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16-1
Chapter 16
OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT:
THE KEY TO GREATER SALES PRODUCTIVITY
EXTENDED PRESENTATION OUTLINE
A career in sales provides great opportunity for self-direction, self-expression, and
freedom to make decisions and manage time independently. Successful sales representatives
depend on good management; they must keep their own records, be self-disciplined in
scheduling their time, and analyze their own performances.
I. Opportunity Management – A Four Dimensional Process
A. Wasting time and energy is the key to failure in the age of information.
1. Prioritizing different sales-force decisions becomes important to managing
productivity
1. Time management
2. Territory management
a. A sales territory is a group of customers and prospective customers assigned to a
3. Records management
4. Stress management
a. Certain amount of stress comes with many selling positions.
1. Improve selling effectiveness.
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2. Spend more time in face-to-face selling situations. (Can be achieved best through
1. On average, salespeople spend 60 percent of their time on administrative duties or
travel: Little time spent in actual selling situations.
2. Eliminate time wasted in such areas as prospecting, travel, waiting, record keeping,
and customer service.
3. A time log can identify time wasters.
C. Time management methods
1. Develop a series of personal goals.
a. The most important aspect of time management is knowing what your goals are.
2. Prepare a daily “to-do” list (see Figure 16.1).
a. Plan and prioritize events every day.
b. Write down the things you hope to accomplish during the day.
c. Rank the items from most important too least important.
d. Avoid nonpaying activities during working hours
e. Prioritize your “to do” list and do not let outside distractions interfere with your
plan.
f. Begin each day with the highest-priority task.
3. Maintain a planning calendar (see Figure 16.2).
a. The use of floaters often leads to the loss of critical information, missed
4. Organize your selling tools.
a. Organizing sales literature, business cards, order blanks, samples, and sales
5. The key to regular use of the above time saving techniques is commitment.
4. Saving time with meetings in cyberspace and other methods of communication
1. Situations in which the phone call is appropriate:
a. Call the customer in advance to make an appointment.
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Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
III. Territory Management
A. A sales territory is a geographic area where a specific number of present and potential
prospects and customers can be called on conveniently.
B. What does territory management involve?
1. Step one: classify all customers by area code, by industry, by product, or projected
sales volume.
2. Step two: develop a routing and scheduling plan.
a. Objective of plan is to increase actual selling by reducing time spent traveling
between accounts and time spent waiting to see customers.
1. Developed by using information taken from the routing and scheduling plan.
2. One section is used to record planned calls; a parallel section is used to record
completed calls.
3. Sales manager should present plan in a convincing manner and provide training that
will help salespeople successfully implement the plan.
1. Customer and prospect files
2. Call reports (see Figure 16.4).
a. A variation of the sales call plan called an “activity report”
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Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
e. Companies that emphasize consultative selling are requesting more personal
information on the customer (information that expands the customer profile)
and more information on the customer’s short- and long-range buying plans.
3. Expense records
a. Required by the company and government agencies
4. Sales records
a. Vary greatly in design from company to company
1) Update it often so it reflects the current status of your various accounts.
2) Use a laptop computer or smart phone with appropriate CRM software to
improve your records management system.
3) Mobile technology will help you achieve increased selling time and
enhance customer service.
1. Physical ailments:
a. Headaches
2. Psychological symptoms:
a. Anxiety
b. Depression
1. Work to eliminate major stressors.
2. Learn to relax.
3. Get plenty of sleep.
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END-OF-CHAPTER ACTIVITES
Included in this section are answers to selected end-of-chapter exercises. Answers are
reside.
Sales call plan, p. 342: A sales call plan is a weekly action plan, often initiated by the sales
manager. Its primary purpose is to ensure efficient and effective account coverage.
Stress, p. 346: Stress refers to two simultaneous events: an external stimulus (called a “stressor”)
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MyMarketingLab
Go to mymktlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS
16-1 Describe how a salesperson is much like the individual who owns and operates a
16-2 Opportunity management has been described as a four-dimensional process. Describe each
16-3 List and briefly describe the four goal-setting principles.
The four goal-setting principles are:
16-4 List four techniques the salesperson should use to make better use of valuable selling
time.
16-6 What is a sales call plan? Explain how it is used.
16-7 Describe the most common records kept by salespeople.
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Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
16-8 What is the definition of “stress”? What are some indicators of stress?
Stress is the response of the body and/or the mind to demands on it, in the form of either
physiological or psychological strain. Some indicators of stress are physical ailments (for
example, pounding heart, chronic fatigue, trembling and nervous tics, diarrhea and cramping,
chest pains, depression, undue and prolonged anxiety, and abrupt changes in mood and
character).
16-9 Table 16.2 describes six “five-minute stress busters” to reduce stress. Which of these do
you think are most important for persons employed in the sales field? Explain.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS FOR APPLICATION EXERCISES
16-10. This exercise is designed to help the student develop better time management. It
16-11. The objective of this exercise is to reinforce the importance of setting goals. As Earl
Nightingale stated, “We become what we think about,” or “at any given time we are the sum
16-12. This exercise will provide you with a testimonial on the importance of planning ahead.
16-13. Students will find access to time management information through seminars, software,
and audio books from such notables as Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, and Rebecca Morgan.
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SOLUTION FOR THE CASE PROBLEM
16-17. Territory management requires careful advance planning. A commitment to excellence
