6-Abridged Duties of a Salesperson

7/29/2019 6-Abridged Duties of a Salesperson

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DUTIES OF

A SALES

PERSON

John B M Muya


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Topic outline

Duties of a sales representative Sales persons job Different Sales Jobs

Examples of Sales jobs- Retail Selling- Missionary Selling,

- Direct Selling,

- Selling Industrial Goods

Qualifications for success in selling Choosing a career in sales.


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DutiesSales representatives are persons who plan, organize and

execute activities that increase sales and profits in their

Areas of operation; Providing solutions to customer problems

Identifying customer needs and problems

Matching the product and services to the need or problem

Providing service to customers.

Handling customer complaints.Returning, replacing damaged merchandise.

Providing samples.

Suggesting business opportunities.

Recommending product promotion strategies.

Helping demos at customer premises PULL.Training customer staff.

Selling to current and new customers

Prospecting for new customers for growth.

Retaining, maintaining & growing current customers.


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DutiesHelping customers to resell to their consumers

Uplifting from wholesale and reselling.

Developing promotional programs for customers.

Supplying promotional or advertising materials.

Setting up product displays.

Helping customers use products after purchase;

Show customers how to derive full benefit from

product.Install computers/printers and demonstrate.

Train on best care system/programs


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Duties

Building goodwill with customersEstablishing friendship and trust with DMUs.

Exercising high ethical standards, integrity

and sincere interest in the customer.

Helping customers identify their need (partnering).


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Duties

Gathering market information.Competitor activities.

Customer reactions

New products

Complaints on products

Service

Policies

Market opportunities


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Salespersons Role

The salespersons roles actually vary from company to

company, depending on whether sales involve goods orservices, the firms market characteristics and the location

of customers

The salesperson function's include; planning,

organizing, and executing activities thatincrease sales in a given area of operation

Provides Service to Customers e.g. handlingcomplaints, returning damaged merchandise,

providing samples, suggesting businessopportunities and developingrecommendations on how the customer canpromote products purchased from the

salesperson


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Service Sales

Representative

Retail

Representative

Manufacturers

RepresentativeWholesalers

Representatives

Accounts

Representative

Industrial Sales

Representative

Retail Sales

Representative

Sales

Engineers

Types of Sales Jobs


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Sales Jobs Retailing includes all the activities

involved in selling goods or

services directly to the finalconsumers for personal, nonbusiness use

A retailer or retail store is anybusiness enterprise whose sales

volumes come primarily fromretailing

Any organization selling to finalconsumers-whether amanufacturer, wholesaler or

retailer-is doing retailing; e.g.Gas stations, beauty andCosmetic shops practiceall stages of a selling,including prospecting, presentation,

trial, closes and after sales service.

RETAIL SELLING

The Salesperson

sells directly to

consumers from astore environment


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Missionary Selling

Influences the decision maker rather than thefinal user

Informs the salesperson to follow-up and close

the deal

Uses relationship building as a basis for effectiveselling


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This is an independentintermediary between themanufacturer and a retail seller.While not directly employed bythe retailer, the wholesalingintermediary conducts personal

selling in their outlets in terms ofdisplays and providing expertadvice to the retail seller. He ispaid on commission basis. These

entrepreneurs often act for morethan one company or manufacturer.

WHOLES SLING

/RESELLING

The Salesperson

obtains products

from manufacturersand sells to retailers.


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This entails directrelationships with the

influencers, decision makersand actual users of theproducts,

The critical personnel mayinclude, the purchasingmanagers/buyers, financemanagers, engineers, CEOs,

secretaries and even thesecurity guards

Technical knowledge andskills are critical in sustaining

the business

COMMERCIAL& INDUSTRIAL

SELLING

The Salesperson

transfers raw

materials and

equipment,

which the buyer

uses to producehis / her own

goods or

services.


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Sells to the end user, e.g. tiremanufacturers selling tire productsto original equipment vehicle

assemblers Airline reservations staff selling

tickets to the passengers

Technical support andemployee/client relationships are

critical in customer retentionProducts typically sold in this wayinclude cosmetics, jewelry,clothing, toys, household suppliersand health related items.

Sales Reps recruit other reps thatare paid on commission.

Sometimes this leads toPYRAMIDS,

which may eventually becomeunethical.

DIRECT SELLING

The Salesperson

purchases products

from a manufacturer

or wholesaler and

sells to consumers,

often in consumers

homes.


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Customers can neither see nor

touch these products and services.

