SALES MANAGEMENT

THEORY
1. Define sales management
According to the AMA (American Marketing Association), sales management can be defined as “the
planning, direction, and control of personal selling, including recruiting, selecting, equipping, assigning,
routing, supervising, paying and motivating as these tasks apply to personal sales force”. By this
definition, we understand the general and particular activities of sales management in the line in which
the sales force will be the main entity that sales management targets. Overall, these managing activities
help to establish the sales force as appropriate to achieve the sales target and objectives of the company.
Moreover, there is a side definition of sales management. This term also means the art of meeting and
exceeding the sales goals of an organization through effective planning, controlling, budgeting and
leadership. Generally, it confers an honorable title on sales management when leveraging it as the art of
meeting and exceeding sales goals. Notwithstanding, the other parts of this definition maintain the same
enumeration of main sales activities.
Example: Although Covid-19 pandemic has been severe in Vietnam recently, the real estate
market is still the main concern of the majority. Therefore, the real estate company keeps recruiting and
training their sales force to serve the high demands from buyers. These two typical activities are elements
of the general sales management system.

Types of sales management

While some selling forms are about maximizing sales volume (numbers), others are about driving revenue
through high-value accounts. Some sales jobs have a short sales cycle completed over the phone, while
others have sales processes that take months or even years. Each type of sale involves different skills and
activities, so it's important to find your niche.

● B2C sales management: Business-to-consumer (B2C) sales involve selling goods and services
directly to consumers. B2C sales often drive leads from aggressive marketing strategies.

● B2B sales management:Business-to-business (B2B) sales involve selling goods and services
directly to other businesses. B2B sales tend to involve higher value products with longer sales
cycles.

● Enterprise sales management: Enterprise sales involve selling complex goods or services
directly to large companies. Companies that sell enterprise solutions may have multiple teams for
different aspects of the sale, such as sales engineers and inside and outside sales teams.
● SaaS sales management: Software as a service (SaaS) companies sell software or applications
over the web, usually by subscription. SaaS products are often sold by an inside team who
contacts potential customers by phone or email and close the deal remotely

2. Discuss the function of sales management

- Planning

Goal setting is usually based on a company's overall sales goals, modified by depend on
product mix. In the usual case, past history will be a guide and goals will be set in light of the
history —and desires to change past performance - by lifting all sales, high-margin sales, creating
sales for new products, etc.

After goals are set, the sales manager may accept, or be required to modify, the general
approach to sales in the current year. Fundamental structural issues are involved such as the
distribution channel, the forces to be deployed, and the sales program (incentives, pricing
schedules, cooperative advertising programs, etc.) that will be used.

- Management

Implementation of the plan will have different emphases depending on whether the operation is
up and running or required to be built or rebuilt. The management of recruiting, training, and
setting compensation are primary implementation activities of sale management.

 Recruiting

Recruiting salespeople ideally requires understanding of the customers and the

market, not least its physical aspects, travel time needed to reach targeted points, and
the type of selling involved.

 Training

After recruiting a suitable sales force, the manager must determine how much and what type of
training to provide. Ideally, training should be an ongoing process that continually reinforces the
company's goals.

● Compensation
 After the sales force is in place, the manager must devise a means of compensating individuals.
The ideal system of compensation reaches a balance between the needs of the person (income,
recognition, prestige, etc.) and the goals of the company (controlling costs, boosting market
share, increasing cash flow, etc.), so that a salesperson may achieve both through the same
means.

- Administration

After the sales plan has been implemented, the sales manager's responsibility becomes
administration of the program. During this stage, the sales manager compares the original goals
and objectives with the actual accomplishments of the sales force. The performance of each
individual is compared with goals or quotas, looking at elements such as expenses, sales volume,
customer satisfaction, and cash flow

3. What is sales funnel and how sales funnel can contribute in sales management

A sales funnel is a marketing term used to capture and describe the journey that potential
customers go through, from prospecting to purchase. It's often depicted as an inverted pyramid,
with various stages representing different levels of engagement and commitment.

A sales funnel helps marketers understand a customer’s purchasing journey, while also
identifying what stage of this journey the customer is at. These insights can be used to decide
which marketing channels and activities will best guide the customer towards a purchase. A sales
funnel also allows marketers to tailor and optimize their activities and messaging
 How sales funnel can contribute in sales management

Sales funnel management involves guiding potential customers through each stage of the
funnel, with the ultimate goal of converting them into paying customers. Here's how a sales
funnel contributes to sales management:

 Clear Understanding of Customer Journey: By mapping out the sales funnel, sales
managers gain a clear understanding of the customer journey, including where potential
customers are dropping off or getting stuck. This insight helps identify areas for
improvement and optimization.
 Targeted Marketing and Sales Strategies: Each stage of the sales funnel requires a
different approach. Sales managers can develop targeted marketing and sales strategies to
address the specific needs and concerns of potential customers at each stage, increasing
the likelihood of conversion.
 Lead Nurturing: Not all potential customers are ready to buy immediately. Sales funnel
management involves nurturing leads by providing them with relevant information,
addressing their concerns, and building trust over time, ultimately increasing the chances
of conversion.
 Measurable Results: By tracking metrics such as conversion rates, sales managers can
measure the effectiveness of their sales funnel and identify areas for improvement. This
data-driven approach allows for continuous optimization and refinement of sales
strategies.

4. What is retailing and wholesales and criticize the nature of retailing.

Define:

Retailing: Retailing involves the sale of goods or services to end consumers for personal,
non-business use. Retailers are the final link in the supply chain, connecting producers or
wholesalers with consumers. Retailers typically operate physical storefronts, online stores, or a
combination of both, and they often provide additional services such as customer support, product
demonstrations, and after-sales services.Retail operations can occur through various formats,
including physical stores, online platforms, catalogs, and kiosks. Key characteristics of retailing
include:

 Direct Interaction with Consumers: Retailers engage directly with the end users,
providing a personalized shopping experience.
 Small Quantity Sales: Products are sold in smaller quantities, suitable for
individual or family consumption.
 Variety of Products: Retailers often offer a wide range of products to meet
diverse consumer needs.
 Customer Service: Emphasis on service quality, including after-sales support, to
enhance customer satisfaction.
 Convenience: Retailers strive to provide convenient shopping options, whether
through store location, online accessibility, or flexible hours.

Wholesaling: Wholesaling, on the other hand, involves the sale of goods or services in
large quantities to retailers, businesses, or other institutions rather than to individual consumers.
Wholesalers act as intermediaries between producers or manufacturers and retailers, buying
goods in bulk and then selling them in smaller quantities to retailers at a markup. Key
characteristics of wholesaling include:

 Bulk Sales: Wholesalers purchase and sell products in large volumes, providing
economies of scale.
 Business-to-Business Transactions: Primary clients are retailers, other
wholesalers, or businesses that need large quantities of products.
 Lower Prices: Products are typically sold at a lower price per unit due to the
volume of sales.
 Logistical Support: Wholesalers often offer logistics and distribution services,
including storage, transportation, and inventory management.
 Market Reach: Wholesalers help manufacturers extend their market reach by
distributing products to various retail outlets.

The nature of retailing

While retailing plays a vital role in the economy by providing goods and
services to consumers, it also faces several criticisms and challenges:

 High Operational Costs: Running retail operations, particularly physical

stores, involves significant costs, including rent, utilities, staffing, and
inventory management. These costs can squeeze profit margins, especially
for small retailers.
 Competition and Price Pressure: The retail sector is highly competitive,
with many players vying for market share. This competition often leads to
price wars, reducing profitability. Large retailers and e-commerce giants
can leverage economies of scale to offer lower prices, putting pressure on
smaller, independent retailers.
 Changing Consumer Preferences: Rapid shifts in consumer preferences
and behaviors require retailers to be highly adaptable. Trends such as online
shopping, demand for sustainability, and personalized experiences
necessitate constant innovation and investment.
 Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Retailers are dependent on a smooth and
efficient supply chain. Disruptions, such as those caused by global events
(e.g., pandemics, natural disasters), can severely impact their ability to
stock products and meet consumer demand.
 Environmental Impact: The retail industry contributes significantly to
environmental issues, including waste generation from packaging, energy
consumption from stores and logistics, and the carbon footprint associated
with product transportation. Addressing these concerns requires substantial
changes and investments in sustainable practices.
 Employment Practices: The retail sector often faces scrutiny over
employment practices, including low wages, part-time work without
benefits, and poor working conditions. These issues can affect employee
 morale and turnover rates, impacting service quality and operational
efficiency.
 Technological Disruptions: The rise of e-commerce and digital
technologies has transformed the retail landscape. While offering
opportunities for growth and efficiency, it also requires significant
investment in technology and poses challenges in terms of cybersecurity
and data privacy.

Despite these criticisms, retailing remains a dynamic and essential part of the
economy, continually evolving to meet the changing needs and preferences of consumers.
Successful retailers are those who can navigate these challenges, leveraging innovation
and adaptability to thrive in a competitive marketplace.

