Sales Exam Type Shiiii

List the three sides of a selling triangle

Consultive selling tactics & strategies

Product Knowledge

Attitude & goal setting

List the four elements of the Personal Selling Process

Building customer relationships

Discovering customer needs

Matching products/services with those needs

Communicating beliefs through informing, reminding, and or persuading

Explain the three activities needed for developing a personal selling philosophy

Accept the marketing concept in all functional areas of the hb organization

Understanding the role of personal selling in a global market place

Assuming the role of problem solver and partner in helping the customer make buying decisions

Describe the 4 C’s of Marketing

Communication

Consumer

Convenience

Cost

Communication

Choice of words, the grammar and spelling, the design and graphic layout, all tell a story that needs to compel your client to buy

Consumer

Focusing on how the hb industry product fulfills the client’s needs and why the consumer should want to be there, the hb professional has better success at gaining interest in the hb product or service

Convenience

How easy it is to consume the product and how convenient it is for the client to get the product or service.

Cost

HB professional needs to take into consideration both the income needed to produce the product or service and the client’s perception of the value of the product or service to them

Describe the different types of customers in the hospitality industry

Demographics of stakeholders

Psychographics

Demographics of stakeholders

Age, marital status, their sex, income, education level

Cultural and racial makeup, profession and industry they work in, and professional status

Psychographics

Personality traits of stakeholders. (values, interests, lifestyle, delights, persuasions, attitudes, perceptions, personality of the company).

Describe the four roles of a MEEC salesperson

Demand Creator

Delivery Personnel

Missionary sales role

Customer service representative

Demand Creator

“Hunter”

Seeks out new business, additional business from existing customers, and new business from existing customers. Very Autonomous, spends most time on phone or computer.

Delivery Personnel

On-site individuals who follow through with the contract created by the demand creator. The service after the sale.

Missionary Sales Role

Typically taken on by the demand creator or a sales professional tasked with reminding the prospective or current customer of the products and services the MEEC organization has to offer.

Customer Service Representative

“Gatherers” or an “inside” salesperson

Typically the equivalent of being an order taker. Respond to inquiries from prospective customers.

Five Elements of the sales and marketing department mission

Respond to all sales inquiries and leads

Develop new targeted accounts

Key accounts serviced to exceed expectations

Revenue management/forecasting emphasis on profit

Revenues exceed plans/budget

Five ethical situations that may arise

Paternalism

Physical Environment

Coercion and control

Conflict of interest

Personal Integrity

Paternalism

Individuals autonomy is in conflict with the consumer’s welfare

Physical environment

Lakes, oceans, air we breath

Coercion and control

Situations arise when threats, the use of power, or other means are used to affect a decision

Conflict of interest

Occur when a hb salesperson has more than one interest which if engaged may result in harm to another individual or the hb organization

Personal Integrity

Occurs when the decision presents issues of conscience

Describe the eight guidelines for ethical behavior

Determined/persistent

Intelligent

A self-starter

Empathetic

Ethical

Relationship based

Hospitable

Enthusiastic

Outline the seven steps of the Hospitality Sales Process

Prepare

Access

Establish

Present

Proof

Close

Service

Describe the Access Phase of the Hospitable Sales process.

Making a good impression, securing attention, and developing interest in order to develop a strong relationship.

The hospitality salesperson is seeking to create interest on the part of the customer.

Discuss why prospecting is an important and challenging task for salespeople

All salespeople experience customer attrition, hb industry is highly competitive; customer loyalty is marginal, generating referrals insures the business of tomorrow

Many customers have only a one-time need

Customers change rotation patterns

Competition takes clients away

Companies go out of business

Individual clients leave (promotion’s)

Client dissatisfaction

List the four communication styles from class

Analyzer

Controller

Organizer

Persuader

Describe opposite characteristics of the four communication styles from class

Analyzers

Organizers

Persuaders

Controllers

Analyzers

Perfectionism

Facts, data, logic, details

Slow to make decisions

Overly cautious and not good risk-takers

May appear overly cautious and not good risk-takers

Decisions and information provided are usually accurate and thoughtful

Feelings and emotions kept inside

Organizers

People and friendships are very important

Like to get others involved in activities

Good at juggling multiple tasks

Concerned about feelings of others

Less inclined to speak their mind openly

Less inclined to speak their mind openly

Can get hurt feelings or be offended easily.

