Page 74 - Lighting Magazine May 2018

on the mArK
Secrets of Team Selling
Consumers may shop from their phones, but face-to-face selling has never been more valuable.
BY MARK OKUN
One of the many disruptions that the digital revolution has caused is the renewed importance of face-to-face selling. In the past, the salesperson’s role was a soli- tary endeavor, conducted one on one.
The need to adopt a team selling approach is all about access — to information, to purchasing items 24/7 365, to a comfortable alternative to the salesperson, or to the showroom that didn’t “get” the client.
The goal of any client interaction is to under- stand their motivating needs. As their mission becomes clear, providing the correct type of com- munication throughout the sales process will yield the best result.
THe InTerneT dId IT
How did this new speed bump in the age-old sales process happen? The internet. Many changes are blamed on the internet, but this one holds true. Amazon© and eBay started in 1995 and in the short span of 23 years – one generation – we
have witnessed a complete about-face in digital competition. Once thought of as a scary place to share your credit card, the web has morphed into a trusted resource for research and shopping.
According to a Forbes Insights/Synchrony Financial survey of 250 retailers representing signi cant sectors of big-purchase retailing, “Re- tailers indicate that customers like to browse the internet to research major products, but when it comes to making an actual purchase, they prefer to do it in person, in the store, according to almost half of retailers (46 percent).”
The survey also indicated most customers (82 percent) conduct their research online, and the majority feel that information on the web does not eliminate the need for sales associates who are experts. In fact, friendly, helpful, and know- ledgeable sales associates are the main reasons that inspire an in-store visit.
Team seLLInG Is noT new
While team selling might seem like a new concept, it is not — but it has changed with the times. For
70 enLIGHTenment Magazine | May 2018
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