Sales and Marketing in Communication Industry - Essay Example

Sales and Marketing in Communication Industry Statistics show that the commonly used tool for communication worldwide is the mobile phone. For many years, some continents like Africa have been lagging behind in terms of mobile phone usage. Evident in Copper’s article, The Relationship Between Marketing And Sales, marketers have tried to bridge the gap and their efforts have borne positive results. Report obtained from International Telecommunication Union shown that telecom industry has undergone vigorous changes that has led Africa to become the world’s fastest growing market for phones. This has resulted from immense marketing by marketers who have worked tirelessly in search for new markets, which has revolutionized African continent hence increasing its mobile usage to a rate of 65% annually that is double the global average. Economists argue that, for a product to reach the market there must be sales people since for them to exist there must be the need to market a product and finally make a sale. Therefore, scholars describe marketing as the activities undertaken to generate leads that plays a major role in bringing in a sale. Where else the act of turning a prospect to a buyer and thereafter a repeat customer can describe selling. The intense cross-border marketing done in some countries in Asian continent reveal, mobile wholesalers in China and India have greatly influenced mobile exporters and importers from other countries through international trade. With the increasing demand for mobile phones, distributors are working tirelessly to meet the rising demand and in the process maintain the will to ensure international and domestic trade continues well. Wholesalers on the other hand are ensuring enough stock in their depots as a sign of rising need for these communication tools (Naresh, 2011:32). At the same time, sales and marketing is essential in ensuring availability of products and concrete information about the market. Moreover, no any movement of commodities could occur if it were not for both overseas and local marketing. Intensive marketing together with sales has helped China gain great deals of profit in handset sales and revenue obtained from such trade. Online marketing through Internet has increased demand raising revenues levied from internet users. International sales and marketing plans, as well as strategies set by mobile phone manufacturers and distributors all over the world, more than half a billion mobile phones were sold worldwide in 2009. In fact, analysts expect the number to double within a period of not more than five years. Sales relates to marketing in a way that is very simple to understand yet very complicated in explaining. Exporters and importers in UK, France, and Germany expressed great need for faster internet enabled mobile phones. How did they come up with such a radical need? Experts have painted an ideal picture to describe the relationship between sales and marketing. It functions in an extremely miner percentage of potential customers willing and ready to buy a product. It also functions in merely those who would possibly buy at a future date as well as those others who are mildly interested in buying. For those expressing will or wish to buy at a future date, a company must assemble and assign sales representatives to create a friendly and informative follow up where this might be in form of a mail or voice broadcast. In order to reap maximum benefits through marketing and selling, investors must express will to take broad marketing measures. They might take the form of organizing inter-business marketing conferences, road shows, and advertising on televisions or over the radio (Naresh, 2011:43). This is evident in countries like Japan where mobile service providers have partnered with banking firms to provide mobile banking services hence this has seen the Japan claim the most vast share of mobile banking and money transfers. For them to realize this, the information technology marketers must have worked hard in marketing the technology. In the making is a cross boundary sales and marketing approach that estimates to see between 500 million and 1 billion people access financial services via mobile phones by 2015. Since the market world is changing so rapidly and product lives shortened, every business is in need of a sales management strategy. Such strategies will ensure thorough market coverage, improved customer relations, performance evaluation, and reduced cost of production and in return realize increased profitability. Sales managers should carry out an analysis of product value expected which can be done by determining product potential on an account-by-account basis. Estimating market share and probability based on sales representative’s judgment and the amount of past sales, prevailing economic conditions, competing degree, service commitment, and existing account relationship (Cant, and Heerden, 2005:20). After analyzing the key components of strategic sales management, other area that influences financial performance is the value of quality sales force. Increase in quality sales force is evident when customer pressure intensifies, chain of supply functions becomes more integrated, and sources of product differentiation are no more (Marshall, 2010:1). Nevertheless, sales strategy is most valued when a product is either new or late in life cycle. When it is differentiated or undifferentiated. Critical analysis carried out by experts put into writing that, the roles of sales managers are multidisciplinary. Their duties comprise of goal setting for sales force, budgeting and organizing ways on how to achieve the set goals, program implementation and evaluating the outcome. Even though a business strategy bases a lot on organization’s competitiveness, policies and internal progress with an appropriate match should provide enhanced effectiveness and superior performance (David and Nigel, 2011:77). For sales strategies to prove efficient for a business, the three phases of sales execution model must apply. These phases include; pre-sales activities whereby sales managers should spent more time with sales representatives to build a relationship that can help get results from them. Second, planning to execute a sale is very vital. This requires the manager to make sure a sales representative has prepared a quality objective, a quantitative goal, and ready to make a call. Last is the post-sale analysis plan that deals with evaluation. It is a sure step since both sales managers and sales representatives take time to document what they have learnt from previous calls made, as best practices for future use. Business prosperity relies heavily on roles played by sales managers. Cross-managerial business programs has soared communication industry to greater heights in some states. Subsequent reports claim that marketing and selling force has led to an increased number of mobile phone devices sold in 2009 to 18.5% in 2010. This might be so because marketers have ensured developed and unbreakable relationship between manufacturers and distributors. The interdependence has improved sharing of critical information. This information enables both parties to continue enjoying financial benefits and rewards harvested from such coordinated investments. Word has it that, stretched degree of concern on sales people is vital for sales managers in order to