Personal selling and the promotional mix marketing essay

Introduction

Elec company is one of the most famous importing and distributing Electronic and Electrical products supplier in Sri Lanka. Their product range consist of Home theater system, Televisions, Digital Cameras, Kitchen appliance, Gas burners and ovens, Refrigerators, Washing machines and personal computers. This was started in 1989 by Mr. Sean Smith. Currently there are 10 sales representatives in the country. They go on field visits and make sales to shop which are in service all over Sri Lanka. Actually most of time their sales expeditions spring for two or three days in the field, before they make the next sales visit. However, the sales representatives selling tasks within the company are not properly organized. Anyway the Elec Company is no requiring reformation the selling activities acquiesce better profits. The Elec Company wants to make use of their promotional efforts to the maximum and also the company is going to develop their ale structure and also hope to recruit sales representatives for the company. Now they need to expand their sales, therefore they are looking at the trade fair as an option exclusively.

Personal selling and the promotional mix

Personal selling is a part of a company’s promotion mix, beside with public relations, sales promotion, and advertising. Public relations are proceeding of edifice up the Elec company image in the eyes of the community in the hopes of interpreting the manner of goodwill into sales. Sales promotions are the use of inducement such as discounts, contests, coupons, rebates or special displays tempt a customer to buy products. Advertising is whichever form of paid sales presentation that is not done head to head. Personal selling is where the business use people to sell their product after a summit in the flesh with the customer. The Elec company sellers should promote the products via their attitude, authority product knowledge and peripheral. Their aim must be to inform and persuade the customer to buy at least try the product once. The customer can get advice on how to use the particular product and can try different products. Products with comparatively high prices with composite features are often sold using personal selling. Sales representatives should be prepared before the sales. Personal selling can create the trust therefore this is needed for a business. If a customer doesn’t know about the Elec Company products by personal selling they can introduce their products to their customers. Personal selling tender capitalist advantages in comparison with the other elements of the promotion mix. Personal selling permits the sales representative to intention the communication purposely to the customers and receives instant feedback. Like this, it is more exact than another appearance of promotion and often has a greater influential crash. And also the personal selling can be an important source of marketing information. Sales representatives may learn about competitors’ products, for example or about emerging customer needs that may guide to the development of a new product. If the sales team is well trained as problem solvers and advisors for customers rather than using hard sell strategically selling may help to build loyal, long term relationships with the customers.

Personal Selling Task for Elec Company

First look for the potential buyers of the companyCommunication and Selling the productsCollecting the relevant information’sService

Factors that influence the success of the personal selling in Elec Company

Number of sales representatives that have the companyOrganizing the sales representatives based on the area seller, different products, type of buyers etc. Selecting sales representativesThere should be some important aspects of the personal selling at Elec Company. They are:-ProfessionalismNegotiationRelationship MarketingPerson selling roleManagerial

Customer buyer Behavior

Personal computers and the Washing machines are two main products that selling at the Elec company. Personal computers and the washing machines are buying different types of customers. Firstly we have to identify the each customer needs before selling our products. Personal computers are mostly needed for the younger generation or the people who are doing good jobs. Therefore there isn’t a gender difference to buy the personal computers. But when we come to the washing machines, mostly it is willing to buy the women. Therefore the company has to advertise about their products in different ways to attract the particular customers. When we are doing the advertising for the washing machines, if we use celebrity for the particular advertisement, of that the company can get the attention of the women for the product. On the personal computer that differs. If we use only the celebrity without thoroughly mentioned about the new features on it is hopeless. For the customers who are willing to buy the personal computers the thoroughly considering the new features and the new technologies of the computer.

Washing Machine Buyers

Personal Computer Buyers

First have to attract them to buy advertisementsIn first stage they want to know lots of information about the product. If their interest in the product, then they use to search the information about the productsIn the second stage they are willing to know the price levelIn the third stage they are comparing the particular product with the competitors’ products and their price levels. In the third stage they are comparing the particular product with the competitors’ products and their price levels. And also considering about the promotions, like discounts etc. And the guarantee period. And also considering about the promotions, like discounts etc. (In the seasonal periods promotions such as giving computer bags, 2Gb or 4Gb pens etc. With the computer) and the guarantee period. After considering all the factors in fourth stage they are taking the decision to purchase the product from the company. After considering all the factors in fourth stage they are taking the decision to purchase the product from the company. In final stage is, the customer own the product As a company we have to reassure them that they have made the right decision. In final stage is, the customer own the product As a company we have to reassure them that they have made the right decision.

