MTTM -07/2021

1. Describe the qualities and abilities of a good sales person. 20

Good Salesperson
Ability to Listen
A good salesperson needs to satisfy a client’s needs. The only way to find out what those are is
by listening to what each prospect is saying. The best salespeople aren’t always talking.
Empathy
A good salesperson knows how to feel what their customers feel. By getting inside a prospect’s skin, they
know just how to sell a product or service. Empathy is a great way to anticipate what a customer wants.
Hunger
These folks also have a need to sell that goes beyond the money. They have personal needs only a sale can
help them with. In short, their egos need to be fed with good sales numbers.
Competitiveness
Salespeople who succeed enjoy measuring their skills against their peers. In a word, they’re competitive.
They don’t just want to get better at what they do. They want to be better than everyone else.
Networking Ability
Good salespeople love to network. They get involved in their community and have many different business
relationships. Networking is not so much a part of the job to them but the way they like to spend their
time.
Confidence
Believing in the product or service they are selling is essential. That comes across as a confidence that’s
infectious and makes customers want to buy more.
Enthusiasm
A successful salesperson is always motivated. They are always ready to make a sale at any given moment
and continually looking for possibilities.
Resiliency
Top earners know how to bounce back from a dry spell. They don’t get discouraged when the sales
numbers are down. Rather, they look for innovative ways to turn things around.
Multitasking Skills
An outstanding salesperson knows how to juggle deals they are trying to close with promising leads. They
can even respond to queries through emails and on the phone at the same time. Great multitaskers make
excellent additions to any sales team.
Honesty
The folks that are best at selling stuff are also honest. They know that shady deals lead to burned bridges
that can multiply and cost a lot more than one client.
Curiosity
Being curious with the clients and the product is only the start. The best of these folks are also on the
lookout for changes in the industry and what’s offered by the competition.
Adaptability
An outstanding sales representative can go with the flow. Adapting to the client’s schedule and
preferences can make all the difference.
Communications Skills
There’s no way around having excellent verbal skills if you’re trying to sell people goods and services.
People who excel here know how to stay away from jargon and hard to understand concepts.
Persistence
Without being rude or pushy, good salespeople know how to get the job done. They know many people
face the most challenging obstacle just before they reach their goal. They know how to work through
slumping sales numbers.
Passion
When a sales representative loves their company, it shows in their pitch. That’s why the most successful
salespeople are the best cheerleaders for their small businesses at the same time.
Tenacity
Sales is hard work. The people who really succeed don’t wait for customers to come to them. Prospecting
takes up a lot of their time.
Thoroughness
Sales representatives that position themselves at the top stay in touch with their clients. They send
birthday, anniversary and thank you cards. It’s all about looking for new ways to stay in a client’s mind.
Understanding of Value
The real superstars in this line of work understand that selling isn’t just about price. They know how to use
a value proposition to full advantage.
Ambition
Setting goals and achieving them is important in every small business. That’s especially true for the quotas
that salespeople work towards.
Charm
Charming sales representatives create a good first impressions and open the door to sales. Working on
your diction and having a groomed appearance makes a big difference.
Imagination
Salespeople who can think on their feet and fit in with changing situations are worth their weight in gold.
Having a strong imagination is a valuable characteristic.
Patience
Some clients need a little more handling than others to close a sale. A good sales representative knows this
and takes all the time needed.
Initiative
Taking matters into their own hands is the mark of the real pro here. If there’s a product or services that
needs to be sold, they can find a way.
Independence
Being self motivated and working on a commission make the best salespeople really good at working on
their own.
Commitment
Finally, the best salespeople know they need to go above and beyond to be successful. They like to set the
bar high and are continually try to meet new goals.

2. What are the principles of effective communication? 20

here are 10 principles of good communication.

1. Have A Goal
First, you need to determine what you want your audience to do or get out of your communication. Are
you positioning yourself as a thought leader or are you persuading them to take action? Figuring out
your ideal outcome at the start and intentionally crafting your communication to reach for that goal will
make it much more effective. Decide which KPIs can best demonstrate that your goals have been met,
whether it’s clicks, social shares, sign ups or purchases.

2. Listen
Good communication is never one way. It’s why no one likes being stuck with uncle Preston at the family
BBQ because he’ll breathlessly tell you, again, in excruciating detail, how he fixed his lawnmower that one
time. Without giving you a chance to say a word, that will launch him into another story about the types of
birds he’s seen in his yard this summer. And it goes on and on.

