Salesman Motivation
Want to improve
your sales?
To be more
energized?
To be more
Motivated?
A sale
is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other
compensation. Signalling completion of the prospective stage, it is the
beginning of an engagement between customer and vendor or the extension of that
engagement.
The
seller or salesperson – the provider of the goods or
services – completes a sale in response to an acquisition or to
an appropiation or to a request. There follows the passing of title
(property or ownership) in the item, and the application and due settlement of a
price, the obligation for which arises due to the seller's requirement to pass
ownership. Ideally, a seller agrees upon a price at which he willingly parts
with ownership of or any claim upon the item. The purchaser, though a party to
the sale, does not execute the sale, only the seller does that. To be precise
the sale completes prior to the payment and gives rise to the obligation of
payment. If the seller completes the first two above stages (consent and passing
ownership) of the sale prior to settlement of the price, the sale remains valid
and gives rise to an obligation to pay.
Sales agents
Agents in
the sales process can represent either of two parties in the sales process; for
example:
Sales
broker, Seller agency, seller agent, seller representative This is a traditional
role where the salesman represents a person or company on the selling end of a
deal.
Buyers
broker or Buyer brokerage: This is where the salesman represents the consumer
making the purchase. This is most often applied in large
transactions.
Disclosed
dual agent:This is where the salesman represents both parties in the sale and
acts as a mediator for the transaction. The role of the salesman here is to
oversee that both parties receive an honest and fair deal, and is responsible to
both.
Transaction
broker: This is where the salesperson represents neither party but handles the
transaction only. The seller owes no responsibility to either party getting a
fair or honest deal, just that all of the papers are handled
properly.
Sales
outsourcing involves direct branded representation where the sales
representatives are recruited, hired, and managed by an external entity but hold
quotas, represent themselves as the brand of the client, and report all
activities (through their own sales management channels) back to the client. It
is akin to a virtual extension of a sales force
Sales
managers aim to implement various sales strategies and management techniques in
order to facilitate improved profits and increased sales volume. They are also
responsible for coordinating the sales and marketing department as well as
oversight concerning the fair and honest execution of the sales process by their
agents.
Salesperson:
The primary function of professional sales is to generate and close leads,
educate prospects, fill needs and satisfy wants of consumers appropriately, and
therefore turn prospective customers into actual ones. Questioning – to
understand a customer's goal and requirements relevant to the product – and the
creation of a valuable solution by communicating the necessary information that
encourages a buyer to achieve their goal at an economic cost comprise the
functions of the salesperson or of the sales engine (for example, the Internet,
a vending machine, etc.). A good salesperson should never mis-sell or
over-evaluate the customer's requirements.
Inside sales vs. Outside
sales
Since the
advent of the telephone, a distinction has been made between "inside sales" and
"outside sales" although it is generally agreed that those terms have no
hard-and-fast definition. In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act
defines outside sales representatives as "employees [who] sell their employer's
products, services, or facilities to customers away from their employer's
place(s) of business, in general, either at the customer's place of business or
by selling door-to-door at the customer's home" while defining those who work
"from the employer's location" as inside sales. Inside sales generally involves
attempting to close business primarily over the phone via telemarketing, while
outside sales (or "field" sales) will usually involve initial phone work to book
sales calls at the potential buyer's location to attempt to close the deal in
person. Some companies have an inside sales department that works with outside
representatives and book their appointments for them. Inside sales sometimes
refers to upselling to existing customers. Nowadays inside sales has become more
and more popular in the telemarketing business, and so, there are several tools
developed to serve this niche market. These tools help companies to manage their
inside sales more efficiently.
The
relationships between sales and marketing
Marketing and sales differ greatly, but have the same goal. Selling
is the final stage in Marketing, which also includes Pricing, Promotion,
Positioning and Product (the 4Ps). A marketing department in an
organization has the goals of increasing the desirability and value to the
customer and increasing the number and engagement of interactions between
potential customers and the organization. Achieving this goal may involve the
sales team using promotional techniques such as advertising, sales promotion,
publicity, and public relations, creating new sales channels, or creating
new products (new product development), among other things. It can also include
bringing the potential customer to visit the organization's website(s) for more
information, or to contact the organization for more information, or to interact
with the organization via social media.
The
relatively new field of sales process engineering views "sales" as the
output of a larger system, not just as the output of one department. The larger
system includes many functional areas within an organization. From this
perspective, "sales" and "marketing" (among others, such as "customer service")
label for a number of processes whose inputs and outputs supply one another to
varying degrees. In this context, improving an "output" (such as sales) involves
studying and improving the broader sales process, as in any system, since the
component functional areas interact and are
interdependent.
