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MAR 4403: SALES MANAGEMENT

Fall 2012—Syllabus*

INSTRUCTOR: Stephen LaBarbera

CLASS HOUR: 9:35 AM – 11:30 PM Mon/Wed GER 229

11:45 AM – 1:40 PM Mon/Wed GER 229
1:55 PM – 3:50 PM Mon/Wed GER 229
OFFICE:
Location: Room 211, Bryan Hall
Hours: M/W 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM or by appointment (Please note: I will not be in that office
other than office hours or for a scheduled appointment.)
Phone: (352) 273-3268

E-MAIL: stephen.labarbera@warrington.ufl.edu

WEBSITE: Accessible through the E-Learning website: http://lss.at.ufl.edu — Log in using your
Gatorlink user name and password.

Course Textbook
Barton A. Weitz; Stephen B. Castleberry; and John F. Tanner, Jr. (2007). Selling: Building Partnerships, 7th or 8th
Edition. McGraw-Hill/Irwin (ISBN 0073136905)

Additional Required Reading

Mahan Khalsa; Randy Illig (2008) Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play; Penguin Group Book by Portfolio (Franklin-
Covey).

Course Philosophy
1. This marketing elective course is designed for both business and non-business majors who may at some point
of their career find themselves in a selling or sales management position.
2. Develop your understanding of how to plan, organize, staff, train, direct, and control the sales force in support
of marketing objectives.
3. Instructor’s role is to provide you with opportunities to learn and to help facilitate this learning process.
4. Learning is interactive! The course belongs to us and requires a high level of participation from all of us. We
also have the responsibility to establish a positive learning environment where everyone feels comfortable
and encouraged to participate in class activities.
5. Everyone is encouraged to go beyond the textbook by reading the popular business press (e.g. The Wall Street
Journal, Business Week, Fortune, etc.); all are free through the U.F. library
6. Have fun as you learn!

* Changes could be made depending on Instructor’s assessment of class progress during the semester.
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I. Grading Policy:
Mid Term Exam 20%
Additional Book Reading Presentation 20% (5% peers, 15% instructor)
Final Exam 20%
Group Project Presentation 30% (5% peers, 25% instructor)
Participation/Attendance 10% (5% Participation, 5% attendance)
Total: 100%

II. Exams:
Exams will draw from the book, lectures, class discussions, and guest speakers. Note that the exams are
designed to be rigorous. More specific information will be given prior to each exam to help you prepare. The
final exam is not cumulative. Both exams are in-class exams. Exams will not be curved. Pluses or minuses are
not awarded in this class.

III. Additional Book Reading Presentations:

All groups will be required to present the assigned presentation on the dates indicated. The 20 minute
presentation should include PowerPoint slides. (There will be a handout given out in class detailing what is
required for this Additional Book Reading Presentation.)

IV. Group Project Presentations:

The duration of this presentation is 30 minutes. All groups will be required to present the assigned project on
the dates indicated. There is no set format for this presentation and the group is free to structure it however
they wish. The grades will be determined by how well the group has described the situation to the audience,
and the logical flow of the presentation leading to your results. (There will be a handout given out in class
detailing what is required for this Group Project Presentation.)

V. Some Tips for Project Presentations:

1. All team members must participate.
2. Make the slides work for you – put the key message of the slide in its title. Use bullet points and lead-in
phrases that help you to remember.
3. Make the logical flow of your presentation clear to your audience upfront. “First I will show you this. . . and
then, in the second section, Tom will demonstrate . . .”
4. Practice, practice, practice. Much of your future will depend on presentation skills.
5. Keep slides simple and focused. Don’t write too much. When your audience starts reading the slides, they
actually stop seeing and listening to you.
6. Have a good time!

