Personal Selling

[Ashley Jones]

In chapter 19 of Kotler Keller (2012, p. 560) it states, "Personal selling is an ancient art. Effective salespeople today have more than instinct." There are six major steps in effective selling that are listed as follows: Prospecting and Qualifying, Pre-approach, Presentation and Demonstration, Overcoming Objections, Closing, and Follow-Up/Maintenance. When discussing the Presentation and Demonstration aspect, "the salesperson tells the product story to the buyer, using a features, advantages, benefits, and value (FABV) approach" (Kotler Keller, 2012, p.561). Features of the product actually describe the physical characteristics of the product. Advantages describe why the product has specific features that provide the customer with specific advantages. Benefits are how the product will be beneficial in many aspects (economic, technical, social, and service) to the customer. While value describes the products worth to the customer. "Salespeople often spend too much time on product features - a product orientation; and not enough time stressing benefits and value - a customer orientation" (Kotler Keller, 2012, p. 561).

With being a customer, I have been in the same situations of trying to be sold an item with the salesperson more focused on the product features, than the benefits and value if I were to purchase the product. With the major steps given, should there be a heavier focus on benefits and value? Would the steps be as effective or less effective if they were arranged in a different order making benefits and value of a product a step itself?

[stcarm...@hotmail.com]

Speaking from experience in the personal selling industry, I believe it would be beneficial to add a step that was titled "Benefits and Value" to the process. In my experience, sale agents often jump from product features directly to trying to make the sale. They never take the time actually break down the reasons why the client needs this product and the advantages it is going to provide to them. I found myself making this very mistake during my first month in the industry, and it was not until I made the adjustment to focusing more on the benefits the product provided to the client that I started experiencing a lot of success. I believe the reason for this is because though the features are nice, people are more concerned with what some industry experts call "WIIFM." WIIFM stands for "What's In It For Me." That is why it is extremely important for the sales professional to understand and incorporate this knowledge into their selling process in order to be successful.