Why this is important

No business can survive without selling its products or services to its customers. The selling may take place on your business’s premises, the customer’s or any other environment.

Who might do this

You might do this if you are:

• setting up a new business or social enterprise;
• expanding your business or social enterprise;
• changing or adapting the products or services offered by your business or social enterprise; and
• reviewing how you sell your products or services.

What it involves

Selling your products or services involves:

• identifying the buying needs and interests of customers;
• promoting the features and benefits of products or services to customers;
• helping customers to overcome their queries and objections; and
• agreeing terms and conditions and closing sales.

Other units that link closely with this

1. Identify the customer's requirements, needs and interests by tactful questioning.
2. Identify products or services that match the customer's identified needs.
3. Interpret and act on buying signals given by the customer to progress sales.
4. Explain clearly and accurately the features and benefits of products or services that match the customer's requirements.
5. Present information about products or services, and any relevant promotional materials, in a way that generates further interest.
6. Give customers the opportunity to fully discuss and assess the features and values of products or services.
7. Explore potential solutions to the customer's queries or objections and suggest ways to overcome them to the customer.
8. Note customer's feedback and reaction to the products or services.
9. Note the reasons if customer requirements and expectations cannot be met or objections cannot be resolved.
10. Confirm the customer's willingness to make a purchase by effective questioning and discussion.
11. Reach agreement on the terms of sale that meets both the customer’s and business’s requirements
12. Complete all necessary documentation, including formal quotations where required.
13. Monitor the progress of sales and pass information on to the right people.
14. Make sales in line with business and legal requirements.

Communication

1. Why personal presentation and face-to-face communication is important.
2. How to present information and communicate effectively face-to-face with different customers.
3. How to question and listen effectively.
4. How to respond effectively to customers' queries.
5. How to overcome customers' objections sensitively and constructively.
6. How to constructively manage the range of behaviours customers display.

Selling

7. The importance of highlighting the features, advantages and benefits of products or services to customers.
8. How to structure and progress sales.
9. The difference between reactive and proactive selling.
10. How selling business-to-business differs from selling to end-users.
11. How to recognise buying signals given by customers during sales contact.
12. The organisations products or services and those of competitors.
13. Previous needs and interests expressed by customers in particular types of products or services.
14. How to close a sale.
15. How to complete sales paperwork and record details of sales.
16. Where appropriate, how to get the best from sales staff. (For example by target setting, pay, bonuses, training, sales and management techniques.)
17. What guidelines on sales agreements are needed.

Business infrastructure

18. The legal and business procedures or constraints on sales.
19. What systems will be used for recording and processing sales information and documentation.

Customer feedback

20. What to do with customers' feedback and reaction to products or services.