VI. Team Member Selection On Projects:

I want to balance at least two goals: (1) your being in a team with classmates with whom you get along and
work well, are conveniently located, have similar schedules, etc. and (2) fairness in that each group has an equal
opportunity to do well and that students who do not know many others still have the chance to work in a good
group. During the semester you will work on two totally different teams, you will select teams of 4-5 people
each depending on class size. Keep in mind that as new students enroll or drop the class, your team might
change.
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VII. Team Member Disputes and Grievances:

As mature members of a group, I expect all disputes and grievances to be handled within the group. It is critical
to decide in your first meeting and clarify the expectations of the group in terms of attendance, timelines,
responsibility, and quality of work. The group’s policy towards peer evaluation also should be discussed. The
role of peer evaluation in adjusting individual grades is intended to help group members to meet the group’s
expectations in terms of allotted responsibility. Given different class schedules sometimes it may be difficult to
have 100% attendance in group meetings. In such cases it is the responsibility of the absent group member to
contact the group in advance, provide comments on the meeting topics, and later get apprised of the meeting
details and work allocations. I understand that there will be leaders as well as laggards within a group. It is up
to the group to deal with the laggards – the ultimate “stick” could be a poor peer evaluation grade. However, I
would urge the group to act in a constructive manner with regards to laggards in the group. In the extreme case
(which is highly unlikely), if you are part of a group that is completely dysfunctional because of a majority of the
group members not participating, please contact me. It is important to note that all of you cannot receive the
same peer grade as you all will be participating at different levels. No one except me will see your appraisal of
your peers.

VIII. Classes Format:

Every class will start with a 10 – 15 minute discussion of the current happening in the business world that is
relevant to sales/marketing. These articles can be from Lexis-Nexis, the Wall Street Journal, or any other
business publication of your choosing. This part of the class will be informational and will help in your
participation grade. Due to student concerns and Federal regulations, students may not tape or in any way
record any part of the class.

IX. Lateness, Cell Phones, and Absences:

Being late to class and letting your cell phone ring during class are disruptions that are a nuisance to everyone –
and they are easily avoided. Please be on time, and when you arrive, turn off anything that may beep, ring, play
music, sing, yodel, quack, or chirp! Also, no open lap tops or text messaging during class. Frequent tardiness or
absences will adversely affect your course grade. Students are responsible for getting from their peers the
information and/or making up what they missed if they are absent.

X. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students office. The Dean
of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the
instructor when requesting accommodation.

XI. Tips on How to do well in Class:

1. Attend Class
2. Take notes. Then read them. Then read them again. Significant research in Psychology shows that
people are better able to recall and use information that they have seen repeatedly.
3. Read the book; underline key terms in each chapter.
4. Start on your projects early in the semester. Be committed to your groups’ efforts.
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XII. Academic Honesty:

Cheating, plagiarizing, gaining unfair advantages over others, or otherwise violating the University of Florida
Academic Honesty Guidelines will NOT be tolerated. Any and all such violations will result, at a minimum, in a
failing grade for the assignment, exam, or quiz, and will be handled according to University policy. When you
enrolled at the University of Florida, you signed the following statement: “I understand that the University of
Florida expects its students to be honesty in all their academic work. I agree to adhere to this commitment to
academic honest and understand that my failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary
action up to and including expulsion from the University.”

XIII. On-time Completion of Work:

Exam
If an emergency should cause you to miss an exam, you must contact the instructor prior to the exam to arrange
for a make-up. No make-up exams will be given if arrangements are not made before the exam. Make-up
exams will only be allowed with a valid and documented family or medical emergency. Missed exams will earn
0 points. No early exams will be given. Your mid-term exam will be discussed for your benefit but will be
returned to me. Your final exam will not be returned to the student.
Incomplete
Grades of “incomplete”: will only be given in the event of exceptional extenuating circumstances, and only
when the incomplete is arranged before classes end. Incompletes will not be awarded to allow “re-takes” of the
course for an improved grade.