5. With modern selling, list out some characteristic of modern selling

There are 06 characteristics of modern selling:
 Customer retention and deletion:
The Pareto Principle states that 20% of a company’s customers account for 80% of its
sales. This means that it is vital to devote considerable resources to retaining existing high
volume, high potential and highly profitable customers. Therefore, the sales force can focus their
efforts on one or a few significant customers, key account management has become an important
form of sales organization.
Example: The application of Pareto principle is now popular for most companies. One
typical example is The Coffee House and its membership policy. This brand divides the
customers into 5 categories of members from New Members to Diamond Members. The more
customers consume their products, the more benefits they gain. This policy expresses the Pareto
principle when the company focuses their resources to the most loyal customers.
● Database and knowledge management:
Modern salespeople must be instructed how to use and create customer databases, as well
as how to use the internet to help in sales. Modern selling encourages the implementation of
advanced technology, storage and sharing electronically. Salespeople can store customer and
competitor information, make presentations and communicate with head office electronically.
Furthermore, information supplied by the company, such as catalogues and price lists, can be held
Electronically.
Example: VNG Corporations (Vietnam) is currently using artificial intelligence and big
data within their corporation. This marketing tool allows them to gather a large amount of
customer data and improve and/or import the games which are more and more suitable for
customers.
● Customer relationship management (CRM):
Customer relationship management requires that the salesforce focuses on the long term and not
simply on closing the next sale. The emphasis should be on creating win–win situations with
customers so that both parties to the interaction gain and want to continue the relationship. For major
customers, relationship management may involve setting up dedicated teams to service the account
and maintain all aspects of the business relationship.
 Example: Vinamilk hires the customer service teams to support the technical issues through
the call center of FPT in the aim of serving 200 distributors.
● Marketing the product:
Today’s salesman is responsible for much more than just creating and delivering a sales
presentation. Information displayed on web pages and email attachments can now occasionally
replace face-to-face encounters by providing customers with up-to-date knowledge. The role of the
salesperson is expanding to participation in marketing activities such as product development, market
development and the segmentation of markets, as well as other tasks that support or complement
marketing activities such as database management, provision and analysis of information, and
assessing market segments.
Example: Snoopydoodoo is a startup company. Their salesmans have to sell their
products like cases, toys,... and do marketing on instagram and facebook at the same time.
● Problem solving and System selling:
Much of modern selling, especially in B2B circumstances, is centered on the salesperson
acting as a consultant, working with the customer to identify problems, establish needs, and
suggest and implement effective solutions. Modern selling often involves multiple calls, the use
of a team-selling approach and considerable analytical skills. Further, customers are increasingly
looking for a systems solution rather than the buying of an individual product.
Example: In reality, many companies even working in the B2C market conduct their
selling activities in the manner of providing the solution for customers’ problems rather than
selling specific products. For instance, Innisfree offers their customers a solution for their skin
conditions.
● Satisfying needs and adding value: Today’s salesperson must be able to recognize and satisfy
consumer needs. Some customers are unaware that they have a requirement. In such cases, the
salesperson's responsibility is to encourage need recognition. It is the salesperson’s job in such
situations to stimulate need recognition.
Example: customers may not realise that a machine in the production process has low
productivity compared to newer, more technologically advanced machines. The salesperson’s job
is to make customers aware of the problem in order to convince them that they have a need to
modernise the production process. In so doing, the salesperson will have added value to the
customer’s business by reducing costs and created a win–win situation for their company and the
customer.

6. Criticize the traditional and modern sale approach

Traditional Sales Approach:

1. Focus on Product Features Over Customer Needs:

o Criticism: Traditional sales approaches often emphasize the features and benefits
of a product rather than understanding and addressing the specific needs of the
customer. This can lead to a misalignment between what is being offered and
what the customer actually needs.
o Example: A sales representative for office equipment focuses on detailing the
technical specifications of a new printer without first understanding the
customer's specific printing needs or existing challenges.
 2. One-Way Communication:
o Criticism: Traditional sales methods often involve one-way communication,
where the salesperson delivers a pitch to the customer without engaging in a
meaningful dialogue. This can result in customers feeling unheard and
undervalued.
o Example: Door-to-door salespeople delivering scripted pitches without asking
questions or listening to the homeowner's concerns or preferences.

3. Limited Use of Technology:

o Criticism: Traditional sales approaches tend to rely heavily on face-to-face
interactions, phone calls, and paper-based materials, which can limit efficiency
and scalability.
o Example: A salesperson using physical brochures and handwritten order forms to
close sales, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Modern Sales Approach:

1. Customer-Centric Focus:
o Criticism: While a customer-centric approach is beneficial, it can sometimes lead
to over-customization, where the effort to tailor solutions to each individual
customer becomes inefficient and costly.
o Example: A tech company spends excessive time and resources customizing
software for each client, resulting in delayed deliveries and reduced profitability.

2. Two-Way Communication and Relationship Building:

o Criticism: Building relationships and engaging in two-way communication can
be time-intensive, and not all customers may be interested in forming a long-term
relationship with the brand.
o Example: A B2B salesperson spends considerable time nurturing a relationship
with a potential client who ultimately decides to go with a competitor based on
price alone.

3. Integration of Technology and Data Analytics:

o Criticism: Relying heavily on technology and data analytics can lead to over-
reliance on quantitative data, potentially overlooking qualitative insights and the
human element of sales.
o Example: An e-commerce platform uses algorithms to recommend products
based on browsing history, but fails to consider the context or changing needs of
the customer, leading to irrelevant suggestions.

Examples and Comparison:

Traditional Sales Approach Example:

 Car Dealership: A traditional car dealership often employs salespeople who use a hard-
sell approach, focusing on closing the deal quickly. They might emphasize the car's
 features and offer limited-time promotions to create urgency. While this can be effective
in driving immediate sales, it may lead to buyer's remorse and lower customer
satisfaction if the customer's needs aren't fully understood and met.

Modern Sales Approach Example:

 SaaS Company: A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company might use a consultative sales

approach, where the sales representative acts as an advisor. They might use CRM
systems to track customer interactions, employ data analytics to understand customer
behavior, and engage in personalized email marketing. This approach aims to build long-
term relationships and deliver solutions that genuinely meet customer needs, enhancing
customer loyalty and lifetime value.

Both traditional and modern sales approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.
Traditional sales methods can be effective for quick, transactional sales but may fall short in
building long-term customer relationships. Modern sales approaches, while more aligned with
today's customer expectations for personalized and value-driven interactions, can sometimes be
resource-intensive and overly dependent on technology. The best approach often involves
integrating the strengths of both, combining efficient, feature-focused selling with personalized,
customer-centric strategies.

7. Evaluating the marketing concept which include production orientation,

product orientation, sales orientation and marketing orientation

The marketing concept encompasses several distinct orientations that businesses adopt to
guide their strategies and operations. Each orientation reflects a different approach to addressing
market needs and achieving organizational goals. The primary orientations are production
orientation, product orientation, sales orientation, and marketing orientation.

1. Production Orientation

Production orientation focuses on the efficiency of production processes and the

capability to produce goods at a large scale and low cost. This approach assumes that consumers
prefer products that are widely available and affordable.

Characteristics:

 Emphasis on high production efficiency and cost reduction.

 Focus on mass production and economies of scale.
 Minimal attention to consumer needs and market research.

Critique:

 Can lead to market myopia, where companies focus too much on production efficiency
and neglect consumer preferences and changing market conditions.
 Often results in a limited product range and lack of innovation.
  In competitive markets, this orientation may fail if competitors offer more desirable or
better-marketed products.
2. Product Orientation

Product orientation prioritizes product quality and innovation, with the belief that
superior products will naturally attract customers.

Characteristics:

 Focus on continuous product improvement and innovation.

 Heavy investment in research and development.
 Assumption that consumers will favor the best-performing products.

Critique:

 May overlook the actual needs and desires of the target market.
 Can lead to over-engineering products with features that consumers do not necessarily
value.
 Risk of obsolescence if market preferences shift away from the types of products being
developed.
3. Sales Orientation

Sales orientation emphasizes aggressive sales techniques to drive product sales, often
regardless of consumer needs or satisfaction.

Characteristics:

 Focus on persuasive selling and promotional activities.

 Short-term goal of maximizing sales volumes.
 Use of aggressive marketing tactics, discounts, and incentives.

Critique:

 Can result in high-pressure sales tactics that may alienate customers.

 Often leads to a transactional relationship with customers, reducing customer loyalty.
 Neglects long-term customer satisfaction and repeat business, potentially harming the
brand's reputation.
4. Marketing Orientation

Marketing orientation places the customer at the center of all business activities. This
approach focuses on identifying and meeting the needs and wants of consumers through tailored
products and services.

Characteristics:

 Strong emphasis on market research and understanding consumer behavior.

 Development of products and services based on consumer insights.
 Integrated marketing strategies that align with customer needs and preferences.
 Long-term focus on customer satisfaction and building strong relationships.

Critique:
  Can be resource-intensive, requiring significant investment in market research and
customer relationship management.
 May lead to slower decision-making processes as businesses seek to align closely with
consumer feedback.
 In dynamic markets, the emphasis on consumer data can sometimes lag behind rapidly
changing trends.
 Evaluation and Comparative Analysis

Effectiveness and Adaptability

 Production Orientation: Effective in markets with high demand and limited competition.
However, less adaptable to changing consumer preferences and competitive pressures.
 Product Orientation: Excels in markets where innovation and quality are key
differentiators. Risky if consumer needs shift or if competitors better understand the
market.
 Sales Orientation: Can drive short-term sales growth but often unsustainable due to
potential negative impacts on customer relationships and brand reputation.
 Marketing Orientation: Most sustainable in the long term as it builds strong customer
relationships and loyalty. However, it requires significant investment in understanding
and responding to consumer needs.

Customer Focus

 Production Orientation: Low focus on customers.

 Product Orientation: Moderate focus, assuming customers value quality and innovation.
 Sales Orientation: Low focus on genuine customer needs, high focus on sales.
 Marketing Orientation: High focus on customer needs and satisfaction.

