It has been said that successful selling is 90 percent preparation and 10 percent presentation.

It has been said that successful selling is 90 percent preparation and 10 percent presentation. This is especially true in selling today, with more unique customer needs, more complex products, more competition, longer sales cycles, and multiple decision makers. Salespeople who strategically plan their sales presentations before delivering them outsell those who fail to develop a sales presentation that is tailored to meet the needs of the prospect. Poorly planned sales presentations are not convincing. A salesperson cannot leave the sales presentation to the inspiration of the moment any more than a speaker can face an audience without having taken care and time to prepare a speech. In almost every aspect of life, strategic planning is necessary to gain the desired result.

The effective sales presentation is built with a strategic plan. Every step of the sale, from the approach to servicing the sale, is carefully planned in advance. A well-planned sales presentation is not memorized. It is a logically planned outline that carries the salesperson's own thoughts from one step to the next.

This project will be your outline for strategically planning a sales presentation selling a product of your choice. You will work on this project throughout the course, submitting your work to be graded in Lesson 4 and in Lesson 8.

Suggested Techniques for Gathering Information

1.  Conduct personal interviews with salespeople and sales executives.

2.  Research trade journals and professional articles.

3.  Read trade catalog references and reserve books in the library.

4.  Send personal letters requesting information.

5.  Make personal observations of marketing activities.

The following outline should be used in preparing your sales presentation. You will submit the first half of your outline to be graded in Lesson 4 and the entire outline to be graded in Lesson 8.

Outline for Preparation of Sales Presentation

Title Page

I.   Developing a Personal Selling Philosophy

II. Developing a Relationship Strategy

III. Developing a Product Strategy

IV. Developing a Customer Strategy

V. Developing a Presentation Strategy

For this assignment, please complete the outline below. This is the first half of the entire outline that will be submitted in Lesson 8.

Title Page

A. Name of product to be sold.

B. Name of company you are selling for.

C. Course name and number.

D. Your name and date.

I.   Developing a Personal Selling Philosophy

A. Describe the marketing setting (e.g., retail, wholesale, manufacturing, or service).

B. Describe the role of personal selling in this setting.

C. Describe the typical salesperson's training to become a consultant/problem-solving type of salesperson.

II. Developing a Relationship Strategy

A. Describe the typical relationship between salesperson and customer in this field.

B. Describe the appropriate salesperson's attitude.

C. Describe the appropriate salesperson's appearance.

D. Describe the methods used to strengthen a long-term relationship for repeats and referrals.

E.  Describe your communication style.

III. Developing a Product Strategy

A. Description of company

B. Description of product/created product solution

C. Description of technical expertise needed by salesperson

D. Develop feature benefits worksheet.

E.  Is this a new and emerging or mature and well-established product?

F.  Will you use a price or value-added product strategy?

IV. Developing a Customer Strategy

A. Describe the typical buying motives of prospect.

B. Describe the typical prospect as an individual (and as a company representative, if appropriate).

C. How are prospects identified in most cases?