What makes personal selling different from other promotions?
Personal Selling is paid personal communication that attempts to
inform customers about products and persuades them to purchase the products. The complexity of these types of contracts requires a long-term, personal relationship between salespeople and companies. Compared to other types of promotion, personal selling is the most precise form of communication because it assures companies that they are in direct contact with an excellent prospect. The most serious drawback of personal selling is the cost per contact. Personal selling is
also expensive due to the costs associated with recruiting, selecting, training, and motivating salespeople. Despite the high costs, personal selling plays an increasingly important role in IMC and overall marketing strategy. These goals typically involve finding prospects, informing prospects, persuading prospects to buy, and keeping customers satisfied through follow-up service after the sale. To effectively deliver on these goals, salespeople have to be not only competent in
selling skills but also thoroughly trained in technical product characteristics. Very few businesses can survive on the profits generated from purely transactional marketing (one-time purchases). For this reason, personal selling has evolved to take on elements of customer service and marketing research. Every contact with a customer gives the sales force a change to deliver exceptional service and learn more about the customer’s needs. Salespeople also have the
opportunity to learn about competing products and the customer’s reaction toward them. The importance of building relationships during the sales process. The frontline knowledge held by the sales force is one of the most important assets of the firm. In fact, the knowledge held by the sales force is often an important strength that can be leveraged in developing a marketing strategy. The sales management process Developing Sales Force Objectives Recruiting and Training Salespeople Controlling and Evaluating the Sales Force The impact of technology on Personal Selling Sales Promotion Sales Promotion in Consumer Markets
Samples-Samples stimulate trial of a product, increase volume in the early stages of the product’s life cycle and encourage consumers to actively search for a product. Samples can be distributed through the mail, attached to other products, and given out personal selling efforts or in-store displays. Samples can also be distributed via less direct methods. Free samples might be placed in hotel rooms to
create consumer awareness of new products.
Sales Promotion in Business Markets
How is personal selling different from other types of promotion?Personal selling involves an interaction between the buyer and the seller, in which the product features and benefits are explained to the customer directly by the company representative. On the other hand, in sales promotion, a company provides incentives to customers in the short run to purchase a product.
Why personal selling is more effective than other methods of promotion?Personal selling is more effective than advertising when the customer base is small and widespread. Small because the sales force cannot reach every individual and widespread so that multiple salesmen can cover different areas and sell their products or services to people of that area.
How is personal selling different?It allows businesses to help prospects resolve challenges with the use of their product or service, rather than simply selling at them. Personal selling involves direct communication between a salesperson and potential customer and typically happens in person or over email, phone, or video.
Why is personal selling so powerful?Personal selling minimizes wasted effort, promotes sales, and boosts word-of-mouth marketing. Also, personal selling measures marketing return on investment (ROI) better than most tools, and it can give insight into customers' habits and their responses to a particular marketing campaign or product offer.
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