Promotion is vital for businesses as it involves communicating with customers to generate awareness and interest in products. The main goal of this communication is to inform customers about the product’s presence and position, convince them of its superiority compared to competitors, and remind them of reasons to buy. In conclusion, promotion serves multiple purposes in business.
Personal selling is a promotional technique in which the company’s workforce directly contacts the customer to promote and close sales. As the company’s ambassador, your role involves utilizing your attitude, appearance, and specialized product knowledge to inform and persuade customers to make a purchase or try the product.
A prime instance of personal selling is evident in department stores at the perfume and cosmetic counters where customers receive guidance on product application and can sample various products. Personal selling is often employed for products with higher prices or intricate features. Notable examples encompass cars, office equipment (e.g., photocopiers), and numerous products sold by businesses to other industrial customers.
Generally speaking, products with a high unit value and that require a demonstration are ideally suited for personal sales. This applies to highly technical products, such as computers and copiers, which are primarily sold through personal sales methods. Additionally, products that involve a trade-in are also best sold through personal selling to facilitate the trade-in process. Automobile sales, which often involve a trade-in, almost always require a personal sales transaction.
Personal selling is a distinct and advantageous profession, though it may not be suitable for all individuals. Typically, it entails irregular and lengthy working hours as well as frequent travel. Additionally, personal salespeople must possess the ability to cope with in-person rejection, which constitutes a significant aspect of the role. Conversely, successful individuals in personal sales can enjoy substantial benefits. Since most remuneration is tied to completed sales, the earning potential is high. Unlike salaried positions, personal sales have no capped income limit.
Furthermore, many people enjoy the flexibility of working hours and the lack of supervision that comes with personal sales. Engaging in personal sales also helps individuals develop important skills such as interpersonal communication, organization, and time-management.
Comparing buyer behavior and decision making in B2B and B2C settings reveals significant differences in sales cycles and duration to close a sale. In B2B sales, navigating internal bureaucratic processes is necessary before obtaining approval for a company purchase.
After obtaining approval, the order is placed and the product is shipped. The payment for the order is typically made on a net 30-day basis, ensuring that profits are realized at least one month after the sale. In contrast, B2C sales are usually immediate as customers decide to purchase and pay right away. The customer pays for the product and you can then move on to the next customer. B2B sales rely primarily on a rational assessment of the business value to the customer. The product aims to simplify tasks, minimize waste, boost productivity, or reduce labor expenses.
These are just a few of the reasons why the product is appealing to your business customers in B2C sales. The sale is driven by emotions such as the desire for status, the value it brings to the customer, or simply the price.
The sales teams play a crucial role in the overall marketing strategy. They are responsible for integrating all marketing goals into a cohesive plan, which is built upon market research and the right product mix to ensure optimal profitability and long-term sustainability of the business. In essence, the marketing strategy serves as the bedrock of a comprehensive marketing plan.
Teams are essential for the success or failure of an organization. The sales force is critical in generating income and revenue by meeting sales targets based on the marketing strategy. Additionally, the sales force establishes trust with customers through active engagement throughout the customer relationship.
Both new and current customers benefit from interaction and learning about the brand. Consistent follow-up and communication with the sales representative helps build trust with current customers. Additionally, sales representatives focus on re-engaging previous customers through promotions, discounts, and communications. By establishing trust at every stage of the customer sales cycle, customer satisfaction is increased.
There are two options for businesses to consider when it comes to their sales teams: outside sales representatives or inside sales representatives. They can also opt for a combination of both. Outside sales representatives, also called field reps, work independently and require minimal supervision as they travel to customers’ locations to present products that require demonstrations.
The second option is inside sales representatives, also known as telemarketers. These individuals primarily spend their time on the phone communicating with potential customers or scheduling appointments for customers to visit them.
It is essential for members of the sales team to act as the company’s eyes and ears, playing a crucial role on the front lines with a deep understanding of customer needs. Therefore, it is vital for them to communicate any discoveries back to the company.