It becomes critically essential thatthe

sales professional is very well

trained andknowledgeable in order to give his

customers the assistance andconfidence

they need to make comfortablebuying

decisions. Service sellers have tosell

themselves.

SERVICE SELLING

This is the selling of

intangibles such as

insurance, banking,real estate, travel,

home and business

security and cleaning.


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Sales Representative

Retail Sales Representative Sells goods to consumers for

personal use. Including in-store, direct sales to

homes and telemarketing selling.


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Wholesalers Representative Sells for:

RESALE

Firms engaged in wholesaling are calledWHOLESALE MIDDLEMEN. They differ

in:

The products they sell.

The markets to which they sellMethods of operation

Rep.


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Manufacturers Representatives

Sell for organizations that produce the products,services for market offering.

They range from:Delivery clerks for beer, milk, bread, fuel e.t.cSpecialized sellers of highly technical products.

They may sell to:WholesalersRetailers, orDirectly to consumers

Rep


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You dont have to be born a salesman!Many started their careers in a technical role, andover a period of time, transitioned into marketingand sales. None of them were born with a

salesman sticker on their foreheads.

Salesmanship


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Qualities of a salesperson

Personal qualities

Personality

Mental qualities

Social qualities

Character qualities. Knowledge about the products.

Knowledge about the customers.

Knowledge about the selling techniques.


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Personality

Personality can be improved bydeveloping the qualities in the positivetraits. One may not have all essential

qualities of a sales person but he has to

developed, in order to improve

personality traits such as kindness,courage, confidence, honesty, loyalty,

good health, and cheerfulness.

The sales person might have somenegative qualities such as fear,gloominess, cowardice etc. These

qualities should be neglected from the

sales person as habits once formed are

always difficult to change. A hard


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Personality

Physical traits

This includes health, breadth, posture, speech,and appearance. Without good health the salesperson would not have the endurance to sell theproducts or achieve his targets.

Mental Traits

Mental traits include accuracy, alertness,imagination, initiative, observation, and self-confidence etc. The salesman should be alert,

ready to find out ways and means of serving thecustomers. Alertness is a part in which the salesperson should inspire confidence of thecustomers.


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Personality

Social traits

Social traits includes, ability to meet thepublic, the most important quality of a

salesperson to meet the public and speak

about the product he wants to sell them.

Character traits

There are some important attributes in a

persons character. No one can expect to

be successful unless he follows somemodal characteristics. It includes honesty

and reliability, enthusiasm, industry and

persistence.


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Qualifications .

A good College degree or diploma may be essential isselling Love of ones job Willingness or propensity for hard work

A strong work ethic Ruthlessness about time keeping Optimistic outlook Strong self confidence and well groomed

The do it now mentality Knowledgeable about his/her company/products, competitors products and strategies, industry

performance,

Physically and mentally alert


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SkillsSelling is both an art and a science.

ART - Many skills cannot be learnt from textbooks.Selling takes practice like golf or tennis.

A book helps but it is not enough e.g.-buyers non-verbal communication.

-handling objections.

-closing a sale.

SCIENCE - A growing body of knowledge.

Has a wealth of objective facts.

Practice alone no longer enough.

Learning of conceptual, human & technicalskills necessary.


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Skills

Conceptual Skills

The cognitive ability to see the selling process as awhole and the relationship among its paths.

Involves thinking and planning abilities. Involves matching products or services to needs.

Involves knowing the relationship between the beginning of asales presentation and asking for the order.

Allows the seller to think strategically. Allows the seller to understand the product, presentation

buyer and buyer organization.

Order-gotten must perceive the significant elements in asituation (assess).


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Skills .

Human Skills

This is the ability to work with and throughother people.

How the buyer relates to their customers.

How the sellers like and are liked by others.

Those without are abrupt, critical, pushy,arrogant,

un-empathetic & unresponsive.

Technical Skills

This is the understanding of and proficiency in

the performance


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Matching ExerciseSkill Conceptual Human Technical

PlanningOrganization

Time utilization

Persuasive

DecisivenessPresentation

Good communication

Listening

Questioning

Self-motivation

Personal development

Learning ability

Flexibility


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Matching ..

Skill Conceptual Human Technical

Team co-operation

Resilience

Stress tolerance

Integrity

HonestyInitiative

Innovativeness

Problem solving

Risk takingLeadership

Good judgment

Tenacity

Sensitivity


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Planning and Organization: Establishing a course ofAction for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal;Prioritizing ones activities planning needed resources and

attending to necessary preparation.

