n Chapter 13 Initiating the Sale

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Marketing Essentials
n Chapter 13 Initiating the Sale
Section 13.2 Determining Needs in Sales
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
What You'll Learn

• Why determining needs is an essential step in the
  sales process
• Three methods used for determining needs

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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Why It's Important
A thorough analysis of customers' needs and wants
is necessary when planning and executing
effective sales presentations. Customers vary
greatly in their perceptions and requirements, so
salespeople must learn how to uncover those
differences. This section will help you to
accomplish that goal.
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Key Terms

• nonverbal communication
• open-ended questions

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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Determining Needs
Customer needs are directly related to buying
motives. Motives can be rational, emotional, or a
combination of both. In this step of the sale,
your job is to uncover the customer's reasons for
wanting to buy.
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
When to Determine Needs
The salesperson should determine the customer's
needs as early in the sales process as
possible. In a retail selling, the salesperson
should begin to determine needs immediately after
the approach. In business-to-business selling,
needs can be determined in the preapproach.
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
How to Determine Needs
Three methods will help you determine customer
needs

• observing
• listening
• questioning

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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Observing
When you observe a customer, you look for buying
motives that are communicated nonverbally.
Nonverbal communication is expressing yourself
through body language such as facial expressions,
hand motions, and eye movement. In B2B selling,
nonverbal communication can include the personal
belongings in a buyer's office.
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Listening

• Listening helps you pick up clues to the
  customer's needs. Remember these five important
  listening skills when talking to your customers
• Maintain good eye contact.
• Provide verbal and nonverbal feedback.
• Give customers your undivided attention.
• Listen with empathy and an open mind.
• Do not interrupt.

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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Questioning
In order to listen to customers, you must get
them talking. One way of engaging a customer in
conversation is to ask questions. Build your
questions around words like

• who
• what
• when

• where
• how
• why

Slide 1 of 2
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SECTION 13.2
Determining Needs in Sales
Questioning
Do ask open-ended questionsquestions that
require more than a yes or no answer. Do ask
clarifying questions to make sure you understand
customers' needs. Don't ask too many questions in
a row. Don't ask questions that might embarrass
customers or put them on the defensive.
Slide 2 of 2
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ASSESSMENT
13.2
Reviewing Key Terms and Concepts
1. Why is determining needs an essential step in
the sales process? 2. When should you begin
determining needs in the sales process? 3. At
what point in the sales process do you stop
determining the customer's needs?
Slide 1 of 2
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ASSESSMENT
13.2
Reviewing Key Terms and Concepts
4. Name three methods used to determine
customers' needs. 5. Without asking a direct
question, how could you find out how much a
customer weighs in order to properly outfit him
or her with the proper size skis?
Slide 2 of 2
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ASSESSMENT
13.2
Thinking Critically
You are a salesperson in a rug store that carries
inexpensive area rugs, medium priced area rugs,
and very expensive, authentic Persian and
handmade rugs. How would you determine your
customer's price range so you know which category
of rugs to show?
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Marketing Essentials
End of Section 13.2