The role of sales team within the marketing strategy in the Elec Company

There should be a proper sales plan when managing the company sales team. Getting the most out of your sales team is essential if you are going to achieve your company’s full potential. But it is not always easy. Sales people operate in a stressful environment where they are exposed to rejection and frustration. Effective organization and motivation of the team is vital. The sales team must work together to amplify brand awareness and drive sales forward. The sales team must build the trust with their customers. Sales representatives must engage with the customers at all stages of the relationship. And the new customers need interface and opportunities to learn about the Elec brand. Current customers gain trust via consistent summarize and communication with the sales representative. Sales representatives also have to work to reengage with the previous customers via promotions, communications and discounts. Building the trust all the way through the customer sales cycle increases customers’ satisfaction. Keeping track of customers and prospects can become a confusing burden. Anyway, without accurate records, sales representatives will not be able to sell at their optimum ability. Using an effective software program will reduce the amount of time that they spend inputting data. Programs, such as Sales Force CRM, Sage Act and Big Contacts, help you maintain a database of useful information. Use the one that suits their needs and that they will update regularly to help them to realize their sales goals.

Corporate Objectives & Strategy

Corporate strategies are fundamentally about what the business wants to reach. Business strategy is about how those corporate objectives are to be achieved. Business strategy is anxious with deciding which markets and behavior the business should be concerned in where it wants to be and how it is going to get there. Strategy is about making high level decisions and appearances the management game plan for:-Satisfying the customersRunning the businessBeating the competitionAchieving objectivesCorporate objectives are set at the highest level and are fairly separate from any more complete functional objectives set in the functional areas of a business. Corporate objectives can also be considered the main or primary objectives of a business. They set the agenda of the secondary objectives: A similar distinction can also be made between strategic and tactical objectives: StrategicTacticalFocused on long termFocused on short termSet by the BoardSet by line managementInvolve higher risk & uncertaintyRelatively low-riskLikely to involve significant investmentLimited resources investedDifficult to change in the short termRelatively easy to change at a minor financial costStretching & challengingRealistic & achievableThese are the declaration of the target that principally provides a compact path for the actions an organization performs in the detection of its mission. Frequently in organizations there is bewilderment and overlapping between the objectives, terms and the company goals. This bewilderment is easy to solve only if the company tends to think about the objectives as a statement of intents and the goals as the quantifiable targets.

Appropriate recruitment strategies and selection procedure

Arranging the InterviewHR is responsible for scheduling dates and time for the interviews directly with the short listed candidates and notifying the candidates of any selection tests that will be used. You must make sure to exclude certain questions in an employment interview and the application for employment has been developed to obey with Sri Lankan law. Such as illegal questions might refer to the applicant’s religion, disability, ages of children, etc. Interviewing strategies are provided to the relevant department ahead of recommendation of applications. To give the surety consistent conduct of each applicant, a patterned interview might be developed by the department. There must be include specific questions about job related functions, skills required, and how the candidates educational background, previous experience in selling, etc. The InterviewThe purpose of interviewing is to appoint sales representatives for the company. At the interview, each applicant should be treated consistently. To achieve this interview board should ask the same initial questions of each candidate. Enhance their understanding of the candidate’s responses by following up questions as suitable. There shouldn’t any discriminatory query, pestering, or any other carry out which break the equal opportunities policy. Make sure that information gain throughout the selection process is treated as classified and is known only to the parties involved in the selection process. Sales managers should keep the records of interviews and the basis for decisions each question should obtain a grade, and a score for general sense. The applicants will be ranked from uppermost to lowest based on the scores given and the position obtainable to the highest ranking candidate. The scoring sheets and all credentials of the interviews must be given to Human Resources for filing. Board members must be conscious that it is their responsibility to ensure recruitment is stored securely and confidentially even as in their possession. Selection TestsWhere selection tests are a valid method of assessing a candidate they are tremendously useful tool and are recommended for use. Supervisors should seek out advice from Human Resources on the use of such tests. Take on DecisionIn selecting the successful candidates for the sales representatives, the panel must make a decision based on the worth and the eligibility of the candidates as judged by the content of application and qualifications, performance at the interview, the outcome of any selection tests, reference Checks etc. As a part of evaluating the worth of each candidate, persons selecting candidates must satisfy themselves that the information the candidate gives is authentic, consistent and honest. Reference checks-Identify yourself immediately, explain your position within the organization and tell the person why you are calling about the applicant. Ensure confidentialityAsk if he or she is free to discuss the situationTry to establish rapportTell the person the position the candidate is being considered forLet the person talk freelyAsk the references the same questions for each of your candidatesAlways end the call with: would you rehire this person?” Should any of above not meet the required standards, Human Resources must discuss the issue with the Supervisor.

