Sales promotion

As a part our talk on Sales force management we have already talked on so many important factors of the sales force management like sales training, sales development, sales methods, sales types, sales organizations, sales reports etc…. today we are going to discuss one more important factor of sales force management and which is Sales Promotion. For any business sales promotion is the most crucial planning and organizing part of their sale policies.

Co-ordinating the activities of all departments so that maximum progress is made toward overall company objectives is top management’s responsibility. Department heads, in addition to implementing top management’s directives, harmonize their activities so that the tasks of all departments are accomplished effectively. Each understands the functions of other departments and, each is responsible for co-ordinating his/her department’s activities to contribute to company success. For example, a Blinds Company who sales vertical blinds and roman shades online. Marketing team get business online and the production team need to delivery order products within given time by marketing team. In that case co-ordination between two departs is most important.

Good sales organizations plays a very important role in maintaining above said relations and promote the sales. Although primary responsibility of top sales executives is to manage sales department. A telly caller for term insurance agency need to be in touch with his sales departments, so when they have seasonal promotional schemes it be offered to clients right away. Sales executives understand how other departments influence and are influenced by the sales department. These are dynamic relationships, so a change in one department often has repercussions in other. A special co-ordination is required between sales and marketing department, in the areas of advertising, marketing information, service, physical distribution etc.

Sales Organization

Definition of Sales Organization
The value-based orientation and set-up of sales channels and management structures is a central part of sales control. In the past, having an extensive agency network was a central success factor. In the future, the focus is more likely to be on networking of various sales channels (key word: multi-channel). This will mean numerous changes, for example in the supply of the necessary information, in the management of sales channels, and also in the creation of customer-friendly product bundles. Integrated reconciliation of sales activities and avoidance of channel conflicts will be of great importance.

Building the sales organization
The sales department in any organization occupies strategic position. Of all company personnel, those in the sales department are in the closest touch with final buyers and middlemen. Sales department personnel also work closely with such key publics as the industry, the government, the educational world and the press. How these representatives of the sales department conduct themselves with the public affects the company’s reputation. Good relations depend in larger measure upon the skill with which personnel selling programs are planned and executed, thus building an good sales organization plays a very important role in maintaining above said relations and promote the sales.

Sales Control

Sales co-ordination and sales controlling including sales expense control
Sales co-ordination goes hand in hand with sales control. The sales executives have the responsibility for co-ordinating the different elements of the selling efforts. He should ensure that the various elements do not pull in different direction.

It is through sales control that the sales executive ensures that all the personnel selling objectives of the firm are achieved. Sales control also helps him to ensure that the sales goals are properly aligned with the other goals of the firm. Even in online business sales control is very much important factor. Online blinds store who are selling roller shades and woven wood shades, for them sales control is very much important factor.

Methods of sales control:
Sales managers use both formal and informal control methods in exercising sales control. The more common one among the methods of sales control are as follows:

a) Sales targets and sales reports
b) Sales expenditure budget and expenditure reports
c) Travel plan and tour reports
d) Watching the salesman in the field
e) Information gathered from dealers and major customers.
f) Inspection of depots/warehouse
g) Sales conferences.

In our next post we will discuss on some important part of sales force management and which is Sales Organization and sales promotion.

Sales report

Today we are going to discuss on Sales Report and user of sales reports and types of sales reports. The fundamental purpose of sales reports is to provide control information. Good communications require interaction between those preparing and those receiving reports. A good sales reporting system provides both for communication from field to headquarters and from headquarter to the field. Field sales reports provide sales management with a basis for discussion with sales personnel and it helps to the sales personnel in their self-improvement programs.

Uses of sales reports:
a) Sales reports provide data for evaluating performance.
b) Helps to plan the activity to the salesman.
c) Helps to record the customers suggestions and complaints, about products, service policies, price changes advertising campaigns etc.
d) Helps to gather information on competitors activities.
e) Helps to report changes in local business and economic conditions.
f) To keep the mailing list updated for promotional and catalog materials.
g) To provide information required by marketing research.

Types of sales report:
a) Progress or call report
b) Expense report
c) Sales work plan
d) New business or potential new business report
e) Report of complaint and/or adjustments

Growth and Development

Ensuring growth and developing new accounts
Sales organization plays important role not selling to the existing customers and the same number of units all the time, it is very important to maintain growth in the quantity of sales through identifying new markets and the new customers. In term life insurance business, adding new clients, they can sell new policies and by that business can grow and get developed. So, for term life insurance company identifying new segment of markets and by that adding more and more new customers is always on priority list.

Sales communication and reporting
Sales management is carried out largely through communication-either it is oral or written or both. The communication in the sales department is two way process. The sales manager lets his men know what they are expected to achieve, how they are performing, how they can improve and perform better. He also keep them informed of what is happening in the company related to the, products, production, distribution, promotion and profitability. Insurance SFA software helps term life insurance agents to keep and maintain two way sales communication and sales reporting.

The salesman in turn keep the sales manager informed of what is happening in the market and how the sales and marketing programs of the firm are progressing. In the field’s sales situation, communication cannot be always face-to-face as in factory or in office situation. A Local installer for blinds and roller shades company play important role for two way sales communication. He let customer know about the company products and policies at the same time he update company about the feedback from the customer. Sales persons work independently and always from the office.