Sales Management and Personal Selling

Marketing 4930

Fall Semester, 2007

Instructor: Dr. Alan Hamlin

Office: BU 316

Phone: 586-5417

e-mail: hamlin@suu.edu

Text: Management of a Sales Force, Spiro, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2008.

A) Course Learning Objectives:

1) Understand the personal selling process, the dynamic nature of strategic sales management and the resultant effects on an organization and its customers.

2) Understand the basic framework of different sales organization types, as well as diverse staffing and sales training strategies.

3) Understand the role of leadership in motivating a sales force.

4) Analyze and understand the pros and cons of various sales compensation and expense systems.

5) Understand the fundamental role of sales planning including forecasting, budgeting and sales territory management.

6) Comprehend how to evaluate individual and organization sales performance including the analysis of sales volume, cost and profitability.

B) Course Overview:

Effective sales management is integral to a firm’s success and has both art and science at its core. In fact, in the final analysis, sales is the CORE of the final purchase decisions made by customers resulting in business revenues and profits. Without successful sales programs, there will be no business. Unlike accounting, “correct” answers are often difficult to come by in many sales scenarios. Indeed, there can be several correct answers to sales problems. The challenge, then, is to find the “best” correct answer.

As a result of new economic, technical and competitive dynamics, companies are being forced to become more market-oriented and customer-driven. Personal sales is the single most expensive component of the Marketing Mix and has the most direct impact on purchase decisions made by the customer. The role of the sales force is expanding greatly with sales people assuming new and greater responsibility to build and manage customer relationships.

The rapidly changing technological and global marketing environment presents sales managers and sales representatives with new opportunities and challenges that require “out of the box” thinking and decisions. With this in mind, we will explore many of the issues organizations face in trying to serve customers, beginning with a discussion of general principles and then addressing more specific strategies and tactics as the semester progresses. The Management of a Sales Force text will provide much of the framework for the course.

C) The Text:

The textbook is a critical part of the course. Study it thoroughly and don’t hesitate to underline and/or highlighting important concepts. Much of the class discussions and most of the exam questions will be based on text material. It is imperative that you study the assigned chapters before class discussions. This will help you assimilate more of the subject matter and be better prepared to participate in the facilitated discussion, including asking questions about concepts where you want more explanation.

D) Socratic Facilitation:

The instructor employs the Socratic Method in teaching this class. Rather than simply the traditional lecture, I will be asking questions to encourage your participation and to facilitate a deeper understanding of the course material. Rather, we will build the discussion on answers given. Also, there will be several guest speakers invited to address the class. These guests will be persons who have significant experience in personal selling and sales management, and who will bring real-world issues to the class.

E) Group Report:

Each student will be assigned to a group, to present a case before the class. The case will be at the end of one of the chapters in the book. Each case will consist of a 20 minute presentation, followed by a 5 minute Q&A. The intent is for the students to amplify on the chapter content by reviewing and dissecting the case, using handouts, PowerPoint, and/or other creative and entertaining delivery vehicles. Thoroughness, objectivity and articulation will be the basis for the grade given.

F) Term Papers:

Each student will write a term paper on a topic of his/her choice within the area of Sales Management. These are to be original essays based on a contemporary and controversial issue (e.g. The Impact of the Internet on Sales Management, How Technology is Affecting After-Sale Customer Service, etc.). Choose a topic which you are interested in and which will motivate you to spend a considerable amount of time in research and writing. The papers should present BOTH sides of the issue, analyze the costs and benefits of each alternative solution, and the conclusion must have your personal opinion as to what the best solution is, and why.

This is basically a research paper, but must contain your own opinions based on your readings and experiences. Make the paper at least 10 pages long, typed, plus bibliography and title page. The report is worth 200 points toward your final grade.

G) Exams:

Exams will typically be a combination of multiple choice and true/false questions. Please purchase regular-sized SCANTRONS for these. The final exam will be comprehensive, covering the entire course, whereas the other 4 exams will focus on the indicated chapters, supplemented by class discussions and guest lecturer material. This means good note-taking in class is advisable.

The exams will require you to think beyond a cursory knowledge of concepts and principles by showing an ability to synthesize and apply these in a dynamic holistic sales environment. Make-up exams will be allowed only if I judge the need to be truly legitimate and if arrangements are made in advance of the regularly scheduled exam.

Calendar:

Aug. 27 Introduction

29 Chapter 1- The Field of Sales Force Management

Sep. 31

Sep. 3 Labor Day Recess

5 Chapter 2- Strategic Sales Force Management

7 Guest speaker

Sep. 10 Chapter 3- Personal Selling

12

14 Chapter 4- Sales Force Organization

Sep. 17

19 Exam #1

21 Chapter 5- Recruiting Salespeople

Sep 24

26 Group 1 (Smith & Nephew)

28 Chapter 6- Selecting and Hiring Salespeople

Oct. 1

3 Chapter 7- Sales Training Programs

5 Group 2 (A. T. Kearney)

Oct. 8 Chapter 8- Motivating the Sales Force

10 No class- Mt. Plains Management Conference

12 No class- Mt. Plains Management Conference

Oct 15 Exam #2

17 Chapter 9- Sales Force Compensation

19

Oct. 22 Harvest Holiday

24 Group 3- Infosystems Technologies

26 Chapter 10- Sales Force Quotas and Expenses

Oct. 29

31 Chapter 11- Leadership of a Sales Force

Nov 2 Group 4- Johnson Drug Company

Nov. 5 Chapter 12- Forecasting Sales and Developing Budgets

7

9 Exam #3

Nov. 12 Chapter 13- Sales Territories

14 Group 5- Hanover Bates Chemical

16 Chapter 14- Analysis of Sales Volume

Nov. 19

21-23 Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov. 26 Chapter 15- Marketing Cost and Profitability Analysis

28 Group 6- Chemgrow, Inc.

30 Chapter 16- Evaluating Sales Performance

Dec. 3 Exam #4

5 Chapter 17- Ethics

7 Term Papers Due/Discuss

Dec. 11-14 Final Exams

Grading Criteria:

Term Paper= 200 points

Midterms 1-4= 400 points

Final Exam= 200 points

Group Project= 100 points

Participation= 50 points

Total points possible= 950 points

Other:

ADA Compliance

The University provides accommodations for students and faculty in compliance with ADA.  Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Southern Utah University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022. SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

Academic Honesty:

Academic honesty is highly valued at SUU. You must always submit work that represents your original words or ideas. If any words or ideas used in a class posting or assignment submission do not represent your original words or ideas, you must cite all relevant sources and make clear the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require citation include, but are not limited to, all hard copy or electronic publications, whether copyrighted or not, and all verbal or visual communication when the content of such communication clearly originates from an identifiable source. Please see the SUU Student Handbook for more information about academic honesty, including consequences of academic dishonesty.

Student Fees:

All School of Business undergraduate classes have an $11 student fee, and all graduate classes have a $22 fee. These funds go toward funding mediated classes, computer labs, purchased cases, field trips and other student-related costs.