing attempt made at an opportune time during the sales presentation to
encourage the customer to reveal readiness or unwillingness to buy.
 WHEN TO USE: Most appropriate after obtaining sufficient agreements to buy AND getting “buying
signals.”
 EXAMPLE: After matching need with feature/benefit and confirmation, “Do you think your daughter will
be happy with this phone?” “Would you like to have this in your cart?”

Major Close (Six Major Close Methods)

1. Summary of the Benefits Close
 Definition: Summarizes or gives reemphasis on the most important buyer benefits that will produce a
favorable decision.
 WHEN TO USE: The salesperson has overcome all objections and there are no more.
 EXAMPLE: “Since your daughter loves the standard features of the phone shall we include this in your
cart?” or “Let’s review all of the superior benefits that you will have if you will buy with us…

2. Assumption Close
 Definition: An assumption that the prospect is going to buy or has already bought the product.
 WHEN USED: It comes near the end of the planned presentation after a genuine need has been
identified, solutions/benefits have been presented, and objections have been handled satisfactorily.
 EXAMPLE: “Shall I now include this to your cart since all features were to your satisfaction?”

3. Special-Concession Close
 Definition: Offers the buyer something extra for acting immediately.
 WHEN USED: Use carefully because some buyers are skeptical of concessions. Use to “push-on-
over” the prospect that seems to be on the edge of a decision.
 EXAMPLE: Special price reduction, a more liberal credit plan, or an added feature that was not
anticipated by the prospect. “As an added bonus, we can include this Bluetooth Speakers.”

4. Single Problem Close

  Definition: A single objection that stands in the way of a close. You have already eliminated all
objections but this one.
 WHEN USED: It will generally surface on a “Trial Close.” Handle immediately when recognized.
 EXAMPLE: “Mr. Prospect, it seems that you like all of the benefits that we have discussed except for
the price. Is that right? If I could give you a 20% discount, would you now take my offer?”

5. Limited Choice Close

 Definition: A choice provided to the prospect as a way of “Qualifying” the prospect.
 WHEN USED: After prospect seems unable to decide but you know that benefits have been “sold.”
How to do:
(a) Allow prospect to examine several different “choice packages” and try to assess his/her degree of interest.
(b) Cease showing new choices when it appears that the prospect has been given ample selection.
(c) Remove product that the prospect does not seem genuinely interested in.
(d) Concentrate on products the prospect seems to be definitely interested in.
 EXAMPLE: “It appears that these two choices are your primary interest. Is that right? The pluses and
minuses of each are these: Which one would you like?”

6. Direct Appeal Close

 Definition: Asking for the order in a straightforward manner.
 WHEN USED: After all benefits have been presented and agreed to. Don’t use too early.
 EXAMPLE: “Shall we include this choice in your cart?”; “Can I send you the letter of agreement?”

Answer Self Check 2.6.1: Methods of Closing the Sale

1. How many methods of Closing the Sale for:
a) Minor: 1
 Trial Close
b) Major: 6
 Summary of the Benefits  Special-Concession Close  Limited Choice Close
Close  Single Problem Close  Direct Appeal Close
 Assumption Close

Information Sheet 2.6-2 Monitoring, Identifying and

Responding to Buying Signals
A buying signal is a signal to you from the prospect that the decision to buy has been made. The signal
usually comes towards the end of sales discussions and negotiations.

Here are some buying signals:

 A positive reaction to a trial, demonstration, visit, presentation or sampling
 A lag in the conversation between you and the customer can indicate all the important questions have
been answered and the person is ready to buy
 Questions about details indicate the customer has decided to buy
 If the customer agrees with your sales points it indicates your recommendation is a good one and may
have been accepted If the customer asks which one you would recommend it indicates they are ready
to buy but still need a little more information in deciding on an option
  If the customer asks a question about the form of payment, deposit require or when payment is due,
they have usually made up their mind
 Any time the customer indicates they understand the value or advantages of your offer
 Any compliment regarding inclusions, the venue or you personally
 Non-verbal closing signs such as a change in posture, voice, or facial expression, can indicate a
change in attitude and may be a closing sign.

Whenever you perceive a positive buying signal, attempt to close! But take note also that no salesperson has
ever turned every encounter with a customer into a sale. You will not win every time. This is a fact of life.

Information Sheet 2.7-1 Maximize Sales Opportunities

Demonstrating the Ability to Make Extra Sales

To maximise sales, you need to be aware of the techniques known as:

1. Product knowledge
2. Use of Descriptive words
3. Upselling
4. Cross Selling
5. Down Selling
6. Need to bend the rules

Limits to maximizing sales

It is important to stress it is never acceptable to “sell at any costs‟.
This means you must never:
 Be dishonest
 Make false assertions or claims
 Misrepresent the products or service – or what it can do
 Give false references about an item or service Indicate misleading guarantees or warranties.