Personal Selling-Its Meaning, Definition, and Process

Personal Selling refers to the face-to-face interaction in which one person who is the salesman tries to persuade the customer for buying the product. The salesman uses his skills and abilities to make a sale.

Meaning of Personal Selling:

It means selling personally. It involves the face-to-face interaction by this the seller directly contact his customer and sell the products. This is the two way communication process. Here, the seller is personally explaining the need of the products to his customers.

Definition:

“Personal selling is an ancient art. Effective sales persons have more than instinct; they are trained in a method of analysis and customer man­agement. Selling today is a profession that in­volves mastering and applying a whole set of principles”. 

-Phillip Kotler

“Salesmanship consists of winning the buyer’s confidence for the seller’s house and goods thereby arising a regular and permanent customer”

-G. Blake

Process of Personal Selling:

These steps focus on getting new customers. However, most salesmen pay attension to maintaining existing customers and building long-term customer relationships. Now look at the following steps in the selling process:

1. Prospecting and Qualifying:

In this step, the salesperson identifies potential customers. The salesmen often must approach many prospects to obtain sales. Although the company supplies some leads, by which salesmen must develop the skill of finding their own. They can use the telephone and mail to track down leads.

2. Pre-approach:

In this, the salesmen learns more about a prospective customer before making a sales call.

To know about the customer, the salesperson can consult acquaintances (knowledge of somebody/something), and others. Then salesperson should set call objectives – , gathering information, qualifying the prospect, making an immediate sale.

3. Approach:

The salesperson meets the buyer to get the good relations. It consists of the salesperson’s , opening lines, appearance and the follow-up remarks.

4. Presentation and Demonstration:

The salemen tells the product “story” to the buyer, with explanation that how the product will make or save money. The salesperson describes the features of the product with focusing on highlighting customer benefits.

5. Handling Objections:

The salesperson gives the clarity, and overcomes the objections  presented by the customers for purchasing the product.

6. Closing and Follow-up:

This is the second last step,in which the salesperson asks for an order. He can offer to write up the order, reexamine the order, that the buyer will lose when the order is not placed at right time. The salesman expalining the forward special reasons to close the sale process.

On the other side, Follow-up is the last step in the selling process in which the salesperson ensure customer satisfaction and repeat business.

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