Personal selling is one of the oldest and most effective strategies used by salespeople. It is an interpersonal and direct communication between the seller and the buyer.
The interactive nature of communication is important because it allows for the transmission of information and immediate receipt of the recipient's response.
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| Disadvantages and Advantages of Personal Selling |
Its objective is that the buyer reacts positively and acquires the product or service offered. This type of sale is the maximum exponent of persuasive communication and represents the last rung in the conviction of the client.
It is considered one of the most important sales techniques as it can capture the customer's attention very quickly. It is possible to observe how the receiver reacts and their comments and, thus, be able to negotiate immediately to reach a final agreement.
It is one of the many sales techniques that are commonly used. Other techniques used are sales by phone, online, by mail, retail, inbound, B2B, cross-selling, internal sales, and automatic sales.
Depending on the situation in which the seller finds themselves, the type of business, product, or service, there are techniques that are better adapted to achieving the sales objectives.
Main features
All marketing strategies have certain characteristics that define them and differentiate them from the rest.
In the case of personal sales, they are the following:
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Direct communication: Direct contact between the seller and the buyer adds value to the sales process. It allows presenting the product, expanding information, or clarifying doubts and obtaining a direct and immediate response from the buyer.
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Personalized message: The message transmitted is personalized and adapted to each client. It enables the adaptation of the presentation of the product and its commercial argumentation.
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Closing agreements: Personal selling not only allows you to activate demand but also allows you to establish agreements, materialize the sale, and offer an after-sales service.
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Limited volume of buyers: Face-to-face communication does not allow a large group of buyers to be covered at the same time.
These are the advantages of personal selling
- Better selection of potential customers
- Customize the sale and advice according to the client
- Detailed Product Show
- It allows clarifying the doubts that may arise instantly
- Constant customer engagement
- It offers the possibility of closing the sale at the moment
The drawbacks that warn of the danger of this strategy
- It is a promotional tool with a high cost
- Does not allow reaching a high number of customers at the same time
- Usually requires a long-term commitment
Personal Selling Process
Once you know the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages, it is time to go into detail about the process that takes place in a personal sale.
It is of the utmost importance to carefully plan the tactics of said sale; for this, you must:
- Find potential customers: They are those consumers who have the possibility of becoming customers of the company. To search for these customers, we can go to various sources of information such as the company's own databases, current customers, and suppliers.
- Classify customers: Once the customers have been found, they are classified according to variables such as their financial capacity, their sales volume, their authority to decide on the purchase, etc.
- Previous preparation: All the information that may be useful from the client is collected and studied, and the way of contacting him, the presentation to be made, and the strategies are planned.
- Presentation and argumentation: The seller introduces himself to the client, explains the reason for his visit, the service or product, emphasizing its main characteristics, benefits, and attributes. This argument must be different and adapted to the particular needs or interests of each client. The seller also has to be prepared for the possible objections that the client may make.
- Closing sales: The seller proceeds to close the sale emphasizing the arguments used in the previous step and relating it to the needs of the client.
- Follow-up: In the case of having successfully closed the sale, the seller must follow-up and maintain communication with the client to ensure their satisfaction.
Each sales situation is different, so this process may vary depending on the product, service, client, and context.
Some of the aspects that must be taken into account when making a personal sale are the place where it is made, the communication used, and the sector in which the potential buyer is located.