SELLING AND SALES MANGEMENT MARKETING-SALES INTERACTION & THE ROLE of SELLING

What Is Marketing? Simple definition: Marketing is managing profitable customer relationships. Goals: 1.Attract new customers by promising superior value. 2.Keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction. Prentice Hall, Copyright

The Marketing Process A simple model of the marketing process: Understand the marketplace and customer needs and wants. Design a customer-driven marketing strategy. Construct an integrated marketing program that delivers superior value. Build profitable relationships and create customer delight. Capture value from customers to create profits and customer quality. Prentice Hall, Copyright

Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction: Dependent on the product’s perceived performance relative to a buyer’s expectations. Customer satisfaction often leads to consumer loyalty. Some firms seek to DELIGHT customers by exceeding expectations. Prentice Hall, Copyright

Customer Relationships Loyalty and retention programs build relationships and may feature: Financial Benefits E.g., frequency marketing programs Social Benefits E.g., club marketing programs Structural Ties Focus is on relating directly to profitable customers, for the long term. Prentice Hall, Copyright

Sales Management Sales management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of sales techniques and the management of a firm's sales operations. It is an important business function as net sales through the sale of products and services and resulting profit drive most commercial business. These are also typically the goals and performance indicators of sales management Also known as Sales force Management and maybe also defined as the management of the personal selling component of an organization's marketing program.

The nature and role of sales management The emphasis is on the word management Nowadays the sales manager is expected to play a much more strategic role in the company and is required to make a key input into the formation of the company plans. Apart from being an accountant, a planner, a personnel manager and a marketer. In order to fulfill these roles the sales managers will have to undertake the following specific duties and responsibilities 7

Responsibilities of a Sales Manager Determination of sales force objectives and goals Forecasting and budgeting Sales force organization Sales force size Territory design and planning Sales force selection, recruitment and training Motivating the sales force Sales force evaluation and control 8

Sales Management Responsibilities Strategic Planning Organizing Recruiting/ Selection/ Assimilation Training & development Motivation & Supervision Performance Evaluation Communication Coordination Integration

Selected activities of a Salesperson Generate Sales Pre call planning Prospecting Make sales presentations Overcome objections Closing sales Arranging delivery Entertain Arrange credit/finance Collect payment Participate in trade shows Provide Service Provide mgt./ technical consulting Oversee installation & repair Check inventory levels Oversee product testing Train mktg. intermediaries Territory Management Gather info. Assist sales managers Develop strategies/ forecasts & budgets Professional development Participate in: Sales meetings Professional associations Training programs Company service Train new sales people Perform civic duties

Marketing-Sales Departments Interaction 11 Sales Department Marketing Decisions and Actions - Marketing Research -Segmentation-Target marketing- Positioning -Product -Price -Place -Promotions Marketing Department Top Management

Personal Selling Persuasive communication between a representative of the company and one or more prospective customers, designed to influence the person's or group's purchase decision. A personal presentation by the company’s sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationship

THE CHANGE..? The world of professional selling is changing dramatically. Much of this change is driven by shifts in the way customers, particularly business customers, buy products. Important changes: Customers have become more sophisticated and demanding Customers want solutions rather than products Companies are using fewer suppliers Purchases being made from foreign suppliers Large accounts require more sophisticated selling Database and knowledge management new technology internet, mobile and laptop Customer relationship management, long-lasting relationships, win to win Problem solving and system selling knowledge about any problem Satisfying needs and adding value

New Salesman Along with changes in their approach to customers, sales people will change themselves. They will have more in depth customer knowledge and more sophisticated selling and service skills. As a result, salespeople will be highly paid, more highly trained, and more skilled professionals.

Figure 1.1 Characteristics of modern selling

Modern sales approaches The shifts in the way customers buy in 21 st century entails that sales function takes on a new robe and a novel sales approach. Some of the modern sales approaches include: Partnering Relationship selling Team selling Value added selling Consultative selling

Personal selling in the Marketing Mix Under the marketing concept, marketing research assumes the task of identifying customer needs and problems, while the firm’s marketing mix is used to deliver the solutions. The marketing mix is the set of strategies that a company utilizes to implement its marketing plan and pursue its marketing objectives. In line with the changes in the markets and marketing strategies, salespeople n sales managers are being asked to play a significant role in each component of the marketing mix.

Types of Selling Selling job varies according to the nature of the selling task. They are: Order-takers respond to already committed customers Order- creators do not directly receive orders since they talk to specifiers rather than buyers. They are called Missionary sales people, their selling task is to educate and build good will. Examples Medical representatives call on the doctors to make them specify their medicines to the patients Order- getters attempt to persuade customers to place an order directly. Consists of those in selling jobs where a major objective is to persuade customers to make a direct purchase 18