Chapter 19
Personal Selling and Sales Management
Tools For Instructors
Brief Chapter Outline
Learning Objectives
Extended Chapter Outline with Teaching Tips
PowerPoint Slides with Teaching Notes
Additional Teaching Tips
Brief Chapter Outline
The Scope and Nature of Personal Selling
The Personal Selling Process
Managing the Sales Force
Ethical and Legal Issues in Personal Selling
Connect Learning Aids
Learning Objectives
LO 19-1 Describe the value added of personal selling.
Although the cost of an average B2B sales call is expensive, many firms believe they couldn’t do
business without their sales forces. Customers can buy many products and services without the
help of a salesperson, but in many other cases, it is worth the extra cost built into the price of a
product to be educated about the product or get valuable advice. Salespeople can also simplify
the buying process and therefore save the customer time and hassle.
LO 19-2 Define the steps in the personal selling process.
Although we discuss selling in terms of steps, it truly represents a process, and the time spent in
each step varies according to the situation. In the first step, the salesperson generates a list of
viable customers. During the second step, the preapproach, the salesperson gathers information
about the customer and prepares for the presentation. The third step, the sales presentation,
consists of a personal meeting between the salesperson and the customer. Through discussion
and by asking questions, the salesperson learns where the customer is in the buying process and
tailors the discussion around what the firm’s product or service can do to meet that customer’s
needs. During the fourth step, the close, the salesperson asks for the order. Finally, during the
follow-up, the salesperson and support staff solidify the long-term relationship by making sure
the customer is satisfied with the purchase and addressing any complaints. The follow-up
therefore sets the stage for the next purchase.
LO 19-3 Describe the key functions involved in managing a sales force.
The first task of a sales manager, assuming a firm is starting a sales force from scratch, is to
determine whether to use a company sales force or manufacturer’s representatives. Then sales
managers must determine what the primary selling responsibilities will be—order getter, order
taker, or sales support. The sales manager recruits and selects salespeople, but because there are
all sorts of sales jobs, he or she must determine what it takes to be successful and then go after
people with those attributes. In the next step, training, firms can choose between on-the-job and
online training. Sales managers are also responsible for motivating and compensating
salespeople. Most salespeople appreciate a balance of financial and nonfinancial rewards for
doing a good job. Finally, sales managers are responsible for evaluating their salespeople.
Normally, salespeople should be evaluated on a combination of objective measures, such as sales
per hour, and subjective measures, such as how friendly they appear to customers.
LO 19-4 Describe the ethical and legal issues in personal selling.
Ethical and legal issues arise in three areas in personal selling. First, ethical and legal issues
could arise based on how the sales manager interacts with the sales force. Second, there might be
inconsistencies between corporate policy and the salesperson’s ethical comfort zone. Finally,
ethical and legal issues can arise as the salesperson interacts with customers.
Extended Chapter Outline With Teaching Tips
I. The Scope and Nature of Personal Selling (PPT slide 19-4)
A. Personal Selling as a Career (PPT slide 19-5)
B. The Value Added by Personal Selling (PPT slide 19-7)
1. Sales People Provide Information and Advice
2. Sales People Save Time and Simplify Buying
3. Salespeople Build Relationships
II. The Personal Selling Process (PPT slide 19-8)
A. Step 1: Generate and Qualify Leads (PPT slide 19-9, 10)
A. Step 2: Preapproach and the Use of CRM Systems (PPT slide 19-11)
B. Step 3: Sales Presentation and Overcoming Reservations (PPT slide 19-12)
1. The Presentation
2. Handling Reservations
C. Step 4: Closing the Sale (PPT slide 19-14)
D. Step 5: Follow-Up (PPT slide 19-15)
Check Yourself: Several questions are offered for students to check their understanding of core
concepts. (PPT slide 19-16)
1. Why is personal selling important to an IMC strategy?
Answer: Firms that use personal selling as part of their integrated marketing
communications program do so because it adds value to their product or service mix—
that is, personal selling is worth more than it costs.
2. What are the steps in the personal selling process?
Answer: Generate and qualify leads, preapproach, sales presentation, and overcoming
reservations, closing the sale, follow-up.
III.Managing the Sales Force (PPT slide 19-17)
A. Sales Force Structure (PPT slide 19-18)
1. Company Sales Force or Manufacturer’s Representative
2. Salesperson Duties (PPT slide 19-19)
B. Recruiting and Selecting Sales People (PPT slide 19-20)
C. Sales Training (PPT slide 19-22)
D. Motivating and Compensating Sales People (PPT slide 19-23)
1. Financial Rewards
2. Nonfinancial Rewards
3. Evaluating Sales People (PPT slide 19-25)
Check Yourself: Several questions are offered for students to check their understanding of core
concepts. (PPT slide 19-26)
1. What do sales managers need to do to manage their sales force successfully?
Answer: Sales managers need to train, motivate, and compensate their sales force
adequately.
2. What is the difference between monetary and nonmonetary incentives?
Answer: Monetary incentives include bonuses, a sales contest, or commission.
Nonfinancial incentives include objects like plaques or rings, free trips or days off, or
public recognition.
IV. Ethical and Legal Issues in Personal Selling (PPT slide 19-27)
A. The Sales Manager and the Sales Force
B. The Sales Force and Corporate Policy (PPT slide 19-28)
C. The Salesperson and the Customer (PPT slide 19-29)
Check Yourself: Several questions are offered for students to check their understanding of core
concepts. (PPT slide 19-30)
1. What are three areas of personal selling in which ethical and legal issues are more likely
to arise?
Answer: The sales manager and the sales force, the sales force and corporate policy, and
the salesperson and the customer.