BUS633: Sales Management

4a. Apply strategies salespeople use to make a great first impression on a customer

• Why is it important to make a great first impression with a customer?
• If you do not make a good first impression, what might occur?
• What strategies might someone use to make a good first impression with a customer?

Making a good first impression is important when meeting a potential customer for the first time. If you do not make a good first impression, then you may never get a chance to repair that relationship.

The Six Cs of Selling include confidence, credibility, contact, communication, customization, and collaboration. Each of the Six Cs of Selling can assist you in ensuring you can make a positive first impression with a potential customer. For example, by displaying confidence and understanding your product, you can attempt to build trust with a potential customer. By collaborating with a potential customer, you can better determine a win-win situation for both your company and your client. 

To review, see Six Cs of Making a Good First Impression.

4b. Analyze strategies salespeople use to establish a good rapport with a customer

• Why is it important to build a good rapport with a customer?
• How can you establish a good rapport with a customer?
• What are some steps you can take to develop a good customer rapport?

Developing a good customer rapport is important during the sale process, and it is effective when attempting to build a relationship with a customer. Salespeople may use different tactics to build rapport with a potential customer. These might include smiling, using active listening, being empathic, asking open-ended questions, or establishing trust. Any of these may help to build rapport with a potential customer.

For instance, by simply smiling during a meeting or making emphatic gestures, you can develop a positive interaction with a potential customer. These small, non-verbal gestures will help you interact in a positive way with a potential client and build a relationship that may help you as you serve the customers' needs.

To review, see How to Start Off on the Right Foot.

4c. Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate strategies for establishing rapport

• Why is it important to know what you should not do on a sales call?
• How do you know what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior during a sales call?
• How can appropriate behavior help to establish rapport during a sales call?

In the last section, we mentioned some of the appropriate strategies you can use to help build a positive relationship with a potential customer and build a good rapport. In this section, we will discuss a few things you should not do or things that may be inappropriate strategies during a sales call.

Ensuring that you have conducted the appropriate research prior to any meeting with a potential client is important. If you are not prepared, it becomes obvious, and you will not get another chance to show the customer how you will be able to assist them with their needs. Trying to fake it through your presentation is a bad idea. Also, you should avoid any inappropriate jokes or behavior during your sales call. You should also ensure that you listen more than you talk and that you do not stay longer than you should. By understanding and utilizing each of these practices, you can ensure a better outcome for your sales call.

To review, see What Not to Do on a Sales Call.

Unit 4 Vocabulary

This vocabulary list includes terms you will need to know to successfully complete the final exam.

• appropriate strategies
• building rapport
• inappropriate strategies
• Six Cs of Selling