Explain personal selling’s role in the

marketing communications mix

Describe the positive features of a
job in personal selling
Discuss the principles underlying
modern selling philosophy
Describe the type of personal
selling jobs and the activities
performed Explain the determinants
of salesperson performance
Discuss the characteristics of high
performing salespeople
Describe the role of sales
management
 Qualities in a Salesperson

Liked Disliked

Reliability/credibility Is difficult to
Professionalism/ communicate with
integrity Lacks knowledge of
Product knowledge the customer’s
Innovation in company
problem solving Is overly aggressive
Presentation/ Makes promises
preparation that his or her
company cannot
deliver
 Personal Selling

Overview

A form of person-to-person
communication in which a salesperson
works with prospective buyers and
attempts to influence their purchase
needs in the direction of his or her
company’s products or service
 Personal Selling

Personal Selling’s Primary Purposes

Enhancing brand equity

Educating customers
Providing product usage and marketing
assistance
Providing after-sale service and support
to buyers
 Personal Selling

Personal Selling’s Unique Role

1. High level of 4. Communicate

customer attention more technical and
complex information

2. Customize the 5. Demonstrate a

message product’s functioning
and characteristics

3. Yields immediate 6. Develop long-term

feedback relationship
 Personal Selling

Attractive Features

Job freedom

Variety and challenge

Opportunities for
advancement

Attractive
compensation
and non-financial
rewards
 Personal Selling

Modern Selling Philosophy

Based on trust and mutual agreement

Customer-driven atmosphere
Act as if on customer’s payroll
After-sales service is key
No one solution is appropriate for all
customers
Professionalism and integrity are
essential
 Personal Selling

Selling Activities
 Personal Selling

Selling Activities

The Palm Pilot

from 3Com
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Typically
Missionary Selling employees of
manufacturers
Sell through their
Technical Selling
direct customers
Requires limited
New-business Selling prospecting and
places greater
Retail Selling emphasis on
servicing accounts

Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Employees of
Missionary Selling manufacturers
Typically
pharmaceutical
Technical Selling
industry
Sells for its direct
New-business Selling customers
(wholesalers)
Retail Selling

Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Typically trained in
Missionary Selling technical fields such
as chemistry,
engineering, computer
Technical Selling science, and
accounting
New-business Selling Must be able to
communicate
complicated features
Retail Selling
to prospective
customers
Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Must continuously
Missionary Selling call on new accounts
Bird-dogging, cold
calling
Technical Selling
Continually work to
open new accounts
New-business Selling e.g., Office copiers,
personal computers,
Retail Selling business forms, and
personal insurance
Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Customer comes to
Missionary Selling the salesperson
Have considerable
product
Technical Selling
knowledge, strong
interpersonal skills,
New-business Selling and ability to work
with a diversity of
customers
Retail Selling

Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Types of Sales Jobs

Trade Selling
Is used to support
Missionary Selling or even replace the
sales forces
Versatility applies
Technical Selling
to both consumer-
oriented products
New-business Selling and business-to-
business marketing
Retail Selling Not appropriate for
all sales
organizations
Telemarketing
 Personal Selling

Factors in Evaluating the Use of a

Telephone Sales Force

How essential is face-to-face contact?

Customers geographically concentrated or
dispersed?
How large are typical order sizes?
What decision criteria are important
How many decision makers?
What is the nature of purchase?
What is the status of the decision maker?
What specific selling tasks have to be
performed?
 Personal Selling

Team Selling

To best represent the customer’s interests by

capitalizing on the strengths and expertise of
various personnel
Also prevalent in business-to-business selling
situation
Include experts drawn from throughout the
organization
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
Includes interests,
intelligence, and
Skill level
personality
characteristics
Motivational level Some people better
suit to one type of
Role perceptions sales job than another
All must be customer
Personal characteristics oriented and
empathetic
Adaptability
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
Includes selling,
interpersonal, and
Skill level
technical skills
Companies instill the
Motivational level skills needed for
success
Role perceptions One of the most
important skills—
Personal characteristics ”Close a sale”
Getting along with
Adaptability immediate superior
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
The amount of time
and energy a person is
Skill level
willing to expend
performing tasks
Motivational level Reciprocally related to
performance
Role perceptions People are driven in
different ways
Personal characteristics

Adaptability
 Personal Selling

Salespeople: Four General Personality Types

Competitors Ego-driven

Desire to win and Desire to be the

to best,
beat rivals to win awards,
and
Achievers Service-oriented
to be organized
Routinely set
higher Good at building
goals and like relationships with
accomplishment customers
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
Accurate role
perception is crucial
Skill level
Often they face role
conflicts that diminish
Motivational level their sales
performance
Role perceptions Organizational
citizenship behaviors
Personal characteristics (OCBs)

Adaptability
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
Age, physical size,
appearance, race,
Skill level
gender, etc.
It doesn’t ensure sales
Motivational level success or failure
Successful
Role perceptions salespeople are
androgyny (possess
Personal characteristics both male and female
traits)
Adaptability
 Personal Selling

Salesperson Performance

Aptitude
Ability to adapt to
situational
Skill level
circumstances
Due in part to
Motivational level personal aptitude but
also includes learned
Role perceptions skills
Absolutely essential
Personal characteristics for success

Adaptability
 Personal Selling

Excellence in Selling

First Impression Self-esteem

Depth of knowledge Extended focus

Breadth of knowledge Sense of humor

Adaptability Creativity

Sensitivity Taking risks

Enthusiasm Honesty & ethics