SLAES MEETING

Sales meeting are important both for communication and motivational purposes. When sales personnel are on the road without the day-to-day opportunity for employer communication and supervision, periodic group meeting are valuable for exchanging information and ideas

PLANNING AND STAGING SALES MEETING

it requires five major decisions Defining the specific training aim Deciding meeting content Determining methods of conducting the meeting Deciding how to execute the meeting Deciding how to evaluate the results.

1. AIM
it is very essential to have a clearly defined objectives A new product may be about ready for introduction or research may have uncovered new insights on customer attitudes and behavior, and either of these could lead to meetings to communicate these matters to personnel and it is hoped to motivate them.

 Supervisory reports might have indicated that many sales personnel are deficient in applying sales techniques There may be new company policies or sales goals requiring explanation.

Other specific aims

Improving the quality of sales force reports Orienting sales personnel on the advertising program Increasing the effectiveness with which sales personnel use their time Introducing new services for customers.

Executive answers three questions

Are these aims clear and attainable? Are they realistic in terms time, audience and other conditions? Will the probable results justify the estimated costs?

2. CONTENT
determining a meeting content is a matter of planning its agenda. An agenda, is a list or an outline of things to be considered or done during a meeting.

3. METHOD 4. EXECUTION 5. EVALUATION

TYPES OF SALES MEETING

1.National sales meeting: The costs of bringing the entire sales force to a central site are substantial. Changes in marketing or sales policies are being made, a NSM can introduce these changes rapidly and uniformly. Providing standardized explanation and answers to questions. Most executive attend national meeting but not a series of decentralized meetings.

Drawbacks of NSM
It is expensive It is difficult to find a convenient time for all sales personnel to attend, Company routine is disrupted and Competitors may cut into market share wile sales personnel are away.

2. REGIONAL SALES MEETING

Meeting is held in Selected regions Sales executives and personnel attend decentralized meetings. Reducing total travel costs Lowering lost selling time. Headquarters executives brought into direct contact with field personnel, Help to learn about current problems.

3. Local sales meeting

Local sales meeting are conducted weekly or biweekly by district sales manager Duration is for 15 minutes to several hours. Each sales person having an opportunity to pose questions and to state personal views. LSM are occasions for sales personnel to get together, become better acquainted and strengthen group identity.

4 Closed circuit televisions:

It helps to hold several meetings simultaneously. The program is live at one meeting site and is telecast to others Helps to retain much of the inspirational value of the live show without incurring costs and inordinate losses of selling time. It is appropriate for companies with large sales forces or large dealer organizations.,

5. Sales meeting by telephone

Telephone conference calls are used for small group meeting and discussions. The group should be no larger than 20. The sales manager welcomes the group and opens the discussions, which is guided by 2 rules
Only one individual talks at a time, At the end of the call, sales executive give a brief summary.

It saves time and money

6. Sales meeting at home:

To reduce time and costs of sales meeting some companies mail recordings or printed materials, to sales personnel at their homes. One format is to record an executive conference or meeting and to provide sales personnel with cassette copies. To print an illustrated script of a home office meeting for distribution to sales personnel.

advantages
Sales personnel receive the information at home free from distractions It saves time and money. They can review the information many times.

SALES CONTESTS
it is a special selling campaign offering incentives in the form of prizes or awards beyond those in the compensation plan.

Specific objectives
To obtain new customers to secure larger orders per sales call. To push slow-moving items, or new products. To improve the performance of distributors sales personnel To promote seasonal merchandise To obtain more product displays by dealers To get reorders

Contest prizes
Cash Merchandise Travel Special honors or privileges.

Managerial evaluation of contests.

Short and long term effects Design Fairness Impact upon the sales force.

Objections to sales contests

Sales people are paid for their services under provisions of the basic compensation plan, and there is no reason to reward them further for performing regular duties. High caliber and more experienced sales personnel consider sales contests silly. Contests cause sales people to bunch sales during the competition. The disappointment suffered by contest losers cause a general decline in sales force morale.