Likewise, if you never listen to what your audience is saying or give them a chance to engage, you’ll
struggle to effectively connect with them. So, do your research, read what they’re writing, ask for their
feedback and incorporate what they’re looking for into what you’re trying to communicate.
3. Adjust To Your Medium
Context about where and how your communication is being consumed is a vital factor to consider. For
example, you wouldn’t say certain things through written communication because the tone and inflection
of the spoken word isn’t there. In the same vein, you would communicate differently on the phone than
face-to-face because the other person can’t see your face, hand gestures or body language.

Therefore, once you decide the most appealing format to reach your audience, make sure your content
and messaging is tailored for that medium. If it’s for Twitter, you’ll want something that’s short, visually
appealing and will maybe start a conversation. But if it’s a blog post, you’ll want to go into more detail on a
mobile-optimized, easy-to-read page.
4. Stay Organized
When starting out, create a cohesive, high-level outline that includes your goal, your main point(s) to get
across and the main ways you’re going to illustrate them for your audience. Stay focused on this plan, be
methodic in your research and avoid scope creep.

5. Be Persuasive
This is the whole reason you’re communicating, so do it well! Different people are persuaded differently.
So, if appropriate, appeal to their rational side with relevant facts to back up your main argument. But,
perhaps more importantly in many instances, you should also appeal to your audience’s emotional side.
Studies have shown that our emotional brain processes information five times faster than the logical
side of our brain. So, use images and stories that elicit happiness, hope, humor or surprise to get you
closer to your communication goal.

6. Be Clear
Begone jargon! Farewell wordiness! Adios spelling mistakes! Keep your writing clear and concise.
Moreover, explicitly state what you’re arguing, keep it as short as possible, avoiding long words when a
short one will do and generally keep your sentences below 30 words. Usually, this just requires going
through a few rounds of editing to take out all that’s unnecessary.

7. Visuals Are Important

When communicating with an audience, variety can go a long way. Humans comprehend new information
in a number of ways but many are primarily visual people. In fact, you can comprehend visual data in as
little as 13 milliseconds! Accordingly, you can more effectively connect with your audience by
using compelling visuals to draw in your audience and explain your point in addition to just text. Visuals
can also help you appeal to your audience’s emotional side.

8. Use Stories
Another way to connect with your audience and communicate your ideas is with relevant illustrative
stories. People are natural story tellers and listeners. This inborn trait stretches across cultures and, for
me, is especially evident with how kids are so quickly drawn to story books.

Stories are great ways to make ideas more tangible to people and can also humanize what you’re
communicating. Appealing to your audience’s more emotional side, stories are also more likely to be
remembered than the other elements of what you communicate. So, if you really want people to
understand and remember your point, add in a story that illustrates it.

9. Less Is More
Your audience is likely busy. So don’t waste your (or their) time with irrelevant tidbits, repeated
information or details that may be related but don’t help you with your main communication goal. It will
lead to disengagement, less information being retained and take away from the effectiveness of your
efforts. When in doubt, err on the side of clarity.

10. Be Curious
Finally, resolve to always be learning. While some things remain the same, the how and what we
communicate is constantly evolving. Read lots, talk to mentors and never assume you know everything
when it comes to good communication. For your individual efforts, test different formats and styles to see
what works best when connecting with your unique audience and always be open to feedback.
4. Describe basic responsibilities of a sales person. 20
The primary responsibility of a salesperson is to increase sales. For order getters this will involve
identification of customers, presentation, demonstration, handling objections and closing the sale. In
order to generate sales, six enabling functions should be carried out.

Sales_Reponsibility
Prospecting
Prospecting is searching for and calling upon potential customers. Most sales person rely on established
customers rather than actively seeking new business. They work in their comfort zone calling upon old
contacts rather than searching out and selling to new customers. A company should insist that a certain
percentage of the revenues should come form new customers.

Their incentive plan can be structured in a way that it becomes more lucrative to acquire new customers.
But there is need for balance. When there is excessive emphasis on acquiring new customers, the current
customers running requirements may be ignored leaving them dissatisfied. Prospects can be identified
form several sources like existing customers, trade directories, enquiries, the press and cold canvassing.

Maintaining Customer Records and Information Feedback

Customer record keeping is an important activity for salespeople who focus on getting repeat orders from
their customers. For industrial salespeople, information should be available on decision making limit i.e.
who are the important people to see, when they have been seen, and what are their choice criteria.
Salespeople should be encouraged to maintain data of finer nuances of their customer requirements and
behavior.

Business would normally be won by companies which incorporate these nuances in their offerings. These
records become very valuable when the key contact employee of a major customer leaves the company.
These records will help the company in reconstructing its relationship with the customer.

