Subject Name

Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Sales and Distribution Management

Unit 4
Personal Selling

Topics to be covered
Introduction, meaning and nature of Personal Selling, Definitions of personal selling, Objectives of
personal selling, Role and Responsibilities of personal selling, Stages of personal selling, Types of
personal selling, Advantages and Disadvantages of Personal selling, Steps involved in personal

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selling, Various types of approaches used in personal selling, Evaluation of Personal Selling Efforts,
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The basic selling styles, Factors Determining the Kind of Selling Personnel, Difference between
Advertising and Personal Selling

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4

Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Introduction
Modern selling and sales management techniques were refined by John Henry Patterson (1844-1922),
regarded as the father of modern salesmanship. He showed the companies the way to turn a sales force into
an effective tool for building sales and profits.
The satisfaction of the consumer is the key. In a broader sense the job of a salesperson is to identify each
customer’s needs and problems and to respond to them individually

In today’s competitive environment it is the basic differentiator between sales success and failure. Other
activities for a salesperson are, distributor credit, the customer’s use or promotion of the product and pricing.
Personal Selling is yet another type of selling initiative by the business companies, a way to persuade the local
people to try their products.

Personal Selling is surely one of the distinctive methods which are used by the selling strategists to achieve

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Dr Narendra Parchure

their intended quantity of sales. Personal selling is a part of promotional- mix and it is an art of person-to-
person communication for persuading prospects or consumers in the sales process.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
For introducing effective marketing system, balancing of other marketing elements like, product development,
pricing, distribution system, advertising etc. should be organised along with implementation of personal selling
methodology.
Sales is not an easy task. With the increased competition, a salesperson might have to meet the prospective
clients one-to-one, explain the features and persuade / influence / encourage them to purchase the offering
through an individual-to-individual interaction.
Personal selling is face-to-face selling where one person who is the salesman tries to convince the customer to
buy a product assigned by the company. It is a promotional activity by which the salesperson uses his or her
skills and abilities to persuade people to buy the product thereby in an attempt to make a sale.
Here, the salesperson tries to highlight the features of the product to convince the customer that the product
will hold benefits in the long term. However, getting a customer to buy a product is not always the motive
behind personal selling, this personal selling is also done to make the customers aware of new products in the
market. This sales technique is personal selling, and it is an efficient way of increasing sales using in-person

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Dr Narendra Parchure

interaction.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Meaning of Personal Selling
Personal selling refers to the presentation of goods and services before the customers and convincing
them to buy the products or services. It is a promotional method where one party uses skills and techniques
for building personal relationships with another party thus resulting in value to both the parties.
Personal contact through face to face meetings, a telephone conversation and with new technologies of
Internet the personal selling can be done

Nature of Personal Selling

1. It gives freedom to adjust a message to satisfy customers needs.
2. It helps in precision and enables marketers to focus on advertising, publicity and sales promotion.
3. It give more information to organization about markets.
4. It Helps to discover the strengths and weaknesses of products for the marketing department.
5. It is a major tool for word of mouth publicity.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Definitions of personal selling
“Personal selling is an ancient art. Effective sales persons have more than instinct; they are trained in a method of analysis
and customer man­agement. Selling today is a profession that in­volves mastering and applying a whole set of principles”.
(Kotler).
Salesmanship is “the process whereby the sell­er ascertains and activates the needs or wants of the buyer and satisfies the
needs or wants to the mutual continuous advantage of both the buyer and seller” (Pedeson & Wright).
Salesmanship is “the personal presentation of tangible or intangible products, including ideas of commercial significance to
potential buyers” (J. Da­vid).
“It is part of a salesman’s business to create de­mand by demonstrating that the need does exist, although before his visit
there was no conscious­ness of that need” (Scott).
“Salesmanship consists of winning the buyer’s confidence for the seller’s house and goods thereby arising a regular and
permanent customer” (G. Blake).

