Module Two

Overview of Personal Selling

Learning Objectives
1. Describe the evolution of personal selling
from ancient times to the modern era.
2. Explain the contributions of personal
selling to society, business firms, and
customers.
3. Distinguish between transaction-focused
traditional selling and trust-based
relationship selling.

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Learning Objectives

4. Discuss five alternative approaches to

selling.
5. Describe the three primary roles fulfilled
by consultative salespeople
6. Understand the sales process as a
series of interrelated steps.

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Setting the Stage

UPS Builds Trust and Long-Term
Customer Relationships
1. What does Carl Strenger, a UPS Vice
President, mean by a consultative
discussion with the customer?
2. When teaming up with UPS Capital
sales personnel, what is the focus of the
overall sales strategy?

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Personal Selling Defined

Personal selling refers to personal
communication with a an audience
through paid personnel of an
organization or its agents in
such a way that the audience
perceives the communicators
organization as being the source
of the message.

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Evolution of Personal Selling

Peddlers selling door
to door . . . served
as intermediaries

Selling function
became more
structured

1800s
1900s
2000s
st
As we begin Post-Industrial
the 21 century, selling
continues toModern
develop,
Industrial
War and
becomingRevolution
more professional
and more relational
Revolution
Depression
Era

Business organizations
employed salespeople

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Selling function
became more
professional
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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Contributions of Personal Selling:

Salespeople and Society
Salespeople help
stimulate the economy
Salespeople help with the
diffusion of innovation

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Contributions of Personal Selling:

Salespeople and the Employing Firm
Salespeople generate revenue
Salespeople provide market
research and customer feedback
Salespeople become future
leaders in the organization

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Contributions of Personal Selling:

Salespeople and the Customer
Salespeople provide solutions to
problems
Salespeople provide expertise and
serve as information resources
Salespeople serve as advocates for
the customer when dealing with the
selling organization

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Transaction-Focused vs.
Relationship Focused
Transaction-Focused

Relationship-Focused

Short term thinking

Making the sale has
priority over most
other considerations
Interaction between
buyer and seller is
competitive
Salesperson is selfinterest oriented

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Long term thinking

Developing the
relationship takes
priority over getting
the sale
Interaction between
buyer and seller is
collaborative.
Salesperson is
customer-oriented

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Classification of
Personal Selling Approaches

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Stimulus Response Selling

Mental States Selling
Need Satisfaction Selling
Problem Solving Selling

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Stimulus Response Selling

Salesperson
Provides
Stimuli

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Buyer
Responses
Sought

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Continue
Process until
Purchase
Decision

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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Mental States Selling

Attention

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Interest

Conviction

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Desire

Action

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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Need Satisfaction Selling

Uncover and
Confirm
Buyer Needs

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Present
Offering to
Satisfy
Buyer Needs

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Continue
Selling until
Purchase
Decision

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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Problem Solving Selling

Define
Problem

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Generate
Alternative
Solutions

Evaluate
Alternative
Solutions

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Continue
Selling
until
Purchase
Decision

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LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

Consultative Selling
Business Consultant

The process of helping

customers reach their
strategic goals by using
the products, service,
and expertise of the
selling organization.

Strategic Orchestrator

Long-term Ally

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

The Sales Process: An Overview

Selling
Foundations

Selling
Strategy

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Initiating
Customer
Relationships

Developing
Customer
Relationships

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Enhancing
Customer
Relationships

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

The Sales Process: Selling Foundations

In order to be successful in todays global business
environment, salespeople must have a solid
relationship building foundation. They must:
Be Trustworthy
Behave Ethically
Understand Buyer Behavior
Possess Excellent Communication Skills

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

The Sales Process: Selling Strategy

In order to be successful in todays global business
environment, salespeople must also think and act
strategically. The must develop strategies for:
Each Sales Call
Each Customer
Their Sales Territories
Each strategy is
related to the other

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams

The Sales Process

Initiating
Customer
Relationships

Developing
Customer
Relationships

Enhancing
Customer
Relationships

Sales
Presentation Delivery
Prospecting
Earning
Preapproach
Commitment
Adding Customer
Value through
Follow-up,
Presentation
Planning
Self-leadership,
and Teamwork
Approaching the Customer

Sales Management:
Analysis and Decision Making

Module 2:
Overview of Personal Selling

Ingram

LaForge Avila
Schwepker Jr. Williams