Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of professional selling, with an emphasis on the role salespeople play in building customer relationships for the company and as part of the marketing team. Sales metrics, ethics in selling and outsourcing the sales function are also discussed.
Famous sales quotes:
"The object of a salesperson is not to make sales, but to make customers"
"Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust."
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the role professional selling plays in society and the firms' marketing strategies. Identify the different types of sales positions.
- Understand the types of selling relationships firms seek. Be able to select the selling strategy needed to achieve the desired customer relationship.
- Describe the sales cycle. Understand the selling metrics salespeople use. Understand selling metrics sales managers and executives use.
- Compare and contrast common ethical challenges facing salespeople and sales managers. Describe steps companies take to ensure ethical sales activities.
- Identify the ways in which the marketing function supports the sales function. Describe how the sales group of a company can support its marketing efforts.
- Identify the primary types of outsourcing salespeople. Characterize the strengths and weaknesses of outsourcing sales groups.