Page 39 - DMGT205_SALES_MANAGEMENT

Unit 3: Process of Personal Selling

3.2 Pre Approach and Call Planning Notes

Once a prospect has been identified, the sales person should not show haste in making an
appointment soon and delivering their sales pitch. It is important to understand that first of all
as much information as possible about the prospective customer should be gathered and a lot of
planning is required before a sales person should contact the prospect.
Pre Approach

Pre approach is based on the principle of the marketing concept that stresses customer orientation.
The more the sales person knows about the prospect, the better the chances of making
a sale.

The sales person should try and gather information like:
1. What is the financial position of the prospect?
2. What are his special needs or problems?

3. How might the company's products or services satisfy these special needs?
4. Who will get involved in making the buying decision?
5. What type of motivation or appeal is most likely to be effective?
6. What are the buyers personal characteristics and outside interests?
The information gathered should help the sales person:

(a) To ascertain the prospects needs and ability to buy the product or service.
(b) To give a 'tailor-made' presentation.
(c) To keep from making serious tactical errors.

(d) To increase the sales person's confidence in handling the sales pitch.

!
Caution Personal selling is oral communication with potential buyers of a product with
the intention of making a sale. The personal selling may focus initially on developing a
relationship with the potential buyer, but will always ultimately end with an attempt to
"close the sale". Personal selling is the oldest form of promotion.
Call Planning

Call planning is basically a specific planning sequence. The sales person has to first of all define
the objective of the call, secondly, devise a selling strategy to achieve this objective and lastly
make the appointment. Besides the ultimate objective of getting the order there might be certain
intermediate objectives, some of which may be:
1. To gain more information about the prospect.
2. To relate the prospect's needs and concerns to the attributes and benefits of the product or
service.
3. To obtain permission for the demonstration of the product.
4. To introduce a new distributor.

5. To settle past collect disputes.

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