The process of selling has seven stages, namely, research, objectives, problem identification, objections, benefits, close and follow-up.  Of these seven stages, research and objectives constitute the primary stages called preparation, whereas problem identification, objections and benefits make up the middle stages called negotiation.  The final stages called relationship include close and follow-up.
 
It is believed that all the stages of selling process do not fall under the responsibility of a single person.  Organizations, however, would prefer all these stages to be included under the responsibility of a single individual.
 
The research stage necessitates clear understanding of the product on the part of the sales person.  He should study the relationship between the organization and the customer very well indeed.  It would be advantageous for him to have a good idea about the products of the competitors too.  Objectives have to be well set in terms of carrying out sales of the products to customers through negotiation since selling is about negotiation.  Problem identification lies in allowing the customers to respond to questions that would strengthen a sales contact.  These questions should center on the pros and the cons of the product as: In what way this product fails to meet your expectations?, What are the primary reasons for your interest in our product? and the like.
 
Any sales process would have objections as a natural part in the sense that they can prop up any time starting from the very beginning of a sales contact and ending when the sales person is about to close the sale.  It is quite natural that objections have to be raised somewhere down the line.  If objections are not raised, then any sales person that has a good standing in the field of product sales would sense something seriously wrong with the product or service.  A good sales person should not view objections as mere excuses.  Instead he should consider them genuine assertions that trigger further discussions pertaining to the quality of the product or the service.  Hence it is an accepted fact that objections are viewed as assertions that bear great importance to a buyer. 
 
Benefits lie in their presentation to the customers by the experienced sales person with a view to make them understand the advantages of the product better.  Hence benefits can be conveyed in two phases, namely, when they are accrued by the possession of a particular product and when they are accrued by the association with the organization that manufactures the product or offers the service.  Closing lies in closing the sale of a product.  Sales negotiation gets to the last stage by the realization of the objectives of sales contact through close.  Follow-up would simply mean after-sales service that results in more sales and improved business for the organization.  Any sales person for that matter is expected to successfully carry out all these stages of selling process to nicety so that he becomes instrumental in boosting the sales of products and increasing the business of an organization too thereby.

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