Course Instructor: Leo Leung Tel:

Transcription

1 LINGNAN UNIVERSITY Department of Marketing and International Business MKT3311 Selling and Sales Management Course Description and Schedule Second Term, Course Instructor: Leo Leung Tel: Office: SEK101/5 Credit Hours: Three hours per week, one term Brief Course Description and Course Objectives: The objectives of this course are to acquaint students with the knowledge and skills for a career in personal selling. The selling process today is characterized by how well a salesperson can manage the buyer-seller relationship. Students are expected to integrate their liberal arts experience with business education, and develop their own perspectives and skills for solving problems facing a professional salesperson. Students will understand the principles, concepts and issues underlying personal selling and sales management. Lectures, role play exercises and case studies will be used to reinforce the text. Classes are mainly interactive seminars with presentations, discussions, debates, role-plays, experiential exercises, and group works. Students are expected to apply what they have learnt in the class to handle the assignments, to make use of many resources available in the community and to share their experiential learning with other classmates. Textbook: Johnston, Mark W and Greg W Marshall (2013), Contemporary Selling: Building Relationships, Creating Value, 4 th Edition, Routledge. References: Johnston, Mark W and Greg W Marshall (2013), Sales Force Management: Leadership, Innovation, Technology, 11 th Edition, Routledge. Ingram, Thomas N., Raymond W. LaForge, Ramon A. Avila, Charles H. Schewpker, Jr. and Michael R. Williams (2012), SELL, 2011 edition, South-Western, Cengage Learning. Futrell, Charles (2011), Fundamentals of Selling: Customers for Life through Service, 12 th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Jobber, David and Geoff Lancaster (2012), Selling and Sales Management, 9 th Pearson Education. edition, Spiro, Rosann, Gregory A Rich and William J Stanton (2008), Management of Sales Force, 12th Edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

2 Learning Outcomes On completion of this course, students are expected to: ; 1. Understand the concepts, principles and issues involved in personal selling process and in managing a team of sales force (LO1); 2. Identify the set of ethical problems and issues in personal selling and sales management (LO2); 3. Prepare and make a sales presentation in a professional manner (LO3); 4. Acquire the skills and techniques in analyzing problems in real life settings (LO4); and 5. Develop the communication and critical thinking skills needed to address managerial problems in the field of professional selling (LO5). Measurement of Learning Outcomes: 1. Class/Take-Home Assignments (LO1, LO2 and LO4) A number of assignments are selected to facilitate class discussions. Particular attention is given to the ethical dilemmas that may be encountered by salespeople in their daily works. These assignments serve to illustrate the importance of ethical behaviors in the practice of personal selling and sales management, and the difficulty to achieve a balance among customer, self- and company interests. Another focus of this course is on negotiation. Additional assignments on negotiation preparation will be provided for students to handle. 2. Role Play Assignment (LO1 and LO3) Role play has been used as an effective learning tool in training sales reps for many years. The students in the class will form six/seven teams and each team will study a given scenario. The scenario introduces the background of a company and some market/product information. The students are required to identify the relevant information for the issues or problems given in the scenario, prepare a plan for a sales call presentation, rehearse the role play and, taking the role as a seller, each team will make a sales call presentation to the course instructor who takes up the role as a buyer, according to the schedule shown on p. 4. This is a face-to-face presentation, which is different from the students typical classroom presentation. Details of the role play assignment will be given in the class. A copy of the rubric for evaluating the role play preparation and presentation is showed in Appendix Case Studies (LO1, LO4 and LO5) A number of cases for class discussions are selected as examples with decision situations that a salesperson or sales manager may encounter in their daily activities. Case study as a teaching tool provides a chance to apply what the students have learnt in the class. Emphasis is also placed on the ethical issues that salespeople may encounter throughout the selling process. To further train students analytical ability, critical thinking and presentation skills, each student team is required to study an assigned case, analyse the situation in the case, make recommendations and present their views to the classmates. Students only need to submit a copy of their PP materials to the instructor before their presentation. The assessment rubric for the case presentation is shown in Appendix

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4 4. Examination (LO1 and LO4) A two-hour examination will be given at the end of the semester and will test the students ability to apply the knowledge and skills learnt in the class. The exam may consist of case studies and essay questions that cover all materials discussed during this semester. Assessment Weights: Take-Home Assignments 30% Role Play Assignment 20 % Case Study 10 % Examination 40 % 100 % To evaluate individual contribution to group assignments, each student is asked to fill in a team evaluation form (as shown in Appendix 3) at the end of the term. Note: Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations

