Page 82 - DMGT507_SALES AND PROMOTIONS MANAGEMENT

Sales and Promotions Management

Notes scheme that rewards the salesperson who has the best results. A sales budget is the starting point
for budgeting because inventory levels, purchases, and operating expenses are geared to the
rate of sales activities and other cost drivers

4.1 Sales Meetings

The core of the selling process is the meeting that takes place between the prospect and the
salesperson. At this stage of the selling process the salesperson will spend a considerable amount
of time presenting the unique value proposition to the prospect. While the word “presenting”
may imply that the salesperson takes center stage and does most of the talking by discussing the
product’s features and benefits, in actuality successful salespersons find effective presentations
to be more of a two way conversation.

This section is designed to highlight key factors which can be used to make your presentation
more effective. If you look at what you are doing as helping people to learn, which in any case
is an excellent definition of training, then it makes sense to keep the group in mind and consider
what helps people to team.

4.1.1 Ensuring that Learning Takes Place

There are several classic ways of positively assisting this process:

1. Making the message relevant: You need to keep the nature of the group in mind throughout,
to make sure that what is said is in their language, rotates around the real job that they
have to do and fits into their frame of reference. If the group sees the training message as
tailored to them, representing their situation and if, above all, they think it will help them
do the job better or more easily—or both—then they will take an interest and learn.
Having clear, stated objectives for the session and seeking participants’ agreement to
them is also important.
2. Use a logical order: Any message is going to be easier to take on board if it is not a struggle
to work out, so creating a good, clear and logical path through the content is important.
The material provided should have a clear structure and the working method should be
logical.

3. Use appropriate emphasis: The training message must prompt a concentration on it. This
is helped by a number of things, such as varying the pace and also by repetition. Never be
afraid to repeat, albeit in a different way, the key elements of the content. It is the
combination of methods—lecture, discussion, an exercise etc.—which can do this and
really enhance the likelihood of participants retaining the essentials of the message.
4.1.2 Do Not Assume it is Easy

Any kind of communication can be perhaps surprisingly, difficult. The difficulties stem from
various factors, which, taking a positive view, means that you must:

1. Vary the pace and keep up the interest as the natural tendency of people is to let their
minds wander rather than concentrate continuously.
2. Work at achieving an understanding by avoiding too much unfamiliar jargon, using
visual aids to reinforce points, choosing your words carefully and fighting peoples’ instinct
to make judgments too soon by anticipating—often inaccurately—the totality of the
message before it is even complete.

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