Most large
corporations structure their marketing departments in a similar fashion to sales
departments and the managers of these teams must coordinate efforts in order to
drive profits and business success. For example, an "inbound" focused campaign
seeks to drive more customers "through the door", giving the sales department a
better chance of selling their product to the consumer. A good marketing program
would address any potential downsides as well.
The sales
department would aim to improve the interaction between the customer and the
sales facility or mechanism (example, web site) and/or salesperson. Sales
management would break down the selling process and then increase the
effectiveness of the discrete processes as well as the interaction between
processes. For example, in many out-bound sales environments, the typical
process includes out-bound calling, the sales pitch, handling objections,
opportunity identification, and the close. Each step of the process has
sales-related issues, skills, and training needs, as well as marketing solutions
to improve each discrete step, as well as the whole
process.
One further
common complication of marketing involves the inability to measure results for a
great deal of marketing initiatives. In essence, many marketing and advertising
executives often lose sight of the objective of sales/revenue/profit, as they
focus on establishing a creative/innovative program, without concern for
the top or bottom lines - a fundamental pitfall of marketing for
marketing's sake.
Many
companies find it challenging to get marketing and sales on the same page. The
two departments, although different in nature, handle very similar concepts and
have to work together for sales to be successful. Building a good relationship
between the two that encourages communication can be the key to success - even
in a down economy.
Marketing potentially
negates the need for sales
Some sales
authors and consultants contend that an expertly planned and executed marketing
strategy may negate the need for outside sales entirely. They suggest that by
effectively bringing more customers "through the door" and enticing them into
contact, sales organizations can dramatically improve their results, efficiency,
profitability, and allow salespeople to provide a drastically higher level of
customer service and satisfaction. This is commonly referred to as a "Pull"
marketing strategy. Marketing and advertising efforts are designed to pull
potential customers into the sales channel. Alternatively, some companies invest
spending on the sales force in pursuit of uncovering new sales leads. This is
referred to as a push strategy; the sales force is motivated to uncover leads
and push them into the sales channel. For example consumer packaged goods
companies typically use a pull strategy relying on advertising and marketing
efforts to translate into sales at the retail end point. Technical sales and
sales of high out of pocket cost items typically rely on a push strategy as a
more sophisticated sales technique is required to attract and educate customers
about their products
your sales?
To be more
energized?
To be more
Motivated?
A sale
is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other
compensation. Signalling completion of the prospective stage, it is the
beginning of an engagement between customer and vendor or the extension of that
engagement.
The
seller or salesperson – the provider of the goods or
services – completes a sale in response to an acquisition or to
an appropiation or to a request. There follows the passing of title
(property or ownership) in the item, and the application and due settlement of a
price, the obligation for which arises due to the seller's requirement to pass
ownership. Ideally, a seller agrees upon a price at which he willingly parts
with ownership of or any claim upon the item. The purchaser, though a party to
the sale, does not execute the sale, only the seller does that. To be precise
the sale completes prior to the payment and gives rise to the obligation of
payment. If the seller completes the first two above stages (consent and passing
ownership) of the sale prior to settlement of the price, the sale remains valid
and gives rise to an obligation to pay.
Sales agents
Agents in
the sales process can represent either of two parties in the sales process; for
example:
Sales
broker, Seller agency, seller agent, seller representative This is a traditional
role where the salesman represents a person or company on the selling end of a
deal.
Buyers
broker or Buyer brokerage: This is where the salesman represents the consumer
making the purchase. This is most often applied in large
transactions.
Disclosed
dual agent:This is where the salesman represents both parties in the sale and
acts as a mediator for the transaction. The role of the salesman here is to
oversee that both parties receive an honest and fair deal, and is responsible to
both.
Transaction
broker: This is where the salesperson represents neither party but handles the
transaction only. The seller owes no responsibility to either party getting a
fair or honest deal, just that all of the papers are handled
properly.
Sales
outsourcing involves direct branded representation where the sales
representatives are recruited, hired, and managed by an external entity but hold
quotas, represent themselves as the brand of the client, and report all
activities (through their own sales management channels) back to the client. It
is akin to a virtual extension of a sales force
Sales
managers aim to implement various sales strategies and management techniques in
order to facilitate improved profits and increased sales volume. They are also
responsible for coordinating the sales and marketing department as well as
oversight concerning the fair and honest execution of the sales process by their
agents.
