Copyright © 2012 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All right reversed McGraw-Hill/Irwin

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Personal Selling (online)

Promoting Products

• Direct promotion

• Through advertising and promotion

• Direct-marketing efforts

• Dyadic communication allows for immediate feedback and adjustment

• Plays critical role in industrial settings

• Indirect promotion

• Through resellers

• Through sales people

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Determining the Role of Personal Selling

How cost effective is each alternative?

How effective is each alternative in carrying out the needed exchange?

What are the alternative ways to carry out these communications objectives?

What information must be exchanged between firm and potential customer?

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Stages of Personal Selling Evolution

Selling activity limited to order-taking and delivery

Provider

Attempting to persuade customer to buy

Persuader

Seeking out buyers perceived to have a need

Prospector

Buyers identify problems to be met by goods

Problem-solver

Seller determines buyer needs and fulfills them

Procreator

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New Roles for Salespeople

Surveying

Mapmaking

Guiding

Fire Starting

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Factors in Keeping a Customer

Product Uniqueness

Customer Service

Depth of Product Line

Perceived Price to Value Proposition

Loyalty/ Reward Program

Product Quality

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Personal Selling Responsibilities

Follow up and service the account

Close the sale

Demonstrate product capabilities

Recommend a way to satisfy them

Determine customers’ needs and wants

Locate prospective customers

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Traits of Effective Salespeople

Good Communicator

Knowledgeable

Results- oriented

Relationship- oriented

Professional

Reliable

Customer-focused

Thorough

Problem Solver

Responsive

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Pros and Cons of Personal Selling

Reach may be very limited

Message can be tailored to recipient

Two-way interaction with prospect

Prospect isn't likely to be distracted

Cost is often extremely high

Possible management-sales force conflict

Messages may be inconsistent

Seller involved in purchase decision

Source of research information

Potential ethical problems

Advantages Disadvantages

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Personal Selling + PR

Creates goodwill

Involved in community

Representative of the organization

Rep is often best source of PR

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Personal Selling + Sales Promotion

Reseller

Consumer

Sales Force

Sales Promotion

Targets

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Evaluating the Personal Selling Effort

• Factors to be considered

• Review of all target accounts

• Review of all cross-functional selling

• Review of specific territory objectives

• Knowledge of products, customers, and customer organizations

• Ability to apply this market knowledge

• Development of a favorable attitude

• Required course corrections

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Characteristics Affecting Performance

Strength of the field manager

Management processes that drive performance

Clear link between company culture/values to sales strategies

Consistent training

The courage to change

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Quantitative Measures of Sales Results

Orders

Sales Volume

Margins

Customer Accounts

Sales Calls

Selling Expenses

Customer Service

Quantitative Measures

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Qualitative Measures of Sales Results

Selling Skills

Sales Related Activities

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