My presentation at Thinkbiz, a Student Entrepreneurship Club in Greece, about sales essentials.

1. Sales Essentials

2. I AM NOT A SALES EXPERT!
BUT THESE GUYS ARE…

4. SALES IS A JOB WITH LOTS OF
STEREOTYPES

6. Back then, buyers
lacked information

8. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTO SALES,
SINCE WE WERE KIDS

9. Selling vegetables

10. Persuading others

11. Trying to get a job

12. Influencing others

13. THE STARTUP WORLD

14. The ones who build

15. The ones who sell

16. …or do both

17. WHAT TRAITS SHOULD
SALESPEOPLE HAVE

19. Love interaction

20. Love hearing others

21. Enjoy problem solving

22. They are resilient

23. SOME TIPS TO START WITH

25. Do your homework

26. Rehearse

27. Tailor your pitch
Focus on benefits, not features

28. Talk the customer’s language

29. Don’t bullshit

30. THE WEAPONS OF A MODERN
SALESPERSON

32. Streak

33. MailTester

34. SPIN
SELLING
BY NEIL RACKHAM

35. THE SPIN SELLING
• It’s
all about asking the right questions (mix of open and closed).
• You
don’t necessarily have to close the sale from the first interaction. But
you have to gradually build your relationship with the customer (book the
next meeting, meet with a more senior person, etc).
• Particularly
useful for long cycle sales.

36. SITUATION QUESTIONS
• Collect
• They
• They
facts & background data about the customer’s existing situation.
are not positively related to sales success.
are an essential part of questioning, but they must be used sparingly so
as not to bore or irritate the client.

37. PROBLEM QUESTIONS
• These
questions probe for problems, difficulties or dissatisfactions. Each
question invites the customer to state implied needs.
• If
you can’t solve a problem for your customer, then there’s no basis for a
sale.
• They
are not positively related to sales success in larger sales.

38. IMPLICATION QUESTIONS
• These
questions are about the effects, consequences or implications of the
customer’s problems, previously expressed during the problem questions
stage.
• They
• The
are strongly linked to success in larger sales.
central purpose of Implication Questions is to take a problem that the
buyer perceives to be small and build it up into a problem large enough to
justify action.

39. NEED-PAYOFF QUESTIONS
• Ask
about the value or usefulness of solving a problem. “Why would you
find this solution helpful?”
• Focus
the customer’s attention on the solution rather than the problem,
creating a positive problem-solving atmosphere.
• They
get the customer telling you the benefits, which eventually are the
benefits that your product can offer to them!

40. GAIN COMMITMENT
• Demonstrate
problems.
• Equate
• Gain
capability that your product can solve the customer’s
the solution to his problem with your product or service.
commitment from the customer, with the aim to gradually move
towards the sale (orders, advances, continuations).

41. THINGS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS
HAVE IN MIND

42. Follow up

43. Don’t be late

44. Pick the right time

45. A service approach

46. THE MODERN MARKETER IS THE
GROWTH HACKER

49. SALES IS IN OUR NATURE

50. Sales Essentials
Alexis Alexakis
@AlexAlexakis