HOSPITALITY SALES MANAGEMENT
HA - 400
ROLE-PLAY COURSE PACK
ROLE-PLAY IVb – PRESENTATION
"Seven Types of
Salesperson Responses to Negotiating the Customer’s Concerns"
INTRODUCTION
After recognizing that the customer is expressing concerns (objections/resistance)
the
SEVEN TECHNIQUES FOR "NEGOTIATING" BUYER RESISTANCE
1. INDIRECT
DENIAL – Sometimes the
customer’s concern is completely almost completely valid.
Here the salesperson will acknowledge that the prospect is partially
right. This is a “soft” and “conditional” denial.
Prospect: “I
understand that you have hired a lot of new people at the hotel recently; to me
this seem that there may be internal problems.”
Salesperson: “You’re right, we have hired many new people but this is due to our new expansion.”
2.
DIRECT DENIAL
- This involves directly refuting or denying what the prospect has stated. It’s considered a high-risk method, but in
some cases what the prospect has stated or believes may be very wrong or mispreceived.
In any case, if this misperception is left unaddressed, the prospect
will probably not buy.
Prospect: “I
understand that your company has filed for bankruptcy.”
Salesperson: “That’s
not true.”
3. SUPERIOR
BENEFIT – A superior
benefit is something that will usually outweigh a prospect’s specific concern. It is most commonly used in combination
with an indirect denial.
Prospect:
“You don’t have enough audio-visual (A/V) equipment on the hotel
property to fully accommodate our needs.”
Salesperson: “You’re
right, we only stock the basic A/V on property (INDIRECT DENIAL), but one
of our subsidiaries here in town is an A/V supplier and of course they carry
a full assortment of equipment to which we have first rights (SUPERIOR BENEFIT).
4.
DEMONSTRATION – This is used when you have the opportunity
and when you know both your and your competitor’s product/service very well.
The idea here is that, “seeing (and experiencing) is believing.”
Demonstration is very powerful and can effectively overcome concerns. Often used in combination method approaches.
Prospect: “I
really don’t know anything about the level of service that your property can
provide. I don’t know anything about
you.”
Salesperson: “Why
don’t you and your family come and stay, as my guest, over a weekend.
We would love to host a mini-vacation for you.
You could relax and simply check us out.”
5.
TRIAL-OFFER – This involves giving the prospect an opportunity
to try the product without making a major purchase commitment. This has often
been used in the case of large Association meetings where a smaller “Board
of Director” meeting for the association is given a very inexpensive rate
so that the association decision makers can try the property out.
Prospect:
“We really can’t make a commitment for our annual association meeting at
this time.”
Salesperson: “I
know that you have a board meeting coming up soon, what if we could host it
for a very small cost to you? You can look at this as our marketing cost to
acquaint you with our property.”
6.
THIRD-PARTY TESTIMONY
– In consultative selling this is powerful.
Third-parties are people who refer business to you or are neutral parties
who agree to act as a referral source.
Prospect: “I
really don’t know anything about your company. Sounds good, but I’m not sure.”
Salesperson: “Were
you aware that Bob Shoemaker, the VP of Marketing in your company’s Medical
Division held a successful meeting here two months ago? If you would like, I will give him a call and
have him call you. How does that sound?”
7.
QUESTIONS –
Questions are not only an effective way to gather information and clarification,
they also can be used to convert a concern into a question that may cause
the prospect to rethink their position.
Prospect:
“You don’t have evening room service?”
Salesperson: “How many hosted functions will you be
holding?”
Prospect: “One running late every night through the
entire meeting.”
Salesperson: “When and why would your attendees use room
service?”