XIV. Learning Goals:

At the end of the semester, you should have a solid understanding of what sales management entails and what
some of the key issues are that affect salespeople:
 Recognize the key drivers of change in selling and sales management.
 Understand the best practices in selling that lead to exceeding customer expectations.
 Explain the historical basis for stereotypical views of selling in society.
 Point out a variety of reasons why sales jobs can be highly satisfying.
 Identify and explain key success factors for salesperson performance.
 Discuss and give examples of different types of selling jobs.
 List and explain the role of various participants in an organizational buying center.
 Outline the stages in organizational buyer decision making.
 Point out the nature of different organizational buying situations.
You will receive this knowledge from the book, lecturers, case analysis, outside speakers, projects and
presentations, and the additional reading assigned. This acquired knowledge and skill set will be very important
to you as you enter the job market.

XV. This Syllabus Outlines the Ground Rules for This Class:
If, after reading it, students have questions they need to raise them in writing to the instructor, no later than
the second class. If no written issues are received by the instructor, after the second class I will assume all the
students have read this document, fully understand all the ground rules and agree to them. In addition because
your education is not static, supplemental information regarding all aspects of this syllabus may be given in class
as the need warrants.
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Class Schedule FALL 2012

(Subject to minor changes as the semester progresses)

DAY DATE TOPIC READINGS

Part 1: Overview: Selling & Relationship Building
Wed. Aug. 22 Course Introduction & Covey Details
Mon. Aug. 27 Personal Selling and Sales Management Overview Chapter 1
Wed. Aug. 29 Building Partnerships Chapter 2
Mon. Sept. 3 HOLIDAY
Wed. Sept. 5 Ethical and Legal Issues in Selling, Distribution Chapter 3
Mon. Sept. 10 Ethical and Legal Issues in Selling, Distribution (continued) Chapter 3

Part 2: Selling: Skills, Knowledge, Partnership Requirements

Wed. Sept. 12 Outside Sales Speaker—Technology
Mon. Sept. 17 Communication Principles for Relationship Building (Game) Chapter 4
Wed. Sept. 19 Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building Chapters 5, 6
Mon. Sept. 24 Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building (continued) Chapters 5, 6
Wed. Sept. 26 Outside Sales Speaker—Author
Mon. Oct. 1 Prospecting and Segmentation, Planning and Making the Sales Call Chapters 7, 8, 9
Wed. Oct. 3 Mid-Term Exam
Mon. Oct. 8 Covey Presentation
Wed. Oct. 10 Covey Presentation, Exam Results
Mon. Oct. 15 Strengthen the Presentation & Handouts Chapters 10,11,12
Wed. Oct. 17 Outside Sales Speaker
Mon. Oct. 22 Sales Management – Forecasting, Quotes, Leadership, and Selection Handout
Wed. Oct. 24 NO CLASS Case Trip
Mon. Oct. 29 Sales Management – Training, Compensation Handout
Wed. Oct. 31 Outside Sales Speaker
Mon. Nov. 5 Sales Management— Evaluation of Performance, Strategy, Structure Handout
Wed. Nov. 7 Outside Sales Speaker

Part 3: Selling Process: Managing Yourself and Others

Mon. Nov. 12 NO CLASS HOLIDAY
Wed. Nov. 14 Outside Sales Speaker—Consumer
Mon. Nov. 19 Sales Management – Career Development Handout
Wed. Nov. 21 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING (21 – 24)
Mon. Nov. 26 Group Presentation - Animals
Wed. Nov. 28 Group Presentation - Animals
Mon. Dec. 3 Outside Sales Speaker—Consulting
Wed. Dec. 5 Final Exam
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MARKETING 4403 SALES MANAGEMENT

TEAM PROJECT DETAILS

You will work in teams of 5 or 6. You will select from my list of non-profit animal shelters which organization
your team would like to assist (first come first serve). Since Principles of Marketing was a prerequisite for
this course you know what a good marketing plan consists of. I expect your team to assist the organization in
coming up with a creative, strong sales plan and techniques to increase the adoption of animals or generate
funds in your selected non-profit shelter.