8. Explaining the product life cycle

The product life-cycle is analogous to the life-cycle pattern of humans and has four distinct
stages – introduction (birth), growth, maturity and eventually decline.
 Introduction: Sales are increasing slowly at this point. Dealers must be convinced to carry the
product and promote it. Consumers must be made aware of its existence and persuaded that it is
worthwhile to purchase. Therefore, it is important to use promotional activity to give advice
about the product’s benefits.
Example: VinFast is about to produce new electric cars VF8 and VF9. Although the
models are only in the process of testing and manufacturing, they has allowed customers to
register and deposit in advance with the expectation of receiving large orders from customers.
 Growth: The next stage is growth.
 During this period more people find out about the product and purchase it. There is a snowball
effect as word-of-mouth communication and advertising begin to take effect. Example: After the
new Samsung Fold phone was launched and received the evaluation and feedback of Youtuber
and Reviewer, this new phone was sold in mobile retail stores nationwide. Although the price of
the product is quite high, the revenue from this product model is extremely impressive and has
rapidly increased since its launch.
 Maturity: The growth of sales begins to slow as the market becomes aturated. Competitors have
now entered the market because the strong profit and sales figures attract them. Profits rose and
then began to drop, partly as a result of rising competition.
Example: When the dairy market in Vietnam was saturated, Vinamilk’s revenue was
slowed down and it was facing difficulties in expanding the market, increasing sales and profits
each year
 Decline: Sales begin to fall, and already slim profit margins are depressed even further. further.
Customers might have become bored with the product and are attracted by newer, improved
products.
Example: When the milk tea market in Vietnam is saturated, a series of chains of milk
tea stores such as Tocotoco, Toocha, Gongcha, etc… have been reduced in revenue and forced to
close a series of stores to limit costs

9. Criticize some aspects that sale plan tend to focus on

The objects that sales must focus on customers (industry and market) and employees.
 Customers (industry and market): Consumers are the people who buy products and services,
they are also the ones who bring profits to the business. Therefore, they must be the audience that
sales need to be focused on. One of the main characteristics of a salesperson that a buyer wants in
the process of buying a good or service. Expertise in their company’s products and the market;
- Good communication skills;
- Ability to solve problems;
- Ability to understand and satisfy the buyer’s needs;
- Thoroughness;
- Ability to help in ensuring the reliable and fast delivery of orders.
 Employees: The second object is an employee, specifically here a salesperson. Because
salespeople have a unique opportunity to interact directly with customers, deliver sales
presentations or interactions specifically tailored to each customer’s needs, and quickly tailor
messages to the customer's needs and response.
Studies have shown that successful sales are related to the following questions:
- Providing product information, making comparisons, and offering
evidence to support claims;
- Acknowledging the customer’s viewpoint;
- Agreeing with the customer’s perceptions;
- Supporting the customer;
- Releasing tension;
- Having a richer, more detailed knowledge of customers;
- Increased effort;
- Confidence in one’s own ability.

10. Evaluating the sales planning process

The sales planning process is a critical aspect of any business strategy, ensuring that sales
activities are well-coordinated and aligned with overall business objectives. Evaluating the sales
 planning process involves examining several key steps and components that contribute to its
effectiveness.

 Steps in the Sales Planning Process

 Setting Objectives
 Market Analysis
 Sales Strategy Development
 Resource Allocation
 Sales Forecasting
 Sales Budgeting
 Implementation Plan
 Monitoring and Evaluation
 Evaluation of Each Step
1. Setting Objectives

Description: Establishing clear, measurable, and achievable sales goals that align with
the company’s broader objectives.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Objectives need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,

Time-bound). Well-defined objectives provide direction and a basis for measuring success.

Potential Issues: Overly ambitious or vague objectives can demotivate the sales team and lead to
poor performance tracking.

2. Market Analysis

Description: Understanding the market environment, including customer needs,

competition, market trends, and regulatory factors.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Comprehensive market analysis allows for informed decision-making and better-
targeted sales strategies.

Potential Issues: Insufficient or outdated market data can lead to ineffective strategies and
missed opportunities.

3. Sales Strategy Development

Description: Formulating strategies to reach sales objectives, including target market

segmentation, positioning, and sales tactics.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: A well-crafted strategy aligns with market insights and customer needs, driving
sales performance.

Potential Issues: A one-size-fits-all strategy can be ineffective; strategies must be adaptable and
tailored to specific market segments.
 4. Resource Allocation

Description: Distributing resources (e.g., budget, personnel, technology) to support sales

activities.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Proper allocation ensures that sales teams have the necessary tools and support to
achieve their targets.

Potential Issues: Misallocation can lead to resource wastage or inadequacies in critical areas,
hampering sales efforts.

5. Sales Forecasting

Description: Predicting future sales based on historical data, market conditions, and sales team
input.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Accurate forecasting helps in planning inventory, budgeting, and setting realistic
sales targets.

Potential Issues: Over-reliance on historical data without considering current market changes can
result in inaccurate forecasts.

6. Sales Budgeting

Description: Planning the financial resources required to achieve sales objectives, including
expenses for salaries, commissions, training, and marketing.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: A well-planned budget ensures financial resources are available and used
efficiently to support sales activities.

Potential Issues: Under-budgeting can restrict sales efforts, while over-budgeting can lead to
financial inefficiencies.

7. Implementation Plan

Description: Developing a detailed plan of action for executing sales strategies, including
timelines, roles, and responsibilities.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Clear implementation plans facilitate smooth execution and coordination within
the sales team.

Potential Issues: Lack of clarity or poor communication can lead to executional delays and
confusion.
8. Monitoring and Evaluation

Description: Continuously tracking sales performance against objectives and adjusting strategies
as necessary.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Regular monitoring allows for timely identification of issues and opportunities,
enabling quick adjustments.

Potential Issues: Inadequate monitoring or delayed response to issues can lead to prolonged
underperformance and missed targets.

Overall Critique

 Strengths:

Strategic Alignment: The sales planning process ensures that sales efforts are aligned with
broader business goals, enhancing overall organizational coherence.

Proactive Management: By forecasting and setting clear objectives, companies can proactively
manage their sales efforts rather than reacting to market changes.

Resource Optimization: Effective resource allocation and budgeting ensure that sales teams are
well-supported.

 Weaknesses:

Complexity and Time-Consumption: The process can be complex and time-consuming, requiring
significant investment in data collection and analysis.

Risk of Inflexibility: Overly rigid plans may not adapt well to sudden market changes or
unforeseen challenges.

Dependence on Accurate Data: The success of the sales planning process heavily relies on the
accuracy and relevance of the data used in market analysis and forecasting.

11. Choice criteria that a salesperson usually need to keep in mind

Choice criteria are the different aspects (and benefits) that a customer considers while evaluating
items and services. These criteria serve as the foundation to determine whether to buy one brand or
another. Different factors may be considered for making decisions. Choice criteria can be economic,
social, or personal.
 Economic criteria: performance, reliability, and price. Performance refers to the efficiency with
which a product achieves its intended purpose. Moreover, reliability refers to the propensity for a
product to perform consistently over its useful design life. Price of the product must comply with
the performance and reliability Dimension.
Example: Vsmart Active 1 was priced around 3 million dong. With that price, this
product satisfies most of the consumers because it achieves the basic purpose of the products and
 operates well and consistently. In general, it meets the requirements of economic criteria for most
people.
 Social criteria: status and the need for social belonging. The product is purchased not only by the
economic criteria but also the social status of the users. Frequently, social norms such as
convention and fashion can also be important choice criteria.
Example: The Iphone is a symbol of luxury and high-class smartphone users. The buyer
desires to express their unique personality due to purchasing an Iphone.
 Personal criteria: how the product or service relates to the individual psychologically. An
important issue here is self-image, which is the personal view we hold of ourselves.
Example: Businessmen often buy Vertu or Blackberry, some are customized to their
demands to create a unique self - image in their group. This somehow depicts their success and
level of richness
12. Evaluate the criteria of a good plan
A good sales plan comprises the 04 levels of planning, namely vision, mission, goals and
objectives, and strategies and tactics.
● Vision: The vision statement should be established first and foremost. A vision statement
should answer the basic question, “What do we want to become?” . The vision statement
should be short and clear, which provides the foundation for developing a comprehensive
mission statement.
● Mission: Developing mission statements are the next step in the action planning process.
An organization's mission statement describes what the group is going to do, and why it's
going to do that. Some general guiding principles about mission statements are that they
are: concise, outcome-oriented, inclusive. A clear mission statement is essential for
effectively establishing objectives and formulating strategies.
Example: Tiki has the vision and mission attached to its brand name “Tiki”,
which stands for Searching and Savings. It means when buying products on Tiki
exchange, the customers can experience the economic price suitable for their needs and
wants. Therefore, the sales plan of this company also performs this vision and mission.
As evident, Tiki tries to provide the customers with products at lower prices than some of
their competitors.
● Goals and objective: Once an organization has developed its mission statement, its next
step is to develop the specific objectives that are focused on achieving that mission. The
objectives of other areas must then be consistent with marketing objectives. In addition,
the objectives need to be SMART. The acronym SMART describes the requirement for
such objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time related.
● Strategies and tactics: They explain how the initiative will reach its objectives. The
strategies and tactics must be based on the PESTLE, SWOT, 5 Porter’s forces, and Brand
Key analysis. Besides, the 5W1H rule helps the sales manager to identify the issues
clearly, understand their customers and find available alternative plans (if any). After the
strategies are completed, the tactics will be prepared for the concrete step for pre, during
and post - sales.
Example: By the core vision and mission of Tiki and its analysis of the
competitors in the market, Tiki from 2017 until now implements the model C2C in
addition to B2C to compete directly with Shopee in the C2C market

