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UNIT 2 :Personal Selling
Integrated Skills Development
Passage Selling Styles
Selling styles differ in many ways but one fundamental difference is between the sales-oriented and the customer-oriented approach. The first one concentrates on high-pressure-technique such as those in selling encyclopaedias and cars. This form of selling assumes that the customers are not likely to buy except under pressure, that they will be influenced by a direct presentation and aggressive manners, and they will not be sorry after signing the order, or if they are, it doesn't matter.
In the customer-oriented approach, the salesperson learns how to listen and question in order to identify customer needs and come up with a good product solution. Presentation skills are secondary to needs analysis skills. This approach assumes that customers have hidden needs that constitute company opportunities, that they appreciate good suggestions and that they will be loyal to representatives who have their long-term interests at heart. The problem-solver is a more friendly image for the salesperson under the marketing concept than the hard-seller or order-taker.
Blake and Mouton distinguish various selling styles by examining these two dimensions: concern for the sale and concern for the customer.
Type 1 is very much the order-taker. He places the product before the customer and expects it to sell itself. If it doesn't, it doesn't matter. Type 2 is similar in that he also shows little concern for the customer but differs in that he is very concerned to get the sale; he pushes the product, piling on the pressure to ensure he gets the sale.
Type 3 falls somewhere in the middle of the two approaches. He has a tried and tested technique mixing customer concern and product emphasis; this is what is often called the soft sell.
Type 4 is very customer-oriented; the other extreme to the type 2 hard-seller. He aims to be the customer's friend, to understand him, develops a bond which ties him to the salesman and therefore the product.
Finally, type 5 is similar to type 4 in that he also shows concern for the customer but in a more impersonal way. He aims to consult with the customer, understand the needs and then work towards a sound purchase decision. This problem-solving attitude agrees more with the total marketing concept.
Blake and Mouton argue that no one sales style will be effective with all buyers. Buying styles are just varied as selling styles. Buyers vary their concern for the purchase and concern for the salesperson. Some buyers couldn't care less; some are defensive; some will only listen to salespersons from well-known companies.
New Words and Expressions
aggressive
a. 挑衅的，好攻击的
analysis
n. 分析
assume
V. 假设，假定
attitude
n. 态度
bond
n. 联系
concentrate
V. 集中，专心
concept
n. 概念，观念
constitute
V. 构成，组成
