The Professional Salesman:This is an ideal type. He is willing to take ‘tension’ and be accountable.
He believes that system and business go hand in hand and that both are essential for sales progress. He is one who drives the organisation forward and would be the future of the company.
In fact professional sales people are able to grow personally in their careers. The future lies with them. It is important to become a professional sales person rather than a postman or delivery boy or a traditional sales man.
Many a times, when young sales people join their organisation in the sales and marketing profession, they must understand what trade expects of them.
When a person joins the sales and marketing field afresh, he may not understand the behaviour of retailers and dealers. This leads to a lower productivity and inefficiency.
A few tips and guidelines for young entrants in the sales and marketing field.
Try and understand the behaviour of retailers and dealers and the expectations that they have from companies, sales and marketing professionals.
Dealers and Retailers desire and expect four main things from companies and from sales and marketing professionals.
- The hope that the company they are dealing with will exist and continue its operations. This is because they have had bad experiences with new companies, which have launched new products and folded up.
- This has left a lot of inventory unsold at the retailers end with no recourse to anyone. Therefore, they are interested in dealing with the company that can last.
- Retailers and dealers look forward to having regular supplies. This is because they feel let down if they are not able to supply to the customers after having earlier convinced them to buy the brand. Sometimes a retailer could lose his life long customer due to irregular suppliers
- Retailers and dealers want regular service and visits from sales and marketing professionals. This helps them to solve their problems and increase product knowledge.
- They would like healthy margins and good demand for the brands they sell.
Keep the following in Mind To Be Successful With Retailers
- They must understand the expectations of retailers and dealers.
- They must cater to these expectations.
- They must carry a proper sales kit.
- They must have full product knowledge.
- They must be trained in selling techniques.
- They must understand competition.
- They must listen to the needs of the retailers.
- They must be aggressive but polite.
- They must develop a relationship with retailers.
- They must close the sale and get the order.
In the first part of the sales and marketing professional series, please understand retailers’ behaviour and check-up if you are missing any element in the tips. Then go ahead and sell well.
Happy Selling.
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