Overview of Personal Selling

Learning Objectives
1. Describe the role of personal selling in marketing.

2. Discuss the key roles of salespeople as financial

contributors, change agents,
communication agents, and customer
value agents.

3. Explain the trust-based relationship

selling process and how it differs from
transactional selling.
Learning Objectives
4. Understand the concept of selling strategy with its key
elements of customer value and alternative personal
selling approaches.

5. Explain adaptive selling and five

alternative approaches to selling:
stimulus response, mental states,
problem solving, needs satisfaction,
and consultative.

6. Discuss the future trends in sales

professionalism: complexity,
collaboration, and accountability.
It’s All About the Customer
Personal Selling – Defined

Personal selling refers to

interpersonal communication
between a buyers and sellers
to initiate, develop, & enhance
customer relationships.

Personal selling is a critical component of most b2b

marketing activities.
Companies with Large Salesforces
Types of Sales Jobs
• Hunters, Pioneers, Order Getters – Focus on
Gaining New Customers

• Farmers, Order Takers – Focus

on Servicing Existing Accounts

• Missionary Salespeople – Not

Responsible for Actual Sale,
They Provide Information and
Other Services
Key Roles of Salespeople

• Financial Contributors

• Change Agents

• Communication Agent

• Customer Value Agent

Criteria for Adding Customer Value

• Customer and Market Knowledge

• Coordination

• Efficiency

• Strategic Alignment

• Trustworthiness
Trust-Based Relationship
Selling Process
Selling Foundations
Classification of
Personal Selling Approaches
Stimulus Response Selling
Mental States Selling
Need Satisfaction Selling
Problem Solving Selling
Consultative Selling
Current Trends in Sales
Professionalism
Sales organizations must successfully address:
• An increasingly complex business
environment
• A greater reliance on
collaboration
• Greater accountability
for actions and results
Salesforce Response to
Complexity Issues

• Sales must become more strategic

• Sales organizations must become learning
organizations Complement initial training with ongoing
sales training
• Sales specialists for specific customer types
• Develop multiple sales channels such as major
accounts programs and electronic networks
• Recruiting and developing salespeople who
understand diverse cultures, languages,
and business practices
Salesforce Response to
Collaboration Issues

• Implement cross-functional programs to foster

communication and cooperation
• Sales managers should build trust with
salespeople; ensure that salespeople know how to
manage themselves and play a leadership role
when required
• Focus on trust-based relationship selling; train
salespeople in problem-solving, conflict
resolution, and how to recover from service
failures
Salesforce Response to
Accountability Issues

• Appropriate use of sales technology

• Lower-cost contact methods, e.g., telemarketing
for some customers
• Implementing more effective sales organization
structures
• Ensure that salespeople know the ethical and
legal framework for their markets, including
cultural and global market variations
Sales Career Insights

Advantages of a Career in Sales

• Employment Security
• Compensation - Often Tied to
performance
• Job Variety – It’s Never
Boring
• Advancement Opportunities
• Immediate Feedback
• Independence