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The function of selling is to make a sale. This obvious statement remains true despite the recent addition of many ancillary functions. Much of the background task of selling can be done remotely, for instance by direct mail. Personal selling is the specific task that involves face-to-face contact on a personal basis. This means that suitably skilled and trained individuals with a professional manner should carry out this function. Selling tasks differ, depending on the type of goods and services involved. Some salespeople are little more than order-takers, whilst others employ the more sophisticated arts of prospecting, negotiating and demonstrating in order to close a sale. Personal selling is the primary communication vehicle in organizational marketing in general but for industrial marketing in particular, where anything up to 80 per cent of the total marketing budget can be spent meeting sales force costs. It is because personal selling is such an important part of the communications mix. Communications mix elements are generally not used in isolation; they complement each other.
can find such salesmen in jewellery stores, consumer goods stores, saree houses, etc. In case of some services, it is also found personal selling used in shops. For example, customers find people going to the same barbershop to cut their hair and get a massage from a specific barber. This shows that in case of personal selling the seller usually come to know about the taster and preferences of the customer and thus attracts him to buy the goods or services.
especially when selling in business markets, is to educate customers on new product offerings. In fact, salespeople serve a major role at industry trades shows where they discuss products with show attendees. But building awareness using personal selling is also important in consumer markets.
Creating
person communication makes it a natural method for getting customers to experience a product for the first time. In fact, creating interest goes hand-in-hand with building product awareness as sales professionals can often accomplish both objectives during the first encounter with a potential customer.
Providing
part of the conversation focuses on product information. Marketing organizations provide their sales staff with large amounts of sales support including brochures, research reports, computer programs and many other forms of informational material.
Stimulating
selling is to convince customers to make a purchase. In The Selling Process, salespeople accomplish this when producer offer detailed coverage of the selling process used to gain customer orders.
Reinforcing
long-term relationships with customers. A strong relationship can only be built over time and requires regular communication with a customer. Meeting with customers on a regular basis allows salespeople to repeatedly discuss their companys products and by doing so helps strengthen customers knowledge of what the company has to offer.
the best position to act as the intermediary through whom valuable information can be passed back and forth between product providers and buyers. Personal Selling is extremely important as it helps in increasing sales. But there are other features as well which make it important. Let us discuss the importance of personal selling from the point of view of manufactures as well as consumers.
ii. It is because of personal selling that customers come to know about the use of new products in the market. The sellers demonstrate the product before the prospective buyers and explain the use and utility of the products. iii. Personal selling also guides customers in selecting goods best suited to their requirements and tastes as it involves face-to-face communication.
iv. Personal selling gives an opportunity to the customers to put forward their complaints and difficulties in using the product and get the solution immediately.
The interactive nature of personal selling also makes it the most effective promotional method for building relationships with customers, particularly in the business-to-business market. This is especially important for companies that either sell expensive products or sell lower cost but high volume products (i.e., buyer must purchase in large quantities) that rely heavily on customers making repeat purchases. Because such purchases may take a considerable amount of time to complete and may involve the input of many people at the purchasing company (i.e., buying center), sales success often requires the marketer develop and maintain strong relationships with members of the purchasing company.
Finally, personal selling is the most practical promotional option for reaching customers who are not easily reached through other methods. The
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best example is in selling to the business market where, compared to the consumer market, advertising, public relations and sales promotions are often not well received.
Expensive: Personal selling costs money not only in the form of salesperson compensation but also sales materials, entertainment allowances, telecommunication, travel and other incidentals. Many of the personal calls might also not produce a sale. Training: Salespersons need extensive training not only in sales skills but also about the product/industry. Organizing such training adds significantly to the costs of this option. High Salesperson Turnover: Turnover can occur for two reasons. One, many salespersons get frustrated or find that they cannot handle the pressure and leave. Two, skilled salespersons are in high demand and a salesperson trained up by you might leave to join a higher paid position, leaving a big gap in your sales setup.
The importance of personal selling lies in the direct contact it provides with customers, resulting in market insights. Disadvantages of personal selling are its costs and training requirements.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, personal selling is the only sales promotion tool that allows direct communication with customers and prospects through the sales of the company, which 1) Made presentations sales to relate the benefits they provide products and services with the needs and desires of customers, 2) Provides personalized advice and 3) Personal relationships in the short and long term with them. All this, to bring situations in which customers make purchasing the product or service that the company sells.
The sales message is adjusted according to the motivations and interests of each potential customer. Therefore, unlike the advertising and sales promotion can relate the benefits of products and services with the needs and desires of customers, and secondly, resolving objections instantly and make closing sales.
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