Personal Selling and the Marketing Concept Selling Today 10th Edition CHAPTER Manning and Reece 1 Personal Selling and the Marketing Concept

Discussion Questions When you hear the term personal selling, what words, images, ideas, or other associations come to mind? Which of these associations are negative and which are positive?

Definition of Personal Selling Person-to-person communication with a prospect Personal selling is a process of Developing relationships Discovering needs Matching products with needs Communicating benefits Viewed as a process that adds value

Broad Concept of Product What is the main product the following companies offer? Includes: Information Services Ideas Issues “Hard goods”

Strategic/Consultative Selling Model FIGURE 1.1

Personal Selling in the Information Age An evolution from the ________ economy to the _____________ economy Began in the 1950s New emphasis is information exchange rather than producing goods Implications for ________ selling

A Shift in Emphasis Industrial economy Information economy Advances occur in transportation and manufacturing Strategic resources are capital and natural resources Products and factories define the business Sales success means meeting sales quotas Information economy Advances occur in information technology Strategic resource is information Business is defined by customer relations Sales success depends on adding value

Personal Selling as an Extension of the Marketing Concept Move from a product orientation (peddling) to a customer orientation (partnering)

The Marketing Mix FIGURE 1.3

Important Role of Personal Selling Often the major promotional method Firms invest in personal selling Personal selling has evolved because: Products and services are more complex Competition has greatly increased Customer demand for quality, value, and service has risen sharply

Evolution of Personal Selling Marketing era begins (early 1950s) Salespeople as a source of strategic information on product/market/service Consultative selling era (late 1960s to early 1970s) Mass markets break into target markets Emphasis on need identification Information sharing and negotiation replace manipulation

Evolution of Personal Selling Strategic selling era (early 1980s) Market niches require more planning Equal emphasis on _____ and ________ Product positioning vital Partnering era (1990 to present) Customer, not product, as driving force Emphasis on strategies that create customer value

Evolution of Consultative Selling Transactional selling Process that serves the ______ primarily interested in price and convenience Consultative selling Process that developed from the ________ concept, emphasizing need identification

Evolution of Consultative Selling Features of consultative selling include: Customer is a person to be served, not a __________ to be sold Two-way communication identifies (diagnoses) __________ needs; no high-pressure sales presentation Emphasis on _______ giving, problem solving, and ___________ rather than manipulation Emphasis on ________ after the sale

Evolution of Strategic Selling A Strategic Market Plan Outlines necessary methods and resources Considers areas to be coordinated Finance • Personnel Production • Marketing Influences the sale of products Serves as guide for strategic selling plan

Strategy and Tactics Tactics Strategy Specific techniques, practices, and methods used in customer interaction Strategy Carefully conceived plan needed to accomplish ________ objectives A prerequisite to tactical success

Strategy vs. Tactics Exercise Identify the following:  Use a fact sheet comparing your product to the competition Analyze the features of your leading competitors Use specific questions to diagnose needs Analyze a territory to determine those with specific needs   

Selling Model FIGURE 1.5 1-20

Develop a Personal Selling Philosophy 1 Develop a Personal Selling Philosophy Step :  Adopt the marketing concept  Value personal selling  Assume the role of a problem solver/partner

Develop a Relationship Strategy 2 Develop a Relationship Strategy Step :  Adopt a win-win philosophy  Project a professional image  Maintain high ethical standards

Develop a Product Strategy 3 Develop a Product Strategy Step :  Become a product expert  Sell benefits, not features  Configure value-added solutions

Develop a Customer Strategy 4 Develop a Customer Strategy Step :  Understand the buying process  Understand buyer behavior  Develop prospect base

Develop a Presentation Strategy 5 Develop a Presentation Strategy Step :  Prepare objectives  Develop a presentation plan  Provide outstanding service

Interrelationship of Basic Strategies FIGURE 1.7

Evolution of Partnering Buzzword of 1990s, became business reality in 2000s “Strategically developed, long-term ____________ that solves the customer’s problems” Relationship selling relies on a _________ approach to each client Enhanced with high ethical standards and CRM

Value Creation Value-added selling = creative improvements that enhance customer experience The information economy rewards salespeople who add value at each step When customer is not aware of value added by salespeople, the focus may shift to __________

Value- Added Selling Example