Here is an article on Types of Personal Selling that you might find helpful. It covers the basics of personal selling, the advantages and disadvantages of personal selling, and some examples of personal selling techniques.
Introduction
Personal selling is a sales technique that involves direct contact, person-to-person communication, and a personalized sales strategy. It can be categorized into three types: order takers, order getters, and order creators. In this article, we will discuss the features, advantages, disadvantages, and examples of personal selling.
Features of Personal Selling
Personal selling differentiates itself from other sales and promotional techniques by possessing the following characteristics:
- Human contact: It involves person-to-person interaction where a seller interacts directly with the prospective customer and executes a personalized sales strategy according to the customer’s needs, wants, and expectations.
- Development of relationship: Personal selling involves developing a relationship between the seller and the buyer where trust is established, and the prospective buyer can rely on the salesperson.
Types of Personal Selling
Generally, personal selling can be categorized into three types based on the sales activity and salesperson involved. These are:
- Order Takers: Order takers receive requests and queries from the customers. In simple terms, the customer approaches these salespersons. Examples of order takers include retail sales assistants or telemarketers.
- Order Getters: Order getters are salespeople who actively seek out new customers and generate sales leads. They are responsible for identifying potential customers, making sales presentations, and closing deals. Examples of order getters include sales representatives, account managers, and business development executives.
- Order Creators: Order creators are salespeople who work with customers to create customized solutions to their problems. They are responsible for identifying customer needs, designing solutions, and negotiating contracts. Examples of order creators include consultants, engineers, and architects.
Advantages of Personal Selling
Personal selling allows sales reps to:
- Tailor communications to specific customers based on their needs and expectations.
- Ask questions, discover a customer’s actual problems, and adjust their selling strategies accordingly.
- Create emotional connections and increase the chance of converting prospects.
Disadvantages of Personal Selling
While personal selling has significant advantages, it also comes with some drawbacks, as shown below:
- It requires sales reps to spend a lot of time and effort researching prospects, identifying their needs, and personalizing messages, which makes it more expensive.
- Personal selling has a limited reach, and sales reps can only talk to a few prospects at a time.
- Personal selling contributes to a longer sales process.
Examples of Personal Selling
Real estate is one of the industries that get a lot of benefits from personal selling. According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2020, 87% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker, and 90% of sellers were assisted by a real estate agent when selling their home. That’s a testament to the power of personal selling in the real estate industry.
Another example of personal selling is business-to-business (B2B) sales. In B2B sales, sales reps work with other businesses to sell products or services. This type of personal selling requires a deep understanding of the customer’s business and their needs.
Conclusion
Personal selling is a powerful sales technique that can help businesses build relationships with customers and increase sales. By understanding the different types of personal selling, their advantages and disadvantages, and some examples of personal selling techniques, you can develop a successful sales process that will help you grow your business.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me.