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Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Objectives of personal selling
1. Building Product Awareness:- The primary function of salespeople is to educate
customers on new product offerings. It also helps in building awareness to facilitate word
of mouth publicity.
2. Creating Interest:- Since personal selling involves person-to-person communication it
makes it a natural method for getting customers to experience a product for the first time.
The interest creation and product awareness can be accomplished during the first
encounter with a customer.
3. Providing Information:- In the process of sales call a large part of the conversation is on
product information. Organizations provide their sales staff with sales support through
brochures, research reports, informational material etc.
4. Stimulating Demand:- The most important objective of personal selling is to convince
customers to make a purchase.
5. Reinforcing the Brand:- Most personal selling is intended to build long-term

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Dr Narendra Parchure

relationships with customers. Meeting with customers on a regular basis allows

salespeople to repeatedly discuss their company’s products, which helps to strengthen
customers’ knowledge.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Precisely, it is a promotional technique where a salesperson:
• Uses person to person communication: Personal selling involves direct contact of the salesperson and the
customer.
• To sell an offering: The purpose of personal selling is to motivate and persuade the customer to purchase the
intended offering a detailed explanation or demonstration of the product.
• Using a personalized sales strategy: This strategy involves the salesperson to understand the needs and wants of
the customers, develop personalized connections, communicate the value of the offering in a way that persuades
the customer to buy the offering.
A salesman actually sells his point of view but the important point to note is that the salesman must start with the
point of view of the prospect and leads his mind to the point where he will accept the salesman’s theory. The
salesman, to be truly called a salesman, will not sell his goods or servic­es but his ideas.
The art of selling is not sales­manship today but the art of knowing one’s mind and influencing it is salesmanship.’ To
know your mind and then to let you know my mind and then to in­fluence or persuade you to identify your mind with

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Dr Narendra Parchure

that of mine and when the two minds thus become identical, then selling of goods or services takes place.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Role of personal selling is passing through rapid transition due to:
1. Availability of more information regarding the market.
2. Increasing of economic power in organised sectors,
3. Advancement of technological developments
In addition to the presentation of the offerings, sales persons should act as the information provider, influencer and
demonstrator.
Responsibilities of personal selling may be categorized as follows:
1. Locating prospective customers and identifying their needs and wants.
2. Counselling the prospects and suggesting, the possible solutions of the problems.
3. Securing and maintaining customers’ co-operation in promoting the product line and informing customers regarding
the changes in the product line and other strategies.
4. Collecting and reporting of market information to the management and analyzing the market potential.
5. Acquiring the prospect’s commitment and closing the sale.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Stages of personal selling
Personal selling is a tool and an integral part of the overall promotional programme. It should be oriented and designed
with the variety of changing situations. Personal selling shall encompass different functional activities at various stages.
According to Thomas R. there are five distinct stages of personal selling:
1. Provider Stage – In this stage the available offerings of the supplier are placed before the, buyer for the purpose of
selling.
2. Persuader Stage – It is a process to peruse the selling process to the prospective market members.
3. Prospector Stage – In this stage the prospective buyer’s need is to be identified and the relevant goods and services
offered as per requirement.
4. Problem-Solver, stage – In personal selling, sales person should act as the facilitator to solve the problems of the buyer
in the specific area and should suggest the best solution through offerings, corresponding with the needs.
5. Procreator Stage – Buyer-seller interaction should generate an understanding, and offerings may be regenerated in a
tailor-made fashion to match the specific need.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Types of personal selling
Generally, personal selling can be categorized into three types based on the sales activity and salesperson involved. These
are:
Order Takers: Order takers receive requests and queries from the customers. In simple terms, the customer approaches
these salespersons. They usually hold positions like retail sales assistant or telemarketer and focus mainly on determining
customer needs and pointing to inventory that meets such needs.
Order Getters: Order getters reach out to new prospects and persuade them to make a direct purchase. These are in-field
salespersons who bring in new clients to the business.
Order Creators: Order creators don’t close the deal, but persuade the customers to promote the business’s offering,
leading to sales eventually. For example, a pharmaceutical company reaching out to a doctor to persuade him to prescribe
the company’s medicine.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Advantages of Personal selling
1. Conveys more information: Personal selling helps the business convey more information than any other form of promotion. It is
all about understanding the customers’ needs, finding an opportunity in it, and capitalizing on it by developing a relationship
with them while convincing them to try the company’s product.
2. Creates more impact: It’s more impactful as the salesperson assist the customer throughout the buying process, answering
questions, and solving doubts.
3. Supports two-way communication: Unlike other promotional tools like advertising or public relations, personal selling allows
the customers to communicate with the business and clear their doubts before making the purchase.
4. Boosts relationship with the customer: Personal sales last long, include interpersonal relationships, and capitalizes on trust
between the salesperson and the customer
Disadvantages of Personal selling
5. Expensive: Since personal selling person-to-person contact, it is substantially more expensive than other forms of sales tools as
a human can approach only a few prospects in a specified time period.
6. Labour extensive: Personal sales require a lot of effort from the salespersons’ side, and it may take considerable time and
resources to convert a prospect to customer.