Persuaders

Love to have a good time

Highly creative and enthusiastic

Operate primarily by intuition

Little tolerance for those who are not expressive

Easily bored

Difficult to keep on task

Easily distracted

Controllers

Strong, decisive and results oriented

Provide strong guidance for others

May appear pushy at times

Demanding of themselves and others

Highly self-critical

Resent those who “waste” time with idle chit-chat

Describe a factor in selling to each communication style.

Explain the three techniques for building sales relationships

Understand your own preferred communication style

Develop greater understanding and appreciation for different styles

Manage selling relationships by adapting style (style flexing)

Describe the purpose of each of the three sales communication objectives

Inform

Persuade

Remind

Describe the eight methods for capturing the prospect’s attention and focus

Agenda

Referral

Customer benefit

Question

Premium

Combination

Agenda

Review meeting goals, shows that you value customers time, should be flexible

Referral

Third party opinion or statement adds credibility, include name/direct reference to third party

Customer benefit

Immediately point out at least one benefit of your hb property, present key benefits in order of importance

Question

Ask direct question, get prospect thinking about problem your property will solve, listen to response

Premium

Provide free trial of property/service, provide prospect with gift

Combination

Use multiple approaches

Provide flexibility

Corporate

F&B, adequate meeting space, service, enough rooms, location, security

Time cycle varies on meeting type, lead time short, geography, kind of site, attendance, duration, decision to book

Association

Adequate meeting space, enough guest rooms, adequate exhibit space, attractive location, service, price sensitive

Meetings held on regular time cycle, geographic restrictions, lead time, kind of sites, voluntary attendance, duration, price

Transactional Buyer

Strictly focused on the technical requirement buying objectives

Simple purchasing decisions and emphasize efficiency

“one-stop shopping”

Seek lowest possible price with little regard to value

Event planners want to feel they received a “deal”

Relationship

Likely to be seeking to develop a relationship such that on buying experience will lead to many more

Relationship buyers may be less experienced in the selection of the hospitality product and service

Therefore, they are likely looking for a trusted partner to help them make the right choice

Outline the sales contact intelligence for the Hospitality salesperson.

List the seven tips for effective interpersonal communication

Sincerely greet every client

Speak in a clear, pleasant easy to hear voice

Ask questions and take notes

Never ignore a client

Never interrupt

Maintain direct eye contact

Have a firm handshake

List the five steps to a good sales presentation

get prospects attention

demonstrate your understanding of their needs

be specific with your solution or offering

provide and describe a tangible proof of success

ask your prospects to act

List the five elements of Buyer Resolution Theory

Why should I buy?

What should I buy?

From whom should I buy?

What is a fair price, what is the best value?

When should I buy?

Explain the four levels of products.

Potential - Top

Value Added

Expected

Generic - Bottom

Discuss how to use strategic selling materials / SSMs (sales aids), sales presentations effectively.

SSMs are tangible representations of the hospitality product and services

Brochures, portfolios, technology, third party endorsements, and property inspections

Helps establish a connection between the buying objectives of the prospect and the features of the organization

State buying objective, demonstrate strategic selling material, and explains the benefits

Sales Aids

Technical Questions

Tangible, basic pieces of information needed to determine if the property meets the client’s (dates, room rates, and space) needs

Number of guest rooms, suites, meeting space, F&B, EPO vs. Rooming list

Buying Process

Any resources that client uses to make buying decisions.

Event budget, # of decision makers, final decision date, past meeting location, competition considered

Client Motivations

The meeting objectives and business outcomes which are paramount to the success of the event. They are subjective in nature and are 110% client focused

Meeting purpose, attendee status, attendee takeaways, company implications, environment/setting, environment/green

Describe the five methods for attracting interest of the client

Agenda

Referral

Customer benefit

Question

Premium

Describe the five major types of sales resistance/ objections (The stop signs)

Need

Source

Price

Product

Time

Source

Preference for Competitor (brand)

-Loyalty programs, change is risky

Relationship with current hb organization

-Salesperson or convention service staff

Price

Everybody wants to feel they received a deal

Many buyers are trained in negotiation

Transactional buyers seek lowest prices (regardless of value)

Budget constraints must be understood early

HB salesperson works to establish a strong relationship in order to offset minor price resistance

Product

Property not well established

Property won’t be popular with superior or attendees

Unsatisfactory experience in the past

Property amenities unsatisfactory

Property amenities do not meet specifications

Time

Customer does not perceive benefit of buying immediately

-Thought required, stall tactic

Required dates and space are not available

Explain why it is important to anticipate and overcome buyer concerns and resistance.

