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MK284
BUSINESS SCHOOL
MOULSECOOMB MODULAR SCHEME
TITLE:
Sales Planning and Operations
LEVEL:
2
CREDIT RATING:
10
SUBJECT AREA:
MODULE TYPE:
Single
SEMESTER OFFERED: 2
Marketing
COURSE (S) FOR WHICH MODULE IS ACCEPTABLE AND STATUS IN COURSE:
Foundation Degree in Business with Marketing (Specialist Elective)
Foundation Degree in Business with Finance/Personnel (elective)
Foundation Degree in Business (elective)
PRE-REQUISITES:
MK182 Marketing
AIMS:
 The aim of this module is to develop a critical awareness of sales planning and
operations. The module will evaluate the sales process in both domestic and international
contexts and the various situations in which sales techniques are applied. It will consider
the role of sales management in achieving sales, marketing and corporate objectives and
enhancing the output of the sales function. This module is designed to provide the basis
for career choices in this field as well as for further study for professional qualifications.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
On completion of this module the students should be able to:
Subject specific:
 Explain the role and objectives of field selling
 Assess the role of the sales manager in enhancing sales performance
 Evaluate techniques for controlling sales output
 Explain the implications of operating in different sales environments.
Cognitive:
 Experience of a range of communication and presentational strategies through oraldiscussion, brainstorming, Q and A, role play and presentations.
 Experience of working in a team through case study questions in small groups to develop
application, analysis and evaluation of key ideas, concepts and techniques.
 Demonstrate the ability to work independently within a structured context by set weekly
application of key ideas, concepts and techniques usually in the form of case study,
guided reading and use of research.
CONTENT:
1. Field selling
Promotion mix: personal and impersonal communication, objectives of promotion activity,
push-pull strategies, integrating sales with other promotional activities, evaluating
promotion, allocation of promotion budget
Understanding buyer behaviour: consumer and organisational purchase decision-making
processes, personal, psychological and social influences on consumer purchase behaviour,
environmental, organisational, interpersonal and individual influences on organisational
buyer behaviour, purchase occasion, buying interests and motives, buyer moods, level of
involvement, importance and structure of the DMU, finding the decision-taker, distinction
between customers and users.
Role of sales force: characteristics for personal selling, product and competitor knowledge,
sales force responsibilities, information gathering, prospecting, stock allocation, sales
reports and records, liaison with sales office, sales force communications and the role of
IT in improving communications
Sales process: preparation and objective setting, opening remarks, techniques and personal
presentation, need identification and stimulation, presentation, demonstration and use of
visual aids, handling and pre-empting objections, techniques and proposals for negotiation,
buying signals and closing techniques, post sale follow-up
2. Sales management
Sales strategy: setting sales objectives, relationship of sales, marketing and corporate
objectives, importance of selling in the marketing plan, sources, collection and use of
marketing information for planning and decision-making, role of sales forecasts in
planning, quantitative and qualitative sales forecasting techniques, strategies for selling
Recruitment and selection: importance of selection, preparing job descriptions and
personnel specifications, sources of recruitment, interview preparation and techniques,
selection and appointment.
Motivation, remuneration and training: motivation theory and practice: financial and nonfinancial incentives, salary and commission based remuneration, induction and ongoing
training, training methods, preparation of training programmes, and the sales manual
Organisation: organisation of sales activities by product, customer, area, estimation of call
frequency, territory design, journey planning, allocation of workload, team building,
creating and maintaining effective working relationships, sales meetings and conferences
3. Controlling sales output
Sales budget: purpose of budgeting, the role of the sales budget within the overall
budgetary process, importance of sales forecast, top-down and bottom-up approaches to
budgeting, allocation of sales budget
Evaluation and appraisal: purpose of evaluation, setting standards of performance, sources
and methods of gathering information for evaluation, quantitative and qualitative measures
of performance, ratio analysis, estimation and allocation of expenses, preparing and
conducting appraisal interviews, improving individual and team performance, selfdevelopment plans
Quality and customer care: creation, maintenance and development of long-term customer
relationships, Just-In-Time delivery, Total Quality Management, partnerships between
buyers and sellers: handling complaints, after-sales service, supply commitments, setting
standards for customer care, designing and implementing systems and procedures for
customer care, customer care as a source of competitive advantage, corporate hospitality
and customer entertainment, corporate gifts
Database management: importance of database building, sources of information, updating
the database, use of database to generate incremental business and stimulate repeat
purchase, use of databases control mechanisms, importance of IT methods in database
management
4. Sales environments
Sales settings: sales channels – retailers, wholesalers, agents, importance of segmentation,
industrial selling, selling to public authorities, selling for resale, telephone selling, selling
services, pioneer selling, systems selling, selling to project teams or groups
International selling: role of agents and distributors, sources, selection and appointment of
agents/distributors, agency contracts, training and motivating agents/distributors, use of
expatriate versus local sales personnel, role. Duties and characteristics of the export sales
force, coping in different cultural environments
Exhibitions and trade fairs: role, types and locations of trade fairs and exhibitions,
principles of stand design, setting objectives for exhibition attendance, audience profile
and measurement, qualification and follow-up of exhibition leads, evaluation of exhibition
attendance, financial assistance for exhibition attendance
LEARNING SUPPORT:
Indicative reading – latest editions of:
Lancaster G. and Jobber D., Selling and Sales Management, Pitman
Allen P., Selling, Pitman
Johns T., Perfect Customer Care, Century Business
TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES:
Lecture:
Seminars:
Workshops:
10
10
0
Open Learning:
Self Study:
Assessment:
0
50
30
TOTAL:
100
ASSESSMENT:
100% 2 Hour Exam
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE:
The aim of this module is to develop a critical awareness of sales planning and operations.
The module will evaluate the sales process in both domestic and international contexts and
the various situations in which sales techniques are applied. It will consider the role of sales
management in achieving sales, marketing and corporate objectives and enhancing the output
of the sales function. This module is designed to provide the basis for career choices in this
field as well as for further study for professional qualifications.
Subject Area:
Marketing
External Examiner:
Faculty:
MIS
Site where delivered:
Moulsecoomb
Module Writer(s):
Jane Priddis
Date of Approval:
2005
Date of Last
Revision:
N/A