2010
ANDE
KENYA
A MANUAL FOR A MASTER SALESMAN
The Power of Persuasion
A Manual for a Master Salesman
Section I
Salesman on Stage
The psychology of selling an individual is closely similar to actors’
strategy of selling an audience. The stage play that succeeds must
have the advantage of a strong opening act and a smashing climax, or
closing act. If a play does not have there, it will be a flop.
The act of a successful salesmanship is three act drama:
Act I – Interest. It must grip the attention and arouse the interest of the
audience. This is accomplished by neutralizing the mind of the
prospective buyer and establishing confidence.
Act II – Desire. Must be developed proper presentation
Act III – Action. Here the objective must be realized. A sale has to be
made.
WORDS, alone will not sell! Words woven into combinations of thought
which create desire will sell. The sole aim of neutralizing the mind of
the prospective buyer is, of course, to establish confidence. Where
confidence has not been built in the mind, no sale can be made.
Never forget to be ENTHUSIASTIC.
Section II
A Guide to Master Salesmanship
Every successful day of your life, regardless of your occupation or
profession, you must be a Master Salesman. Master Salesmanship is
the key to the attainment of what you desire from life.
Prerequisites: Eight Qualities a Successful Salesman Must
Possess
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1. Physical fitness – fitness is a prerequisite for a positive mental
attitude. Therefore pay attention to habits of healthy living,
including proper diet, sleep, recreation and exercise.
2. Courage – must live in every man and woman who succeeds
3. Imagination – he must have an imagination that enables him to
place himself in sympathetic understanding of the position,
needs and objectives of the customer. He must stand in the
other person’s shoes.
4. Speech – a salesman voice must be pleasing. Speak distinctly
and articulate clearly. A firm, resonant voice full of assurance
and confidence is indicative of a person of enthusiasm and
assertiveness.
5. A pleasing personality – the master salesman has acquired the
art of making himself pleasant to be with. He knows that the
prospective buyer must buy the salesman as well as the
merchandise.
6. Self confidence – it’s the conditioning of the mind to bring
desired goals or results
7. Mastermind Alliance – no man can accomplish enduring results of
a far reaching nature without the help of others. When two or
more people join forces in any undertaking, in a spirit of harmony
and understanding, each person in the alliance multiplies his own
powers of achievement.
8. Work smart – a salesman income is fixed by the amount of smart
and intelligent work he puts out.
Professional Qualities
i. Knowledge of the product he sells
ii. Belief in the product or service
iii. Appropriateness of the product – a master salesman analyses his
prospective buyer and the buyers needs and offers him only what
is applicable. He never tries to sell a Mercedes Benz to a man
who ought to purchase a Toyota, even if the prospective buyer is
financially able to but the more expensive car. He knows a bad
bargain for the buyer is a bad bargain for the seller!
iv. Value given
v. Knowledge of the prospective buyer
vi. Categorising the prospective buyer
◊ The prospective buyer’s financial capability
◊ His need for the product being offered for sale
◊ His motives for making a purchase
vii. Ability to “neutralize” the mind of the buyer
viii. Ability to close a sale
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Personal Qualities
a) Showmanship – has the ability to reach the mind of his
prospective buyer by dramatizing his presentation honestly and
giving it sufficient “colour” to arouse intense interest through an
appeal to the prospective buyer’s imagination.
b) Self control
c) Initiative
d) Tolerance
e) Accurate thinking
f) Persistence
g) Faith - super faith in
Himself
What he is selling
His prospective buyer
Closing the sale
h) The habit of observation
i) The habit of rendering more service than is expected
j) Enthusiasm
k) Good memory
l) Humility
m) Belief in success – “whatever my mind can conceive and
believe, my mind can achieve”
n) Decision
Section III
Major Weaknesses in the Personality and Habits of Salesmen
Read the following list carefully. Check off each of the weaknesses you
know you have already overcome. Where you feel you need
improvement, place an “X”.
1. The habit of procrastination
2. One or more of the six basic fears
The fear of poverty
The fear of criticism
The fear of ill health
The fear of loss of love of someone
The fear of old age
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The fear of death
3. Spending too much time making “calls” instead of sales. A “call”
is not an interview. An interview is not a sale. You must see the
person who can say yes or no!
4. Spending too much time in hotels, cafes
5. Hearing the word “No”
6. Failure to plan your day in advance
7. Keeping poor records and dates on calls
8. Lateness
9. Using out of date material
10. Being unequipped with a pen
11. A tired sales presentation
12. Relating your personal problems to associates and customers
13. Failure to read and comply with pertinent material
14. Promising what your company cannot deliver
15. Running out of supplies like brochures, contracts etc
16. Pessimism
Section IV
Major Factors on Which Confidence is Built
There are numerous factors that contribute to the development of
confidence. A list of the important ones is listed below:
i. Following the habit of rendering more service and better service
than you are paid to render
ii. Entering into no transaction which does not benefit, as nearly as
equally as possible, everyone it affects
iii. Making no statement which you do not believe to be true, no
matter what temporary advantages a falsehood might seem to
offer
iv. Having a sincere desire in your heart to be of the greatest
possible service to the largest number
v. Cultivating a wholesome admiration of people; liking them better
than you like money
vi. Doing your best to live, as well as you sell your own philosophy
of business. Actions speak louder than words
vii. Accepting no favours, large or small, without giving favours in
return
viii. Asking nothing of any person without believing that you have a
right to what you ask
ix. Entering into no arguments with any person over trivial or non-
essential details
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x. Spreading the sunshine of good cheer wherever and whenever
you can. Be a happy person!
xi. Remembering, if you are successful, that someone helped you to
become successful!
Section V
Neutralising the Buyer’s Mind
An understanding of the psychology of the salesman-customer
relationship is the difference between success and failure in selling.
The First Steps
The salesman-customer relationship is dependent on two conditions,
both of which are controlled by the salesman:
1. The salesman must believe in himself and in his product
2. The salesman must neutralize the mind of his customer. It must
be cultivated and prepared before the seed of desire can be
successfully planted in it.
To neutralize the mind of the buyer, the salesman must first establish
three things:
a) Confidence - the buyer must have confidence in the salesman
and in his product
b) Interest – the buyer must be reached through an appeal to his
imagination. The commodity offered for sale must arouse his
interest
c) Motive – the buyer must have a logical motive for buying
Some of the methods that have been used successfully for sales
presentation or neutralization purposes are the following:
i. Social contacts through clubs, associations etc
ii. Church or mosque affiliations
iii. Personal courtesies
iv. Mutual interest in hobbies like playing golf etc
v. Public service
vi. Letter writing
vii. Public speaking
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Section VI
Closing the Sale
What does your prospect want to hear? Simply this: What you can do
for him. Clearly and concisely, tell him why you are there and what you
know about what you are selling. Check off for him the benefits. Spell
out advantages, the service, the quality and the value available to him.
After (1) seeing the person who can say yes or no, and (2) telling him
or her you have to offer and why he or she needs your product or
service, you are ready to move to toward the last step in closing.
No sale is made until a definite agreement is reached. Do not be afraid
to show how it works. Once is the sale is closed, start leaving. Express
brief, sincere words of appreciation and thank him for business.