Salesperson:
The primary function of professional sales is to generate and close leads,
educate prospects, fill needs and satisfy wants of consumers appropriately, and
therefore turn prospective customers into actual ones. Questioning – to
understand a customer's goal and requirements relevant to the product – and the
creation of a valuable solution by communicating the necessary information that
encourages a buyer to achieve their goal at an economic cost comprise the
functions of the salesperson or of the sales engine (for example, the Internet,
a vending machine, etc.). A good salesperson should never mis-sell or
over-evaluate the customer's requirements.
Inside sales vs. Outside
sales
Since the
advent of the telephone, a distinction has been made between "inside sales" and
"outside sales" although it is generally agreed that those terms have no
hard-and-fast definition. In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act
defines outside sales representatives as "employees [who] sell their employer's
products, services, or facilities to customers away from their employer's
place(s) of business, in general, either at the customer's place of business or
by selling door-to-door at the customer's home" while defining those who work
"from the employer's location" as inside sales. Inside sales generally involves
attempting to close business primarily over the phone via telemarketing, while
outside sales (or "field" sales) will usually involve initial phone work to book
sales calls at the potential buyer's location to attempt to close the deal in
person. Some companies have an inside sales department that works with outside
representatives and book their appointments for them. Inside sales sometimes
refers to upselling to existing customers. Nowadays inside sales has become more
and more popular in the telemarketing business, and so, there are several tools
developed to serve this niche market. These tools help companies to manage their
inside sales more efficiently.
The
relationships between sales and marketing
Marketing and sales differ greatly, but have the same goal. Selling
is the final stage in Marketing, which also includes Pricing, Promotion,
Positioning and Product (the 4Ps). A marketing department in an
organization has the goals of increasing the desirability and value to the
customer and increasing the number and engagement of interactions between
potential customers and the organization. Achieving this goal may involve the
sales team using promotional techniques such as advertising, sales promotion,
publicity, and public relations, creating new sales channels, or creating
new products (new product development), among other things. It can also include
bringing the potential customer to visit the organization's website(s) for more
information, or to contact the organization for more information, or to interact
with the organization via social media.
The
relatively new field of sales process engineering views "sales" as the
output of a larger system, not just as the output of one department. The larger
system includes many functional areas within an organization. From this
perspective, "sales" and "marketing" (among others, such as "customer service")
label for a number of processes whose inputs and outputs supply one another to
varying degrees. In this context, improving an "output" (such as sales) involves
studying and improving the broader sales process, as in any system, since the
component functional areas interact and are
interdependent.
Most large
corporations structure their marketing departments in a similar fashion to sales
departments and the managers of these teams must coordinate efforts in order to
drive profits and business success. For example, an "inbound" focused campaign
seeks to drive more customers "through the door", giving the sales department a
better chance of selling their product to the consumer. A good marketing program
would address any potential downsides as well.
The sales
department would aim to improve the interaction between the customer and the
sales facility or mechanism (example, web site) and/or salesperson. Sales
management would break down the selling process and then increase the
effectiveness of the discrete processes as well as the interaction between
processes. For example, in many out-bound sales environments, the typical
process includes out-bound calling, the sales pitch, handling objections,
opportunity identification, and the close. Each step of the process has
sales-related issues, skills, and training needs, as well as marketing solutions
to improve each discrete step, as well as the whole
process.
One further
common complication of marketing involves the inability to measure results for a
great deal of marketing initiatives. In essence, many marketing and advertising
executives often lose sight of the objective of sales/revenue/profit, as they
focus on establishing a creative/innovative program, without concern for
the top or bottom lines - a fundamental pitfall of marketing for
marketing's sake.
Many
companies find it challenging to get marketing and sales on the same page. The
two departments, although different in nature, handle very similar concepts and
have to work together for sales to be successful. Building a good relationship
between the two that encourages communication can be the key to success - even
in a down economy.
Marketing potentially
negates the need for sales
Some sales
authors and consultants contend that an expertly planned and executed marketing
strategy may negate the need for outside sales entirely. They suggest that by
effectively bringing more customers "through the door" and enticing them into
contact, sales organizations can dramatically improve their results, efficiency,
profitability, and allow salespeople to provide a drastically higher level of
customer service and satisfaction. This is commonly referred to as a "Pull"
marketing strategy. Marketing and advertising efforts are designed to pull
potential customers into the sales channel. Alternatively, some companies invest
spending on the sales force in pursuit of uncovering new sales leads. This is
referred to as a push strategy; the sales force is motivated to uncover leads
and push them into the sales channel. For example consumer packaged goods
companies typically use a pull strategy relying on advertising and marketing
efforts to translate into sales at the retail end point. Technical sales and
sales of high out of pocket cost items typically rely on a push strategy as a
more sophisticated sales technique is required to attract and educate customers
about their products
