Publisher Description

It is widely recognised that sales and marketing are the two business functions that contribute directly to the bottom line of any organisation. Marketing is more than a sequence of steps or a strategic process; it is also a mindset that leads to good business philosophy. The marketing mindset focuses wholeheartedly on customers and the satisfaction of customers' needs while aiming to influence the entire organisation to strive towards customer satisfaction. Sales, on the other hand, is that business function that ultimately closes the deal and brings the customer and the business together. Without sales, the customer would never achieve need satisfaction and the organisation would never meet its objectives. The ultimate goal of meeting the customer's needs brings these two seemingly different fields together. This book serves to provide a fundamental understanding of both sales and marketing by equipping the reader with theoretical knowledge and practical examples that are applicable to a South African context.

This invaluable resource helps you understand what it takes to be a great sales manager, allowing you to avoid many of the common first-time sales management mistakes, and be successful right out of the gate. Making the leap into sales management means meeting a whole new set of challenges. As a manager, you’re going to have to quickly develop the skills that allow you to build and supervise a sales team, communicate effectively, set goals, be a mentor, and much, much more. Now that you’ve been handed these unfamiliar responsibilities, you’re going to have to think on your feet -- or face the possibility of not living up to expectations. Dispensing with dry theory, Fundamentals of Sales Management for the Newly Appointed Sales Manager helps you understand your new role in the organization, and how to thrive simultaneously as both a member of the management team and as a team leader. You’ll learn how to: Make a smooth transition into management Build a superior, high-functioning sales team Set objectives and plan performance Delegate responsibilities Recruit new employees Improve productivity and effectiveness This book supplies you with indispensable, need-to-know information on communicating with your team, your bosses, your peers, and your customers; developing a sales plan and understanding the relationship between corporate, department, and individual plans; applying crucial time management skills to your new role; managing a sales territory; interviewing and hiring the right people; building a motivational environment; compensating your people; and understanding the difference between training, coaching, and counseling?and knowing how to excel at each.

Includes practical tips and business-examples gleaned from years of experience in sales with Colgate, Upjohn, and Ayerst and from the author's sales consulting business. This book focuses on improving communication skills and emphasizes that selling skills are a valuable asset.

Introduces the key terms, concepts and practices to provide a firm foundation for undergraduate students. It discusses contemporary technologies used in marketing alongside established practices to develop an understanding of the positive effects of marketing balanced with critical discussion about it's contribution to the wider aims of society.

Fundamentals of Business Marketing Research examines recent industrial/business research, evaluates its current effectiveness, and offers suggestions for future use. This unique book includes and is based on Business Marketing: A Twenty Year Review, a thorough study of industrial/business research from 1978-1997 with critical commenta