Sales Responsibilities and Preparation

1. Sales Responsibilities and Preparation Chapter - 7

2. Sales responsibilities: The primary responsibility of a sales person is to conclude a sales successfully • This task will involve the identification of customer needs, presentation and demonstration, negotiation, handling objections and closing the sale • In order to generate sales successfully, a number of secondary functions are also carried out by most sales people

3. Although termed secondary, these functions are vital to long-term sales success • These functions are: • Prospecting • Database and knowledge management • Self-management • Handling complaints • Providing service

4. Prospecting: It is searching for and calling upon customers who, hitherto, have not purchased from the company • Sources of prospects: • Existing customers: asking satisfied customer about new one • Trade directories yellow pages • Enquiries: word of mouth • The press and the internet • Cold canvassing; calling on every prospect

5. Data base and knowledge management: • A systematic approach to customer- record keeping is to be recommended to all repeat-call sales • Salespeople should also be encouraged to send back to head office information which is relevant to the marketing of company products • Self-management: This aspect of the sales job is of particular importance since a sales person is often working alone with the minimum of personal supervision

6. Handling complaints • Providing service: The sales people can provide • Consultancy service • Trade selling – merchandisers • Customer service – make correct choice • After sales service – sales engineers to help in orientation or break-down

7. Implementing sales and marketing strategies: • The sales force is also charged with the responsibility of implementing sales and marketing strategies designed by management • Preparation • Sales negotiation – timing of delivery, price, product extras, payment and credit terms • Pure selling no uthority

8. Preparation for pure selling and sales negotiation: • A number of factors can be examined in order to improve the chances of sales success in both sales negotiations and pure selling • Product knowledge and benefits • Knowledge of competitors’ products and their benefits • Sales presentation planning • Setting sales objectives • Understanding buyer behavior

9. Preparation for sales negotiations: • Apart from the points mentioned in the earlier slides, a sales negotiator will benefit by paying attention to the following additional factors during preparation • Assessment of the balance of power: • The number of options available to each party • The quantity and quality of information held by each party • Need recognition and satisfaction • The pressures on the party

10. Determination of negotiating objectives: • Must have objectives; minimum price • Would like objectives; high price • Concession analysis: • The kinds of issue that may be examined during concession analysis include the following: • Price and its breakup • Timing of delivery • The product- its specification, optional extras • Payment – terms • Trade- in terms • Proposal analysis