The main role of the sales team is to maintain and improve client relationships, while also ensuring that important information and records are stored for future use. It is vital for businesses to understand that their success or failure largely depends on the professionalism, dedication, and honesty of their sales staff. When hiring a sales force, it is crucial for companies to carefully evaluate references and use effective interviewing techniques to identify individuals who share the company’s values and objectives. If a team member does not fit well within the organization, managers or business owners should consider finding a more appropriate sales representative.
Sales strategies must be revised as a company’s objectives change. If a company remains stagnant and does not adapt to market dynamics, it will ultimately fail to achieve its set objectives. In many cases, the sales strategies created based on initial objectives become irrelevant to the conditions in a rapidly changing consumer market over time. To stay ahead, sales strategies need to align with market changes, consumer behavior, and competitor activity.
It is crucial for the company to actively listen to consumers and adjust its strategies based on market and customer feedback. Store Managers, as the initial point of contact with consumers, collect invaluable information. This information enables the flow of communication from the market and consumers back to the sales and marketing department. Consequently, the department can take action on this feedback and adapt its strategies accordingly.
The significance of recruitment and selection procedures in achieving optimal sales performance is undeniable. The process of recruiting and selecting salespeople is a vital responsibility for sales management. It involves identifying individuals who possess the necessary qualifications for the specific sales role needed by a company. The recruitment and selection practices employed for order-taking sales positions will vary significantly from those used for order-getting sales positions, due to the contrasting job requirements. Thus, the recruitment and selection process commences with a meticulously conducted job analysis.
While motivation is crucial for sales managers, they need to have the right material, namely suitably qualified salespersons, to effectively motivate. This involves selecting and recruiting individuals who meet strict criteria that are directly applicable to sales success and high performance. Furthermore, these individuals must be trained to meet certain standards and effectively perform the selling job in accordance with the company’s products and markets.
The goal is to create a standardized framework that sales managers can use to minimize the risk of hiring salespersons who are not suitable. Usually, each sales manager is responsible for selecting new members for their team.
Sales recruitment is an expensive process, and when selection is inadequate, it leads to:
- Under-performance in sales activities
- A distraction of management time as more supervision is needed
- Additional training needs
- Higher staff turnover with resultant repeat recruitment costs.
When recruiting sales people, it is important to consider several issues or points in order to avoid a costly and painful process.
Below is a list of the items and their explanations:
- Selection matters
- Need for job description and person specifications
- Potential sources of recruitment
- Interview preparation and techniques
- Selection and Appointment process.
The first step in the recruitment process is creating a job description and a person specification for the job holder. A properly prepared job description has multiple benefits for the sales manager:
- as a basis for preparing personnel specifications clarifying job functions to sales manager sand job holders
- providing a performance measurement base
- providing a base for appraisals and other formal and informal counselling
- aiding inter-job content comparisons
- Facilitating job evaluations.
Inadequate job descriptions can lead to conflicts over job boundaries, foster rivalry and envy among colleagues, or lead to unwarranted assumptions of power by certain individuals.
Before hiring someone, understanding the job responsibilities and differentiating them from other positions within the sales organization is crucial. Failing to do so can result in overlapping duties, possible conflicts, or a lack of accountability among employees. For instance, a salesperson’s tasks may coincide with those of key account managers, marketing managers, support staff, merchandisers, or sales promoters.
Usually, a job description should include the details mentioned in Appendix-1, although its presentation and structure may differ depending on the company. A typical job description provides an introduction to a role, covering its qualities, tasks, responsibilities, duties, obligations, and the essential skills needed for the position. Although it is possible that the reader already has job descriptions in their company’s format, if they are not accessible, they must create descriptions for all sales organization positions.
The next step after obtaining a job description is to determine the characteristics required for the job. These qualities, skills, and experience can be condensed into a person specification or job holder profile, which serves as a brief description of the ideal candidate for the position. This specification can be utilized as a reference when assessing job applications and conducting initial interviews.
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