Personal Selling

Personal Selling
 Personal selling is oral communication with potential
buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale.
 The personal selling may focus initially on developing a
relationship with the potential buyer, but will always
ultimately end with an attempt to "close the sale“.
 Personal selling is one of the oldest forms of promotion.
 It involves the use of a sales force to support a push
strategy (encouraging intermediaries to buy the product)
or a pull strategy (where the role of the sales force may
be limited to supporting retailers and providing after-
sales service).
Continued…
Personal Selling
 More specific communication aimed at one or more
persons
 Cost per person is high, most expensive promotional tool
 Greater impact on consumers
 Provides immediate feedback
 Allows marketers to adjust message quickly to improve
communication
 Buyer feels a great need to listen and respond
Personal Selling as an IMC tool
 Partner and not a substitute to other tools
 It is known as “Dyadic Communication”
 It allows tailoring of messages
 Messages flow from sender to receiver directly,
this direct and interpersonal communication
allows sender immediately receive and
evaluate feedback from the receiver
The role of Personal Selling

 Information provider
 Demonstration
 Persuasion
 Negotiation
 Close the sell
 Deliver the product
 Follow up
 New Product Ideas
 Consumer Behavior Analysis
 Customer relationship Management
Personal Selling Process
 Preparation – Gathering pertinent information about
current and potential customers, product characteristics
and applications, product choice criteria, corporate and
competitors.

 Prospecting – Various methods are 1) Leads and 2) Cold

Calls. Appointments/leads are best way to reach
corporate, cold calls can be used for household
products.

 Initial Contact – It includes leaving comprehensive

information about the firm and its products.
Personal Selling Process…..
 Presentation – Focal point of the selling process,
requires great skills and preparation.
 Canned Presentation – Standard presentation, a prepared
sales pitch, nearly verbatim, to ensure all important points
are covered. Undermines the importance of tailoring the
message according to individual customer need.
 Need Satisfaction – Sales person after recognizing each
buyers’ need, adjusts the selling effort.

 Basic presentation formats: Face-to-face

Telemarketing
Personal Selling Process…..
 Handling objections – To be able to handle objections successfully,
YES-BUT approach is being used.
 Listen
 Repeat the objection

 Agree

 Rationalize/give logic why person is not right

(The sales person should know market well to be able to handle the
objections properly)

 Closing the sale – difficult most part of selling process. Buyer is

incurring various costs: monetary, time, risk, opportunity.
The sales person has to ensure that satisfaction obtain from product
is greater than the costs incurred.
Personal Selling Process…..
 Follow Up
 Sales person has to ensure that all commitments related to
negotiated sales are fulfilled
 Dealing with buyers post purchase behavior and relieving
dissonance if any
 Personal Communication
 Written Communication