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COMPANY RESEARCH to prepare for the interview

Be prepared to answer questions about the company's specific product line.
Go to the company web site. Look at everything carefully. Read the recent press releases that you can find on the web site. If it is a publicly held company, read a stock broker's analyst report about the company. Read any company brochures you can get hold off. And of course, talk to everyone you know who has dealt with the company or works there.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What do you like about the companies products.
• What will be different about selling their products than selling the products you’ve sold before. E.g. Will you be selling to corporations instead of the general public? Will it be selling a service instead of a tangible product? Will more customer service be needed?
• How does their web site help them sell their products?
• What is the long term outlook for the industry?
• What changes are taking place in the industry that effect the way the products are sold?
• What has been in the news lately about the industry
• What changes are taking place within the company
• What has been in the news lately about the company.
• What newspapers, magazines and trade papers are people at the company likely to be reading
• Who are their major competitors. Know the names of competitors
• What excites you about the company and the industry.
• What NEW product have they just introduced.
  • What is the target market for the new product?
  • What need does the new product fill.
  • What are the selling points of the new product.
  • How does the product compare with competitors products
  • What excites you about selling this new product?
  • What skills do you have that makes you the best person to sell this product. What examples can you use from your past experience to demonstrates that you have those skills?
  • What objections are you likely to encounter in selling the product and how would you overcome them?
• What is their MAJOR product.
  • What is the target market for the product?
  • What need does the product fill.
  • What are the selling points of the product.
  • How does this product compare with competitors products
  • What excites you about selling the product?
  • What skills do you have that makes you the best person to sell this product. What examples can you use from your past experience to demonstrates that you have those skills?
  • What objections are you likely to encounter in selling the product and how would you overcome them?

If the product that the company sells is a tangible consumer product, go to www.epinion.com and read what customers are saying about the company. Find out what people are saying on this web site about the company, the products and the competing products. Look for consumer guide web sites that compare company products. Remember that the information on these type of web sites is just opinions and may not be true.

Practice makes perfect! Schedule a coaching session with Sally Chopping to practice your interviewing techniques.

Workshop class notes:
Interview Home
Interview Preparation List
Tell me about yourself
Ask yourself these questions
General interview questions
Sales interview questions
Interview body language
Make a good impression

Sally Chopping
Public Speaking Coach
Pittsburgh
3019 Swansea Crescent West
Allison Park, PA 15101
Fax: 412-486-7835
Phone: 412-478-6785