Completing a sale requires multiple steps. The sales process, or sales cycle, is the set of steps a salesperson goes through in order to sell a particular product or service. The sales process can be unique for each product or service offered. Some sales take only a few minutes to complete, but others may take much longer. Sales of technical products $($like a Boeing or Airbus airplane$)$ and customized goods and services typically take many months, perhaps even years, to complete. On the other end of the spectrum, sales of less technical products $($like stationery$)$ are generally more routine and often take less than a day to complete. Whether a salesperson spends a few minutes or a few years on a sale, there are seven basic steps in the personal selling process:

$1.$ Generating leads

$2.$ Qualifying leads

$3.$ Approaching the customer and probing needs

$4.$ Developing and proposing solutions

$5.$ Handling objections

$6.$ Closing the sale

$7.$ Following up

Instructions: Complete the following assignment.

$1.$ Choose a familiar product or brand.

$2.$ Imagine that you are a salesperson for this product or brand. Write out the seven steps you will follow in selling your product or product line. Be sure to include specific details for each step, such as the characteristics you$$re looking for in prospective customers and the methods and tools you$$ll use at each step.

$3.$ How did the nature of the product influence your selling plans?

$4.$ How did the characteristics of your target market influence your selling plans?