13. Define 4Ps and 4Cs, explain the moving from 4Ps to 4Cs
- 4Ps:
The term marketing mix is appropriate, for there are many marketing mix ingredients and
even more ways of combining them. Each element of the four Ps requires that decisions are
taken:
● Price: price levels, credit terms, price changes, discounts.
● Product: features, packaging, quality, range.
● Promotion: advertising, publicity, sales promotion, personal selling, sponsorship. More
correctly, the combination of these five elements is termed the communications mix.
Getting these five elements to work together in harmony is termed ‘integrated marketing
communications’. The emergence of the internet and the increased use of direct
 marketing techniques in particular have more recently led to a greater emphasis on this
aspect of the marketing mix.
● Place: inventory, channels of distribution, number of intermediaries.
- 4Cs:
In 1990 Bob Lauterborn wrote an article in Advertising Age saying how the 4Ps were
dead and today’s marketer needed to address the real issues. In Lauterborn’s 4Cs model, the
elements are listed as follows:
● The first ‘C’ is ‘Consumer needs and wants’ are the target of the company, not the
product orientation.
Example: A good example of this is probably Nokia, making lots of products, but failing
to satisfy consumer needs and wants.
The second ‘C’ ‘Cost to satisfy,’ is based on the idea that price was irrelevant because
there were so many other factors at play. This is particularly interesting when considering
commodity goods, such as non-brand purchases from supermarkets, where supermarket buyers
are pressuring suppliers to lower their prices. The third ‘C’ is ‘Convenience to buy’. It is different
to the ‘P’ for ‘Place’ which always felt tenuous because it only refers to the access to the product.
Example: Convenience to buy is an interesting concept as we live in a 24/7 always-on
world. The concept of shopping from 9am to 5pm has gone.
● Lauterborn’s 4Cs collection concludes with the ‘C’ of ‘Communication’. Communication
should be based on dialogue, a two-way exchange between the company and the client.
Example: In the case of Tiki, the company always makes an effort to keep contact with
their customers through its own platforms and emails to immediately respond to any negative
feedback.
The moving from 4Ps to 4Cs:
- Customer vs Product
In the customer vs product discussion, we need to look at what it is you are
actually selling. An education, opportunities and fond memories of a childhood well
spent are not a product. The intangibility of what you offer to every pupil who
matriculates through your school means you cannot easily market your product. But the
4C's have the solution to this. If you can't focus on your product, you can focus on your
customer.
- Cost vs Price
Price is just one of the costs that need to be bear in mind, when a customer wants
to buy something. During the purchasing process, many different types of costs such as
those for searching the product, transportation, usage costs can occur. Today, the by
Internet ordering, the customers' transportation costs can be eliminated. Furthermore, low
search costs relating to using the Internet for search information prior purchasing are
highly-relevant factors that affect the use of the Internet. Think about price, consider
what cost, the customer is willing to pay
- Convenience vs Place
It immediately becomes clear that ‘place’ does not really have a place in your
marketing strategy. On the other hand, the customer-oriented approach of convenience is
something that can most certainly be employed by your marketing team. Convenience is
about making the process of your customers buying, accessing of or using your product
 as easy as it can possibly be. Think about place, consider how convenient it is to find, buy
and actually get in hands
- Communications vs Promotion
Promotion of a product can at times be considered a manipulative facet of
marketing in the eyes of consumers. It is propagated by the seller, and as such can be
deemed untrustworthy in its account. Communication on the other hand implies a shared
conversation between both the buyer and the seller, it is so much more than advertising
though. Think about promotion, consider the communication the customer prefers and
through which channels they will be more receptive.
In conclusion:
The 4P’s focus on a seller-oriented marketing strategy, which can be extremely effective
for sales. However, the 4C’s offer a more consumer-based perspective on the marketing strategy.

14. Explain the stage of buying decision (how they buy)

Unawareness

Awareness

Comprehension

Conviction

Purchase
Understanding the stages in the buying process, it is appropriate to make the customers move
from unconsciousness to comprehension of the products.
- Unawareness stage: advertising and publicity are more effective in the earlier stages of
moving potential purchasers through from unawareness to comprehension.
- Awareness and comprehension stage: ‘Cold calling’ or ‘cold canvassing’ is normally
associated with direct selling to the general public. Such sales personnel often rely on a
previously prepared sales script with predicted questions and methods to overcome the
obstacles.
- Conviction and purchase stage: Personal selling is more cost effective than other forms
of promotional activity at the conviction and purchase stages.
 Example:
- Unawareness: Nowadays, new established English centers often have little brand
recognition. Therefore, in the early stages, these English centers usually run ads about
English courses on social networking sites and promote these study courses to customers.
This helps to increase the brand awareness of English language centers to consumers.
- Aware and comprehension: During this period English centers gained consumer
recognition for their courses. They will use customer information collected from websites
to conduct “cold calling” to collect some kind of detailed information from customers,
understand the needs of customers and their reactions to customers to their English
courses. This action will help them to get potential customers such as college or
university students. The selling without prior contact or appointment.
- Conviction and purchase: At this stage, after reaching potential customers who want to
learn courses, English centers will often invite potential customers to come to the place to
test their English level and receive advice from a salesperson about their courses. This
action is intended to help these customers experience the facilities, customer service and
teaching quality. Therefore, potential customers can deeply understand the course, as well
as the quality of the center, which helps salespersons persuade them to buy English
courses. This is the motivation for these potential customers to decide to sign up for these
study courses at English centers.

15. Evaluate the process of organizational buying decision

The process of organizational buying decision, also known as B2B (business-to-business)

purchasing, involves multiple stages and participants. Unlike consumer buying, organizational
buying decisions are typically more complex, involve higher stakes, and require a more structured
approach.
 1. Problem Recognition
 Description:

This stage begins when someone within the organization identifies a need or problem that
can be solved by purchasing a product or service.
  Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Early recognition of needs is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and
avoiding disruptions.

Potential Issues: Delays or failures in recognizing problems can lead to missed opportunities and
operational inefficiencies.

Example:

A hospital identifies the need for new MRI machines due to increased patient load and aging
equipment.

2. Need Description
 Description:

Once the problem is recognized, the organization defines the general requirements and
scope for the needed product or service.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Clear and concise descriptions ensure all stakeholders understand the
requirements.

Potential Issues: Vague or incomplete descriptions can lead to misunderstandings and misaligned
expectations.

Example:

The hospital defines the need for more advanced imaging capabilities to handle higher
patient volumes and improve diagnostic accuracy.

3. Product Specification
 Description:

Detailed specifications for the required product or service are developed, outlining the technical
and performance criteria.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Detailed specifications help in obtaining the right product that meets the
organizational needs.

Potential Issues: Overly detailed specifications can limit supplier options, while insufficient
detail can lead to unsuitable products.

Example:

The hospital specifies the desired resolution, speed, and software capabilities of the new MRI
machines.

4. Supplier Search
  Description:

Identifying potential suppliers who can meet the described needs and specifications.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Comprehensive searches can identify the best suppliers, promoting competitive
pricing and high-quality products.

Potential Issues: A limited search might miss better suppliers, while an overly broad search can
be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Example:

The hospital’s procurement team researches MRI machine suppliers, considering factors
like reputation, previous client feedback, and technological capabilities.

5. Proposal Solicitation
 Description:

Requesting proposals from selected suppliers, including RFPs (Requests for Proposals),
RFQs (Requests for Quotations), and RFIs (Requests for Information).

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Well-structured solicitations ensure that suppliers provide relevant and comparable
information.

Potential Issues: Incomplete or vague solicitations can lead to inadequate or non-comparable

proposals.

Example:

The hospital sends RFPs to several MRI machine suppliers, requesting detailed proposals
on specifications, pricing, and delivery schedules.

6. Supplier Selection
 Description:

Evaluating proposals and selecting the supplier that best meets the organization’s criteria.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Rigorous evaluation processes ensure the selection of the best supplier.

Potential Issues: Biases, lack of standardized criteria, or insufficient evaluation can lead to
suboptimal choices.

Example:

The hospital evaluates proposals based on criteria such as cost, technology, support, and
service agreements, ultimately selecting a supplier offering the best balance of quality and price.
7. Order-Routine Specification
 Description:

Finalizing the order details, including delivery schedules, payment terms, and any service
agreements.

 Evaluation:

Effectiveness: Clear order specifications prevent misunderstandings and ensure smooth

transactions.

Potential Issues: Inadequate attention to order details can result in delivery issues, payment
disputes, and contractual misunderstandings.

Example:

The hospital finalizes the order with the chosen supplier, specifying delivery within 12
weeks, payment terms of 30 days post-installation, and a two-year maintenance contract.

Overall Critique

 Strengths:

Structured Approach: Ensures a systematic method for making informed decisions, reducing
risks associated with ad-hoc purchases.

Risk Mitigation: Multiple stages of evaluation help mitigate risks related to supplier performance
and product/service quality.

Strategic Alignment: Aligns purchasing decisions with organizational goals, enhancing overall
coherence and efficiency.

 Weaknesses:

Complexity and Time-Consumption: The process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive,

potentially slowing down procurement cycles.

Bureaucracy: Multiple stakeholders and stages can introduce bureaucratic delays and slow
decision-making.

Dependence on Accurate Information: The process relies heavily on accurate and up-to-date
information at each stage. Inaccuracies can lead to poor decisions.

 Challenges:

Dynamic Market Conditions: Rapid changes in market conditions can make specifications and
supplier evaluations outdated, requiring continuous updates and flexibility.

Supplier Relationship Management: Balancing stringent evaluations with maintaining good

supplier relationships can be challenging but is essential for long-term success.
16. Explain why Organizational buying behavior tend to be complex compare to
consumer buying behavior

Decision-Making Complexity: Organizational buying involves a more complex decision-

making process with multiple stakeholders, formalized procedures, and evaluation
criteria. Consumer buying decisions are generally simpler and more influenced by
personal preferences, emotions, and individual needs.

Nature / Characteristics of organizational buying behavior

Every organization is unique – As different organizations have different

organizational structures, organization cultures, values, objectives, and resources.
Therefore they also have a unique set of needs, demands and exhibit unique buying
behavior.

There is a long time lag between efforts and results – In the process of individual
buying, the time taken between a purchase decision and sales transaction is shorter than
industrial buying. This is due to the extra formalities and procedures that are to be
followed in the organizational buying process. For e.g. asking quotations, evaluating
tenders, preparing bulk orders and so on.

