Sales and Product Knowledge Training Program

Sales Process Guideline

Full-Time Sales Training

Cold Calls

The fundamental difference in the sales process between the served market and the unserved market is the value placed on the mat rental service. With the served market, the prospect understands and accepts the significance of controlling dust, anti-fatigue, and housekeeping through the rental mat service. On the other hand, the prospect in the unserved market is either unaware of a mat rental service or places little significance on its value. Therefore, your role in a call with a competitive product is two-fold as follows:

• Demonstrate that your product/service will give the prospect more value for his dollar spent
• Demonstrate that your product/service will remove the current service hassles the client may be experiencing.

Convincing a prospect who is either extremely over-confident in the value he places on his current service, or who is very indifferent, is a difficult sales task. Remember the old saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still!" Move on to the next potential account, or find another decision-maker within the account.

Approach for the Served Marketplace

• Quote prices and close the sale with color, frequency of delivery schedule change, etc. Ask for the Order!
• If the prospect has an objection, understand it fully. Restate the benefit that relaxes the objection, gain agreement and close once more.
• Look for logo mat opportunities!
• Look for anti-fatigue mat opportunities!
• Look for ScraperMat opportunities!
• If the sale does not take place, understand why and determine your next call back date.
• Examples of introducing new products - scripts
• “We provide floor mat services to over 2000 customers in the Greater Cincinnati area. Our services help our customers maintain clean and safe work environments. May I have an opportunity to tour your facility to determine if our products would be of value to you?”
• “We provide floor mat rental services that are unique to the Greater Cincinnati area. Not only do we provide a custom logo mat program, we also offer a variety of sizes and colors specifically designed for the unique needs of our individual customers. May I have an opportunity to tour your facility to determine if our services would be of value to you?”

As with the sales call in the UNSERVED MARKETPLACE, all calls will not follow a set routine. Yet in most cases, all of the before mentioned steps will get covered. When buying signals are demonstrated, go for the close, regardless of where you stand in the sequence of the process.

Keep this guideline handy as well, and refer to it often as a reminder of the critical steps in the process.

I already have a mat rental service!

Combine logos and traditional mats to distinguish your proposal Offer unique service frequencies Offer unique product packages Combine rental, direct sale and leasing options With current customers Stress the cost savings of one invoice

Approach for the Unserved Marketplace

Don't prejudge customer need Sample larger mats Place multiple samples Sample different styles

The steps of the selling process differ slightly when calling on that segment of the market that is currently without a mat rental service. Where a current user call may focus on your company's specific advantages, as compared to your competitor's disadvantages, the non-user will need to be sold on the value of a mat rental service through sampling. The steps are summarized as follows:

• Always bring a mat sample into the sales call.
• The goal is to get a sample trial placed with approval.
• If you get to the decision maker, ask for the trial directly. If he has an objection, refer to the following steps:
• Build rapport and trust through your appearance, knowledge of your product and single- minded focus on your prospect's needs. Respect his time, especially in a COLD CALL SETTING. Realize this prospect is continually exposed to numerous sales people and their selling styles. How will you distinguish your personal uniqueness?
• Determine the prospect's current perception of a rental mat service. Are his experiences favorable or unfavorable? Is he familiar with this type of service? Realize that the prospect's lack of knowledge is often the only hurdle to clear in closing the sale.
• Ask for an opportunity to tour the prospect’s facility.
• Through quick and thorough probing, gain a solid understanding on the prospect's situation at hand. Does he have a purchased mat? Suggest that he move the purchase mat to another location so that he can see how your rental mat performs in its place. Use the same process if he has carpet remnants serving as entrance mats. Let the mat sell itself through a trial. If the buyer agrees to the trial, place it and follow up the next week.
• If a prospect does not agree to the trial, gain an understanding of the situation by asking about heavy soil areas, employee safety areas, anti-fatigue, cleanliness, etc. Then ask for a trial to demonstrate how the mat will satisfy the concerns.
• If the prospect is convinced of the value of the service, then go ahead and close the sale. Quote prices, frequency of delivery schedule, etc.
• Be on the lookout for custom logo mat needs. Logos will sell themselves.
• Ask for the order!
• If the prospect has an objection, understand it fully. Restate the benefit that relaxes the objection, gain agreement and close once more.
• Look for Scraper Mat and anti-fatigue mat opportunities!
• If the sale or trial does not take place, decide with the buyer on your next call back date.
• Example of introducing new products - scripts

Hi, May I ask who is in charge of your maintenance program or who is responsible for enhancing your corporate image? Mr. Customer, my name is John Doe with XYZ Uniform/Linen Company. We are a local laundry located in the community that specializes in developing Uniform and mat programs to build team spirit, enhance your identity and provide a safer, cleaner, and healthier environment for your customers and employees. I would like to take a moment to bring you up-to-date on our company and what we can do for you.

If the customer doesn’t have time…….

I would be happy to schedule an appointment when it would be more convenient. In the meantime, if you don’t mind, I would like to take a brief tour of your facility so that I might develop a custom plan to meet your requirements.

Realize that most sales calls do not follow a standard routine, yet in most cases all the steps outlined above will take place. Keep this guideline handy, and review it often. It will prove to be very valuable as your understanding of the sales process expands.

Don't prescribe until you know the symptoms Tour facilities to determine need Ask for opportunities to place multiple samples Son't forget about logos