PROMOTIONAL

DECISIONS
PERSONAL SELLING
 A. INTRODUCTION
Learning Objectives
• To evaluate the various roles of the
salesforce.
• To understand the characteristics and
traits required in the successful
salesperson.
• To explain how sales staff is trained and
relate this to defined areas of importance.
 B. NATURE AND ROLE OF SELLING
1. Role of Salesforce
(a) Selling and obtaining orders
(b) Obtaining information (martket intelligence)
(c) Maintaining and creating good will
(d) Building business for the future
NB
• Role differs with organisation
• Ad and selling are complementary
• Selling is generally more important in industrial
marketing because of technical complexity of
product.
 Nature and Role of Selling (Cont.)

(2) Types of Salesforce

(a) Consumer Goods
• Main characteristic is that it must be
organised to provide regular coverage.
• Salesforce often large
• Customary to organise large force by
region.
 Role and Nature (Cont.)
(b) Industrial Goods
• Much of work is in finding prospects.
• Need to keep in touch with past and
present customers.
• Salespeople often qualified technicians or
engineers
• Salesforce usually technically oriented and
is organised to satisfy customer
requirements.
 Role and Nature (Cont.)

(c) Services
Service industries which employ
salespeople include:
• Financial institutions (credit cards, etc)
• Transport (e.g. airlines)
• Insurance
• Telecommunications.
 Role and Nature (Cont.)
(2) Types of Selling Job (classification)
(a) Mainly concerned with delivery,e.g. milk, beer, bread etc.
(b) Mainly inside order-taker, e.g. sales assistant.
(c) Salesperson predominantly order-taker but works in the
field, e.g. retail/w/sale.
(d) In missionary selling, role is not to take orders but build
good will and educate customer (e.g. pharmaceutical
company)
(e) In technical selling, product and application knowledge is
the central part of selling function
(f) Creative selling involves both tangible and intangible
products and services (insurance etc)
 Role and Nature (Cont.)

(2) Role of Selling within Marketing

• Marketing is a strategic function and has a
number of tactical activities of which sales is
one.
(a) Relationship with Marketing Research
Much of the research finding can be fed to the
sales dept. Sales also collects infor.
(b) Relationship with other Prom.Mix Elements.
• Relationship should be one of mutual
cooperation.
 C. Recruitment and Training of the
Salesforce
1. Role of Salesperson
• Salespeople have been described as company
ambassadors.
• They must always be a credit to their companies and
try to uphold its image.
• The differential performance between good and only
average sales staff is about 30%.
• The cost of keeping a salesperson “on the road” is high.
• Therefore, it is important to recruit good sales staff.
 Recruitment and Selection
(2) Preparing the Personnel Specification
(a) Quantitative Factors
These are age, education, experience,etc.
(b) Character Traits. Include:
• Stability, industry, perseverance.
• Ability to get along with others.
• Loyalty (to firm)
• Self-reliance (ability to make decisions on one’s own).
• Persuasiveness
• Flexibility (ability to modify behaviour)
• Resilience (ability to “bounce back”)
 Recruitment and Selection (Cont.)

(c) Job Motivation

• Money and Security
• Power (generally no scope for power).
• Perfection. No scope for perfectionists except
for pharmaceutical reps or those dealing with
architects.
• Competitiveness. (Where firm runs competition
for salespeople).
• Desire to serve. This trait must be present in
all salespeople.
 Recruitment and Selection (Cont.)
(d) Emotional Maturity
• Dependence (not a problem if job is structured).
• Disregard of Consequences; can be dangerous, e.g.
delivery promise.
• Self-discipline. Will need to be high where supervision
is low.
• Degree of selfishness. May be warranted if remuneration
is based on commission.
• Exhibitionism. Valuable where product has to be
demonstrated to audiences.
• Willingness to accept responsibility. A requirement where
a rep makes major commitments on behalf of the firm.
 Recruitment (Cont.)
(3) Approaches to Recruitment
(a) In-company Sources
 Obvious source is sales office
 Advantages: know the person; product
knowledge; promotes better relations.
 Disadvantages:
Depart Heads reluctant to release best
people.
It is difficult to cope with any failures.
 Recruitment (Cont.)
(b) Outside Sources
 Advertisements
Most firm advertise through the press, trade and
technical press and recruitment agencies.
 Personal Recommendations
These may come from friends, customers, employees,
trade associations or educational establishments.
 Universities/Colleges
This is a good source for good quality young trainees.
 D. TRAINING THE SALESFORCE
• Your Human Resource Management
course covers this area.
• However, we will look at special issues
relating the salesforce.
1.Developing Job Skills.
• No matter whom the firm recruits, he/she
will need to undergo a period of training.
• A training programme must be set out to
achieve training objectives.
 Training (Cont.)
(2) Development Objectives
(a) Product knowledge Goals (PK)
(b) Skill Goals, e.g. public speaking.
(3) Major Areas of Knowledge and Skill
(a) Company and its Products
(b) PK (applications and benefits)
(c) Sales Techniques
(d) Work Organisation (sales routes, cycles)
(e) Reporting.
e.g. competitor activity, market changes.
 Training (Cont.)
(3) Place of Training
• Factory and offices can be used for initial
training in basic procedures and PK.
• Firm training premises or hotel can be
used for initial sales techniques, work
organisation and product applications.
• Main skills development is done in the field
• Outside sources can be used where
internal resources are limited.
 Training (Cont.)
(4) Method of Training
• Observation cannot inculcate the required
skills.
• Lectures, film shows,books, case studies,
videos, and seminars are useful at the
beginning.
• The salesperson must participate and
learn by trial and error.
 Training (Cont.)
(5) The Sales Manual
• It is a reference book guiding salespeople
• Subjects include:
 Firm’s sales policy and methods.
 Background information on products.
 Prices, terms and conditions of sale.
 Distribution Methods; Rules governing expenses
Journey planning procedures.
 Account collection procedures.
 Order procedures, etc.
It is a useful reference source both for initial training and for
established salespersons.
 Training (Cont.)

(6) Personal Development and Continuous

Training.
• Firm must give consideration to personal
development of the salesperson.
• Development can be through various
courses, training, meetings, seminars,
conferences, etc.
• Refresher courses are important for
salespeople.
END