Nature, objectives and functions of Personal selling
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Personal selling involves direct communication between a salesperson and a prospective customer, either face-to-face or over the phone, with the goal of persuading the customer to purchase a product. It is a flexible promotional tool that allows for two-way communication and relationship building. Some key objectives of personal selling include presenting products to customers, answering questions, building customer confidence in the company and its products, and improving the company's image and goodwill. However, personal selling also faces limitations such as a lack of skilled salespeople, dishonest practices, and the difficult and stressful nature of the job.
Nature, objectives and functions of Personal selling
- 1. INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL SELLING
- 2. PERSONAL SELLING • Personal selling is a means of implementing marketing programs. • It is concerned with 'persuasive communication'. • A salesperson in personal selling tries to persuade the prospect so that he can take a decision to buy a product. • It is a major factor in creating sales volume. • It is a direct presentation of a product to a prospective customer by a salesman. • It takes place face to face or over the telephone. • It may be directed to a middleman or a final consumer. Personal selling is a tool for building up buyer’s preference, conviction and action.
- 4. DEFINITION • According to William Stanton and Walker, "Personal selling is the personal communication of information to persuade somebody to buy something." • According to Mahoney and Slone, "Personal selling is the personal communication between a salesperson and a potential customer or group of customers."
- 5. NATURE/OBJECTIVE/FUNCTIONS OF PERSONAL SELLING (Although Nature, objectives, functions are different things, these points can be explained with regard to all three. Students are required to use their intelligence in order to explain the points) 1. It is a Part of promotion mix: personal selling is part of promotion mix, or the communication mix in the company’s marketing program. Other elements being sales promotion, advertising, public relations etc. 2. It is a Two-Way Communication: It is the best tool for two-way communication. Salesman can provide necessary information to customer about company’s offer, and also can collect information from customer. 3. It involves presentation and Persuasion: The salesman, through his knowledge tries to present his product to the prospective buyer and tries to persuade the prospective buyer with the help of various skills and techniques.
- 6. 4. It is a Flexible tool: Personal selling is more flexible than other promotional tools. Salespersons ca see their customer’s reaction to a particular sales approach and make adjustment according to the situation. 5. It’s a creative tool: personal selling is creative in nature. The salesperson tries to create needs. Make the customer aware of hose needs and try to persuade him to buy the product. The salesman does not sell but he creates in the other man the urge to buy. 6. Development of long-term Relationship: Personal selling results in the development of personal relationship between the sales person and the possible buyer. Such a relationship has an important place in sales. 7. Receipt of Additional Information: Normally, before introducing its product, a company is aware of the preferences of the probable buyers. Nevertheless, during the course of personal selling, when the sales person is in direct contact with the buyers he/she gathers additional information regarding their tastes and likings.
- 7. 8. Quick solution of Queries: The prospective buyer can make inquiries regarding the product. Salesman answers these queries quickly and removes any doubts in the mind of the buyer. 9. Customer Confidence: By systematic sales talk and presentation, a capable salesman can remove all doubts, quarries, objections and misunderstandings, and can win customer’s confidence. It increases customers’ faith in company and its offers. 10. Improves company’s goodwill/ Image: Note that salesmanship can remove bad image or misunderstanding by highlighting company’s achievements and offers. The detailed explanation about company and its products removes all doubts and misunderstandings. It helps in restoring company image and reputation in market. 11. Service Element: Personal selling is not getting rid of a thing or cheating the customers for short term goal. Rather it is necessarily an act of assisting the customers to buy wisely. Today, it has become a symbol for honesty and dependability. A product is tangible component when attached to intangible component of service adds value and helps in personal selling
- 8. LIMITATIONS OF PERSONAL SELLING 1. Lack of knowledgeable and skilled salesman: Salesman having the necessary training and aptitude are rare. Salesman who have adequate knowledge and necessary skill are found wanting in many concerns at the counter and elsewhere, they are unable to do full justice to their work. 2. Bad employers: Many employers engaging the services of salesmen are unscrupulous. They violate or circumvent laws and try to exploit their salesmen. As good work is not appreciated and payment is very less, many intelligent and enterprising salesmen feel discouraged and disgusted. They lose interest to work honestly and efficiently
- 9. 3. Little respect: Salesmanship as a profession commands little respect in many countries including India. Moreover, salesmen are not recruited either on the basis of examination results or according to any strict rule. As an entry into the profession is easy, many incompetent people become salesman only to bring discredit to it. 4. Practices of fraud: The practices of fraud and dishonesty is another drawback of salesmanship. Malpractices of various types and misrepresentation do great harm to the cause of salesmanship. 5. Difficult job: Salesmanship is not an easy job for those, who are introverts not desirous or mixing freely with others. Salesmanship requires frequent travelling and this may prove to be harmful to the health of the salesman besides being inconvenient to him and his family. Rude and rough behavior of customers or retailers, and step motherly treatment given by the employers are likely to make salesmanship a thankless, disgusting and miserable task.