The role of motivation

The sales manager is responsible for recruiting sales representatives by identifying sources for new employees, screening applicants, conducting interviews, contacting references, and recommending candidates to the regional manager. Typically, the regional sales manager recruits and selects new sales representatives when needed. Role of RemunerationTraining in sales managementThe term training refers to the achievement of the knowledge, sales skills and competencies as a result of the instruction of professional or practical skills and knowledge that narrate to exact helpful competencies. Training should be essential to the sales representatives before them going to the field. People within many professions refer to this sort of training as professional development. Sales structure and TerritoryActually the sales teams can’t bring the customers by themselves they have to be acted upon. An act needs to take place. To execute the Elec Company’s sales strategy, sales managers need to structure their company for sales success. From the above structure, we can clearly get the idea about the Elc company sales structure. Sales representatives and the sales office staff should report their works to their assistant sales managers. It is the responsibility of the assistant sales managers to conduct them. Assistant sales managers should report their works to the sales managers. He is the one who responsible for all the works that done by his subordinate. General Manager will conduct the works of the Sales manager. Sales structure will help to decide which measurement to specialize in product, industry and selling activity. And also it charges the maximum number of products a sales person can sufficiently represent. There is a process for setting up sales territories. They are:-Selecting a basic geographical control unitDetermining the sales possible present in each unit. Joining control units into hesitant territories. Adjusting for dissimilarity in coverage difficulty. There are some advantages of conniving a sales territory like to make sure better market coverage, effective utilization of the sales team, competent distribution of workload among sales representatives, and it is measured to assess the performance of sales representatives, to control over the direct and indirect costs of the sales purpose and best utilization of sales time by sales representatives. Sales targetsSales recordingSales managers should provide sales recode sheet to every sales representative as bellow. From that sales representatives can note down the sales that they have done. ItemDescriptionPrice Rs. QuantityDigital cameraDSC-WX150 18. 2 MP Exmor R CMOS with 10x Optical Zoom and 3. 0-inch LCD (Silver) (2012 Model)30, 500. 001Personal ComputerDell Optiplex GX280 Desktop with LCD Flat Panel Monitor (Single Core 2. 8GHz Pentium 4 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, Windows XP)54, 800. 002Sales managers should advise them, how to record the sales that they have done. And make sure to give the original copy to the customer and advise them to keep the Carbone copy with them. And sales manager is responsible to take each and every sales recoding slip by the end of the week. Methods to control sales activitiesSales are the income of any business and gainful sales is the preliminary point towards cash in the bank. No cash means No business. For the Elec Company in the recession sales provide them with their regular basis of cash. The owner of the Elec Company understands this academically. Methods to control sales activitiesIncrease self motivationHaving highly motivating goals and a plan to obtain them can often overwhelm any sales unwillingness and drive forward activity. Our Self motivation is driven by our values. Increase clarityWork on your selling skillsManaging emotionsMany people do not realize that sales representatives can directly affect their emotional state. Many do this without realizing by using stimulants but they can quickly change their state of mind just by changing their bearing, gasp, and their thoughts. Removing emotional baggageBusiness owners that feel fear or fear aspects of selling are likely to have some kind of emotional luggage. Removing the backpack of rocks results in a massive increase in activity as everything seems so much lighter.

Using the Database

As customers regulate to a changing environment, so sales have to acclimatize to a diversity of pressures: Increasing consumer and organizational buyer expectationsCustomer evasion of buyer seller discussionsIncreasing power of major buyersGlobalization of the marketsFragmentation of the marketsAs consumers experience superior standards of product quality, so their expectations are increasing to suppose even higher levels in the future. This procedure may be reused by experiences abroad and new applicants to industries that set new standards of fineness. What makes the customer satisfaction it is so hard to attain is that the company continuously raises the bar and expands the finish line. The insinuation for salespeople is that they must admit that both consumer and organizational buyer expectations for product quality and value will continue to rise. They must react to this challenge by supporter and applying continuous improvements in quality standards. Technological proceed have created new higher customer expectations. The continuation of the internet means that customers expect salespeople calling on them for the first time to be familiar with the company, its products and personnel. Improvements in communication via email and the internet have increased Behavioral forces like rising customer expectations and being concerned with fulfilling more than basic needs, more efficiently intellect organizational buyers, customer evasion of buyer seller negotiations, increasing power of major buyers, globalization and fragmentation of markets customer expectations concerning response time to their requests and inquiries. Also, customers are ever more demanding customized solutions to their problems, which often take the form of buying a system rather than individual components. As corporate disgraces appear in the media, customers are pregnant greater clearly in company operations and more moral practices.

