CHAPTER

10th Edition

Selling Today

Manning and Reece

Personal Selling and

the Marketing Concept

1-1

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

1-2

Strategic/Consultative
Selling Model

FIGURE

1.1

1-3

Personal Selling in the Information Age

An evolution from the industrial economy
to the information economy
Began in the 1950s
New emphasis is information exchange
rather than producing goods
Implications for personal selling

1-4

A Shift in Emphasis
Industrial 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
1-5

Personal Selling as an Extension

of the Marketing Concept
Move from a product orientation (peddling)
to a customer orientation (partnering)

1-6

The Marketing Mix

FIGURE

1.3

1-7

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
1-8

Evolution of Consultative Selling

Features of consultative selling include:
Customer is a person to be served, not a
prospect to be sold
Two-way communication identifies
(diagnoses) customers needs; no highpressure sales presentation
Emphasis on information giving, problem
solving, and negotiation rather than
manipulation
Emphasis on service after the sale
1-9

Strategy and Tactics

Tactics
Specific techniques,
practices, and
methods used in
customer interaction

Strategy
Carefully conceived plan needed to
accomplish sales objectives
A prerequisite to tactical success
1-10

Strategy vs. Tactics Exercise

Strategy Tactic

Use a fact sheet comparing your

product to the competition
Analyze the features of your
leading competitors

Identify the following:

Use specific questions to diagnose

needs
Analyze a territory to determine
those with specific needs
1-11

Selling
Model

FIGURE

1.5

1-12
1-20

Step

Develop a Personal
Selling Philosophy

Adopt the marketing concept

Value personal selling
Assume the role of a problem
solver/partner

1-13

Step

Develop
a
Relationship
:
Strategy

Adopt a win-win philosophy

Project a professional image
Maintain high ethical standards
1-14

Step

Develop a Product
Strategy

Become a product expert

Sell benefits, not features
Configure value-added solutions
1-15

Step

Develop a Customer
Strategy

Understand the buying process

Understand buyer behavior
Develop prospect base
1-16

Step

Develop
a
Presentation
:
Strategy

Prepare objectives
Develop a presentation plan
Provide outstanding service
1-17

E-Commerce and the Complex Sale

Electronic business
Complex sales involve several forms of
information technology support, including:
Electronic product catalogs
Contact management systems
PowerPoint and Excel
Internet applications

Electronic commerce
1-18

Evolution of Partnering
Buzzword of 1990s, became business
reality in 2000s
Strategically developed, long-term
relationship that solves the customers
problems
Relationship selling relies on a customized
approach to each client
Enhanced with high ethical standards and
CRM
1-19

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 price
1-20