Personal Sales

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Personal Sales

Personal sales are the deliverance of a specially designed message to a prospect consumer by a seller; usually it comes in different forms such as face-to-face communication, personal letters, or a personal telephone conversation. Unlike advertising, a personal sales message can be more specifically targeted to individual prospects and easily altered if the desired behavior does not occur. However Personal selling is far more expensive than advertising and is generally used only when its high costs can be necessary. For example, the marketing of a complicated computer system may require the use of personal selling, while the introduction of a new product to millions of consumers would not. Ideally, personal selling should be supported by advertising to support its impact.

Personal selling is one part of companies promotion mix, beside the advertising, sales promotion, and public relations, Where advertising is whichever form of paid sales presentation that is not done face-to-face. Such as Television and Radio commercials, magazine and newspaper advertisements.

When to use personal sales:

In general, if a product has a high-end component value and requires a manifestation of its benefits, it would be appropriate for personal sales. For example, an encyclopedia is a high-priced item where most people feel that they don’t need it especially now with access of internet. After a demonstration, however, most people agreed it would be a useful item to have. Therefore, encyclopedias are well suited to a promotion mix that requires personal selling. Highly technical products, such as computers and copiers, are also mainly sold through personal sales methods. Products that involve a trade-in, like automobiles, and real estate would be usually handled through personal selling to help ease the process. Finally if a company cannot afford a mass-advertising campaign might think about personal selling as an alternative to advertising.

Types of Sales Positions:

I thought it would be good to include the position so you can visualize some of the types of personal sales:

• Driver-salesperson: simply delivers the product and has little selling responsibilities.

• An inside order taker: such as a sales clerk in a retail store or a telephone representative, it requires some selling skills.

• An outside order taker goes to the customer's place of business to take orders. Some selling skills are required mainly to establish new accounts.

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