Sales Teamwork Approaches

Emerging Trends in Selling  Core Selling Team Selling Team

and Sales Management Relatively permanent,

customer-focused group
Relatively temporary,
transaction-focused group

Membership determined Membership determined

by job assignment to a by involvement in particular
by specific buying organization sales transaction

Anoop Kumar Gupta One selling center

One team per buying unit
MAIT
per sales opportunity

& KDUDFWHULVWLFVRIP RGHUQVHOOLQJ Sales Teamwork Approaches

Core Selling Team Selling Team

Membership Membership very
relatively stable fluid

Characteristics of team Characteristics of team

depend on characteristics depend on characteristics of
of buying organization sales opportunity

Mission is strategic with Mission is tactical

respect to the buying with respect to the
organization sales opportunity

Sales Management Trends Leadership Trends

Yesterday Today
Transactions Relationships Natural resources Knowledge is
defined power power
Individuals Teams
Leaders commanded Leaders
Sales Productivity and controlled empower and
Sales Volume
coach
Leaders Leaders
Management Leadership
were are facilitators
Local Global warriors
Managers Managers
directed delegate
1
Effective Sales Managers:
1. Utilize a Strategic Perspective Focused on  an extended period.
Customers
2. Attract, Keep, and Develop Sales Talent
3. Leverage Technology
Trends in Personal Selling
► In today’s complex marketing environment, effective
personal selling requires different strategies from those
used by salespeople in the past.
► Rather than selling one-on-one, in B2B settings it is now
customary to sell to teams of corporate representatives
who participate in the client firm’s decision making
process. In business to-business sales situations
involving technical products, customers expect
salespeople to answer technical questions—or bring
along someone who can. They also want representatives
who understand technical jargon and can communicate
using sophisticated technological tools. Patience is also a
requirement because the B2B sales cycle, from initial
contact to closing, may take months or even years.
Trends in Personal Selling
To address all of these concerns, companies  ►
rely on three major personal selling  needs by listening to customers, understanding—
approaches:
1. Relationship Selling
2. Consultative Selling  building customer loyalty.
3. Team Selling
Relationship Selling
► It is a technique for building a mutually beneficial 
partnership with a customer through regular contacts over 
 
► Such buyer–seller bonds become increasingly important as 
companies cut back on the number of suppliers and look for 
companies that provide high levels of customer service and 
satisfaction. Salespeople must also find ways to distinguish 
themselves and their products from competitors. 
► To create strong, long‐lasting relationships with customers, 
salespeople must meet buyers’ expectations. The success of 
tomorrow’s marketers depends on the relationships they 
build today in both the business‐to‐consumer and business‐
to‐business markets. 
Buyers prefer to do business with salespeople
who:
۞ Orchestrate events and bring to bear whatever resources 
are necessary to satisfy the customer
۞ Provide counseling to the customer based on in‐depth 
knowledge of the product, the market, and the 
customer’s needs
۞ Solve problems extremely proficiently to ensure 
satisfactory customer service over extended time 
periods
۞ Demonstrate high ethical standards and communicate 
honestly at all times
۞ Willingly advocate the customer’s cause within the 
selling organization
۞ Create imaginative arrangements to meet buyers’ needs
۞ Arrive well‐prepared for sales calls

Consultative Selling
Consultative selling, involves meeting customer 
and caring about—their problems, paying attention 
to details, and following through after the sale. 
► It works hand in hand with relationship selling in 
 
► Cross‐selling—offering multiple goods or services to 
the same customer—is another technique that 
capitalizes on a firm’s strengths.
2
 Team Selling Strategic Trends
► In team selling a salesperson joins with specialists from other   Internet Selling
functional areas of the firm to complete the selling process.   Multiple Sales Channels
► Teams can be formal and ongoing or created for a specific, 
short‐term selling situation. Although some salespeople have   Multiple Relationship Strategies
hesitated to embrace the idea of team selling, preferring to  – Transaction selling  Consultative selling
work alone, a growing number believe team selling brings 
better results. 
► Another advantage of team selling is the formation of   In this era of global warming, toxic waste,
relationships between companies rather than between  pollution, and other concerns, marketing
individuals. 
executives must act in a socially
► In sales situations that call for detailed knowledge of new, 
complex, and ever‐changing technologies, team selling offers 
responsible manner if they wish to succeed
a distinct competitive edge in meeting customers’ needs.  or even survive.

Team Selling Emerging Trends in Sales Management

► In most computer software B2B departments, a third  ► Global perspective
of the sales force is made up of technically trained,  ► Revolution in technology
non‐marketing experts such as engineers or  ► Customer relationship management (CRM)
programmers.  ► Salesforce diversity
► A salesperson continues to play the lead role in most  ► Team selling approach
sales situations, but technical experts bring added  ► Managing multi‐channels
value to the sales process.  ► Ethical and social issues
► Some companies establish permanent sales‐and‐tech  ► Sales professionalism
teams that conduct all sales presentations together;  ► E‐Selling
others have a pool of engineers or other professionals 
who are on call for different client visits.

Changing Role of a Sales Force

Value creation for customers 
► Value = Benefits – Cost

► Give more benefits, or 
Thank You
► Reduce cost

Value addition to the organization
► Importance to profit

► Attention to terms of payment.

► Give credit to credit‐worthy customers only.
3