How the mosquito trap and its package make it easy to store and ship

General Comments on the AedesTrap Case:

The AedesTrap Case involves making a 10-minute verbal sales presentation
to the buyer.  Three or four students have been asked to make the verbal presentation.  The rest of the class is to write a presentation just as if they were going to do it verbally.  This will involve guessing what the buyer will ask and answering the questions.  I’d suggest preparing what you would say going through the steps of a sales presentation as described in the assigned reading in the 5th Edition of our text Entrepreneurial Small Business, “The Process of Personal Selling”, pages 347-351.  Remember that you have only 10 minutes and that is too short to go through a lot of questions of the buyer.  You should know his company and should know what would likely be of interest to him before you get to his office.  It would be good to know what your deal is that you are proposing and get on with telling him about your product, how it will be good for him, how it is good for his company, and how it is good for his customers, and what your deal is that you are proposing.  You should make some trial closes.  Remember that it is only 10 minutes – not as formal as a PowerPoint presentation.  Just person-to-person selling with no sales aids.

Points to remember

• Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer
• • How the mosquito trap and its package make it easy to store and ship
  • What the likelihood would be that the buyer’s targeted customers would be interested in this product
  • Remember, this is a 10-minute sales call – no time for small talk or unnecessary questions
• Understand the balance of power
• • They don’t need you.  You need them
• Know what you want out of the sales call
• • A big order or just any order?
• Master the details
• • Read the case several times and know the facts cold
  • Be prepared to shoot from the hip.  The buyer will ask questions for which

    the answers are not in the case.  Answer what you think you can do as the

    president of the company.  “I’ll have to check and get back to you” is a

    weak answer as president – you can make it happen if it is a reasonable

    request!

GET THE ORDER!

Additional Description of AedesTrap

1. Easy to mount using side attachment or hanging ring
2. No harmful chemicals involved
3. Creates carbon dioxide – known to attract mosquitoes
4. Attractive compact color box showing product and its features
5. The “catch” is available to show effectiveness – (available jar of mosquitoes/moths recently caught)
6. Has air-operated damper in catch basket to keep trapped insects from escaping
7. Quiet operation -no annoying “zap” noise when catching mosquitoes
8. Requires household 110-volt connection – much like outdoor Christmas lights
9. Does not attract useful butterflies and fireflies
10. Attractive “lantern-like” shape
11. All weather construction – can stay outside all year round
12. Other than occasional cleaning of the “catch”, the only service needed is bulb replacement twice per season
13. Ready to use right out of the box
14. One-Year Warranty