SALES MANAGEMENT
Selling is done by the
salesforce either directly to customers, such as in case of industrial salesmen
or to retailers, as in case of salesmen merely supplying shopkeepers and
inducing them to stock the goods.
In both cases, the
effort of the salesmen contributes to the overall sales turnover of an
organisation. The advertising effort and the sales effort are to a certain
extent interrelated. The main function of advertising is generally before the
actual selling occurs. The customer looks at advertisements and is thus induced
to go to the shop or wait for the salesman and make his purchase. The
salesman's job is to hand over the merchandise against exchange of money and
provide satisfaction to the customer. Besides, he also some times has to
provide after-sales service. In terms of selling, the role of a salesman
can be sub-divided into several stages. These are:
1)
Prospecting, i.e. trying to find out likely customers who are called
Prospects.
2)
Pre-approach, i.e. trying to find out more about the customers, before
actually meeting them.
3)
The Approach, i.e. when the-salesman actually communicates with the prospect
with a view to sell the product.
4)
The actual selling where he Answers
Objections and Closes the sale.
5)
In addition to this, he may also provide services such as giving technical
Assistance, arranging credit facilities and expediting deliveries.
6)
Collecting Information useful for the organization.