It is rational as well as emotional activity – Due to the presence of human beings

in the purchase process, it gives rise to the emotional element involved in buying. An
industrial buyer may select the quantity and quality of a product on the basis of specified
organization norms but may choose dealer on the basis of his personal or political
affiliation or past experience with the dealer.

It is a formal activity – Organization buying involves a formal contract between

the buyer and seller. It is a formal activity that requires the buyer to follow rules and
procedures laid down by the organization regarding the type, quality, quantity, terms of
payment, delivery time, etc. while making a purchase decision.

It is a multi-person activity – Buying decisions in an organization are generally

taken by a team of qualified personnel also referred to as buying center where each
individual plays different buying roles.

Organizations buy to enable them to provide goods and services that eventually
reach final consumers. As has been explained, consumer buying behavior relates to
individuals (or families) buying goods and services for their own use. Both organizational
and consumer buying behavior involves people, individually and in groups, who are
affected by environmental and individual factors.

Organizational buying usually involves group decision making, which is known

as the ‘decisionmaking unit’ (DMU) or what Webster and Wind16 referred to as the
buying center. In such a group, individuals have different roles in the purchasing process,
categorized as:
  Initiators – these people requisition or suggest purchasing a product or service;
 Users – these are people in the organization who use the product. Sometimes they
will also be involved in devising product specifications;
 Influencers – influencers affect the buying decision in different ways e.g. they
may be technical personnel who have developed product specifications;
 Deciders – deciders make the buying decision (in most cases this is the buyer);
 Buyers – buyers have formal authority to purchase the product;
 Approvers – these people authorize actions of deciders or buyers;
 Gatekeepers – gatekeepers control the flow of information to and from DMU or
buying center members e.g. a buyer’s assistant or a telephonist.

One person might play all these roles, or each may be performed by different
persons or groups of people.

Another difference in organizational buying is that many products are complex

and require specialist knowledge to purchase. Where products have complicated
specifications, there is more communication and negotiation between buyers and sellers.
After-sales service is important and suppliers are evaluated after purchase. Organizational
markets have fewer, larger buyers who tend to be geographically concentrated. Another
aspect is the nature of derived demand, where demand for organizational (especially
industrial) goods is derived from consumer markets. If the demand for end-product
consumer goods falls this affects the entire supply chain.

Organizational buying decisions can be categorized into buy classes as to how

complex they are, similar to low/high involvement decision making in consumer markets.
A straight re-buy occurs often, is relatively cheap, and usually a matter of routine. If the
supplier is an ‘in’ supplier they are on the company’s approved list of suppliers; they
have to perform well so they do not get taken off the list. If they are ‘out’ suppliers they
must try to get onto the approved list. A modified re-buy is a situation that requires some
additional information or evaluation of suppliers. It is usually the case that specifications
have been modified since the last purchase. A new task or new buy is the most complex
purchase decision when the company has not bought the product before. The search and
evaluation procedures are extensive.

17. Define some sales channel

A sales channel is the route that goods take through the selling process, from supplier to
customer. Sometimes the channel is direct, especially where goods sold are incorporated into a
manufacturing process. Final goods might then be sold through a different channel. A product
example is hard-disk drives that are sold to computer manufacturers; computers are then sold to end
consumers. There is also a market for replacement hard-disk drives for improvement or modification,
which may be sold through a retail outlet (online or offline), or direct to the consumer. When we
consider a product from the raw material stage to the end product, many different sales channels can
be involved at different stages of manufacturing. A sales channel can be indirect, whereby a
manufacturer sells to a wholesaler or agent, who sells in smaller lots to other customers.
There are five common types of sales channels:
 Wholesale: Brands, manufacturers and resellers sell their productsin bulk to various outlets or
retailers for onward sale.
Example: Alibaba is a Chinese-based e-commerce platform whose aim is to provide a
decent B2B trading platform to the international trade community. The company serves millions
of wholesale buyers and suppliers from over 190 countries worldwide. You can find a diversity of
products from all over the world right on its website.
 Retail: Businesses sell products directly to their end customers for a profit, either in store, online
or by phone.
Example: This form includes giants such
 Direct-to-Consumer: A brand or manufacturer selling direct to consumers and the end users of
their products, as opposed to selling to them solely through retailers. Example: Milktea stores
such as Gongcha, The Alley, KOI Thé…
 B2B: Businesses that sell to other businesses who are the intended end user of the product.
Example: General Electric makes plenty of consumer goods, but it also provides parts to
other enterprises.
 B2C:
+ Physical retail stores
+ Point of Sales (PoS) and sales teams detached to a third-party store
+ Commerce websites
+ Mobile apps
+ Online marketplaces (Amazon, eBay…)
+ Product catalogues delivered by post
+ Private sales and home shopping parties
+ Call centers and phone prospecting

18. Explain the 3Ps in sales of services

The four Ps have been extended to include an extra three Ps; thus, we have the ‘seven Ps’
of service marketing. The three extra Ps are People, Process and Physical evidence.
- People are the crucial element in service providing, especially who are in close contact
with customers. When dealing with consumers, employees must be well-trained and have
a friendly demeanor.
- Process refers to how the service is delivered and how it interacts with clients at the point
of contact - for example, loading, serving, and unloading air passengers. Service
consistency and quality must be carefully planned and monitored.
- Physical evidence is included because of the intangibility of services. The quality and
nature of the service being offered should be communicated through the environment,
types of equipment and physical facilities offered to customers.
In the sense of the above elements, the task of selling services is perhaps more difficult
than selling products because of its abstract nature. The distinguishing feature is the person who
provides and sells the service. The model of 3P in service marketing requires a highly trained
sales team, sales techniques, and sales negotiation for an effective interaction.
Example:
In the luxury restaurant and hotel market, the model of 3P in service marketing is
emphasized clearly. The typical case is the crisis in public relations at the Caravelle hotel.
 Nevertheless, the physical evidence is luxury, the people and process are the points causing the
aggression from the customers and outrage of netizens on social media discussing this problem.
The staff of a buffet restaurant in Caravelle fails to interact with clients indirectly at the
point of contact such as social media. As long as that client posted her negative feedback about
her experience of terrible foods of the restaurant rated 5 stars, the staff immediately invites more
friends to suppress her status. This act decreases the value of the luxury restaurant in the eyes of
customers because the salesperson was rude and the process of interacting with customers and the
public failed to ease the feelings of customers and deal with the media crisis.

19. Why do we need to prepare for pure selling and sales negotiations?
An important element in managing our work is preparation, which is examined in detail
1. Product knowledge and benefits (Biết rõ khách hàng cần gì và hiểu rõ được sản phẩm của
mình sẽ cho họ những gì)
People buy products for the benefits they confer, successful salespeople related product
features to consumer benefits; product features are the means by which benefits are derived. By
analyzing the product they are selling in this way, salespeople will communicate in terms that
are meaningful to buyers and therefore be more convincing.
2. Knowledge of competitors’ products and their benefits (Biết về sản phẩm của đối thủ cạnh
tranh)
A knowledge of competitors’ products offers several advantages:
It allows a salesperson to offset the strengths of those products, which may be mentioned
by potentia buyers, against their weaknesses.
In industrial selling, sales engineers work with a buying organization resulting in a
product specification, which reflects the strengths and capabilities of their products rather than
those of the competition. Knowledge of the competing products’ strengths and weaknesses will
be an advantage in this situation.
3. Sales presentation planning (Dự định giới thiệu sp như thế nào)
Although versatility, flexibility, and the ability to ‘think on one’s feet’ are desirable
attributes, there are considerable advantages topresentation planning:
● The salesperson is less likely to forget important consumer benefits associated with each
product within the range they are selling.
● The use of visual aids/computers and demonstrations can be planned into the presentation
at the most appropriate time to reinforce the benefit the salesperson is communicating.
● It builds confidence in the salesperson, particularly the newer, less experienced, that they
are well equipped to do the job efficiently and professionally.
● Possible objections and questions can be anticipated, and persuasive counterarguments
prepared.
4. Setting sales objectives (Mục tiêu bán hàng)
The temptation, when setting objectives, is to determine them in terms of what the
salesperson will do. The essential skill in setting call objectives is to phrase them in terms of
what the salesperson wants the customer to do, rather than what the salesperson will do.
5. Sales cycle
The sales cycle refers to the processes/steps between first contact with a customer and the
placing of an actual order and measures the amount of time that this takes; and this should
 always be considered from the point of view of what processes/steps the customer undertakes.
The sales cycle is a major contributor to the sales task as it can help in identifying when
approaches should be made to customers to gain the best responses and in analyzing the
performance of specific salespeople.
6. Understanding buyer behavior
Many organizational buying decisions are complex, involving many people whose
evaluative criteria may differ, and that the purchasing officer may play a minor role in deciding
which supplier to choose, particularly with very expensive items.
Careful preparation may be necessary for industrial salespeople, either when selling to
new companies or when selling to existing customers where the nature of the product is
different. In both situations, time taken trying to establish who are the key influencers and
decision makers will be well rewarded.
Examples:
- In the B2C market, especially the F&B industry, the customers sometimes will require
the sellers to satisfy their awkward demands, such as “matcha latte but the latte cannot be
green color”, or “Is there any cosmetics to help consumers less use cleansing?”.
- In the real estate or insurance market, the salesperson is tasked to sell the products with
the range of the set price but not lower price. In such a case, preparation is helpful in case
the buyer has the power to bargain the contract terms with the seller.
-
20. Defined what is CRM
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term for methodologies, technologies and
e-commerce capabilities used by firms to manage customer relationships. CRM vendors offer a
range of IT based services including call centers, data analysis services and website management.
This usually means consolidation of the many databases held by individual company departments
into one centralized database that can be accessed by all relevant staff on a computer screen.
What sets present-day CRM apart is that companies now have an increased opportunity to use
technology and manage one-to-one relationships with huge numbers of consumers.
Example: The Gioi Di Dong (TGDD) investigates and implements the CRM software
nationally by itself. With this new support from advanced technology, no matter how a customer
contacts a company, TGDD ’s employees have instant access to the same data about the
customer, such as their details as well as past purchases

