About this short course

There has been a shift in the focus of sales, from mass production and the selling of products to a new era and focus on customer satisfaction. This focus on the customer puts pressure on the salesforce to provide customers with the correct information at all times. Meaning that salespeople need exceptional knowledge about: Their organisation, the products they are selling, the customers they are serving, prices and discount policies, the industry knowledge, legal regulations, and competitors. To be successful as a salesperson, you need to display certain qualities. This course identifies these qualities which you can focus on to develop yourself as a salesperson.

There are 7 stages of the sales knowledge process. This process gives you clear guidelines of what comes first from determining what knowledge is all the way through to evaluation. Never has the saying “knowledge is power” been truer than in the context of the sales function. This course explores the many sources of information available, including internal sources, external sources, networking, formal training, on the job training or information sources and covers the following sources in detail: your customer, your organisation, your product and your competition. Also included, we look at the importance of knowing yourself using the 7 principles of self-knowledge. These principles are inwardly driven and aim to improve your career as a salesperson while helping customers effectively.

The last topic of this course is all about the marketing communication mix. Since sales and marketing are closely linked through the organisation’s objectives, it’s imperative that you know and understand the company’s communication process. Knowing how your role fits into the overall marketing communication mix will help you to add value to the organisation. The elements of the marketing communication mix that are covered in this topic include: advertising, direct Marketing, the internet, sales promotion, publicity, public relations, personal selling and sales discounts (a very popular way of tempting customers to purchase something). As part of the discounting topic we also explore a variety of different kinds of discounts that can be offered, including: Seasonal discounts, allowances, cash discounts, quantity discounts and functional discounts.

Also, in this course, we investigate the connection between sales, distribution channels and technology and end off, addressing issues that may impact your success such as the economy and industry trends as well as the learning habits you will need to cultivate. It is vital to be aware of what is happening in your industry and the economy at large.

You will learn about:

• Salesperson qualities and knowledge process
• Sources of information:
  • Know your organisation
  • Know your customer
  • Know your product
  • Know your communications mix
  • Know your price and discounts
  • Know your competitors
  • Know your distribution channels
  • Know your economy and industry
  • Know your technology
  • Know yourself
  • Remember what you know