Sales people should be encouraged to send customer and market information to the head office. Test
marketing activity by competitors, news of imminent product launches by competitors, rumors of policy
changes of trade and industrial customers and competitors, feedback on self and competitors’ product
performance, performance of delivery and after sales service may be useful to management and should be
provided to them.

Providing Service
Salespeople meet many customers and they become familiar with solutions to common problems. They
have a good idea of the equipment, processes, and materials that other companies may be using
successfully. Salespeople can help their clients by suggesting these equipment, processes, and materials to
them.

Sales Promotion Objectives

Sales teams may provide after sales service to customers. For some equipment, after,sale services like
installation, commissioning, warranties, maintenance etc. are very important factors in determining the
satisfaction of customers. Sales engineers may also be required to give advice on operation of a newly
acquired machine or provide assistance in the event of a breakdown. They may be able to solve the
problem themselves or they may call technical specialists to help them.
The sales team should understand that the customer may be using an equipment, but he is not an expert
in the technology of the equipment. So when a customer has a problem with the equipment he will expect
the sales team to help solve the problem. The customer is obviously happy when the supplier supplies him
a great product, but a relationship between the buyer and the salesperson can develop only when the
sales team demonstrates its usefulness on small matters at frequent intervals. Sales teams should always
welcome a call for help from a customer as the team gets another opportunity to demonstrate its
usefulness to the customer and cement its relationship with him.

Handling Complaints
Dissatisfied customers tell six other people on an average about their cause of complaint. Dealing with
complaints quickly and efficiently is a key aspect of selling. The ability of a sales team to empathize with
customers and react sympathetically creates goodwill. When the sales team promptly solves customer
problems, the complainants will now spread the news of how well they have been treated.

When dealing with customer complaints it is important to understand the anxiety level of customers and
the difficulty that the customer may be facing because of the problem. Though the two aspects are related
in most cases, i.e. the anxiety level of customers is proportional to the difficulty that the customer is
facing, some customers feel high levels of anxiety even when the difficulty that they face is not much. Sales
team may give such complaints low priority but it is fatal for a sales team to view a customer complaint
objectively and from its own point of view.

A complaint is only as serious as the customer believes it to be so. If a customer is very worried about a
small fault in his equipment, the company will lose the customer if its sales team were to label him as
“unduly worried”, and ignores his problem. More important than finding a solution to the customer
problem, which is obviously important, is to reduce the anxiety of the customers, which in most cases can
be done by reaching the customer site as soon as possible.

Different Types of Markets

Tour Management
Journey routing may be delegated to salespeople. Many salespeople believe that the most efficient routing
plan involves driving out to the farthest customer and zigzagging back to home base. But adopting a round
trip approach usually results in lower miles travelled. But efficiency alone should not rule the journey
routing. If an important customer has some urgent requirement, a salesperson should make adjustments
to reach him even if the distance travelled increases.

Call frequency is also delegated to salespeople. It is sensible to grade customers according to their
potential of contributing to the revenues of the organization. Salespeople may over call on established,
friendly customers even though they do not have much growth potential. Customers with greater
potential to buy the company’s products should be visited more frequently.

Relationship Management
Many selling situations are not one-off, situation-specific encounters, but long term in nature. This is
particularly true in organizational markets, where the two parties work together to create, develop and
maintain a network within which both parties do business. The management of relationships with key
customers is a major responsibility of the salesperson. Although the number of salespeople is falling, the
number of key account managers is growing, which is testimony to the importance that companies are
attaching to managing relationships with their important clients.
Buyers are also reducing the number of suppliers that they are buying from. In fact, most companies are
keen to source one component from only one supplier and most companies are willing to source more
than one component from the same supplier.

They have more stake in each others business. Buyers and suppliers are doing more for each other than
merely buying and selling products. Suppliers are aiding their buyers in designing components and are
taking overall responsibility for the components they are supplying. Buyers are helping their suppliers to
improve their processes and cost structures.

The sales team’s role will change as the two companies decide to interact more intensively and
proactively. Sometimes the functional departments of the two companies may be interacting on a daily
basis even without the knowledge of the salesperson. The salesperson may feel slighted, for once he was
the sole interlocutor between the two companies. Under these situations the salesperson has to merely
facilitate communications between the employees of the two companies, and sort out any differences that
may occasionally arise.

