Our Competitors O The Trading Department example essay topic

Index 1. The Organization: What it is and what it does 2. The Products and services marketed 3. The role of personal selling in the promotional mix 4. A description of the salesperson's job 5. The selling process SRCC TRADING DEPARTMENT 1: The Organization: what it is and what it does The Trading Department is the preferred supplier of Agricultural Chemicals, Fertilizer, Packhouse and General Farming Requisites in the Sundays river Valley.

Mission: The Trading Department supply and sell Agricultural Chemicals, Fertilizer, Packhouse Material and General Farming Requisites to Citrus Growers and Private Packhouse in the Sundays river Valley. A knowledge-able, skilled, trained and motivated staff who are focus on excellent client-service by ensuring competitive prices on products, stock availability and technical advice. The objective of the Trading Department. The primary objective of the Trading Department is to assist the shareholders of the Company in maximizing the profits of their farming operations.

The secondary objectives of the Trading Department are: o Economic efficiency. o Good Image. o Maximum client support. o Growth and development. In Conclusion: The management of the Trading Department must on a continuing and long term basis stay focused on providing farming requisites and in so doing assist in keeping production costs of the farming units as low as possible. The Trading Department must strive to achieve its secondary goals to make this possible. 2: The Products / Services marketed o The long-term objectives of the Trading Department are dependent on determining the needs and wants of the citrus-growers, private pack houses and other target markets and satisfying these more effectively than our competitors. o The Trading Department follows the relationship perspective on marketing - consumer retention, consumer loyalty and consumer service (or service quality). o Regular (every alternative month) memos and circulars will be posted to our customers to motivate and to restrict their loyalty to SRCC. o At least two farm visits to build relationships and to market our products and services. o The Trading Department will serve the customer as a central focus and seek to provide value in terms of - quality of products - service quality and customer satisfaction - shopping convenience - after sales service and reliability. o Market research will be performed on a monthly basis. o Market communication - monthly advertisements, sales promotions, personal sales, corporate communication and direct marketing. o Promote the advantages of customer loyalty, bulk and collective buying.

Demographic Market. o Loyal founder members of SRCC. o Sons of members taking over from the running of the farms - not the same loyalty - wants to make their mark. o Private pack houses. o Lucerne, Dairy and Vegetable farmers. Geographic Market. o The Sundays river Valley. o Cooperatives in Humans dorp, Gamtoos Valley and the Kat river Valley. Target Markets. o Demographic Market and the Geographic Markets. Marketing Functions. The Trading Department will focus on all the six basic marketing functions. o Re-assortment - bulk breaking etc. o Storage - inventory. o Transportation - organizing transport, deliveries etc. o Financing - credit facilities. o Carrying of risk. o Selling activities (displaying, merchandising and advertising). Price Strategy.

The historical view from members are that the Trading Department must operate on a 2.5% mark-up on cost on Agricultural Chemicals and Fertilizer and Buy-outs. (Direct Order) o The Agricultural Market is price sensitive (chemicals and fertilizers) and is therefore elastic and Competition based. o Pricing is linked to the objectives of the Trading Department. Sales Strategy. Organize the sales force in such a way that: o Everyone does his fair share and given a reasonable similar loading. o All customers are visited in relation to their importance and need. o Sales people must complete call reports - which, when and what. 3: The role of Personal Selling in the promotion mix Relationship selling emphasizes a win-win outcome and the accomplishment of mutual objectives that benefits both buyer and salesperson in the long term. Rather than focusing on a quick sale, relationship selling attempts to create a long-term, committed relationship based on trust, increased customer loyalty, and a continuation of the relationship between the salesperson and the customer.

4: A description of the salesperson's job Represents OMNIA fertilizer company Introducing company products and services to potential clients, example, citrus producers and vegetable farmer so Personal visits to companies who will distribute product 5: The Selling process When it comes to making a good sales presentation, everyone has their own way of doing things. Rituals may not be as extreme as sacrificing animals, dancing around in a circle or swallowing a goldfish, but salespeople and their managers across the industrial distribution landscape have their own way of making the sale. Salespeople are individuals-they have their own personalities, and approach customers differently. Rarely will you find two who do things the exact same way... sort of like snowflakes that know a lot about industrial products.

In making a good sales presentation though, many consultants and a few distributors will say the same thing: very few salespeople put forth the proper amount of effort in preparing for them. First, most important step If preparation is the first step in this process, it also is the most time consuming and important. The presentation itself could be considered little more than the byproduct of all the research. Some salespeople would contend that they don't need to prepare that much for a presentation they have given several times. To them, try a confidence exercise, says Adriaan. Put yourself back in school, and think back to that one final exam.

You may have studied for two weeks for that specific exam, or you " ve waited to cram until the night before... since you " ve taken so many exams before. In which scenario are you most confident?' Consider that you " ve spent two days preparing for a two-hour presentation. On average, 10 minutes into the presentation, the decision maker has made their decision. 'Competence comes from confidence, which comes from preparation. ' With the increased competition within the industry, the pressure is on salespeople even more.