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Dr Narendra Parchure

7. Limited reach: Since personal sales is a one-to-one promotional tool, its reach is limited compared to other tools like
advertising or public relations.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Process and steps involved
Personal selling has been defined as ‘that method of selling in which the influence
is utilized directly by the salesperson'.
Seven major stages have been identified in the personal selling process:-
1. Prospecting
2. Pre-approach
3. Approaching the prospect
4. Making the sales presentation
5. Dealing with objections
6. Closing the sale
7. Follow-up with customer

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Step 1. Prospecting
More number of salespersons are required for prospecting than any other selling
activity. Prospecting is the ‘life blood’ of sales because it identifies potential customers.
In prospecting, the salespeople must obtain information, clues, tips on people who
have a need for their products. Which should be qualified in terms of needs, wants, the
ability to buy, the authority to buy and the eligibility to buy.
Step 2. The Pre-approach
In this stage, the salesperson needs to obtain strategic information like address, position,
title etc. and also the normal buying behaviour and other personality traits about the
prospective buyer and ensure a favorable reception.
Step 3. Approaching the Prospect
Depending upon the selling situation, there are several methods that can be used to
approach the prospect. The various types of approaches are:-
1. Introductory Approach 2. Reference Approach 3. Customer – Benefit Approach 4.
Compliment Approach 5. Free Gift Approach 6. Question Approach 7. Ingredient Approach

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Dr Narendra Parchure

8. Dramatic Approach
Continued….

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
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Dr Narendra Parchure
Step 4. Making of the Sales Presentation
Each prospect will project a different personality, but sales people can usually classify
prospects into one of the several basic categories, which aids in developing an appropriate
selling strategy.
Some of the alternative strategies used to prepare an effective sales presentation to achieve
price objectives are,
1. Stimulus response:- : Stimulus response strategies call for stimuli – selling point, to be
presented in such a way as to obtain favorable responses from prospects
2. Formula:-The formula is AIDA Principle– Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.
3. Problem solution:-This approach is generally used in technical selling where multiple
solutions are offered and a long run relationship of trust, confidence and respect is developed.
4. Need satisfaction:- These strategy is to first identify the need through skillful questioning
know the prospect’s interests, opinions, personality, attitudes etc.
5. Team selling:-The sales team must be prepared to identify the dominant buying motives of

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Dr Narendra Parchure

each member of the group in one-on-one sale negotiations.

6. Depth selling:- It is a strategic mix of sales presentation; AIDA, need satisfaction and
stimulus response. All these strategies may have to be resorted in depth selling.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Step 5. Dealing with objections
Dealing with objections is necessary as it includes emotional aspect, because price
is involved in it. After listening the customer’s objections or views, sales person
should agree with the customers' point of view before suggesting alternative. It is
sales person’s responsibly to cerate agreeable climate rather than the conflict.
Step 6. Closing the sale
Effective presentation and dealing with the objections will not result in customer
order. Sales person need to close the sale. When a customer gives cues or explicitly
says that he/she need some more time to make decision, the sales person should
withdraw with politely stating when he could call next time.
Step 7. Follow-up
The follow-up ensures that the customers realize that the sales person actually care
about customer. Follow-up can be used to reassure that purchasing the sales

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Dr Narendra Parchure

person’s product was the correct thing to do. It helps the customer to keep the
reasoning difference.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
The various types of approaches used are:-
1. Introductory Approach: Salespeople never get a second chance to make the first impression, so
they should make sure their introduction is well thought out and smoothly executed e.g. A friendly
greeting, sincere but firm handshake and a genuine smile.
2. Reference Approach: Mentioning the names of several satisfied customers.
3. Customer – Benefit Approach: Prospects, always seek to solve problems or obtain benefits through
their purchases and generally they have one buying motive which the salesperson has to identify and
then appeal to it.
4. Compliment Approach: A sincerely delivered compliment when conveyed it can be a positive
approach and also sets a pleasant atmosphere for the interview.
5. Free Gift Approach: For door to door salespeople, a sample of their product incentive often helps
them and for professional salespeople, a free seminar, a free trial etc. is helpful.
6. Question Approach: Provoking questions are often used in this approach. Questions leading to two
way communication since the responses are utilized for information sharing.
7. Ingredient Approach: Some salespeople like to carry a sample of their product, this allows

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prospects to see exactly what the sales person is selling.
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8. Dramatic Approach : The sales person can do a dramatic or attention getting gimmick. The danger
here is that sometimes the prospect may dislike such obvious showmanship.