READ What are Different Phases of Selling Process

The objective of relationship management is to build goodwill that is reciprocated by placing orders. This
can be achieved by providing exceptional customer service through:

Technical Support: The suppliers should help the buyer in installation, commissioning, and maintenance of
equipment they sell.
Expertise: The supplier and buyer have expertise in different technologies and they should be able to use
their technologies for mutual benefits.
Resource Support: The buyer and the seller should put their resources at each other’s disposal. The idea is
that the buyer and seller should understand their mutual dependence and realize that they have to
collaborate to become a competitive unit.
Improving Service Levels: Since suppliers are supplying sub-assemblies instead of components, customers
require greater services from their suppliers. Suppliers have to upgrade their level of services to be able to
be add value to the operations of the customer.
Lowering Perceived Risk: Suppliers have to assume some of the risk of the buyer. They may provide
guarantee of performance and on opportunity to return the equipment if the customer does not find it
suitable.
Salespeople should develop trust through high frequency of contact, ensuring that promises are kept, and
reacting quickly and effectively to problems.

6. Elaborate different methods of sales control. 20

Control of salesmen is the process of establishing the standards of performance for the salesmen,
measuring their performance, interpreting it and taking corrective actions, wherever necessary, so as to
improve their performance.

In other words, Control of salesmen is the act of directing, guiding and checking the salesmen so as to
ensure that every activity of the salesmen occurs in accordance with what is envisaged in the sales plan.
Need for Control of Salesmen
Control of salesmen is very essential for a sales organization to achieve maximum results. However
scientific the selection and the training of the salesmen may be, supervision and control of the salesmen
are absolutely necessary to secure the most economical and efficient performance from them.
The need for effective control of the salesmen is all the more greater, especially when there are a large
number of salesmen, working in different places, far away from the sales manager. The need for effective
control of the salesmen is necessary for the following reasons:
1. To make disciplined and responsible salesmen
By nature, some salesmen are devoted, and therefore require little control. But there are salesmen who
are indifferent and not devoted to duty. They may not work properly unless there is an effective control;
So, control of salesmen becomes necessary, to make them disciplined and responsible and to ensure good
performance from them.

2. To coordinate their efforts and activities

For the success of sales campaign, the efforts of the salesmen must be coordinated with other sales
efforts, such as advertising, personal selling, etc.
3. To maintain regular contacts
Control of the salesmen is also necessary to ensure that they are in contact with the distribution
channel members, consumers and the public at large.
Advantages of Control of Salesmen
1. It helps to increase the efficiency of the sales force and contributes to increased sales.

2. It contributes to the organization by reducing its selling expenses.

3. It contributes to the elimination of superfluous sales operations.

Methods of Control over Salesmen

Control over the salesmen may be exercised in many ways. The various methods of control over the
salesmen are explained below:

1. Personal Contact and inspection

Personal contact, inspection or personal control is the oldest method of control. It is also one of the most
important and effective methods of controlling the salesmen. Under this method, the work of the
salesmen is checked by the sales manager himself, in the case of smaller organizations.

However, in the case of larger organizations, personal control over the salesmen is exercised by regional,
divisional, district or branch managers. The regional, divisional, district or branch managers check and
control the salesmen working under them in their own areas. Besides, there may also be field supervisors
or inspectors to check the salesmen’s work and to control the salesmen through personal contact.

This method is, no doubt, an effective method of control. But it is very expensive. Further, as the
organization grows in size, and if more salesmen are employed in scattered areas, it becomes very difficult
to exercise effective control over the salesmen through this method. However, the difficulty can be
overcome by appointing more field supervisors and by allocating a small area for each field supervisor.
2. Control through Correspondence
Control over the salesmen can be exercised through correspondence. This is one of the most commonly
used methods of control.

Under this method, letters are written by the sales manager to the salesmen periodically and information
about their performance is also obtained from them. On the basis of the information received, instructions
and suggestions are given to them periodically through correspondence for the improvement of their
performance.

This method will be quite effective only when it is used as a supplement to the personal control or
personal contact method.

3. Establishing Control through Reports and Returns

Control over the salesmen may also be exercised through report and returns from the salesmen. Under
this method, salesmen are required to send reports to the sales manager periodically say, daily, weekly or
monthly, depending upon the requirements. The reports in writing and returns should contain information
regarding:

1. The number of calls made (with relevant details of each call)

2. The total volume and value of sales effected.

3. The number of new customers contacted and sales made.

4. The number of old customers lost and the reasons for the same.

5. The sales expenses incurred.

6. Collection of outstanding amount made from the customers.

7. Customers’ needs and problems.

8. Credit standing of customers

9. Complaints from the customers.

The reports should also contain information regarding:

10. Competition in the market.

11. Changing market conditions.

12. Effectiveness of the advertising.

13. Involvement of wholesalers, retailers in promotion.

The reports are analyzed and the salesmen’s performance is evaluated. Based on the analysis and
interpretation of the salesmen’s performance, necessary instructions are given to the salesmen for
improving their performance in future.