The culture has changed, and with that, so has the nature of the sales presentation. ' It used to be simple-have prod uct, find prospect, make pitch,' says Adriaan Moorman, Manager of the SRCC Trading department. 'Now, everyone has the same products, finding the prospect is just the beginning, and making the pitch has turned into presenting information based on who the customer is and how you can add value for them. The presentation needs to be tailored to their needs. ' Tailoring the presentation to the customer is, by necessity, the catalyst behind getting the initial research done.

' Our philosophy is this: seek first to understand, and listen to what the customer wants. Know the account you are dealing with inside and out. Go over all the information you can find with a fine-toothed comb, and talk with everyone. I've been known to talk with not only the company president, but the receptionist, the product supervisor and sometimes the floor sweeper.

' 'We " ll see you now's o the background research on the company is finished-but there is still much to do. Following are some more steps to take before heading into the conference room: o Qualify your customer. ' You ought to choose the customer as carefully as they are sure to choose their distributor. Ask yourself four questions: Will they use the product? Are they worthy of you extending them credit? Are there any impediments to you working with them (i. e., a brother in-law who sells the same product)?

And will they value the benefits you will bring to the partnership?' o Put yourself in the customer's position. Since the SRCC Trading Department is a farming distributor, and only carries products from a select few manufacturers, the representative spends time with the manufacturer, putting themselves in the customer's shoes, playing devil's advocate, and, much to their dismay, he ask questions, challenge their assertions and point out their weaknesses. Once I'm satisfied with what they have shown me, I put it in my own language for the customer. ' o Converse with the customer about what they need. ' No one wants to sit through a canned presentation. This is all about what the customer wants to hear, not what you say. In most presentations, most of the information presented is about your company and not the customer's.

The critical issue is understanding the customer and their needs, and presenting them with the solutions to those objectives. ' o Give them a reason to work with you. ' Customers need a quantifiable, value-add reason to work with you. They want to see the benefits, and cost savings that can be had when working with you. ' o Figure out your own objective. ' I call it the 'action objective,' 's ays Adriaan. 'What do you want from the customer at the end of the call that tells you that you " ve been successful? Tailor the presentation with that outcome in mind. ' o Prepare your catalyst or lead product.

' You " re going in to the presentation with a product in mind to sell. That product, and your presentation of it, should change the way they do business or manufacture their products. It's the reason you are there. It should make an impact, and be a turning point in the presentation. ' o Use all your tools to your benefit.'s up pliers have some wonderful product information sheets, and the wording on them is carefully chosen. In the presentation, use the same words. Most customers want to see something on paper, too, and the literature will amplify the words that you are saying.

The verbal and visual should be married together. ' o Know how this product will make the customer's life easier. ' This whole appointment is payback to the customer for the time they spent with the salesperson. If the whole presentation is about your line card, then you " re dead. ' o 'Most sales are not lost due to price, as they are so often attributed, but to the salesperson not preparing for, or understanding, what the customer wants. This presentation is very much like a job interview, and should be treated as such.

' The brick walls Of course, once the presentation begins, all salespeople come up against the same roadblocks (excuses, or impediments even, call them what you will). ' Price and inertia are the two things most salespeople will come up against. People don't really want change. For some, the pain of the change isn't worth the gain of the change. But really, who doesn't want to save money? Prepare for those objections in advance.

' For some, the question of price isn't so much a roadblock as an opportunity. ' Price is important, I tell them, and we " re competitive, but for us, competitive means a proposition of value. If the product will save them time, effort or money, why not go with it?' 'Thank you for your time' Finally, the time has come; the salesperson is done with the presentation, and is ready to close. 'The last thing I say is, 'I'm not going to bug you. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us, 'You want their business, and of course, stay in touch with them through your company newsletter, if you have one, and contact them every so often. ' The majority response to the 'what do I do now' question is to not overwhelm the customer with constant calls or pressing for a result immediately.

' I suggest that when they are ready, they call me, I'll bring in the manufacturer with me at that point, and we " ll address their more technical support needs. ' The presentation is more about establishing a relationship-as a growing account. If there is no sale or order at the end of the presentation, at least leave knowing why not. Is there some reason why we can't take care of this right now?' Agreeing on the next step is as good as any order once the presentation is done.

'Never leave without some kind of agreement as to where the customer-seller relationship is going [next appointment, calls to be made],' Also, knowing when to leave is important. 'Once you ask for, and receive the order, it is appropriate to leave. Just say thank you and move on. You don't want to outlast your welcome. ' But sales managers and some salespeople haven't realized that the decision-making time has lengthened. 'The customers don't want to make their decisions until they are absolutely sure.

After the presentation, most salespeople just give up too soon. Manage the process of keeping in touch with the prospective customer. Because when they do decide to make a buy, and you happen to be off their radar, they " ll go to the next person. Not managing your follow through is how sales are lost. '.