BUILDING PROFESSIONAL SELLING SKILLS
1. Respond to each of the following buying situations by describing what you would
do as (a) an in-salesperson and (b) an out-salesperson.
Straight Rebuy. This is a buying situation in which the customer is basically
reordering an item already in use. Little or nothing has changed in terms of
product, price, delivery, the available sources of supply, or any other aspect.
This is a low-risk situation involving little cognitive effort and requiring little
information. The purchasing department or a clerical person is most often
the key decision maker and buyer.
(a) What do you need to do as an in-salesperson to keep this business?
Explain:
(b) What do you need to do as an out-salesperson to get your foot in the door
and persuade this company to buy from you?
Explain:
Modified Rebuy. A buying situation in which the customer is already purchasing
the item but some key aspect has changed. For example, there may be a
proposed price change, a new competitive source of supply, a problem with
delivery, a change in product specifications, or a newly available product or
service. These are moderate-risk situations requiring greater effort and
necessitating better information and information sources.
(a) What do you need to do as an in-salesperson to keep this business?
Explain:
(b) What do you need to do as an out-salesperson to get your foot in the door
and persuade this company to buy from you?
Explain:
2. You are a salesperson for Accu-Press Corporation, a regional manufacturer of
metal stamping tools used for the shaping (stamping) of small metal component
parts. Accu-Press has just introduced a new line of tools featuring several
breakthrough design features. The new equipment is faster and easier to use. Tests
indicate that it can increase production by 15 percent over conventional tools
while simultaneously reducing the rate of defective parts. You are calling on
Federal Metal Stampings, a major supplier to the automotive industry, with the
objective of selling them the new line of tools. Federal purchases their tools from
two of your competitors, and you have been calling on the buyer at Federal for the
past six months. In the past, the buyer has seen no need to switch sources and has
ended each call by telling you that they are satisfied with their current suppliers.