MBA Programmes
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MBA

The Master in Business Administration is an internationally recognised postgraduate degree, it is academic in nature, and is designed to introduce you to the many areas of business, such as Accounting, Operations, Marketing and Human Resources.

MBA programmes delivered by LSBF offer more than this, with a wide range of specialisations:

    * MBA & Finance and Investment Management
    * MBA & Project Management
    * MBA & Human Resources
    * MBA & Marketing Management
    * MBA & Islamic Banking and Finance
    * MBA & Accounting
    * MBA & Risk Management
    * MBA & Global Business

 

• Order Takers

  Seek repeat sales, make certain that customers have sufficient product quantities where and when they need it. Do not require extensive sales effort. Arrange displays, restocks them, answer phone calls. Low compensation, little training required. High turnover of personnel. 2 types:
  • Inside Order Takers receive orders by mail/phone, sales person in a retail store.
  • Field Order Takers travel to customers. Use laptop computers to improve tracking of inventory and orders etc.

• Order Getters

  Sell to new customers and increase sales to present customers, sometimes called creative selling.
  Generate customer leads, provide information, persuading customers and closing sales. Required for high priced, complex and/or new products. High pressure, requires expensive, time consuming training.

• Support Personnel

  Facilitate the selling function. Primarily business to business products.
  • Missionary Salespeople Distribute information regarding new goods or services, describes attributes and leaves materials, does not close sales. Assist producers' customers in selling to their own customers. IE call on retailers and persuade them to carry the product. Pharmaceuticals may go to doctors offices and persuade them to carry their products.
  • Trade Salespeople May perform order taking function as well. Spend much time helping customers, especially retail stores, to promote the product. Restock the shelves, set up displays. Technical Salespersons Offer technical assistance to current customers. Usually trained engineers etc.
  • Service Salespeople interacts with customers after sale is complete.
  Team selling...entire team of selling professionals in selling to and servicing major customers, especially when specialized knowledge is needed to satisfy different interests in customers' buying centers

Elements of the Personal Selling Process

No 2 salespersons use exactly the same sales method, but it is generally a seven step process:

1. Prospecting and Evaluating

   Seek names of prospects through sales records, referrals etc., also responses to advertisements. Need to evaluate if the person is able (Undergraduate degree to attend a graduate program), willing and authorized to buy. Blind prospecting-rely on phone directory etc.
   

2. Preapproach (Preparing)

   Review key decision makers esp. for business to business, but also family
   • assess credit histories
   • prepare sales presentations
   • identify product needs.
   Helps present the presentation to meet the prospects needs.

3. Approaching the Customer

   Manner in which the sales person contacts the potential customer. First impression of the sales person is Lasting and therefore important.
   Strive to develop a relationship rather than just push the product.
   Can be based on referrals, cold calling or repeat contact.
   

4. Making the Presentation

   Need to attract and hold the prospects Attention to stimulate Interest and stir up Desire in the product so the potential customer takes the appropriate Action. AIDA
   Try to get the prospect to touch, hold or try the product. Must be able to change the presentation to meet the prospect needs.
   Three types of presentations:
   • Stimulus Response Format: Appropriate stimulus will initiate a buy decision, use one appeal after another hoping to hit the right button...Counter Clerk @ McDonald's "Would you like fries with your burger?"
   • Formula Selling Format: (Canned Sales Presentation) memorized, repetitive, given to all customers interested in a specific product.
     Good for inexperienced sales people.
     Better with heavily advertised items that are presold.
     Telemarketing a credit card!!
   • Need Satisfaction Format: Based on the principal that each customer has a different set of needs/desires., therefore the sales presentation should be adapted to the individual customer's needs, this is a key advantage of personal selling vs. advertising.
     Sales person asks questions first, then makes the presentation accordingly.
     Need to do homework, listen well and allow customers to talk etc.
     Must answer two types of questions:
     • for more information
     • overcome objections.
   Overcoming ObjectionsSeek out objections and address them.
   Anticipate and counter them before the prospect can raise them.
   Try to avoid bringing up objections that the prospect would not have raised.
   Price objection is the most common
   Need to provide customers with reasons for the $s, build up the value before price is mentioned
   Must be convinced of price in own mind before you can sell to customer.
   Get budget info. on buyer before you try to sell, and must know what they want, must sell service on top of product augmented product--to create value!!
   Must know value of product, provide warranties etc.!!
   

5. Closing

   Ask prospect to buy product/products. Use trial closes, IE ask about financial terms, preferred method of delivery.
   20% sales people generally close 80% sales., Avon, over 1/2 US $1.4 bn business from 17% of 415,000 SRs.
   Need to be prepared to close at any time. The following are popular closing techniques:
   • Trial Close (Minor decision close)
   • Assumptive close (Implied consent close)
   • Urgency close
   • Ask for the sale close
   If prospect says no, they may just need more reasons to buy!!
   

6. Following Up

   Must follow up sale, determine if the order was delivered on time, installation OK etc. Also helps determine the prospects future needs. Accomplishes four objectives:
   • customer gain short term satisfaction
   • referrals are stimulated
   • in the long run, repurchase
   • prevent cognitive dissonance
   Old school, sell and leave!!--Quickly before customer changes her mind!!
   Now:
   • Stay a few minutes after sale--reinforce, make them feel good, made wise choice, leave small gift (with co. name on it!!), call office at any time etc!!
   • Follow up, reinforce, know birthdays, new year etc, friendly correspondence...relationship building!!