For example, call report indicates the calls made on customers, sales obtained, future promises made by
customers, their credit standing, etc. Similarly, an expense account may point out details of expenses
made by the salesman during a particular period.

By summing up the various reports of the salesman, a record is prepared by the sales organization about
the actual performance. The carefully prepared record gives a clear-cut picture of every salesman’s work
and activities. On the basis of reports and records, the manager can compare the performance with the
targets.

8. Write an essay on “Promotional Strategies”. 20

No one is going to buy a product or service they haven't heard of, nor will they buy it if they don't know
what your company offers. This is why a great promotion strategy is vital to grow your business. Some
companies use more than one method, while others may use different methods for different marketing
purposes. Regardless of your company's product or service, a strong set of promotional strategies can
help position your company in a favorable light, while opening the doors for future communication.

Contests as a Promotional Strategy

Contests are a frequently used promotional strategy. Many contests don't even require a purchase. The
idea is to promote your brand and put your logo and name in front of the public rather than make
money through a hard-sell campaign. People like to win prizes. Sponsoring contests can bring attention
to your product without company overtness.

Social Media Promotion

Social media websites such as Facebook and Google+ offer companies a way to promote products and
services in a more relaxed environment. This is direct marketing at its best. Social networks connect with
a world of potential customers that can view your company from a different perspective.

Rather than seeing your company as "trying to sell" something, the social network shows a company
that is in touch with people on a more personal level. This can help lessen the divide between the
company and the buyer, which in turn presents a more appealing and familiar image of the company.

Mail Order Marketing

Customers who come into your business are not to be overlooked as they have already decided to
purchase your product. What can be helpful is getting personal information from these customers. Offer
a free product or service in exchange for the information. These are customers who are already familiar
with your company and represent the target audience you want to market your new products to.

Product Giveaways and Samples

Product giveaways and allowing potential customers to sample a product are methods used often by
companies to introduce new food and household products. Many of these companies sponsor in-store
promotions, giving away product samples to entice the buying public into trying new products.

Point-of-Sale Promotion and End-Cap Marketing

Point-of-sale and end-cap marketing are ways of selling product and promoting items in stores. The idea
behind this promotional strategy is convenience and impulse. The end cap, which sits at the end of aisles
in grocery stores, features products a store wants to promote or move quickly. This product is
positioned so it is easily accessible to the customer.

Point-of-sale is a way to promote new products or products a store needs to move. These items are
placed near the checkout in the store and are often purchased by consumers on impulse as they wait to
be checked out.

Customer Referral Incentive Program

The customer referral incentive program is a way to encourage current customers to refer new
customers to your store. Free products, big discounts and cash rewards are some of the incentives you
can use. This is a promotional strategy that leverages your customer base as a sales force.

Causes and Charity

Promoting your products while supporting a cause can be an effective promotional strategy. Giving
customers a sense of being a part of something larger simply by using products they might use anyway
creates a win/win situation. You get the customers and the socially conscious image; customers get a
product they can use and the sense of helping a cause. One way to do this is to give a percentage of
product profit to the cause your company has committed to helping.

Branded Promotional Gifts

Giving away functional branded gifts can be a more effective promotional move than handing out simple
business cards. Put your business card on a magnet, ink pen or key chain. These are gifts you can give
your customers that they may use, which keeps your business in plain sight rather than in the trash or in
a drawer with other business cards the customer may not look at.

Customer Appreciation Events

An in-store customer appreciation event with free refreshments and door prizes will draw customers
into the store. Emphasis on the appreciation part of the event, with no purchase of anything necessary,
is an effective way to draw not only current customers but also potential customers through the door .
Pizza, hot dogs and soda are inexpensive food items that can be used to make the event more attractive.

Setting up convenient product displays before the launch of the event will ensure the products you want
to promote are highly visible when the customers arrive.

After-Sale Customer Surveys

Contacting customers by telephone or through the mail after a sale is a promotional strategy that puts
customer satisfaction first while leaving the door open for a promotional opportunity. Skilled
salespeople make survey calls to customers to gather information that can later be used for marketing
by asking questions relating to how customers feel about the products and services purchased. This
serves the dual purpose of promoting your company as one that cares what the customer thinks and one
that is always striving to provide the best service and product.