21. Explain how can CRM can work with your selling activities
As simply stated, CRM includes all the methodologies, technologies and ecommerce capabilities
used by the firms to manage customer relationships. Hence, the selling activities of any company
applying CRM system can work well to customize the demands of customers by the means as
follows:
 CRM system collects the information to support a company in deciding any customer targeted
strategy, offer and maintain quality customer experience to create the brand loyalty;
 CRM centralizes all customer data. Such big data can be used for both marketing and sales
personnel interchangeably because these departments however are placed in physical proximity to
one another and working under similar objectives of the company;
 CRM automated customer-facing process to ensure that the system
 BONUS:
1. Evaluating the reason why sales management is important to a company
Sales management is important to a company because it helps the company to achieve the
planned objectives, and satisfy the customers’needs and wants. Specifically, the detailed reasons
are listed as follows:
 Sales and sales force are one of the main resources that canbring revenue and profit the company.
o Sales managers are also responsible for using this data to forecast future sales revenue
and update team standards and goals;
 Good sale management can broaden the market and reach new customers.
o Instrumental in broadening the market and reaching new customers by leveraging market
insights, strategic planning, innovative techniques, and a customer-centric approach. By
expanding the company's market reach, sales managers can drive growth, increase market
share, and create sustainable competitive advantages.
 Contributing to brand building
o Salesperson may receive feedbacks from the customer, and it is thefoundation for
improvements in brand awareness and brand recognition, or building the brand equity;
 Improve your product development and Improve staff qualities.
o Customers will provide feedback on what they need from you andyour team to continue
growing the business.

2. Explaining the duties and responsibilities of a sales manager?

In order to fulfill the role of sales managers, these specific duties and responsibilities will
be undertaken, as follows:
 Determining sales force objectives and goals: Sales planning is one of the key functions of the
sales management process and it shall be under the responsibility of sales managers who play a
strategic role in the company. In detail, they will design the effective method to achieve sales
goals, the details of business targets and the distribution of several resources.
 Forecasting and budgeting: A sales forecast helps every business make better business
decisions. It helps in overall business planning, budgeting, and risk management.... Sales
forecasting also helps businesses to estimate their costs and revenue accurately based on which
they are able to predict their short-term and long-term performance.
 Sales force organization, sales force size, territory design and planning: A concrete sales force
strategy helps generate higher sales, detail multiple products, and defend against new competitive
product launches.
Sales force selection, recruitment, and training: Recruitment involves searching for prospective
candidates and encouraging them to apply for the job. Salesman is the important cornerstone
upon which a sales organization is built. Success or failure of the firm depends upon the type of
salesman selected.
 Motivating the sales force: Sales managers need to be champions of encouragement, support,
and validation for the teams they manage. As can be seen, a company's revenues are earned
 through sales. And sales can be increased by motivating employees. Given this relationship,
motivation is an essential element for the growth of any organization
 Sales force evaluation and control: Sales force evaluation is an assessment of the overall
personal selling effort and sales force control is the extent to which sales management monitors,
directs, evaluates, and rewards activities.

3. Criticizing the wholesaling and retailing buy-sell situation

4. What is the relationship between sales management and marketing
strategies?
That sales efforts influence, and are influenced by, decisions taken on the ingredients of a
company’s marketing mix, which in turn affect its overall marketing efforts. It is essential,
therefore, that sales and marketing be fully integrated. The creation of a differential advantage is
the starting point of successful marketing strategy, but this needs to be communicated to the
salesforce and embedded in a sales plan that ensures they can articulate it convincingly to
customers. Marketing strategy affects the personal selling function through strategic objectives.
Each objective – build, hold, harvest and divest – has implications for sales objectives and
strategy. Linking business or product area strategic objectives with functional area strategies is
essential for the efficient allocation of resources and effective implementation in the marketplace.
Outlined in the table below:

As we have seen, selling objectives and strategies are derived from marketing strategy
decisions and should be consistent with other elements of the marketing mix. Indeed, marketing
strategy will determine if there is a need for a salesforce at all, or whether the selling role can be
better accomplished using some other medium such as direct mail. Objectives define what the
selling function is expected to achieve.

5. Explain SWOT, PEST

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)
 SWOT analysis is a framework used to evaluate a company's competitive position and to develop
strategic planning. The strengths and weaknesses are internal factors (within the control of the
organization) and opportunities and threats are external factors (outside the control of the
organization). A SWOT analysis is not a lengthy set of statements; it is simply a number of bullet
points under each heading that has been derived from the external analysis and internal audit. It
should be short and uncomplicated as it is from the SWOT that marketing strategies are generated.
 Strengths: Strengths describe what an organization excels at and what
separates it from the competition: a strong brand, loyal customer
base, a strong balance sheet, unique technology, and so on.
Example: Masan MEATLife will be restructured into 3 independent business sectors
(Feed – Farm – Food). Possessing more than 2500 retail stores in Ha Noi, HCMC and
neighboring areas, Masan MEATLife can easily perform the “farm to table” model which highly
serves the needs of the customers.
 Weaknesses: Weaknesses are the elements to stop an organization from performing at its
optimum level. They are areas where the business needs to improve to remain competitive: a
weak brand, higher than-average turnover, high levels of debt, an inadequate supply chain, or lack
of capital.
Example: Morra – a customized perfume brand in Vietnam. Although this business
model is new in our country, it seems old-fashioned in developed countries and the brand
recognition and awareness from the customer towards this brand are not high.
 Opportunities: Opportunities refer to favorable external factors that could give an organization a
competitive advantage.
Example: According to EVPTA, the import car and car accessories which Vietnam is
unable to produce will be under the tax rate of 0%. This policy encourages car manufacturers
such as Vinfast to import more equipment and materials to produce better products. Threats:
Threats refer to factors that have the potential to harm an organization. Example: Covid-19
pandemic breaks out in HCMC for 4 months and damages many companies which have a large
amount of fixed price such as renting building, location but they cannot operate for so long.
PEST/PESTLE (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, and
Ecological)
PEST/PESTLE analysis is a management method whereby an organization can assess
major external factors that influence its operation in order to become more competitive in the
market. PESTEL subject should be a clear definition of the market addressed for business to suit
the market it is intending to join.
● Political: Include trade policies, workforce regulations, and various other government
legislations.
● Economic: These factors affecting a business refer to the economy in which it operates,
such as exchange rates, and inflation.
● Sociocultural: sometimes just called the social factors - relate to the society and culture
in a given area, especially in how that can affect business.
● Technological: include the rise of new technologies (such as robotics), as well as the
prevalence of infrastructure for slightly older ones.
● Environmental: considering the toll we are taking on planet Earth. Many environmental
factors are somehow related to global warming, such as climate change, pollution, and
supply of natural resources.
● Legal: The legal factors affecting a business very often overlap with political factors.
These include trade, consumer, and copyright laws, which usually relate to political
decision.
6. Discuss sales functions
The sales function has an important role to play in the marketing plan. A key role of the sales
function in the planning process is the provision of the information of alternative courses of
action. The 04 sales functions are illustrated as follows:
(1) Analysis of current market situation (marketing audit)
The proximity of the sales function to the marketplace puts it in a unique position to contribute to
the analysis of the current market situation facing the company, including:
- The analysis of customer needs;
- Trends in purchasing behavior;
- Knowledge about competitors and their standing in the marketplace.
(2) Determining sales potential and/or sales forecasting
An important responsibility of the sales manager is the preparation of sales forecasts for use as
the starting point for business planning. Short-, medium- and long-term forecasts by the sales
manager form the basis for allocating company resources in order to achieve anticipated sales.
(3) Generating and selecting strategies
Although marketing management makes the decisions regarding which marketing techniques to
use, the sales manager must be consulted and should have a voice in decisions. Again, the sales
department is in a good position to remark on the appropriateness of any proposed strategies.
(4) Budgeting, implementation, and control
Preparation of the sales forecast is a necessary precursor to detailed marketing plans. The sales
forecast is also used in the preparation of the sales budget. On the basis of the sales forecast, the
sales manager must determine what level of expenditure will be required to achieve the forecasted
level of sales, as well as the type of sales team required to deliver predicted sales. Having agreed
the sales budget for the department, the sales manager must assume responsibility for its
implementation and control.

