Explain the first five steps in personal selling.

The first five steps in the personal selling process are:

1. Preparation — A well-trained and motivated sales force is developed first. Salespersons must have knowledge of the firm and its products and services, competitors and their products, customers and selling techniques. They must be fully aware of the quality, uses, prices, etc. of the goods to be sold.

2. Prospecting — Prospecting means locating and identifying potential buyers. A list of prospective customers is prepared with the help of dealers, salespersons, telephone and trade directories. Information about the age, income, education, family background, tastes and preferences of prospective buyers is also collected (this is called pre-approach).

3. Approach — In this step, the salesperson makes face-to-face contact with the prospective buyer. The salesperson should introduce himself, greet the customer and start a conversation so as to create a good first impression.

4. Presentation — The salesperson now displays and describes the product. He should tactfully demonstrate the product, explain its quality, utility and performance, and show how the product meets the needs of the customer, thereby arousing the customer's interest.

5. Convincing — At this stage, the salesperson handles the objections raised by the customer. Objections should be considered as sales opportunities. Instead of arguing or losing temper, the salesperson should understand the causes of objections and try to convince the customer.