Page 19 - DMGT507_SALES AND PROMOTIONS MANAGEMENT

Unit 1: Introduction to Sales Management

1.6.2 Pre-approach Notes

By this stage, the salesperson should know the prospect’s likes and dislikes, his needs, preferences,
habits, nature, behaviour, economic and social status etc. Based on all this information, the
salesman has the necessary tools to plan his visit/interview with the prospect and can give an
effective sales presentation. This kind of preparation to meet the prospect is called the pre-
approach.

Significance of Pre-approach

The following factors describe the importance of the pre-approach method:
1. It is a method by which a salesman concentrates only on the prospects and not the suspects,
thus saving his time and energy.

2. It helps a salesman gain all the possible information about the prospect before approaching
him.
3. As the salesman has prior knowledge about the prospect, he is able to give a sales
presentation more efficiently, effectively and with confidence.
4. The sales presentation is focused around the needs of the prospect and is short, meaningful
and to the point.

Usage of Prospecting Time

Quality usage of prospecting time means that the sales force must plan its time in such a manner
that maximum time is made available for those prospects who are likely to give a large volume
of business to the company. It follows that the least time must be spent on activities that are
required to support such objectives and devoting more time on significant prospects.

Example: Productive time which could otherwise be spent in meeting prospective clients
is spent by the sales force in travelling, organizing the documentation, completing paper work
and attending meetings.
With value time being spent in non-selling activities, the result is that, on an average, a salesman
spends only one-third of his usage time in meeting prospects.
To avoid this wastage of time, the sales force has to be more organised and recognise key
prospects who are more likely to give large volume of business to the company.

Example: The most important prospects or the key account holders are those who are
likely to give a large volume of business to the company. Hence, such a segment should be
categorised as grade A; on the same lines, those customers who would not give very much
business to the company or those who are likely to deal with the company on a one time basis
may be given grade B, and so on. Now, a bank salesperson, to utilize his time more productively
and qualitatively, must spend most of his time in meeting and concentrating their efforts on
grade A customers and then on other graded customers.

1.6.3 Approaching

In this stage the prospect and the salesperson come in contact with each other face to face. Here
the salesman has an opportunity to understand and interact with the prospect in a better way.

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