7. Criticizing the environmental impact on sales.

There are a number of major environmental forces impacting how selling and sales management
are and will be carried out, including: Behavioral forces and Technical forces.
8. Explain the 2 deadly sins that salesperson that need to avoid
Salespeople need to avoid two deadly sins:
 Working within their ‘comfort zone’. This is where they spend too much time with people they
like and feel comfortable with, but who are unimportant with regard to which product to buy or
which supplier to use.
It’s some aspect of the salesperson’s job with which he/she is more comfortable than others. It
could be on the market side of things, where the salesperson is only comfortable with some
 market segments and uncomfortable with others. For example, one salesperson may be
comfortable calling on schools, but uncomfortable calling on manufacturers. Salespeople create
comfort zones composed of types of individual customers as well. For example, one salesperson
may be comfortable calling on production managers, but very uncomfortable calling on CFOs.
Another may be adept at visiting with maintenance supervisors, but unwilling to stretch out to
call on purchasing agents. Or salespeople form comfort zones associated with the processes and
tools they use. For example, one may be very comfortable using a paper calendar, and not at all
comfortable using a laptop or the company’s new CRM system.
 Spending too much time with ‘nay sayers’. These are people who can say ‘no’ (the power of veto)
but who do not have the authority to say ‘yes’. It is the latter group, i.e. the decision-makers, to
whom most communicational effort should be channelled.
Example: The paralegal or associate in a law firm is usually in charge of meeting the
clients who intend to use the legal service of such a company. However, the person working
directly to the paralegal or associate is usually a staff of the legal department who is empowered
to veto the products. Therefore, the employees of law firms are trained to save their time and
spend time discussing and persuading with the head of the legal department or general directors
when there’s time.
9. Qualitative and quantitative research that can contribute to sales process
Qualitative forecasting techniques (định tính) rely more on opinion and less on mathematics in
their formulation. They are often used in conjunction with quantitative techniques, which
contribute to the sales process effectively. Quantitative research methods (định lượng) are
designed to ensure objectivity, generalizability, and reliability, and results are expected to be
replicable no matter who conducts the research.
Qualitative research
- Consumer/user survey method:
This method involves asking customers about their likely purchases for the forecast
period, sometimes referred to as the market research method. This method is of most value when
there are a small number of users who are prepared to state their intentions with a reasonable
degree of accuracy.
Example: Shopee Food surveys each time they finish using their service (order food or
beverage)
- Panels of executive opinion:
Sometimes called the “jury method”. The specialists or experts are consulted who have
knowledge of the industry being examined. They must then look at company sales from a
customer’s viewpoint and ‘prudently’ evaluate sales, taking into consideration such factors as
external economic conditions, competitive offerings in terms of design, quality, delivery and
price and whatever other factors
Example: A business invites an expert to evaluate the company’s sales prospects to guide
future development.
- Salesforce composite:
This method involves each salesperson making a product-by-product forecast for their
particular sales territory to conclude the consumer behavior and sales expectation. Such a method
is a bottom-up approach.
 Example: The pizza shop plans to buy raw materials for the next month through the
statistics of the average number of customers per month
- Delphi method
The forecasting team is chosen using a similar set of criteria. The main difference is that
members do not meet in committee. This means that they are not influenced by majority opinion
and a more objective forecast might result.
Example: Zara invites fashion experts to complete a questionnaire about fashion trends
launched by Zara, then it collects the ideas and draws the report.
Quantitative research
- Time series analysis:
The only variable that the forecaster considers is time. These techniques are relatively
simple to apply, but the danger is that too much emphasis might be placed upon past events to
predict the future. The techniques are useful in predicting sales in markets that are relatively
stable and not susceptible to sudden irrational changes in demand. Causal techniques:
It is assumed that there is a relationship between the measurable independent variable
(event or condition, e.g., economic changes) and the forecasted dependent variable (e.g.,
predicted sales). The forecast is produced by putting the value of the independent variable into the
Calculation.

10. Define some type of selling outlets

Selling outlets are categorized into 07 types:
 Multiples: classed as belonging to a retail organization with ten or more branches, each selling a
similar range of merchandise. This has been one of the fastest-growing areas of retailing, and in
Britain multiples now dominate fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail trading.
Example: Bách Hoá Xanh; Thế giới Di động
 Variety chains: comparable to multiples, but with a qualifying number
of branches of five and a broader selection of items.
Example: E-mart.
 Co-operative societies: owned and controlled by the people who shop there, each society is
governed by a board of directors elected from its own members. Anybody can be a member by
purchasing one share.
Example: The Co-operative Group purchased Nisa; The Co-operative
Group; The Shin Futsu fisherman’s co-operative.
 Department stores: stores with five or more departments under one roof and at least 25
employees, selling a wide range of commodities, including significant amounts of household
goods and clothing.
Example: Diamond Plaza, Taka Plaza, etc are the department stores where many
departments gather together under 01 building or tower. Each kiosk in the plaza will be placed by
a brand selling a variety of goods such as cosmetics, clothing…
 Independents: traders who own their own retail outlets. There are
variations, the first being where the independent belongs to a retail
buying association to make bulk purchases. Another arrangement is
when a wholesaler or group of wholesalers invites retailers to affiliate to
them and agrees to take the bulk of their purchases from them.
 Example: The Coffee House (TCH) possesses its own retail outlets through many
franchisers over the nation. These retailers agree to abide by the rules of the supply chain set out
by TCH.
 Mail order: The most popular type of arrangement is the mail order warehouse that carries a large
range of goods. Mail order is also carried out by commodity specialists dealing in items such as
gardening produce, cosmetics, and household kitchen items. Business is often conducted through
glossy catalogs and websites. Advertising in appropriate specialist press and through direct mail
(including websites) may also be carried out.
Example: Many agricultural households in Vietnam now try to sell their products
through mail order but this type of selling outlets limits the buying customers, namely most are
friends and acquaintances of the sellers.
 Direct selling: Business is conducted through the medium of glossy catalogs held by appointed
commission agents who sell to families and friends. The party plan companies have sold direct to
customers in their homes for a number of years.
Example: FPT used to implement a campaign of direct selling. Specifically, they sent
some salespeople to the apartments and called and sold the service of telecommunication to the
households living there.

11. Explaining the sales promotion and give example

Sales promotions include techniques that organizations can use as part of their marketing effort
alongside with other two promotional-mix tools such as personal selling and advertising. This
marketing tool aims to capture the market and increase the sales volume and it is an important
instrument to enhance the marketing efforts. In a broader sense, sales promotion is not an expenditure
but an investment when the company creates a high demand of product from customers and gains rich
returns. Besides, promotion makes customers acknowledge the product and are willing to buy.
Sale promotions comprise price reductions; vouchers or coupons; gifts; competitions; lotteries;
and cash bonuses. Techniques cover consumer promotions; trade promotions; salesforce promotions.
Sales promotions can be divided into three main areas of activity:
 Consumer promotions: These are often referred to as pull techniques, since they are designed to
stimulate final demand and move products through the sales channel, with consumers providing
the impetus (thúc đẩy sự mua của khách hàng). The most widely used consumer promotion is the
price reduction or price promotion.
 Trade promotions: The aim is usually to push products through the channel towards the
customer. Similar to consumer promotions, incentives are offered through extra rewards such as
discounts, increased margins on sales, dealer competitions, exhibitions, provision of
demonstrators and free holidays (often in the guise of a conference or product launch).
 Personnel motivation: The most widely used salesforce promotion is the sales incentives scheme.
Rewards are offered to participants on an equal basis which are over and above normal sales
compensation. They can be prizes in a competition to individuals or groups who per- form best
against specific objectives.’
Example: Currently, Shopee is one of the most competitive trading exchanges in Vietnam. It
continuously reduces the price and gives its customers vouchers and coupons monthly. Moreover, it
organizes the promotion programmes which offer to the customers the products priced at only 1.000
dong.
REVIEW EXAM
Question 1: Criticizing the characteristic of modern selling and support your
answers with examples
( Câu 5 Lý thuyết )
There are 06 characteristics of modern selling:
 Customer retention and deletion:
The Pareto Principle states that 20% of a company’s customers account for 80% of its
sales. This means that it is vital to devote considerable resources to retaining existing high
volume, high potential and highly profitable customers. Therefore, the sales force can focus their
efforts on one or a few significant customers, key account management has become an important
form of sales organization.
Example: The application of Pareto principle is now popular for most companies. One
typical example is The Coffee House and its membership policy. This brand divides the
customers into 5 categories of members from New Members to Diamond Members. The more
customers consume their products, the more benefits they gain. This policy expresses the Pareto
principle when the company focuses their resources to the most loyal customers.
● Database and knowledge management:
Modern salespeople must be instructed how to use and create customer databases, as well
as how to use the internet to help in sales. Modern selling encourages the implementation of
advanced technology, storage and sharing electronically. Salespeople can store customer and
competitor information, make presentations and communicate with head office electronically.
Furthermore, information supplied by the company, such as catalogues and price lists, can be held
Electronically.
Example: VNG Corporations (Vietnam) is currently using artificial intelligence and big
data within their corporation. This marketing tool allows them to gather a large amount of
customer data and improve and/or import the games which are more and more suitable for
customers.
● Customer relationship management (CRM):
Customer relationship management requires that the salesforce focuses on the long term and not
simply on closing the next sale. The emphasis should be on creating win–win situations with
customers so that both parties to the interaction gain and want to continue the relationship. For major
customers, relationship management may involve setting up dedicated teams to service the account
and maintain all aspects of the business relationship.
Example: Vinamilk hires the customer service teams to support the technical issues through
the call center of FPT in the aim of serving 200 distributors.
● Marketing the product:
Today’s salesman is responsible for much more than just creating and delivering a sales
presentation. Information displayed on web pages and email attachments can now occasionally
replace face-to-face encounters by providing customers with up-to-date knowledge. The role of the
salesperson is expanding to participation in marketing activities such as product development, market
development and the segmentation of markets, as well as other tasks that support or complement
marketing activities such as database management, provision and analysis of information, and
assessing market segments.
 Example: Snoopydoodoo is a startup company. Their salesmans have to sell their
products like cases, toys,... and do marketing on instagram and facebook at the same time.
● Problem solving and System selling:
Much of modern selling, especially in B2B circumstances, is centered on the salesperson
acting as a consultant, working with the customer to identify problems, establish needs, and
suggest and implement effective solutions. Modern selling often involves multiple calls, the use
of a team-selling approach and considerable analytical skills. Further, customers are increasingly
looking for a systems solution rather than the buying of an individual product.
Example: In reality, many companies even working in the B2C market conduct their
selling activities in the manner of providing the solution for customers’ problems rather than
selling specific products. For instance, Innisfree offers their customers a solution for their skin
conditions.
● Satisfying needs and adding value: Today’s salesperson must be able to recognize and satisfy
consumer needs. Some customers are unaware that they have a requirement. In such cases, the
salesperson's responsibility is to encourage need recognition. It is the salesperson’s job in such
situations to stimulate need recognition.
Example: customers may not realise that a machine in the production process has low
productivity compared to newer, more technologically advanced machines. The salesperson’s job
is to make customers aware of the problem in order to convince them that they have a need to
modernise the production process. In so doing, the salesperson will have added value to the
customer’s business by reducing costs and created a win–win situation for their company and the
customer.

