Page 88 - DMGT507_SALES AND PROMOTIONS MANAGEMENT

Sales and Promotions Management

Notes Setting the stage both on location and online is crucial so that the key message—the big-
bang idea encapsulated in your company and its products or services—comes to the surface
in a compelling manner and resonates with your audience well beyond the primary
venue. What you say and how you say it are the most important elements of the meeting.

Source: www.entrepreneur.com

4.2 Sales Contests

Sales contests are a part of sales force management. It motivates the sales person to achieve
higher sales in a given period of time. It is a special selling campaign, which offers and awards
beyond the compensation plans. These are also established incentive techniques used in specific
sales situations.
The contests can also be held for consumer as for dealers. The customers are motivated to use the
products of the company and gain suitable rewards.

Example: In the Cricket World Cup of 2011, many companies held contests for customers
asking them to predict the future outcome of the games lucky, draws, bumper draws were
organised and other gimmicks were used to win the customers. In return, the companies offered
free tickets to the cricket matches, cash prizes and other attractive gifts to boost the sales of the
company.
The sales contests besides satisfying the personal needs of the customers and sales persons also
provide motivation to them according to Maslow hierarchy of needs; contests fill both lower
and higher needs including esteem and self-actualisation. Sales contests develop a team spirit
and boost the moral of the salesman and make them efforts productive. Sales contests also give
a lot of opportunity and experience to salesmen who in turn become more productive in their
jobs.

For successful sales contests, planning is necessary, the customer needs must be identified and
accordingly the sales contests should be planned. It requires expertise in developing sale contests.
The help of outside experts agencies should be taken to organise a good contest. The objectives
of the sales contests must be defined. These can be listed as follows:
1. To increase the sales volume
2. To sell new accounts

3. To get orders
4. To overcome a seasonal sales slump
5. To offset competitions

6. To offer special deals to distributors
7. To support consumer promotion
8. To improve the moral and goodwill of the sales people.

Contest Prizes

A Company can offer prizes in many forms to customers and dealers. The most popular methods
of getting prizes are:
1. Cash

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