Sales Knowledge: Customers,
Products, Technologies

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

Chapter

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Chapter

5


Main Topics
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The Tree of Business Life: Knowledge
Sources of Sales Knowledge


Main Topics
 Knowledge of Technology Enhances Sales and
Customer Service
 Sales: Internet and the World Wide Web
 Global Technology Provides Service
 Technology Etiquette

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Chapter

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The Tree of Business Life: Knowledge
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T T TT
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 Sales Training – effort put forth by employer to
provide the opportunity for the salesperson to receive
job-related attitudes, concepts, rules, and skills that
result in improved performance
 Education, Reading, and Word-of-mouth


Sources of Sales Knowledge
 Experience – the critical source
 Selling is a skill developed through experience


Knowledge Builds Relationships
Knowledge increases a salesperson’s confidence,
and,
Knowledge increases a buyer’s confidence in the
salesperson.
Thorough knowledge about your product is needed to
gain the buyer’s confidence.
More knowledge, more confidence mean more
relationships,
and…
More relationships mean more sales


Know Your Customers

 Find out all you can.




Understand the channel of distribution


The Channel of Distribution


Know Your Resellers
 Know as much about each channel
member as possible
 Likes & dislikes of each channel member’s
customers
 Product lines assortment each one carries
 When each member sees salespeople
 Their distribution, promotion, and pricing policies
 What and how much of a product each has
purchased in the past


Advertising Aids Salespeople

Advertising Aids Salespeople


Why Spend Money on Advertising?
 Main ingredient of a firm’s promotional effort
 Companies advertise because they hope to:
 Increase overall sales and sales of a specific product
 Give salespeople additional selling information for sales


Types of Advertising
National Advertising
 Reaches all users of the product across the
country
 Ford, GM, GE, IBM, Coca-Cola

 Retail Advertising
 Used by retailers to reach customers within a
geographic area
 Cost for national-brand advertising paid by retailer or
shared


Types of Advertising, cont.
Cooperative Advertising
 Conducted by retailer, paid by manufacturer
or shared

 Trade Advertising
 Undertaken by manufacturer directed toward
the wholesaler or retailer
 Trade publications


Types of Advertising, cont.
Industrial Advertising
 Aimed at individuals and organizations who
purchase products for use in manufacturing
other products