after-sales service |
n. service that continues after a product has been sold [eg: repairs etc] |
Online support is an important part of after-sales service for buyers of software. |
buyer |
n. 1 any person who buys anything 2 a person employed by a firm to buy |
Does your bank offer special loans for first-time home buyers? |
client |
n. a person who buys services from a lawyer, architect or other professionals |
How much do lawyers in the UK charge their clients for basic legal advice? |
close |
v. to finalize a deal or sale; to make a sale |
We can close the deal as soon as the customer accepts our usual terms and conditions. |
cold call |
v. to telephone a prospect without previous contact - also n. |
Would you work for a company that tries to boost sales by cold-calling people at random? |
customer |
n. a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business |
A retail business like ours depends on building relationships with regular customers. |
deal |
n. a business transaction - also v. dealer n. |
Do you think $1,500 a month for an apartment like this is a good deal? |
discount |
n. a reduction in the price; a deduction [usually expressed as a percentage (%)] |
We'll give you a ten per-cent discount if you place the order today. |
follow up |
v. to continue to follow persistently; to maintain contact [eg: after a lead] |
Make sure you follow up any leads by contacting them again the next day. |
guarantee |
n. a promise that a product will be repaired or replaced etc if faulty - also v. |
All our mobile phone sales are covered by a 12-month money-back guarantee. |
in bulk |
in large quantity, usually at a lower price |
You get a much better deal if you purchase products in bulk, of course. |
lead |
n. useful indication of a possible customer to be followed up |
How did you go with those leads I sent yesterday? Any sales? |
objection |
n. a reason given by a prospect for not buying - to object v. see overcome |
The sales objections we have to overcome the most are about price and the fear of replacing a trusted brand. |
overcome |
v. [-came, -come] to overcome an objection to show an objection is invalid; to beat an objection |
To overcome an objection, tell your prospect about your product's unique selling proposition. |
product |
n. something made and usually for sale - to produce v. see service |
A good sales rep makes a product seem so exciting that the buyer feels they must have it. |
prospect |
n. a possible or probable customer; prospective customer |
Make sure your prospect is someone with the power to make purchasing decisions, or you'll be wasting your time. |
representative |
n. sales representative person who represents & sells for a firm; salesperson - also sales rep [informal abbr.] |
How many sales representatives are we currently employing on our sales team? |
retail |
v. to sell in small quantities (as in a shop to the public) - also n. see wholesale |
They started off retailing books in a store, but now they retail a huge range of products worldwide on e-commerce websites. |
service |
n. work done usually in return for payment - to serve v. see product |
The main difference between selling a product and a service is that buyers can see, touch and feel a product, but they have to imagine a service. |
USP |
n. Unique Selling Proposition, a feature that makes a product or service stand out from its competitors, such as lowest price, highest quality, best design etc - also Unique Selling Point |
When selling, be sure to emphasize your product or service's USP. |
wholesale |
v. to sell in bulk (as to a shop for resale to the public) - also n. see retail |
If you're wholesaling a product, the price you charge should be around half the recommended retail price that retailers will charge. |