ensure correct monitoring and direction. Therefore, extended follow up will effect in substantial guidance thus accomplishing their set goals and objectives will deem inevitable. Furthermore, even after sales managers have set in place strategic sales management policies, they must also ensure salesmanship control regardless of extensive supervision that reaches out individual salesperson (Kotler, et. al. 2006:6). This creates sales force that ensures sale representative performance matches with the desired expectations. Analysis shows that, it is necessary to utilize a control system that refers expectations for outcome in other areas thus prescribing behaviors in others. To add on sales management strategies, compensation systems require entrepreneurial sales representatives who tend to balance and equalize personal goals and those of the business. Fundamental changes transforming strategic sales management require a point of view that has radical and tactful production mode hence utilizing sales task force fully. Personal selling takes place when communication flows between two people a potential buyer and a sales person with the aim of selling and buying. Steps followed in personal selling are; identifying a potential buyer’s needs, matching the needs of a buyer to those of the company and thereafter convince the buyer to purchase the product. Generally, personal selling depends on nature of the product. A new and different product, technically complex or even expensive requires improved personal selling strength. Personal selling is considered appropriate for its flexibility. Further, it provides sales people with an opportunity to convince and persuade buyers to purchase the product. Besides, it has the least effort wasted since a seller can identify and concentrate on prospective and potential businesses (Stevenson, 2007:3). Advertising and promotion arouses desire and attracts attention but personalized sales result in actual sale. This is possible because a salesperson is able to display the product, demonstrate its operation, and finally convince the potential prospect to buy or make an order and offer after-sales services. Another importance of face-to-face selling is that, it provides immediate feedback. This provides personal response and knowledge concerning tastes behavior and attitude of a product towards potential purchasing units. It also contemplates advertising in cases where there is need to explain how the product operates and pricing. Personalized selling educates potential businesses, as sales people do not only act as tools of persuading purchasing panel to buy, but also tools of information and guidance to businesses (Beth, 2007: 97). International sales and marketing has fostered the movement and eventually availability of mobile phones worldwide. Companies that have introduced marketing sales teams to carry out these tasks help the community and the nation at large by providing employment, hence retaining equilibrium between demand and supply. The most essential thing that companies should bear in bear in mind is that, sales people are the main link between the company and the prospective clientele (Thomas, and Chris, 2008:620). They are the company as successful sales reps can help build a relationship with other businesses that can last for a very long time. Sales people, who play other very vital responsibilities, one for buyers and another for the company, create integral marketing system. If cell phone clients, for that matter, lack the relevant information about the product, they are more likely to make bad decisions or choices when buying. Bulk sellers would need information on cell phones and its spare parts that are of high quality and have high and continuous market demand. In publishing his article, Lakhotia believes that personal selling continues to assist businesses in ensuring present products continue to fulfill clientele needs thus maintaining profit-making opportunities that exist, for both new and improved products. Particular situations that may see a company face problems; a sales representative, may act as a link between the company and the market where essential information can stream back and forth between the manufacturer and wholesalers. Sales and marketing managers in many businesses make decisions regarding sales force considering products, geography, and clients. The obvious reason as to why they do so is that personal selling, if not controlled can prove to be the most expensive component in the final pricing of a product. Scholars have argued that sales and marketing interrelate, but are not the same since the functions that they perform exhibit significant differences. Although they can contemplate each other, they operate in a way that, business to business purchasing and buying power is efficiently developed. Market level and organizational efforts strongly influence a firm’s success in achieving competitiveness. In addition, marketing has a lot to contribute to the strategic discipline that includes selection of market, constructing clientele value preposition, and implementing business strategy. An attempt to explain the aspect of personal selling encourages much need for relationship building as the key to a successful marketing. In conclusion, the communication industry has a notable influence in the business sector. This paper has made it clear how the business associates communicate effectively to achieve their desired goals. The manner in which goods flow through the chain of distribution is enhanced by communication. As an ever-evolving industry, it is vital for individuals involved in business to stay updated. This means that they will interrelate properly to achieve their desired goals. Since business is a daily activity, communication as an industry is essential to oversee the success realized. Bibliography Beth, R. 2007. Rethinking Sales Management: A Strategic Guide for Practitioners.New York: John Wiley and Sons. Cant, M. and Heerden, C. 2005. Personal Selling. Cape Town: Juta and Company Ltd. Copper, J. The Relationship Between Marketing And Sales. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://www.marketingarticlelibrary.com/Article/The-Relationship-Between-Marketing-And-Sales/23754 David, W. and Nigel, P. 2011. Oxford handbook of strategic sales and sales management. Oxford: Oxford Handbooks Online. Kotler, P. Rackham, N. & Krishnaswamy, S. 2006. Ending the War Between Sales and Marketing. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://www.kcapital-us.com/neil/ending-war-between-sales-marketing.pdf Lakhotia, G. Importance of Personal Selling. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://factoidz.com/importance-of-personal-selling/ Marshall, S. (2010). Article: personal selling: the advantages, disadvantages and Making it work. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://plentysystems.com.au/resources/articles/170-personal-selling Naresh, K. 2011. Review of Marketing Research: Special Issue-Marketing Legends. West Yorkshire:Emerald Group Publishing. Stevenson, T. 2007. Sales Management Methodology: maximizing Short-term Results While Building a Sustainable Sales Methodology. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from http://www.strategicsalesperformance.com/Articles/Sales%20Management%20Methodology.pdf Thomas, O. and Chris, A. 2008. Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion. California:Cengage Learning. Read More