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Overview of
Selling
Learning Objectives
1
L 1
Define personal selling and describe its unique
characteristics as a marketing communications tool.
L 2
Distinguish between transaction-focused traditional
selling and trust-based relationship selling, with the
latter focusing on customer value and sales dialogue.
L 3
Describe the evolution of personal selling from
ancient times to the modern era.
Learning Objectives
L 4
Explain the contributions of personal selling to
society, business firms, and customers.
L 5
Discuss five alternative approaches to selling.
L 6
Describe the three primary roles fulfilled by
consultative salespeople.
L 7
Understand the sales process as a series of
interrelated steps.
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Personal Selling – Defined
An important part of marketing
that relies heavily on
______________________
between buyers and sellers to
initiate, develop, and enhance
customer relationships.
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Trust-Based Relationship Selling
Requires that salespeople earn
customer ______ and that their
selling _______ meets
customer needs and
contributes to the creation,
communication, and delivery of
customer ______.
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Customer Value
The customer’s perception of
what they get for what they
have to give up.
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Importance of Sales Dialogue
Sales
Dialogue:
business
conversation
between buyers
& sellers that
occur as
salespeople attempt
to initiate, develop, &
enhance customer
relationships.
• Allows for more thorough qualifying.
• Demonstrates sincere interest in the prospective
customer.
• Helps Determine prospective customer’s unique
needs.
• Ensures ____________
presentation of valueadded solutions.
• Promotes open
_____________ and
satisfaction feedback.
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Transaction-Focused Selling
vs. Trust-Based Relationship Selling
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Transaction-Focused Selling
vs. Trust-Based Relationship Selling
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Evolution of Personal Selling
Peddlers selling door
to door . . . served as
intermediaries
1800s
Industrial
Revolution
Selling function became
more structured
Post-Industrial
Revolution
Business organizations
employed salespeople
1900s
War and
Depression
2000s
Modern
Era
Selling function
becoming more
professional
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Evolution of Personal Selling
(The past several decades)
Canned Sales Presentation: sales
presentations that include
scripted sales calls, memorized
presentations, and automated
presentations.
Sales Professionalism: a customeroriented approach that uses
truthful, non-manipulative tactics to
satisfy the long-term needs of both
the customer and the selling firm.
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Continued Evolution
of Personal Selling
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Contributions of Personal Selling:
Salespeople and Society
• Salespeople help __________________.
• Salespeople help with the _________ of
innovation.
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Contributions of Personal Selling:
Salespeople and the Employing Firm
• Salespeople _________________.
• Salespeople provide market research
and customer feedback.
• Salespeople become _____________in
the organization.
1
Contributions of Personal Selling:
Salespeople and the Customer
• Salespeople _______________to problems.
• Salespeople provide expertise and serve as
information resources.
• Salespeople serve as ________ for the customer
when dealing with the selling organization.
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Ethical Dilemma
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Alternative
Personal Selling Approaches
•
•
•
•
•
Stimulus Response Selling
Mental States Selling
Need Satisfaction Selling
Problem Solving Selling
Consultative Selling
Adaptive Selling:
the ability of a
salesperson to alter
his/her sales messages
and behaviors during a
sales presentation or as
they encounter different
sales situations and
different customers.
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Stimulus Response Selling
Simple in
design;
assumes
conditioned
response improves
likelihood of success;
a risky and unreliable
strategy.
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Mental States Selling
Assumes
buyer
can be led
through mental
states; promotes
one-way
communication; a
risky and unreliable
strategy.
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Ethical Dilemma
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Need Satisfaction Selling
Interact with
buyer to
determine
existing needs;
present solutions
to needs; solutions
limited to seller’s
products.
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Problem Solving Selling
Interact with
buyer to
determine
existing and
potential needs;
present multiple
solutions not
limited to seller’s
products.
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Consultative Selling
________
________
The process of helping
________
customers reach their
________
strategic goals by using
the products,
services, and
expertise of the
____________
selling
____________
organization.
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The Sales Process - Overview
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Role Play
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