OVERVIEW

Welcome to the "practical" side of selling. There is absolutely no way that anyone can learn or appreciate the selling process until they experience it first hand. While "role-plays" only simulate the experience, you can be assured that this will enhance your "classroom" learning. Of course, for those who will enter a career of sales and marketing, you will find that you will ALWAYS be learning more and building your professionalism.

So, how do these role-plays work in this course?

First, these role-plays progressively build upon each other. What new things that you learn in each will be seen again. What does this do? It enables you to absorb new material a more leisurely pace. It's easier to learn things in "chunks" versus "all at once." Of course, after awhile you may think it repetitious and somewhat boring. However, by the time you finish, you will be substituting your own words and style. This is the goal. Also, when you leave this class, you will remember the main ideas...you problably will never forget the vital few and important concepts.

Second, these role-plays put you in a "training" mode in role-plays Ia and Ib. Then they promote you to a full-time "Account Manager" where you will practice the process of "consultative selling" (role-plays II, III, IVa, IVb, and IVc).

PURPOSES OF EACH ROLE-PLAY

Sales Trainee

Ia - Here you will learn about product/service features. You will also learn to translate "features" into "benefits." Customers only buy benefits; not features.

Ib - You will expand upon the features/benefits by learning to make "need/benefit matching statements." You will also learn how to prepare a selling proposal and write a sales transmittal (cover) letter.

Full-Time "Account Manager"

II - Your first responsibility in your newly promoted position is to establish relationships with your potential customers.

III - Second, in this new position, you will interview the potential customer to gain a complete and accurate understanding of his or her needs. You do not attempt to "sell" anything at this interview.

IVa - Third, you will learn how to make a good "persuasive" presentation. During this role-play, you are taught the "presentation process." This structure is a map or guide to shape your presentation. While a structure may seem artificial, all of the steps are necessary. And, after you gain experience using this format, you will find that the "flow becomes natural to you. Of course, by this time, you will be using your own words and style (albeit, guided by this structure).

NOTE: In this role-play, the customer will say "yes" to everything you propose. The purpose of this role-play is to teach "structure" only.

IVb - Fourth, you will learn how to deal with customer resistence during the "Presentation Structure." You will encounter customer "objections" to your suggestions in this role-play. You will learn how to "negotiate" these.

IVc - Finally, you will PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. This is your final "Capstone" role-play. It will be video taped and is worth the most points of all the previous role-plays. However, don't be apprehensive, all that is NEW here is that you will encounter the customer resisting to your "asking for the order." All that you previously learned will be the same.

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