Comments on: The Three Time-Tested Fundamentals of Successful Selling http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/the-three-time-tested-fundamentals-of-successful-selling Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:52:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Mark Lauff http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/the-three-time-tested-fundamentals-of-successful-selling#comment-6 Mark Lauff Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:01:06 +0000 http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/?p=12#comment-6 I was reading through the information on your blog area this AM on "Learn, Penetrate, and Sell". I wasn't sure how to add a comment so I thought I'd send it to you. As a professional Salesperson, a key aspect to "Learn" is to also make sure you know as much as possible about the products or services you are attempting to sell. Taking the time to understand areas such as the technology or science behind how something works, how and where a product is manufactured and supply chain/logistics, key benefits or features, etc. can and will prepare you for quite possibly a whole different sales call. I am constantly amazed by Sales personnel I meet who don't fully know or understand the complete picture of their product or service. As an example, my wife and I were recently shopping for a new vehicle. We had very specific requirements based on our family size and lifestyle. At one car showroom, our Sales person was not up-to-date on his product lineup and more importantly the details, benefits, and features of his assortment of vehicles. Needless to say, we stayed at the showroom for less than 15 minutes. My wife and I bought a vehicle that day, just not from a Salesperson who didn't take the time to horoughly know his product lineup. Mark W. Lauff GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Office - 412.200.3432 Cell - 412.334.2640 mark.w.lauff@gsk.com I was reading through the information on your blog area this AM on “Learn, Penetrate, and Sell”. I wasn’t sure how to add
a comment so I thought I’d send it to you.

As a professional Salesperson, a key aspect to “Learn” is to also make sure you know as much as possible about the products or services you are attempting to sell. Taking the time to understand areas such as the technology or science behind how something works,
how and where a product is manufactured and supply chain/logistics, key benefits or features, etc. can and will prepare
you for quite possibly a whole different sales call. I am constantly amazed by Sales personnel I meet who don’t fully know
or understand the complete picture of their product or service. As an example, my wife and I were recently shopping for
a new vehicle. We had very specific requirements based on our family size and lifestyle. At one car showroom, our Sales
person was not up-to-date on his product lineup and more importantly the details, benefits, and features of his assortment
of vehicles. Needless to say, we stayed at the showroom for less than 15 minutes. My wife and I bought a vehicle that day,
just not from a Salesperson who didn’t take the time to horoughly know his product lineup.

Mark W. Lauff
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
Office - 412.200.3432
Cell - 412.334.2640
mark.w.lauff@gsk.com

]]> By: Mark Hunter http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/the-three-time-tested-fundamentals-of-successful-selling#comment-3 Mark Hunter Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:20:11 +0000 http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/?p=12#comment-3 Steve - Can't agree with you more about the first step "learn." As much as we all want to go gung-ho into a sales call failing to prepare by taking the time to learn about the customer is huge. I've always found the larger the customer the more learning that needs to take place prior to a sales call. Looking forward to future insights. Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter" Steve - Can’t agree with you more about the first step “learn.” As much as we all want to go gung-ho into a sales call failing to prepare by taking the time to learn about the customer is huge. I’ve always found the larger the customer the more learning that needs to take place prior to a sales call. Looking forward to future insights. Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter”

]]> By: Mark Marshall, PhD http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/the-three-time-tested-fundamentals-of-successful-selling#comment-2 Mark Marshall, PhD Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:38:52 +0000 http://www.gavatorta.com/blog/?p=12#comment-2 Steve: Great points in your article! I am experiencing the pain of yet another new sales model with our company. Actually, it has nothing to do with sales in my option. Organizations keep trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to sales always looking for the latest and greatest. I believe persistence, product knowledge, and honesty will take you a long way in sales. There is a great article in the Harvard Business Review – On Point, summer 2008 issue. The article is called “Making The Major Sale.” Good reading! Take care, Mark A. Marshall, MBA, PhD Steve:

Great points in your article! I am experiencing the pain of yet another new sales model with our company. Actually, it has nothing to do with sales in my option. Organizations keep trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to sales always looking for the latest and greatest. I believe persistence, product knowledge, and honesty will take you a long way in sales.

There is a great article in the Harvard Business Review – On Point, summer 2008 issue. The article is called “Making The Major Sale.” Good reading!

Take care,
Mark A. Marshall, MBA, PhD

]]>