5 Course Schedule for MKT3311 Selling and Sales Management Week Topic Textbook Reading 1 Orientation Video: Hormel Food A Day in The Life of a B2B Foodservice Salesperson Video: Professional Selling Serving Johnson & Johnson Customers 2 Introduction to Relationship Selling Video: Xerox Building Customer Relationships through Personal Selling Handouts Ch. 1, 2, 5 3 Value Creation in Buyer-Seller Relationships Video: Eaton Video: Reebok Relationship Selling and Customer Value Mini Case Best Value Computers (class discussion) Ch. 3 4 Chinese New Year Holidays (No Class) - 5 Ethical and Legal Issues in Relationship Selling Video: Ethical Issues in Personal Selling Mini Case Health Sense Pharmaceuticals (class discussion) Take-Home Assignment 1 6 Prospecting and Sales Call Planning Videos: Examples in Making Sales Calls Preparation for Role-play Assignment Video: Maxwell House Coffee Mini Case Strong Point Financial Services 7 Communicating the Sale Message and Negotiating for Win-Win Solutions Mini Case Bright Colors Paints (class discussion) Mini Case Mid-Town Office Products (class discussion) Take-Home Assignment 2 8 Closing the Sale and Follow Up Video: Personal Selling Helping Customers Solve Problems Mini Case St. Paul Copy Machines (class discussion) 9 Salesperson Performance: Behavior, Motivation and Role Perceptions Mini Case Ace Chemicals (class discussion) 10 Recruiting and Selecting Sales People Case Presentation 1: The Valley Winery 11 Training Salespeople for Sales Success Case Presentation 2 Effective Law Office Solutions, Inc. Due: Role-play Script Ch. 4 Ch. 6 Ch. 7-8 Ch. 9 Ch. 11 Ch. 12 Ch Role-play Presentations - 13 Sales Compensation and Incentives Case Presentation 3 On-Time Package Delivery 14 Evaluating Salesperson Performance Case Presentation 4 - Hanover-Bates Chemical Corporation Feedback on Role-play Assignment and Case Presentation Ch. 13 Ch

6 Section Group Appendix 1 Assessment Rubric for Role Play Exercise Role Play Scenario Assessment Criteria Weight Very Good (4-5 marks) Role-Play Plan Preparation 20% Able to show good preparatory works before making the sales call (e.g. competitor analysis, demand analysis, marketing supports etc.) Good introduction and rapport building Appropriate use of sales approach, need identification and FAB Able to anticipate customer objections Appropriate closing Role-Play Presentation Skills 20% Clear and loud voices, smooth flow and rhythm Speak professionally Good use of visual aids Active listening Appropriate probing and questioning techniques The Values and Benefits Analysis and the Value Proposition presented 20% Able to analyze and show what values and benefits are offered Able to develop a value proposition to summarize the major benefits offered The Use of Trial Closes 10% Appropriate use of trial closes at various stages of the selling process when buying signals are shown The Handling of Objections 20% Able to make use of the case information to address the customer concerns Able to respond promptly the objections raised The Closing Approach 10% Appropriate use of closing approach when strong buying signal appears Average (2-3 marks) Some important preparatory works are missing Have introduction, but no rapport building Appropriate sales approach and use of FAB Some objections are not anticipated Appropriate closing Weak voices, unable to tune the flow and rhythm Some use of visual aids Some use of probing and questioning Able to show what values and benefits are offered, but without much evidence to support Unable to develop a value proposition Some use of trial closes when buying signals appear Able to address some of the customer concerns Sometimes, unable to respond quickly to the objections raised Only follow the script and not seize the closing opportunity when strong buying signal Underperforming (0-1 marks) Poor preparatory works Poor introduction and no rapport building Few uses of FAB Many important customer concerns are missing Inappropriate closing Weak voices, no control of the flow and rhythm Poor use of visual aids Little probing and questioning Unable to show what values and benefits are offered Unable to develop a value proposition Few use of trial closes Unable to address most of the customer concerns Unable to respond quickly to the objections raised Tend to drag on even when the customer does not buy appears Total Marks 100% Total Marks = (Marks obtained for each criterion) x (weight for each criterion) - 6 -

7 Assessment Criteria Appendix 2 Assessment Rubric for Case Presentation Weight Very Good (4-5 marks) Average (2-3 marks) Underperforming (0-1 marks) Ability to analyze and present appropriate case information Ability to identify the problem at issue 20% Able to identify and analyze case information Able to draw conclusions from the analysis 10% Able to identify the problem or key issues involved in the case Able to identify and analyze the case information, but unable to draw relevant conclusions Only partly able to identify the problem or key issues Unable to identify relevant case information and unable to draw relevant conclusions Unable to identify the problem or key issues Ability to develop and present one s own perspective or position Ability to apply the concepts learnt in class Effectiveness of presentation skills 20% Able to make recommendations relevant to the problem or issues identified Able to handle the questions or queries raised 10% Able to apply relevant concepts learnt in the course to analyze the case 40% Fluent and logical sequence without reading the script Clarity of explanation Good eye contact Speak clearly and loudly for the audience to hear Use appropriate language Good visual aids Good coordination among team members Finish on time Weak connection between the problem/issue and recommendations Not fully respond to the questions or queries raised Can only partly apply the concepts Presentation flow not smooth and logical for some members Unclear explanations Some members have no eye contacts Weak voice for some members Not speaking in a professional way Fair use of visual aids Weak coordination among members Finish on time at rush in the last part of the presentation Unable to make relevant recommendations Not handling the questions or queries well Unable to apply the concepts learnt Overall flow is not smooth and logical Most members have weak voices Unclear explanations Inappropriate use of language Little use of visual aid No coordination among members Unable to finish on time Total 100% Total Marks = (Marks obtained for each criterion) x (weight for each criterion) - 7 -

8 Appendix 3 Team Evaluation Form Student s Name: Assume that you have $100 to divide among the members of your team (including yourself) based on each member s overall contribution to the case study and the role play presentation. The team member whose contribution was the greatest should receive the largest share of the $100. The member whose overall contribution was smallest would receive the smallest amount. In the space below, please write the names of your team members -including yourself- and the dollars you feel they deserve: Name Case Presentation Role-play Exercise TOTAL $100 $100 Now, use the following space to write a few sentences explaining the major strengths of the strongest member of your team and the major weaknesses of the weakest member of your team (excluding yourself): Strongest member s name: Comments: Weakest member s name: Comments: - 8 -