Sales Skills and the Selling Process
This section tests the staged selling process, questioning technique, objection handling and closing - and whether you can justify each step.
The selling process
- Approach - acknowledge, give space, time the approach to a buying signal.
- Needs discovery - open questions first ('What will you be using it for?'), closed questions to confirm ('Is it for a gift?'), then listen.
- Presentation - match benefits to the stated need; demonstrate where possible; use sensory language.
- Objection handling - acknowledge, clarify the real objection, respond with evidence, confirm.
- Close - ask for the sale using a trial close, alternative-choice close ('card or cash?') or assumptive close.
- After-sale - care instructions, warranty, loyalty sign-up, follow-up.
Related skills
Upselling moves the customer to a higher-value version of what they already want. Cross-selling adds a complementary product. Link-selling bundles related items. Add-ons must answer a need, not pressure. Buying signals include picking the item up, asking about delivery, or repeating a question about price.
Worked example
A customer says: 'I like this jacket but it's more than I planned to spend.' Weak: immediate discount. Strong reasoning: clarify ('Is it the price, or the fit?'), then restate value - waterproof seams, two-year guarantee, cost per wear - and offer an alternative at the target price or a lower-cost colourway, then trial close. You protect margin and respect the budget.
Traps that cost marks
Feature-dumping before needs are known; ignoring buying signals and talking past the close; discounting as the first response; arguing with an objection; and failing to confirm the sale before moving to payment. Remember the order: need, then solution - never solution, then need.