PROCESS OF PERSONAL SELLING

PROCESS OF PERSONAL SELLING

BY

SMART LEARNING WAY 

INTRODUCTION

 

                Rovert Louis Stevenson stated,“everyone lives by selling something.” the people who do selling are called salesman, sales representatives, sales persons, account executives, sales consultant, sales engineers, field representatives, agents, service representatives, marketing representative etc. personal selling and salesmanship are used without distinction but there are some differences between the two. Personal selling is a broader concept. Philip kotler is of the opinion that personal selling involves oral presentation in a conversation with one or more prospective purchasers for the purpose of marketing sales. 

                          Advertising, sales promotion and personal selling ensure the process of selling. Of the three personal selling is more important. It contacts the concerned persons in person and hence it is more effective.

               

                     Personal selling is a greatly distinctive form of promotion. Like advertising and sales promotion, personal selling is also a method of communication. It is a two-way form of communication. It involves individual and social behavior.

 

What is personal selling?

Personal selling involves the two-way flow of communication between a buyer and seller, often in a face-to-face encounter, designed to influence a person's group's purchase decision.

Meaning of personal selling

                   Personal selling is a process of informing customers and persuading them to purchase products through personal communication in an exchange situation.

                Personal selling is a marketing  Process with which consumers are personally persuaded to buy goods and services offered by a manufactures.

                   personal selling gives marketers the greatest freedom to adjust a message to satisfy customers’ information needs.

                  personal selling is the process whereby the seller or his representative ascertains and activates the needs or wants of the buyer and satisfies the same to the industrial advantage of both the buyer and the seller.

Personal Selling – Defined

 

Personal selling refers to personal communication with a an  Audience through paid  personnel of an organization  or its agents in such a way  that the audience perceives  the communicator’s organization  as being the source of the message.

PERSONAL SELLING

 

Qualitative objectives

1)To do the entire selling job

2)To “serve” existing account

3)To search out and obtain new customers.

4)To secure and maintain customer’s cooperation  in stocking and promoting the product line.

5)To keep customers informed of changes in the product line and other aspects of marketing strategy.

6)To assist customers in selling the product line

7)To provide technical advice and assistance to customers

8)To assist with (or hand) the training of middlemen’s sales personnel.

9)To provide advice and assistance to middlemen on various management problems.

10)To collect and report market information of interest and use to company management.

Quantitative objective

1)To obtain sales volume in ways that contribute to profit objectives.

2)To keep personal-selling expenses within certain limits.

3)To secure and retain a certain share of the market.

4)To obtain some number of new accounts of given types.

5)To secure a giver percentage of certain accounts’ business.

Features of personal selling

1.He must maintain lasting relations between the firm and its customers.

2.It is a creative art. He creates wants in customers. A human need may change into human want but because of salesmanship. He should possess the ability to convert needs into wants.

3.He must talk in the point of view of customers and engage their mind to his point of view. That is, the ability of the salesman must influence the customers’ mind. 

Process of personal selling

                         The approach of selling method is different from salesman to salesman. Personal selling aims at oral presentation by talk or conversation between a salesman and a prospect. The salesman endeavors to convert the prospect into a buyer. Generally, the  following are the processes involved in selling method and we discuss them in brief:-

1. Prospecting
2. Pre-approaching
3. Approaching and attention
4. Demonstration
5. Handling objection
6. Closing the sales
7. Follow up

1.  Prospecting :-

                           A prospect means a probable buyer. Prospecting means searching for persons, to whom sales can be affected. Prospect is a person, who has wants to be satisfied and has ability and willingness to buy. Therefore this is a first step in identifying and locating of prospects, either from company’s past records or customers or advertisements. A list of prospects is prepared, and this helps in planning the whole selling efforts so as to avoid waste calls.

2. pre-approaching :-

                           It involves developing an understanding about the prospective buyers or qualified buyers as to their needs, problems, buying motives, preferences, personal character etc. this pre-approach is effective for making a ground for approach.

3. Approaching and attention :-

                        This is a sales interview. This is a seed, with which sales tree grows up. This stage is important and vital. The first impression of the salesman may bring a long-run-benefit-repeated sales. This step is based on AIDAS formula. The salesman adopts all other selling points relating to the products.

4. Demonstration :-

                          The need-satisfying characteristics of the product are to be presented or demonstrated. The prospect may be made to understand the benefits of the product. He may also be informed of the special features, merits, benefits etc. of the products. The salesman can also show the survey reports, relevant data, free gifts, referring to specific problems in other products, telling examples etc. The prospects must be convinced and an interest in processing the product must be aroused. “you and not I” attitude must be fallowed.

5. Handling objections :-

                                when one shows interest in buying the products, generally, every salesman faces objections from the prospective buyers. There is no wonder, when a buyer purchases products at a price, buyer asks questions and explanations. The salesman must face the buyer by giving satisfactory answers, sincerely and unhurriedly.

6. Closing the sales :-

                                   It aims at taking an order for the products from the prospective buyer. The salesman also asks question as to the product-choice of color, periodicity of delivery, quantity, terms etc. At the climax stage, the prospects place orders with the salesman.

7. Follow up :-

                                 satisfaction of the buyer is important as a source of publicity. This stage is important, to have information from buyers regarding the product-use-problems, if any. The salesman keeps contact to know the problems, if any. After sale service should be followed strictly i.e., punctuality, personal attention etc.

CONCLUSION 

1.Personal selling is the process of communicating with potential and present customers through face to face contacts.

2.Personal selling can be creative or competitive.

3.Personal selling is the most flexible, most pinpointed and complete method of promotion.

4.creative, service, dealer, and specialty are the kinds of salesmen.

5.prospecting, preapproach, presentation, demonstration, handling objections, closing and follow-up are the main steps in personal selling process. 

6. Sales management involves recruiting, training, compensating and motivating salesmen.

7. A good salesman requires knowledge of self, knowledge of the product, knowledge of the company, knowledge of customers, and knowledge of the selling techniques.