Unit Name: Sales Territory & Unit Number : 3 and 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
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Dr Narendra Parchure
Personal Selling – Evaluation of Personal Selling Efforts
Sales department or the promotional manager should be able to assess the effectiveness of personal selling programme,
considering certain criteria as mentioned below:
1. Market Intelligence and Follow up Actions:
The sales force should be equipped with the ability to procure feedback information regarding market trends, competitive
activities, reactions of the customers. Sales force should inform the existing and new customers, relevant information
regarding various promotional activities.
2. Implementation Scheme of the Programme:
The sales effort should be judged and assessed on the basis of effective implementation made through different activities,
like presentation schemes, demonstration schemes, customer relationship programme etc.
3. Achievement of Communication Objectives:
The effectiveness of the personal selling effort is judged by the attainment of the communication objectives and shies
results. Sales efforts should consist of sales calls, selling expenses, customer service and sales related activities. Sales
result may be judged through number of orders, volume of sales, profit margin and selling skills.

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Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
There are four basic selling styles generally in use i.e.:
i. Trade Selling,
ii. Missionary selling,
iii. Technical selling and
iv. New business selling.
i. Trade Selling:
The trade salesperson develops and maintains long term relations with a stable group of customers. This is low-key selling having
no pressure and the job is of routine nature. This selling style is generally used for product having well established markets and the
role of salesperson is only to take orders.
In such cases, advertising and other forms of promotion are used as overall marketing strategy than is Personal selling. One
important responsibility of the salesperson in this selling style is to help customers build up their volume through providing
Promotional assistance. A trade salesperson most often devotes his time to promotional work with retailers and wholesalers.
ii. Missionary Selling:
The missionary salespersons do not sell to the end consumers. Their main objective is to increase the company’s sales volume by

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assisting customers (generally wholesalers or sole selling agents) with their selling efforts. Missionary salesperson do not often get
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direct orders, since the orders obtained result from the missionary’s primary public relations and promotional efforts with
customers of customers (indirect customers).

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
iii. Technical Selling:
Technical salesperson is a technical hand and his main job objective is to increase company’s sales volume by
providing technical assistance and advice to company’s established accounts. His main function is to advise just
like missionary salesperson but in addition, sells direct to industrial users and other buyers. The technical
salesperson devotes most of his time to acquainting industrial users with technical product features and its
applications and to helping them design installation or processes that incorporates the company’s product. In
this selling style, ability to identify, analyze and solve problems is important.
iv. New Business Selling:
The new business salesperson’s main job is to find out new customers or convert prospects into customers.
Such salesperson are generally creative and possess a high degree of resourcefulness. Few companies have
salesperson whose main job is to get new business whereas in some other companies, regular trade sales
person are expected to perform the job of new business salesperson also. The company must choose the Selling
style which suits its Selling Objectives.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Factors Determining the Kind of Selling Personnel
The following factors are considered when making a decision on the kind of selling personnel to employ.
1. Product market analysis;
2. Analysis of salesperson’s role in securing orders;
3. Choice of basic selling style.
1. Product market analysis
The selling job differs for each salesperson. The selling jobs may be categorized as (i) Product specialists, (ii) Market
specialist, and (iii) Combinations of product and Market specialization. Product specialization is needed when the product
is highly technical and needs advice of the sales personnel on its uses and implications. Market specialization is called for
‘when the product is non-technical but different kinds of customers have unique buying problems, require special sales
approaches or need special service.
Determining the type and amount of specialization requires consideration of both the interdependence dimension and
the expertise dimension. In addition to product market interactions, other elements in a company’s market situation

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Dr Narendra Parchure

affect the caliber of salesperson required. The size of customers or the geographical locations has bearing on the type of
sales persons.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
2. Analysis of Salesperson’s Role in Securing Orders:
The main objective of all salespeople is to seek orders. The salesperson’s role in securing orders
also vary with the Promotional strategy relied upon. Depending on the Promotional strategy
Personal selling or Advertising — sales people may be either active or passive forces in securing
orders.
3. Choice of Basic Selling Style:
This factor in determining the kind of selling personnel is the basic selling style as is being
practiced by the company. Actually, each company has differences in marketing factors and
therefore, it requires a different kind of sales personnel that suits the company and can play a
unique role even related to similar companies employing similar kind of sales personnel.

