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What Are The Main Roles of The Sales Force
What Are The Main Roles of The Sales Force
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In the US, 14 million people are employed in sales positions, according to the department of
labor.
Sales personnel include stockbrokers, manufacturing sales representatives, real estate brokers
etc.
Most students in this class will have been employed as a sales person.
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• Support Personnel
Facilitate the selling function. Primarily business to business products.
2. Preapproach (Preparing)
Review key decision makers esp. for business to business, but also family
○ Stimulus Response Format: Appropriate stimulus will initiate a buy decision, use
one appeal after another hoping to hit the right button...Counter Clerk @
McDonald's "Would you like fries with your burger?"
○ Formula Selling Format: (Canned Sales Presentation) memorized, repetitive,
given to all customers interested in a specific product.
Good for inexperienced sales people.
Better with heavily advertised items that are presold.
Telemarketing a credit card!!
○ Need Satisfaction Format: Based on the principal that each customer has a
different set of needs/desires., therefore the sales presentation should be adapted
to the individual customer's needs, this is a key advantage of personal selling vs.
advertising.
Sales person asks questions first, then makes the presentation accordingly.
Need to do homework, listen well and allow customers to talk etc.
Must answer two types of questions:
for more information
overcome objections.
Overcoming Objections
Seek out objections and address them.
Anticipate and counter them before the prospect can raise them.
Try to avoid bringing up objections that the prospect would not have raised.
Price objection is the most common
Need to provide customers with reasons for the $s, build up the value before price is
mentioned
Must be convinced of price in own mind before you can sell to customer.
Get budget info. on buyer before you try to sell, and must know what they want, must sell
service on top of product augmented product--to create value!!
Must know value of product, provide warranties etc.!!
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5. Closing
Ask prospect to buy product/products. Use trial closes, IE ask about financial terms,
preferred method of delivery.
20% sales people generally close 80% sales., Avon, over 1/2 US $1.4 bn business from
17% of 415,000 SRs.
Need to be prepared to close at any time. The following are popular closing techniques:
Management of Salesforce
Sales force is directly responsible for generating sales revenue.
Eight general management areas:
the company
products
selling techniques.
Aimed at new hires and experienced personnel.
Can be held in the field, educational institutions or company facilities.
Oldsmobile spent $25 million last year to teach its dealers how to better treat its
customers.
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5. Compensating Sales People
To attract, motivate and retain sales people, that facilitate and encourage good
treatment of the customers. Need to understand personalities of sales people.
Strive for proper balance of freedom, income and incentives.
Need to determine the best level of compensation required, and the best method of
calculating it.
Straight salary
straight commission (selling insurance)--single percentage of sales or
sliding rate
Combination plan
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6. Motivating Sales People
Need a systematic approach, must also satisfy non-financial needs:
Job security
Working Conditions
Opportunities to succeed
Sales contests increase sales.
Symbolic awards--plaques, rings etc.
Can also use negative motivational methods for under performers.
Due to burn out--even the best need motivating!!
Ongoing process...keep reps. hungry
Need a motivational program.
Spend time with reps, personal attention!!
Take interest in them and the sales goals
1. Compensation packet that rewards quality salesmanship and extra effort
2. Recognition of extra effort of sales force
3. Make sure SR feel important
4. Keep SR informed of company activities
5. Make certain reps. believe in the company
6. Goals must be realistic and achievable and changeable
7. Determine what they want and give it to them
8. Controlling and Evaluating Salesforce performance
Rely on information from call reports, customer feedback and invoices.
Performance is determined by objectives. May compare with predetermined
performance standards or with other sales people working under similar
conditions.