Uncover concerns in discovery phase before recommending solution

Important to anticipate concerns because customers show interest and are asking more info

Discuss the use of questions to determine a prospect’s needs

Information gathering questions.

Tend to be close ended with specific details as the result

 

Discuss the guidelines to be followed when planning a sales demonstration.

Reduce ideas to their simplest form

Use precise meanings

Choose best and fewest words to make a point

use simple sentences

do not make off message remarks

avoid audible pauses

de-emphasize unimportant details

choose examoles that embody buying objective precisely

provide new information in small doses

repeat important details

List 3 important things prospects tell you when they raise objections

Are interested, but don’t want to be an easy sale

May be interested, but are not clear about what’s in it for them

May not be interested, but curious if you can educate them

Discuss the eight specific methods for handling buyer concerns, and objections

Direct denial

Demonstrations

Trial offers

Third-party referrals

Indirect denial

Postpone

Questions

Benefits

Explain how to recognize closing clues.

Asking questions that suggest interest

Making comments that suggest action

Direct request

simple statement asking for the sale

Assumptive close

minimizes the amount of pressure on the client to buy

Assume client is going to buy from you

Works when solid relationship is formed

Alternative close

offers product and service options to the prospect

Limit of usually 2 options are offered, avoid confusion

Completed contract close

known as written close

Listen carefully and take good notes

Advanced preparation is needed

Objectives Summary

emphasizes benefits important to prospect

Known as summary close or summary of benefits close

Balance sheet

Outlines reason to book now, versus reasons to wait

Used for comparison

Non-price consideration close

offers an incentive to act immediately

Compromise in price or other terms

Special add on, rather than lowering price

Finding middle ground

Now or never close creates a sense of urgency with the prospect

Occurs when hospitality salesperson has a limited amount of space for a particular date or dates.

Emotion of fear in a positive way to encourage prospect to act

Discuss how to address the competition during the close.

Do all possible to help customer make an intelligent comparison

Stress areas where your hotel is superior

Describe the proper attitude to display toward closing the sale.

Guide the customer from indecision to commitment

If used correctly, client will not feel pressured

Thought of as partnership

Consultive Selling

Identifying product features and then converting these features into buyer benefits

Ethics

Know what ought to be done and having the will to do it. Codes that give conduct and moral judgement. Translation of values into behavior Reflection of the moral principles of the business community.

Feature

The characteristics or attributes of the hospitality facility and organization.

Benefit

Justify why the customer should choose the products and services the hospitality salesperson represents.

Linking or Bridge Statement

transitional phrase that connects a statement of features with a statement of benefits.

Strategic materials or proof devices examples

ratings, customer satisfaction, mission statement. Focus on continuous improvement and awards

Buying Objective or Motive

an aroused need, drive, or desire that stimulates behavior to satisfy the aroused need.

Need satisfaction theory

The salesperson seeks to understand what buying motives or needs dominate the customer’s buying process, then develops a sales strategy which addresses the buying motives in way that the customers realize value.

Smerf

Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal, Ethnic

Trust

People buy from people they like and people they trust. Refers to the opinion that an individuals work or promise can be believed that the long term interests of the customer will be served.

Social

Orgs that share a common interest and a sense of unity with one another

Weddings,  civic and professional orgs, holiday celebrations, organized fans of sports teams, hobbyists

Military

Most common near bases

Education

Held for teachers and staff

extracurricular organizations

Fraternal

Service organizations within a community

Educational, communal, altruistic, or combo of all three

Prepare

Prepare to be a successful sales manager

Knowledge, skills, attitude

Learn as much as as they can