Effect of Personal Selling on Sales Growth in Port Harcourt
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the effect of personal selling and marketing growth in the marketing of industrial product
- To ascertain the problem of salesman in personal selling activities
- To ascertain the benefit of personal selling
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
PERSONAL SELLING
The act of personal has shown a very drastic growth in the modern business activities owing to complex business environment relating to competition civilization and other development. Selling style and sales performance is a unique promotional tool not only because it has the onerous task of ultimately converting the outputs of the organization to catch, but also because it is the only major tool that communicates persuasively using inter- personal relationship. (Awa 2000, 196) Selling style and sales performance involved trained sales staff calling on target customer to make presentation and of course promotion aimed at building favourable attitude towards a product or services. The selling style and sales performance activities of the industrial firms required a technical trained staff that can tailor their attitudes and behaviour to suit and satisfy the demand of the target audience and also train staff that examine the personal policies the methods and organization of his competitors (Festus E. Okorie, 2004:53) Most often manufacturing firm is bulky and cannot be moved easily by the sales staff. Therefore the use of other techniques to present the manufacturing firm to the prospective buyer is necessary, catalogues can be used to solve the problem, but whatever may be the case, selling style and sales performance in the industrial sector, for industrial capital goods is not easy task. This may be the reason why some firms has it as their least choices in their choice of promotional tool.
The Personal Selling Strategies
Strategy in this context is a collection of processes that firms utilize before selling their goods and/or services. The aim of a good strategy in selling is that one can meet a proper person at the proper time and location using the best technique in order to influence that person. According to Shannahan,et al (2013),the recognition of customers as the starting point of all marketing activities and the driving force of the exchange process is evidence that marketing has become increasingly customer-centric. Sales organizations are beginning to replace attempts to influence customers with concern overhow to better respond to customers‟ demands and behaviors. The result is co-creation marketing involving marketers and customers interacting in product or service design, production, and consumption thus relying on collaboration, cooperation, and communication. One aspect of marketing for which collaboration, cooperation, and communication are particularly salient is personal selling in a relational selling context, as customers and salespeople work together toward mutually beneficial ends (Moncrief& Marshall, 2005). Managers and researchers are interested in how to develop more effective selling strategies for increased sales performance which can contribute to the creation of strong and long-lasting positive relationships with customers. Customers have more information, demand increased levels of customer service and have higher expectations. Producing the best available product or service is not enough; it has to be sold. If companies are to survive, they must pay great attention to the training of their sales force and their selling strategies. During the past decade, both academics and practitioners have devoted increasing attention to the selling strategies approach in managing customer relationships (Morgan & Hunt, 1994). A competitive advantage exists for companies that are engaged in successful long-term buyer-seller relationships.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to Effect of personal selling on sales growth in Port Harcourt
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items; things the researcher is interested in getting information on Effect of personal selling on sales growth in Port Harcourt. 200 staff of coca-cola company in pH was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was Effect of personal selling on sales growth in Port Harcourt. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of personal selling on sales growth in Port Harcourt
Summary
This study was on Effect of personal selling on sales growth in Port Harcourt. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the effect of personal selling and marketing growth in the marketing of industrial product, to ascertain the problem of sales man in personal selling activities, to ascertain the benefit of personal selling. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of coca-cola company in portharcourt state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made production managers, marketers, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Selling style and sales performance has been tested and proved to be impact but very costly for a firm to adopt. Not notwithstanding it still serves as the best option for manufacturing firm marketing. There is an inseparable relationship between impact selling style and sales performance of sales force and increase in sales volume of manufacturing firm. It helps to achieve the company marketing goals and brings about goods customer services. Industrialist has not really seen the importance of selling style and sales performance due to the high cost involved, through its benefits still justifies the cost. Selling style and sales performance is the resort to increase sales volume
Recommendation
They should first of all: – Carry out feasibility study on the cost and benefit analysis of the exercise. Organize work shop for salesmen on the need to actualize their benefit and objectives of the organization. Should educate their target by way of either exhibition and through the medium of personals selling on the benefit of using and patronizing them
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