In order for you to be helpful and understand what they can and cannot do, you will need to spend a
minimum of 1 hour as a team with them learning information as well as understanding buyers’ motives in
adopting these animals (normally all of them take their animals to PetSmart and Petco on selected
Saturdays). Your out of class time will be spent working on your projects that you all have created; the more
hours the more money you should generate.

So that you fully understand how I will grade the project I have outlined what is expected of you for 30% of
your class grade.

I Learning—75 points
 How much money did your team generate? Did you beat the sales objective?
 What sales ideas did your team originate, how did you sell them to your buyer (non-profit), how were
they received, and what effect did they have to the consumer, i.e. did they generate increased
adoptions or funds?
 What did you learn as a sales person from this experience in visiting this non-profit and seeing the
adoption techniques?
 If you were to do it over again how would your team change sales strategies? What did you all learn?

II Presentation—15 points
Class presentation of above results:
 Pretend we are the United Way and will be giving our annual monies to the best run animal shelters in
the region. Best run means highest number of adoptions or funds raised as a result of your
involvement as a sales team.
 Remember the sales techniques you have learned.
 Be creative and involve the class.

III Peer Review—10 points

Team member assessment of each other:
 List why you gave each member the grade that you did, i.e.
a) “Sally was the leader and kept us focused. She called and reminded us to come to Petsmart on
Saturday. She deserves an A.”
b) “Tom never seemed interested and missed 2 meetings with excuses. He deserves a C.”
c) “Although Mary was reluctant to help participate in the presentation she was very enthusiastic
with the non-profit and stayed more than 4 hours. She deserves a B.”
These are examples for you to determine your grading.
 Use one piece of paper with each team mate listed (besides yourself).

*MARKETING 4403 SALES MANAGEMENT

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ADDITIONAL READING ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

The purpose in assigning this additional reading in the course is to expose all of you to a non-academic, but
highly regarded in the industry, current book on selling. As you begin reading it you may falsely think that
this is an intuitive book with only minor value to someone (a student) who is considering sales as a career.
Let me assure you that this book is excellent for anyone considering sales and doing it correctly.

Your assignment is to break into groups of 5 or 6 and once you all have read the book, discuss the five major
points that you believe the authors wanted to convey to their readers. You will have the opportunity to
meet one of the authors in class.

Your grade for this project will be broken down as follows: As part of your overall class grade—20%

I Learning—45 points
 Discuss and become familiar with the five Key Beliefs and recognize the importance of qualifying
(overview, opportunities, resources and decisions), enabling decisions, and finally initiating new
opportunities in your progress to being successful in sales.
 Discuss how they interrelate and give practical examples (outside the book). The more you tie this
together the better you will understand the author’s purpose in writing the book and the deeper
significance of the book itself.
 If you were to read it again, more information would become obvious to you. With sales experience
even more information would become apparent.

II Presentation—45 points
This will be your first time to make a presentation in class.
 Follow the rules that are in your syllabus and remember be a sales team when you are presenting the
material. Although you will have only covered half the material in the text by the time you all make
this presentation, look ahead and see what you need to do to make a “good” presentation. I have
already given you hints.
 Your audience will be the Senior Vice President of Sales (me) and you want all of us to select your
author to have at our next National Sales Conference in Bermuda. Although you are all presenting
on the same book, the perception and presentations will differ greatly. This, too, you need to see in
real
life.
 Good luck and have fun. Remember you are a sales person applying what you have learned so far in
the course.

III Peer Review—10 points

Team member assessment of each other:
 List why you gave each member the grade that you did, i.e.
a) “Sally was the leader and kept us focused. She called and reminded us to come to PetSmart
on Saturday. She deserves an A.”
b) “Tom never seemed interested and missed 2 meetings with excuses. He deserves a C.”
c) “Although Mary was reluctant to help participate in the presentation she was very
enthusiastic with the non-profit and stayed more than 4 hours. She deserves a B.”
These are examples for you to determine your grading.
 Use one piece of paper with each team mate listed (besides yourself).