Management of Salesforce

Sales force is directly responsible for generating sales revenue.
Eight general management areas:

1. Establish Salesforce objectives

   Similar to other promotional objectives
   Demand oriented or image oriented.
   Major objective is persuasion, converting consumer interest into sales.
   Sales objectives; expected to accomplish within a certain period of time.
   Give direction and purpose and act as a standard for evaluation.
   Set for total salesforce and each individual salesperson.
   Can be $s, units sold, market share to achieve, for individual salespersons, also include ave. order size, ave. # of sales/time period, and ratio orders/calls.
   

2. Organizing the Salesforce

   • In-house vs. independent agents (manufacturer's sales agents).
   • Organize by:
     • Geography (simplest, but not suitable if product(s) are complex or customers require specialized knowledge)
     • Customer: Different buyers have different needs
     • Product: Specific knowledge re: products is needed
   • Size. Marginal analysis, or determine how many sales calls/year are needed for an organization to effectively serve its customers and divide this total by the average # of sales calls that a person makes annually. Also use subjective judgement.
     MBNA estimates how many calls to expect, one year in advance, and then determines the size of the salesforce at any given time.

3. Recruiting and Selecting Salespeople

   Need to establish a set of required qualifications before beginning to recruit. Prepare a job description that lists specific tasks the salesperson should perform and analyze traits of the successful salespeople within the organization.
   May use assessment centers--intense training environment that places candidates in realistic problem settings in which they give priorities to their activities, make and act on decisions.
   Recruitment should be a continual activity aimed at reaching the best applicants.
   Applicants that most match the demographics of the target market. Changing demographics, may be wise to hire hispanic sales people if your territory is in Florida!!
   

4. Training Sales Personnel

   Use formal programs, or Informal on-the-job training. Can be complex or simple.
   Training should focus on:
   • the company
   • products
   • selling techniques.
   Aimed at new hires and experienced personnel.
   Can be held in the field, educational institutions or company facilities.
   Oldsmobile spent $25 million last year to teach its dealers how to better treat its customers.
   

5. Compensating Sales People

   To attract, motivate and retain sales people, that facilitate and encourage good treatment of the customers. Need to understand personalities of sales people. Strive for proper balance of freedom, income and incentives.
   Need to determine the best level of compensation required, and the best method of calculating it.
   • Straight salary
   • straight commission (selling insurance)--single percentage of sales or sliding rate
   • Combination plan

6. Motivating Sales People

   Need a systematic approach, must also satisfy non-financial needs:
   • Job security
   • Working Conditions
   • Opportunities to succeed
   Sales contests increase sales.
   Symbolic awards--plaques, rings etc.
   Can also use negative motivational methods for under performers.
   Due to burn out--even the best need motivating!!
   Ongoing process...keep reps. hungry
   Need a motivational program.
   Spend time with reps, personal attention!!
   Take interest in them and the sales goals
   
   1. Compensation packet that rewards quality salesmanship and extra effort
   2. Recognition of extra effort of sales force
   3. Make sure SR feel important
   4. Keep SR informed of company activities
   5. Make certain reps. believe in the company
   6. Goals must be realistic and achievable and changeable
   7. Determine what they want and give it to them
   8. Controlling and Evaluating Salesforce performance
   Rely on information from call reports, customer feedback and invoices. Performance is determined by objectives. May compare with predetermined performance standards or with other sales people working under similar conditions.

Scope and Importance of Advertising

Advertisements are important for:

• standardized products
• products aimed at large markets
• products that have easily communicated features
• products low in price
• products sold through independent channel members and/or are new.

Broadcast Ad spending is at an all time high due to heavy competition in the:

• Computer industry
• Telecommunications Industry
• Auto Industry

Whenever severe competition between marketers, introducing new products etc. Even with evolution of direct marketing, and interactive media.

Nature of Advertising

Used by many types of organizations including Churches, Universities, Civic groups and charities, politicians!!
Need to consider the following issues:

• Does the product possess unique, important features to focus on Unique SellingPoint (USP)
• Are the hidden qualities important to the buyers
• Is the general demand trend for the product adequate
• Is the market potential for the product adequate
• Is the competitive environment favorable
• Is the organization able and willing to spend the required money to launch an advertising campaign.

Use of Advertising

CLASSIC DISTINCTIONS

• Promoting Products or Organizations

  Institutional Advertising promotes organizations, images, ideas or political issues. IE Beer company sponsors responsible drinking to promote the company image.
  PHILIP MORRIS ADVERTISINGProduct Advertising promotes goods and services.

• Stimulating Primary and Selective Demand

  First to introduce product needs to stimulate primary demand. Pioneer Advertising informs people about the product (introduction stage of the product life cycle). Do not emphasize the brand name.Can also be used to stimulate the demand for a product group, IE Beef council.
  For Selective demand, advertisers use Competitive advertising, brand uses, benefits not available with other brands. Can use comparative advertising, 1988 Trademark Law Revision Act, cannot misinterpret. American Express et al.
  

  Handout...When Visa and American Express...

  Deals with the competitive advertising between Visa and AmexAT&T True Rewards...using new kind of math/use former MCI customers
  MCI Friends and Family...hammer advantages of friends FF..."Put It In Writing"...
  Sprint 10 cents a minute

• Offsetting Competitors Advertising

  Defensive advertising, offset to lessen the effect of competitors advertising. Used in fastfood industry, extremely competitive consumer products markets.

• Making salespersons more effective

  Tries to presell product to buyers by informing them of uses, features and benefits- encourage them to contact dealers etc. Cars...bring to retail store.

• Increasing use of product

  Consumer can consume only so much of a product, this limits absolute demand. May need to convince the market to use the product in more than one way.

• Reminding and reinforcing customers

  Reminder, need to keep company/product name at the forefront of consumers' minds in the competitive marketplace. Reinforcement prevents cognitive dissonance.