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Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Difference between Advertising and Personal Selling Personal selling
Advertising
1. Nature – Advertising offers a reason to buy. 1. Nature – Personal selling offers an incentive to buy.
2. Object – The object of advertising is to educate the customers 2. Object – Its object is to solve the customer problems and
to make the selling a success.
increase the sales.
3. Control – The firm or advertiser has no control over the Medias
3. Control – Personal selling is fully controlled by the firm.
(except mail advertising) as the media are controlled by media
agencies.
4. Strategy – Its strategy is to maximize sales, by taking the
4. Strategy – Its strategy is to attract the customer towards the advantages of advertising and sales promotion.
product. 5. Relationship – It establishes direct relationship with present
5. Relationship – It does not establish direct relationship with the and prospective customers, by personal contacts.
present or prospective customers.
6. Personal or Impersonal – Advertising is impersonal 6. Personal or Impersonal – It is personal communication of
communication of ideas. ideas.
7. Motivation – It gives information and educational motivation 7. Motivation – It gives personal motivation to the buyers who
by impersonal methods, to buyers. have been attracted by the advertisements.

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8. Knowledge about effectiveness – It does not give the 8. Knowledge about effectiveness – It helps to understand the
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knowledge about the effectiveness on consumer psychology or consumer psychology or behavior.

behaviour.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
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Dr Narendra Parchure
Four strategies used by salesman
With the increasing importance of personal selling in recent times the strategies of sales person have changed
considerably - from being a fast talker to a consultant.
Most forms of personal selling require the sales staff be extensively trained on product knowledge, industry
information and selling skills. For companies that require their salespeople attend formal training programs, the
cost of training can be quite high and include such expenses as travel, hotel, meals, and training equipment while
also paying the trainees' salaries while they attend.
Communication Strategies
It is the lowest level of personal selling. Sales representatives communicate about the product or service offered.
Strategy is walking more and talking more. This has little use as communication can be done by press, radio,
television, etc.
Persuasion Strategies
Notes Here the sales representative understands the needs of the customer and goes beyond the role of a
communicator. The salesman tries to fill the customer about the existing product or service mix and skillfully

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Dr Narendra Parchure

overcomes objections.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
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Dr Narendra Parchure
Negotiation Strategies
Product and commercial terms are adjusted to meet customer's needs. At this stage the customer's needs are analyzed
and understood and how these needs can be met is worked out. At this point consultative selling begins. Client Profit
Planning Strategies
It is applicable in industrial product selling. The sales person is put to work with the client team to understand the
profit planning system, product finance, marketing, R&D so that a product meeting the needs of the consumer could
be developed.
Business Management Strategies
At this stage the sales person manages the territory as a strategic business unit. Territory representative along with
sales manager and accounts manager develop business strategies to meet the objectives of the organisation. The
salesman becomes a consultant and looks to the long term needs of the customer.
Relationship strategy: Besides selling goods to the consumer a relationship is built with the consumer over a period of
time. A builder for instance may develop a relationship with the customer for mutual gain. The builder of flats may
offer a new apartment to the customer in a desired area and also help the customer in disposing off his earlier assets
to that the customer finds it easy to transact with the buyer. This may go on for years and the relationship lasts when

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Dr Narendra Parchure

both the seller and the buyer are satisfied. This then turns into a win strategy when both are gainers at the deal.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
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Dr Narendra Parchure
Instant service strategy:
In this strategy the needs of the customers are satisfied instantly. E.g. fast food centers, service of cars, providing
transportation till the car is under repair. Sending service engineers for immediate repairs. Reaching fast food
(pizza) within a few minutes to your house for a party. Supplying custom made products instantly.
Creating customer strategy:
To create a customer a sales person must adopt an attitude towards the concern of the customer. He should listen
more and talk less. He should present benefits of the product and provide buying opportunities. He should allow
questions for discussions and remove objections if any. This helps in creating a customer.

International sales management

Sales is an important element of marketing. All countries, all individuals, have to sell something to survive. The
selling activities are carried on all over the world. The emergence of global market has opened new vistas for
resourceful growth oriented sales executives. In international selling the basic selling process and sales
management task remain the same. The market and the environmental conditions keep changing from country to
country and the sales efforts have to be changed and tackled accordingly.

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Dr Narendra Parchure

continued….

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
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Dr Narendra Parchure
The main factors to be considered in international selling is the impact of different cultures, labour laws, or local
business customers, religious rules (not changing of interest by certain nations), etc. International sales managers
have to guide and coordinate in the efforts of sales organisations in countries where the company does business.
Personal selling plays an important part in international markets. Promotion mix, distribution strategy, etc., are
governed by the rules and regulations of the foreign country. Environmental challenges in the international market
have to be identified and tackled, by the sales managers.

