Deck 17: Using Social Media and Mobile Marketing to Connect With Consumers

Question 1

How does Xerox create customer value through its personal selling process( b ) How does Alison Capossela provide solutions for Xerox customers

Answer 1

Sales management involves planning the selling program along with the implementation and control of personal selling. Sales management ensures that the company is able to make the best use of marketing and obtaining solutions to customers' problems. Therefore, sales management is essential for the long term success of any company.
Company X was created to manufacture photographic paper and was later able to obtain the license for xerographic patents. In spite of being able to grow to tremendous heights, the company was still in debt and was losing business to a great extent. In order to prevent the downfall of the company, Person A was brought into the company as the CEO.
(a) The sales process at the company has been employing the concepts of personal selling to encourage new customers and retaining existing ones. The six-step process is listed below:
• Company X identifies potential clients through the response obtained from different means.
• The sales team understands the potential client and their needs and then prepares a presentation.
• The sales representative of the company approaches the prospective client and requests a meeting for presentation and demonstration.
• The actual presentation is coupled with solutions for potential problems faced by the client and the benefits offered by the company.
• The salesperson gets a confirmation of the sale with the client.
• The salesperson continues to meet and communicate with the client to provide assistance to the company along with periodic monitoring of the installed solution.
Thus, the company was able to create customer value through the process of personal selling.
(b) Person C, a sales representative at Company X, has played an important role in providing solutions for the customers of its company. Fifty percent of her time at work is spent with her customers while twenty-five percent is utilized to follow up with emails and phone calls. The rest of her time involves the preparation of new proposals. This has helped increase customer inflow to the company. Person C also plays a vital role in being the company's face as she manages about two-hundred-and-fifty accounts and is involved in managing issues related to billing, services, sales, etc.

Question 2

Does your marketing plan involve a personal selling activity If the answer is "no," read no further and do not include a personal selling element in your plan. If the answer is "yes":
Outline the presentation you would make to the prospect for your product or service.

Answer 2

Business: Box/ Carton Making
The salesperson must take a sample of the product along with him or her. The positive points of the products such as box's strength to carry heavy material compared to other company's box can be explained using pictures and handouts. The salesperson should carry a slide presentation. The presentation should emphasize the needs and interests of the prospective buyers. It is always helpful when tailored as per client's requirements.
This format of presentation, called need-satisfaction format, would help providing consumer solutions and solving problems. Moreover, better marketing and relationship building would also take place.

Question 3

Why is the Xerox training program so important to the company's success

Answer 3

Sales management involves planning the selling program along with the implementation and control of personal selling. Sales management ensures that the company is able to make the best use of marketing and obtaining solutions to customers' problems. Therefore, sales management is essential for the long term success of any company.
Company X was created to manufacture photographic paper and was later able to obtain the license for xerographic patents. In spite of being able to grow to tremendous heights, the company was still in debt and was losing business to a great extent. In order to prevent the downfall of the company, Person A was brought into the company as the CEO.
The company's success has also been influenced to a great extent by its training program. The company has helped sales representatives understand the new consultative selling approach by the launch of its create and win program. This program comprises interactive training sessions and distance-learning web seminars. Besides this, all new sales representatives receive about eight weeks of training in its university and in the field. The sales representatives of the company feel that the training program is phenomenally excellent as it has ensured that the representatives are knowledgeable and are able to manage customer relationships responsibly. The company also ensures that every senior executive works with at least one customer besides spending a full day each month responding to customer calls and inquiries.

Question 4

What is personal selling

Question 5

Suppose someone said to you, "The only real measure of a salesperson is the amount of sales produced." How might you respond

Question 6

Does your marketing plan involve a personal selling activity If the answer is "no," read no further and do not include a personal selling element in your plan. If the answer is "yes":
Develop a sales plan, focusing on the organizational structure you would use for your salesforce (geographic, product, or customer).

Question 7

What is involved in sales management

Question 8

What is the principal difference between an order taker and an order getter

Question 9

What percentage of an order-getting salesperson's time is spent selling

Question 10

What are the six stages in the personal selling process

Question 11

Jane Dawson is a new sales representative for the Charles Schwab brokerage firm.In searching for clients, Jane purchased a mailing list of subscribers to The Wall Street Journal and called them all regarding their interest in discount brokerage services. She asked if they have any stocks and if they have a regular broker. Those people without a regular broker were asked their investment needs. Two days later, Jane called back with investment advice and asked if they would like to open an account. Identify each of Jane Dawson's actions in terms of the personal selling process.

Question 12

Which presentation format is most consistent with the marketing concept Why

Question 13

Does your marketing plan involve a personal selling activity If the answer is "no," read no further and do not include a personal selling element in your plan. If the answer is "yes":
Identify the likely prospects for your product or service.

Question 14

What are the three types of selling objectives

Question 15

Why was Anne Mulcahy's experience as a sales representative an important part of Xerox's growth in recent years

Question 16

What three factors are used to structure sales organizations

Question 17

Does your marketing plan involve a personal selling activity If the answer is "no," read no further and do not include a personal selling element in your plan. If the answer is "yes":
Determine what information you should obtain about the prospect.

Question 18

How did the sales approach change after Mulcahy became the CEO of Xerox

Question 19

Does your marketing plan involve a personal selling activity If the answer is "no," read no further and do not include a personal selling element in your plan. If the answer is "yes":
Describe how you would approach the prospect.