Assignment Brief
As part of the formal assessment for the HNC/D programme you are required to submit an assignment for each module. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.
After completing the module you should be able to:
1 Understand the role of personal selling within the overall marketing strategy
2 Be able to apply the principles of the selling process to a product or service
3 Understand the role and objectives of sales management
4 Be able to plan sales activity for a product or service.
Part A
As with any journey, it is best to plan where you are heading in advance of starting out. Certainly, the same can be said of assignment preparation. This element of the assessment carries no actual marks & is in this sense not mandatory, but it is highly recommended that you take the opportunity to complete the planning process in Part A to gain some useful feedback on your work prior to embarking on Part B.
Taking each heading of the assignment brief, you should start your research & make some brief notes/bullet points (or a mind-map/diagram if you prefer) under each heading as to what you intend to include & discuss. You might also refer to the recommended reading & explore, for example, the associated ebooks & highlight the sections that would relate to each task so you know where you will be making a start as regards academic reading. Once you have completed this assignment plan, please submit it me via email (sheaton@rdi.co.uk) & I will be happy to review your intended content & give you some feedback on possible areas for development & improvement. Ensure that you submit your plan in good time for a meaningful review & feedback – really no later than 4 weeks prior to the deadline but the earlier the better.
Part B
Please either conduct the assignment below based on your own organisation (or one of your choosing) or on the scenario below – please ensure that you use the recommended reading – particularly the listed eBooks in order to gain a sound understanding of the issues involved before responding to the tasks – this will ensure a better balance of theory to practice:
Scenario:
JLC Ltd are an expanding kitchen gadget seller moving from solely B2C sales via the web into selling into shops & as such are needing to form a sales force to work out in the field promoting the product to retailers on a daily basis. Prepare a sales briefing paper &
presentation on the following issues (give examples to illustrate your answer where possible):
PART ONE (Briefing Paper)
Task One (1.2)
Compare the differences between buyer behaviour in the B2B organisational market & the consumer market in terms of customer decision making units & decision making processes highlighting any key differences – give examples where possible. For example the retail shop will be buying in larger quantities, there will possibly be more people involved in the decision to purchase, etc.
Task Two (1.1)
Outline how the sales team can help support other elements of the marketing communications mix whilst out in the field such as assisting with any current advertising, sales promotion or PR campaigns. You may wish to refer to the AIDA model here.
Task Three (1.3/3.1)
Analyse the role of a field sales force, including an analysis of the sales team’s contribution to the overall marketing strategy & corporate objectives of the firm (you might include here for example the relevance of a research role out in the field, prospecting, closing sales, etc whilst relating this to some possible corporate objectives)
PART TWO (Presentation) (2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5)
Please prepare a PowerPoint presentation (suggested 5-7 slides) for the new sales representatives & the sales manager. The first part of the presentation should cover the principles & best practice of the selling process covering such issues as negotiating, handling & pre-empting objections, closing the sale & in particular the value of customer database management relationship marketing.
The second element of the presentation, primarily aimed at the new sales manager, should cover the methods of organising a sales force (territory design, call frequency, customer size, etc) referring to the appropriateness of any particular method.
PART THREE (Briefing Paper) (3.2, 3.3)
In terms of the importance of recruiting the right people to the sa
les team, highlight what you consider to be the key skills & attributes of an effective sales team member to be identified through the recruitment process & provide an evaluation of how that individual might be motivated to achieve target whilst working for the firm considering any appropriate theories & techniques including the extent to which money can motivate an individual.
PART FOUR (Briefing Paper) (4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
Task One
The firm wants to develop sales abroad beyond its current one-off sales via the web. Suggest a sales plan for the firm as it develops & wants to enter foreign markets. You will need to consider the use of agents abroad, the decision as to whether or not to
establish a sales team & any cultural issues the firm might face (see the work of Geert Hofstede for some ideas here – ilearn)
Task Two
Provide an evaluative appraisal of the value of exhibitions & trade fairs for the firm as part of its promotional strategy in moving operations into the international market. Are they useful? How? What are the issues for consideration? What are the limitations of trade fairs? Are they necessary in the digital age?
ScholarMatic: Explanation & Answer
Your ready answer from a verified tutor is just a click away for as little as $14.99
Click Order Now to get 100% Original Answer Customized to your instructions!
