Conceptual Selling, Strategic Selling

-Swati Gaidhani

Conceptual SellingIt focuses on tactical planning.Requires sales person to understand

their customers:◦What they buy?◦Why they buy?◦How they buy?

Sales person need to understand the customers; have to identify their problems & then have to use their expertise to develop the solution.

Stages in Conceptual Selling

1. Extracting information 2. Providing information 3. Securing commitment

1. Extracting information :Sales person must understand how the customer thinks. What is the need of the customer? Why the customer buy the products? Customer don’t buy

the features but always buy the benefits associated with the features of the product. Functional benefits- Like quality, durability, effectiveness,

speed, easiness to use, economic etc. result from material, design of product, other production related decisions.

Psychological benefits- Like recognition / status in some group, reduction of risk, independence, happiness, comfort. These are associated with internal makeup of the customer.

Stages in Conceptual Selling What features (characteristics) the customer is expecting to be associated with the product?

Which benefits the customer is expecting from the product? How the product features can offer benefits to the customer? Why the customer will purchase from us?

2. Providing information : Inform the customer specialty [ plus points over competitor’s

product] of your product/service so that customer will take decision in your favour.

Connect the features & benefits of products to the customer’s needs.

3. Securing commitment :

Correlate features & benefits of the products to the customer needs as it can help to convince the customer.

Through consultative approach handle doubts, objections of the customers & get the commitment of order from customer.

Strategic SellingAs the name suggest, here strategic approach is

used to tap the selling opportunity.Identify sales opportunity. What is the need/

objective of customer ?

Multiple InfluencersIdentify the key players who can influence

decision of purchasing.◦ Economic buyer - Who has final authority to

release the funds.

◦ User buyer - Who will be actually using the product.

◦ Technical buyer - Who will use his knowledge to check specifications/ technical aspects of product.

◦ Coach – Who can help sales person in this deal.

Then rate their influence level as High, Medium, Low.

Strategic SellingDanger signals:

While selling to an organisation/ business client, sales person must cross check following-◦ Is any critical information not been given to the client ?◦ Is there uncertainty about any information given to the client ?◦ Have he missed contacting any of the influencer ?◦ Is any influencer new to the job ?◦ Is there possibility of major changes/ restructuring in the

customer’s organisation ?

Differentiators:

Inform your product & companies strengths/ plus points/ competitive advantage over the competitors in the market. [eg. Technical aspects of the product, experience of the Co., policies, existing customer base, training, etc.]

Utilise such points to get the business.

Strategic SellingCustomer Response: Sales person have to understand the gap

between actual need of customer & his desire to purchase the product. He tactfully have to provide solution to the customer to minimise or eliminate this gap so the deal get finalised by the customer.

Results: Results may come out as per requirement &

say of each influencer in the decision making.

Strategic SellingCustomer Response: Sales person have to understand the gap

between actual need of customer & his desire to purchase the product. He tactfully have to provide solution to the customer to minimise or eliminate this gap so the deal get finalised by the customer.

Results: Results may come out as per requirement &

say of each influencer in the decision making.Try to achieve Win-Win situation.

Strategic selling process help sales person to

Forecast our business with greater efficacy.Showcase our speciality/ differentiators as

compared to competitors in terms of products & services.

Implement well planned, structured & consistent process for customer interaction.

Increase the rate of getting the orders & reduce uncertainty.

Minimise sales cycle/ complete the sale in minimum time & efforts.