DIPLOMA IN MARKETING
3.03 MANAGEMENT OF SALES - 2011/12
The objective of this course is that, on completion, the student should be able to apply the theory and practice of sales management in managing and controlling a salesforce and in managing customer service.
1. Management of Sales Activities
Introduction: sales management, merchandising, customer care and all sales-related forms of customer contact. Management of sales as an integrated function of corporate and marketing functions. Sales management: role and key tasks, field sales management and general management, sales objectives, strategies, tactics, management and leadership activities, time management. Sales office: role functions and key tasks covering both sales and administration activities. Sales theories.
2. Information, Sales Operations and Organisation
Sales forecasting. Market research and consumer surveys. Consensus approach. Objective techniques: moving averages, exponential smoothing, linear trend modelling, seasonal model. Sales budgets. Sales Management Information Systems(SMIS). Market intelligence and research, including competitor analysis. Principles of organisation. Types of salesforce organisation. Determining salesforce size. Assigning sales people to territories. Key and major account management.
3. Channel Mix
Introduction - competitive advantage, use of database marketing, telemarketing/telesales, and the Internet. Choosing the right sales channels: the starting point - product market focus, aligning channels with how customers buy, the impact of products on channel selection, the bottom line - the economies of channel selection. Building them; the 'leveraged' sales force, business partner (indirect) channels, telechannels, the Internet. Managing channels for high performance: the art of channel mix and integration, investing in a portfolio of channels, measuring and managing channel performance.
4. Management of Personnel involved in Sales
Attributes of good salespeople. Recruitment and selection: jobspecification, job description andadvertising, interviewing procedures and psychological testing. Training: induction and refresher, classroomand in-field, corporate and product knowledge, and training manuals. Management: concept of management and control, appraisal interviewing, counselling and coaching skills, managing salesmeetings and conferences, methodsa nd benefits of communications, presentation materials - sales aids, brochures, information.
5. The Sales and Negotiation Process
The sales process. Buyer-seller interaction. Personal, psychological and social factors in buyer behaviour. Planning and intangible reasons for buying. Prospecting and the pre-approach. The sales survey. First impressions. Planning the presentation and the use of visual aids. Making proposals. The service call. The negotiation process. Introduction. Setting objectives. Power. Planning your strategy. Preparing for negotiation. The means of negotiation. Negotiation skills; listening, using questions and handling conflict. Negotiating as part of a team.
6. Salesforce Motivation and Leadership
What is motivation? Theories of motivation and behaviour, influence of motivation on behaviour, analysing the needs and motivation of others, self motivation and the use of incentives, compensating the salesforce including compensation programmes - financial reward and the importance of pay - involvement and job satisfaction, recognition/status, direct incentives, salesforce morale, including cause and effect. What is leadership? Theories ofleadership, leadership styles, means of supervision. Salesforce problems.
7. Evaluation and Control of Sales Performance
Establishment of targets (MBO and other techniques) and standards, use of budgetary systems to determine cost of sales and analyse variances. Reporting procedures by individual staff: territory and activity reports and analysis, such as calls made, sales secured. Evaluation: sales statistics including daily calling rate, miles per call, cost per sales call/actual sale, conversion rates and sales revenue per sale, actual sale. Overall monitoring performance achievement and comparison of performance with objectives.
READING LIST
Essential Reading
Donaldson, Bill (2007), Sales Management - Principles, Process and Practice, 3rd Edition, Palgrace Macmillan, London.
Friedman, Lawrence G. & Furey, Timothy R. (1999 - reprinted 2005), The Channel Advantage, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.
Additional Reading
de Burca, Sean & Lambkin, Mary, Sales Force Management in Ireland Irish Marketing Review, Dublin 1993.
Recommended Reading
Salisbury, F., Neary C., & O'Connor K. (2001), Coaching Champions: How to get the absolute best out of your salespeople, Oak Tree Press, Dublin.
