Anatomy of a good sales introduction ‐ part I

Abstract

First impressions last forever! Often this initial meeting sets the impression buyers will have about the salesperson and his or her company. For this reason, the introduction cannot be taken lightly. The introduction consists of these steps, the first three of which are presented in part I: assess the environment and prospect personality type; introduce the salesperson to include name, company name, reason and anticipated length of time for the call; establish first‐name terms. State the rules: business philosophy and payment terms. Request permission to ask questions. Reposition the salesperson ‐ remove physical barriers. To understand what constitutes a successful introduction, we also need to know what the goals or objectives of the introduction stage are and how they can be achieved. A successful introduction should enhance a fair and level “playing field” between the buyer and the seller.

Citation

DeCormier, R.A. and Jackson, A. (1998), "Anatomy of a good sales introduction ‐ part I", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 255-262. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197859810242879