Sales Plan for Elc Company

2013 Sales planVision 3-5 years : – To be in the top 5 Electronic and Electrical items providers in Sri Lanka. Increase the net income from 65%. Mission – Every customer a strong reference

Targets–2013

Increase the sales of Rs. 1. 5M to Rs. 3. 0MReduce selling expenses without losing top line revenueIntroduce new Electronic and Electrical items like Tabs, Not Pads attach to Sri LankaTo provide reliable efficiency to customers

Strategies

Lead the Sales team to sell at multiple levels in our target productsCross sells our full range of product offerings through inviting prospects to visit current customersDealing with new technologies that can help to Sales representatives to their works easily and promptly.

Actions

To monitor all the fast moving items and makes necessary arrangements for importation. To carry out stock checks periodically and surprisinglyMeet with minimum of two high potential existing customers once a month. Develop new sales presentation including revised sales value proposition. Begin by monthly direct mail to stay in touch with top 50 existing customers.

Selling internationally

Selling internationally provides frequent opportunities to expand the business, though exporting requires you to become recognizable with a new set of laws and regulations that influence your business. There are many capitals available to help businesses steer the international environment of exporting. By contribution your items internationally, you can considerably increase the number of impending buyers you reach. This will help you to sell more items at higher prices. Selling internationally will help to expand and expand your customer base, which can help to counter cyclic demand fluctuations in the home market and diminish reliance on individual customers. And also export sales comprise entirely utilizing production capacity, realizing economies of scale from larger production amounts, leveraging your innovation and expand the sales impending for existing products. Benefits of Selling InternationallyIncrease sales, profits and revenuesInfluence the company innovation and technologyExtend sales prospective for existing productsDiversify customer base and reduce reliance on individual customersMarket diversification counters cyclic demand fluctuations

Opportunities for using exhibitions or trade fairs

The Elec Company is an Electronic and Electrical product seller. Therefore trade fairs will be more advantageous for you. A trade fair is an exhibition prearranged so that the companies in a specific industry can display case and displays their latest products and examines recent market trends and opportunities. Mostly trade fairs are open to the public. Purpose of Trade FairsGenerating sales leads and actual sales at the showEnhancing your image and visibilityReaching the target customersEstablishing a presence in the marketplaceImproving the effectiveness and efficiency of your marketing effortsPersonally meeting your customers, competitors and suppliersProspecting for new customersIntroducing new products and servicesDemonstrating your product in ways not possible using other marketing channelsRecruiting distributors or dealersEducating your target customers about your electronic and electrical itemsBefore making any decisions regarding which occurrence to participate in, it is important to consider overall business objectives and how taking part will help to achieve them. Are the company business objectives to make money, raise the company profile or to reach a specific type of customers for example trade and once the company has clarified that it hysterics in with the overall business plan, the company needs to identify the specific aims that want to achieve from captivating part in an event, such as how much money the company wants to make or how many products want to sell. The Elec company aims may be to engender revenue from the exhibition of planes price, sell at least 50products, and add 100 new contacts to the company customer database. When you have established your aims, you need to find an applicable event that will help you achieve them. Benefits of trade fairs to the companyCost EffectiveThe trade fair tender budget responsive solutions to market your Elec brand and sell your electronic and electrical products. Target MarketTrade fair drag in a highly targeted market that is greatly interested in your products. Even though the event is only a few days long, thousands of interested customers come to one location specifically to gain knowledge about your products. New customersSome people are often interested in one main feature new products. They travel to trade fairs to gain knowledge about new brands, new products, and new solutions to their lifestyles. This is a great opportunity to launch a newly developed major product. By that you can attract new loyal customers to your company. Relationship BuilderThe personal communication obtainable at trade fairs allows you to find a direct more effective relationship with your customers. This relationship will be precious in the future as you maintain a connection flourish off of their network through other customers. You can give business cards to your customers and gather email lists of them for sending the company newsletters. Direct SellingFrom the trade fairs you can directly sell your product to the market. It skips the difficulty of in excess of the internet and over the phone selling and allows you to interrelate with both your products and customers to achieve a successful sale.