Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Demonstration- The most important element in the Sales Process


You have worked your way to the Customer’s heart by properly following the MEET & GREET stage. Thereafter, during the QUALIFICATION process you asked him the relevant questions and listened to him effectively and made all the notes required for you to understand what the prospective customer wants from his new car/ product.
Now you need to effectively convince the client that your product meets all his requirements and hence you must now demonstrate the product to him/ her. If you have understood all his needs/ wants, then during DEMONSTRATION, you should only focus and demonstrate those features of the product which will satisfy his needs/ wants. This means that you should show the benefits that a particular feature provides. E.g.; if the client wants his family to be safe at all times in the new car, then you must show him how SAFE your car is from his perspective. So, in this case you will show him how good the seat belt system is e.g. a three point seat belt, or how long and wide is the beam of the headlights is which are great in the night while driving, additional safety is ensured by 4 Airbags, etc, etc.

However you have to be properly prepared before any demonstration appointment.

1) You must be completely knowledgeable about the product, as the client can ask any technical/ non-technical queries at the time of the demo. If your product/ service has any WOW factors (USP) which your competitor may not have then you must highlight it, e.g. pedestrian safety feature where the bumpers of your vehicle are designed in such a way that, in an unfortunate event of an accident the pedestrian does not go under the vehicle, but rolls over the bonnet. In this case you do not accidently harm the person fatally.
2) You must be extremely enthusiastic and excited about your product/ service and it should be seen through in the way you demonstrate the product.
3) Always build a story around your demonstration, so that the demo sticks in the mind of the prospect.
4) Create an image in the mind of the prospect that he is already owning the product and enjoying its use.
5) Stress only on the benefits with respect to the needs expressed by the prospect during the QUALIFICATION stage.

Above all, make the demonstration and interesting exercise and not a boring one, where both, the prospect and you enjoy the entire process. This will be the biggest differentiator between a Good demonstration and a Brilliant demonstration

Happy Selling!


If you want more information on how to sell effectively, and more so if you want your team to succeed in the ever increasing competitive world, then, visit my website at www.prashantwelling.com or better still arrange for a training program for you sales team. All details are available on the website.

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful post as usual, Statements No.3 & No.4 are the match-winners but the most difficult to practice or implement.

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    1. Yes, I agree with you, but, Practice makes a man perfect. Everything, every technique needs to be perfected by practice. First and foremost we must enjoy what we are doing, only then it is possible. So enjoy everything you do and then see the magic.

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  2. Hi Prashant,
    Your post itself is like a story, imprinting images as i read.
    How wonderful it would be if learnt and implemented! It will make customers happy and confident about the product they are considering.
    I say this particularly because of the example you have chosen. In my window-shopping and actual purchase of cars, i have come across a number of agencies and sales personnel. They were a mix of sales supervisors/managers and ordinary salesmen. Surprisingly not many of them had good/in-depth knowledge of the machines they were pitching to me; aesthetical/safety related or technical features. Especially the sales executives would lie to cover-up. This immediately instilled lack of trust for that sales person/team.
    Your training program will prove very useful to this section, making them understand the ingredients of this most important element and pushing them to improve, and with their performance create confidence in the customers.
    I remember one particular sales executive Lalit from many years ago when i bought my 800. His enthusiasm (and other qualities you mentioned above) and knowledge of the product made such an impact that i was easily convinced with his demonstration. In addition to this, when i was purchasing my next car, although not Maruti, i consulted him (no, he wasn't disloyal to Maruti, he had moved on to other industry :-) ).
    This program can easily be adopted in day-to-day marketing/sales of any product.
    When a customer comes out comfortable, happy and satisfied, he goes around recommending the product and the salesman/agency. I would do that if a friend asked!
    I look forward to more such posts.
    :-)

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    1. Thank you Sameer,
      It is heartening to note that I have been able to put forth my point and it has made an impact.

      Thank you once again for the feedback. I look forward to your feedback in the future too.

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