Qualities of International Sales Force

The managing of the sales force is a difficult task for the sales manager. An expert salesman must posses many
qualities, which are essential for his/her success.
• Decision-making:- He/she must be able to take decisions with limited information. There are risks which are
dimension of much greater in international selling. The buyer cannot be kept waiting for the salesmen to refer
to headquarter and delay the decision making process.
• Knowledge:- He/she should have enough knowledge to get proper advice and information and interpret data

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Dr Narendra Parchure

obtained. Research also forms a part of his/her task and duties.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
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Dr Narendra Parchure
• Cultural Adaptability:- The salesmen must have credibility so that he may be trusted by the buyer as
well as by the employee. In the host country he has to work without supervision and there are many
hurdles which he has to overcome. He should be able to discharge his duties and show a great
amount of responsibility.
• Physical Fitness:- In the different climates, physical fitness is important as the travelling work is very
laborious and demanding. There is a lot of strain on the salesmen and the food may also be of
different types and be served at different times.
• Language:- He/she should be skilled in the appropriate language that may be required in the host
country. He should be able to distinguish between the terminology used in different countries. There
are many differences in terminology's used in US and UK,
for example: US - apartment – UK- flat, US - elevator – UK- lift, US- cookie – UK- Biscuits,
US - Gas – UK- petrol, US - living room – UK- Drawing room, US- theatre – UK- Cinema

International selling has gained importance because of the saturation in domestic markets. It is a broader
field, therefore a very broad view should be taken. A lot of information is to be processed for making

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

proper sales and marketing strategies.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Environmental challenges have to be tackled in the best possible manner for successful international selling. The
information needed for entering foreign markets and the decisions of global marketing have to be considered very
seriously, as global marketing may not be feasible in countries having different requirements. The mode of entry
into the international market is also an important aspect of these companies aspiring to become global. The
training of the salesmen, their selection, recruitment, the emphasis on the language, the other cultural aspects
should be considered. The process of selling however remains the same except for changes that have to be made
keeping in mind the differences that exist from country to country. If these aspects are taken care of then there
are great chances of success in international sales.
There are many considerations and important points that effect international sales:
1. The sales person must speak clearly and give proper importance to the execution, quality to language, speed
and delivery. This affects the comprehension of the listener.
2. The sales person must use visual aids as far as possible. He should choose the examples as illustrations and
should be particularly careful about humour. Humour and jokes are risky in international setting because of social
and cultural differences. When asking questions, alternative answers or multiple answer should be provided as

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

many people are afraid of making an error because of language difficulty.

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
3. Japanese customers pose special communication challenges. They are more reserved than Notes
Americans. The salesmen must be polite to Japanese customers who are not able to respond to open-
ended questions.
4. Cultural differences make a different impact in many ways. French people don't talk about money and
feel uncomfortable while discussing price. In contrast the Americans have no hesitation in talking about
prices. French people do not want to offend any one take longer to make a request.
5. In Italy, the salesmen must allow plenty of time of appointments. Italians take several hours in chatting
with the sales person; Swiss people have a great deal of respect for degrees and titles and welcome
business cards. Arab world considers a sense of touch as a means of communication. Brazilians prefer
talking in Portuguese and take great pride in it. French should be addressed as Monsieur or Madame
unless invited to do otherwise. Japanese should be given plenty of time to gain trust. In Hong Kong
salesmen should avoid the Navy blue suit and white shirt. This denotes mourning in Hong Kong.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Summary
• Personal selling is a part of communication mix.
• Personal selling involves an alive, immediate and interactive relationship building between two or more
persons.
• Personal selling is a tool for building up buyer's preference, conviction and action.
• Territory representative along with sales manager and accounts manager develop business strategies to meet
the objectives of the organisation.
• The seller of consumable products calling on the retailer is an outside order taker.
• Buyers are becoming more sophisticated, knowledgeable and demanding.
• Personal selling permits plenty of relationships to spring up, ranging from selling relationship to deep personal
friendship.
• The sales person and the prospect interacting with each other constitute a buyer-seller relations.
• Direct marketing is an emerging form of distribution and promotion that combines elements of personal
selling and advertising.

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Personal Selling & Unit Number : 4 Centre for Distance and Online
 Sales & Distribution Management
Dr Narendra Parchure

Dr Narendra Parchure
Thank you

Dr Narendra Parchure
Dr Narendra Parchure

Unit Name: Sales Territory & Unit Number : 3 and 4 Centre for Distance and Online