Time utilization: Using time effectively and correctly,determining priorities to get things done speedily.

Sales ability/persuasiveness: Utilizing appropriateinterpersonal styles and methods of communications to gainagreement or acceptance of a product, plan, activity, or idea

from customers.

Some Useful Terminologies

Usef l Te minologies


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Presentation: The ability to conduct a sales presentationwithout any ambiguity well organized and readily understood

manner leading to a logical close.Listening/questioning: Being attentive to others inorder to understand precisely what they are saying and toask appropriate questions to check for understanding and

gather additional information.

Self-motivation: To enthusiastically maintain a high welldirected work level gaining personal satisfaction from your

own efforts.

Integrity: Maintaining social, ethical and organizationalstandards.

Useful Terminologies


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Useful Terminologies

Impact:Creating a favorable and professional impression thatcommands attention and respect.

Flexibility: Modifying behavior to reach a goal.Resilience: Handling disappointment, rejection and workpressure while maintaining effectiveness.

Learning ability: Assimilating and applying new job relatedinformation in a timely manner.

Characteristics of a good


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You must be;

Presentable, Smart, Clean, Well-mannered. etc

Pleasant, Patient, Persistent, Consistent.

Sensitive, Empathetic, Considerate.

Persuasive, Confident, Knowledgeable.

Honest, Reliable, Decisive, Informed.

Good-time utilizer, Planner, Organizer.

Good Communication, Listener and Questioner.

Self-motivated with Initiative and Innovative.

A risk taker and Problem solver.

Fast leaner, Adaptive and Flexible.

A person of Integrity, Resilient and Stress tolerant.

Helpful.

Remember, People buy people.

Characteristics of a good

salesperson


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Empathy& Ego DriveA good salesperson is a composite of a large amount of

empathy and ego drive.

EMPATHY

LOW HIGH

EGO

DRIVE

HIGH

LOW

ed

Ed ED

eD

P l D l t Ch t


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Personal Development Chart


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Sales Jobs & Channels of Distribution

It is essential to understand the channels usedby your company

to move its products to the final consumer.Resellers or

middlemen stock thousands of products fromhundreds of sales

people from multitude of companies.

Vital information needed on them include;i. Likes & dislikes of each channel member

customers.

ii. Product line and assortments of each stock/list.


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Channels ..

Distribution refers to the channelstructure used to transfer productsfrom an organization to its customers

Its important to have the product

available to customers in aconvenient and accessible locationwhen they want it

Consumer goods manufactures, by

and large, sell their products throughthe wholesalers who then resell to theretailers before the goods reach thefinal consumers

The salesperson involved in this type


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Channels.

The salesperson must respond

expeditiously to queries/complaints fromthe channel members to ensure robustservice provision

The industrial goods manufacturers maysell directly to the final consumer or usedistributors to reach the end users

The industrial salesperson is expected tohave technical training/skills to provide

solutions to the channel members as well

as the final users

Service sales team do provide solutions

Channels


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Channels.

Challenges & co-operation

Wholesalers may refuse to by until retailers demand the

product.a. Supermarkets may already have listed a lot of

products similar to yours and wonder why theyshould list.

b. Why should they stock your 3 Sizes?

c. Do they need to drop an existing one for yours?d. What alternative actions are open in the case of

conflicts?

o Manufacturers may sell direct to retailer if

wholesalers do not co-operate.o Wholesalers may start OWN brands if amanufacturer fails to co-operate.

NB

These solutions are costly to both partiesin terms of loss of sales or input costs.


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Why Choose A Sales Career

Five major reasons:

The wide variety of sales jobs available.

The freedom of being on your own: Freedom with responsibility.

Determining owns day

No supervision by a boss

Planning calls

Planning time use

No roll call


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Career Cont..

The challenge of selling

Changing peoples lifestylesRelationship with the DMU

Making a positive contribution to your company

Convincing buyers

Volume and value of sales

The opportunities for advancement. From trainee to full

fledged sales persons.

Key A/C SalespersonRegional Sales Manager

National Sales Manager

District Sales Manager

Divisional Sales Manager


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Rewards in a Sales Career

The many rewards for a sales career.

Good salary

Flashy car.

Psychological income.

Training opportunities

Entertainment and other allowances

Numerous fringe benefits ( school fees)

Overseas Leave for some

Travel& health Insurance covers

Opportunities to meet exciting people

Sales training opportunities


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Documents

6-Abridged Duties of a Salesperson