Question 2: With technology development, marketers tend to switch the concept

between 4P and 4C, as an executive, evaluating the 4C
- 4Cs:
In 1990 Bob Lauterborn wrote an article in Advertising Age saying how the 4Ps were dead and today’s
marketer needed to address the real issues. In Lauterborn’s 4Cs model, the elements are listed as follows:
 The first ‘C’ is ‘Consumer needs and wants’ are the target of the company, not the product
orientation.
Example: A good example of this is probably Nokia, making lots of products, but failing to
satisfy consumer needs and wants.
 The second ‘C’ ‘Cost to satisfy,’ is based on the idea that price was irrelevant because there were
so many other factors at play. This is particularly interesting when considering commodity goods,
such as non-brand purchases from supermarkets, where supermarket buyers are pressuring
suppliers to lower their prices.
 The third ‘C’ is ‘Convenience to buy’. It is different to the ‘P’ for ‘Place’ which always felt
tenuous because it only refers to the access to the product.
Example: Convenience to buy is an interesting concept as we live in a 24/7 always-on world. The
concept of shopping from 9am to 5pm has gone.
 Lauterborn’s 4Cs collection concludes with the ‘C’ of ‘Communication’. Communication should
be based on dialogue, a two-way exchange between the company and the client.
Example: In the case of Tiki, the company always makes an effort to keep contact with their
customers through its own platforms and emails to immediately respond to any negative feedback.
Question 3: Tas Ltd is a technology retailer, and the organization sell almost every
laptop category such as gaming, designing and office use. Josh is currently a student
and looking for a laptop. Once the conversation going with a salesperson, below is
an information:
- Looking for reasonable price laptop with good promotion
- Office use and basic design only
- No brand preferred
1. Based on the information given, criticize the choice criteria of Josh
Choice criteria can be economic, social, or personal. But in this situation Josh only cares about
Economic criteria: performance, reliability, and price.
- Performance refers to the efficiency with which a product achieves its intended purpose. Josh just
use laptop for office use and basic design
- Price of the product must comply with the performance and reliability dimension. Josh just
looking for reasonable price laptop with good promotion
Based on the information provided, I can identify some potential flaws in Josh's choice criteria:
- Lack of Specific Requirements
- Overemphasis on Price and Promotion
- Ignoring Brand Reputation
- Limited Future-Proofing:
Josh's choice criteria could be criticized for being too broad and focused primarily on short-term
cost savings rather than considering factors such as performance, brand reputation, and future-proofing.
He should consider refining his criteria to ensure he selects a laptop that meets his current needs and
offers good value in the long term. Josh can make a more informed decision that meets his needs and
budget better.
- Consider a balanced approach between price and performance.
- Think about the potential need for future upgrades or changes in usage.
- Research brands and their reputation for customer support, warranty, and compatibility.
- Prioritize features that are essential for his current and future needs.
2. As a Salesperson, what should you do if Josh gives a statement "with the same brand, the other
shop offer better deal”

As a salesperson, if Josh mentions that another shop is offering a better deal with the same brand,
I would respond by first acknowledging his statement and then exploring the specifics of the offer to see
if there's anything I can do to match or improve upon it. Here's how I might respond:

"Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Josh. We strive to offer competitive deals here at
Tas Ltd, so I appreciate you sharing that information with me. Could you please tell me more about the
offer you saw at the other shop? Are there any specific details or terms that stood out to you?"

By gathering more information about the competitor's offer, I can assess whether it's feasible for
us to match or beat it. If it's not possible to match the offer exactly, I can still try to find alternative ways
to add value for Josh, such as offering additional discounts, including extra accessories or services, or
providing personalized assistance and support.

I might continue with something like:

"While I may not be able to match that offer exactly, I'm committed to ensuring you get the best
value here at Tas Ltd. Let me see what options I can explore for you. In addition to price, are there any
other features or services that are important to you in your laptop purchase?"

This approach demonstrates that I value Josh's business and am willing to work with him to find a
solution that meets his needs and budget while also highlighting the unique value propositions of
shopping at Tas Ltd.

CLCQTKD43
Question 1: In marketing, especially Sales management, understand the buying
decision of the consumers is vital because salesperson can be able to create different
tactics during the sales situation, criticize the stage of buying decision (3 marks)
( câu 14 Lý thuyết )

Unawareness

Awareness

Comprehension

Conviction

Purchase
Understanding the stages in the buying process, it is appropriate to make the customers
move from unconsciousness to comprehension of the products.
 - Unawareness stage: advertising and publicity are more effective in the earlier stages of
moving potential purchasers through from unawareness to comprehension.
- Awareness and comprehension stage: ‘Cold calling’ or ‘cold canvassing’ is normally
associated with direct selling to the general public. Such sales personnel often rely on a
previously prepared sales script with predicted questions and methods to overcome the
obstacles.
- Conviction and purchase stage: Personal selling is more cost effective than other forms
of promotional activity at the conviction and purchase stages.
Example:
- Unawareness: Nowadays, new established English centers often have little brand
recognition. Therefore, in the early stages, these English centers usually run ads about
English courses on social networking sites and promote these study courses to customers.
This helps to increase the brand awareness of English language centers to consumers.
- Aware and comprehension: During this period English centers gained consumer
recognition for their courses. They will use customer information collected from websites
to conduct “cold calling” to collect some kind of detailed information from customers,
understand the needs of customers and their reactions to customers to their English
courses. This action will help them to get potential customers such as college or
university students. The selling without prior contact or appointment.
- Conviction and purchase: At this stage, after reaching potential customers who want to
learn courses, English centers will often invite potential customers to come to the place to
test their English level and receive advice from a salesperson about their courses. This
action is intended to help these customers experience the facilities, customer service and
teaching quality. Therefore, potential customers can deeply understand the course, as well
as the quality of the center, which helps salespersons persuade them to buy English
courses. This is the motivation for these potential customers to decide to sign up for these
study courses at English centers.

Question 2: In today context, selling encounter with lots of information to create

modern selling, you are required to evaluate some characteristic of modern selling
(3 marks)

( Câu 5 Lý thuyết )
There are 06 characteristics of modern selling:
 Customer retention and deletion:
The Pareto Principle states that 20% of a company’s customers account for 80% of its
sales. This means that it is vital to devote considerable resources to retaining existing high
volume, high potential and highly profitable customers. Therefore, the sales force can focus their
efforts on one or a few significant customers, key account management has become an important
form of sales organization.
Example: The application of Pareto principle is now popular for most companies. One
typical example is The Coffee House and its membership policy. This brand divides the
customers into 5 categories of members from New Members to Diamond Members. The more
 customers consume their products, the more benefits they gain. This policy expresses the Pareto
principle when the company focuses their resources to the most loyal customers.
● Database and knowledge management:
Modern salespeople must be instructed how to use and create customer databases, as well
as how to use the internet to help in sales. Modern selling encourages the implementation of
advanced technology, storage and sharing electronically. Salespeople can store customer and
competitor information, make presentations and communicate with head office electronically.
Furthermore, information supplied by the company, such as catalogues and price lists, can be held
Electronically.
Example: VNG Corporations (Vietnam) is currently using artificial intelligence and big
data within their corporation. This marketing tool allows them to gather a large amount of
customer data and improve and/or import the games which are more and more suitable for
customers.
● Customer relationship management (CRM):
Customer relationship management requires that the salesforce focuses on the long term and not
simply on closing the next sale. The emphasis should be on creating win–win situations with
customers so that both parties to the interaction gain and want to continue the relationship. For major
customers, relationship management may involve setting up dedicated teams to service the account
and maintain all aspects of the business relationship.
Example: Vinamilk hires the customer service teams to support the technical issues
through the call center of FPT in the aim of serving 200 distributors.
● Marketing the product:
Today’s salesman is responsible for much more than just creating and delivering a sales
presentation. Information displayed on web pages and email attachments can now occasionally
replace face-to-face encounters by providing customers with up-to-date knowledge. The role of the
salesperson is expanding to participation in marketing activities such as product development, market
development and the segmentation of markets, as well as other tasks that support or complement
marketing activities such as database management, provision and analysis of information, and
assessing market segments.
Example: Snoopydoodoo is a startup company. Their salesmans have to sell their
products like cases, toys,... and do marketing on instagram and facebook at the same time.
● Problem solving and System selling:
Much of modern selling, especially in B2B circumstances, is centered on the salesperson
acting as a consultant, working with the customer to identify problems, establish needs, and
suggest and implement effective solutions. Modern selling often involves multiple calls, the use
of a team-selling approach and considerable analytical skills. Further, customers are increasingly
looking for a systems solution rather than the buying of an individual product.
Example: In reality, many companies even working in the B2C market conduct their
selling activities in the manner of providing the solution for customers’ problems rather than
selling specific products. For instance, Innisfree offers their customers a solution for their skin
conditions.
● Satisfying needs and adding value: Today’s salesperson must be able to recognize and satisfy
consumer needs. Some customers are unaware that they have a requirement. In such cases, the
 salesperson's responsibility is to encourage need recognition. It is the salesperson’s job in such
situations to stimulate need recognition.
Example: customers may not realise that a machine in the production process has low
productivity compared to newer, more technologically advanced machines. The salesperson’s job
is to make customers aware of the problem in order to convince them that they have a need to
modernise the production process. In so doing, the salesperson will have added value to the
customer’s business by reducing costs and created a win–win situation for their company and the
customer.

Question 3: Jamie is an investor and during the 20x2, catching the opportunities of
the economic downturn, Jamie has successfully earned over $500,000 profit and
become one of the successful investors during the year. Therefore, he is looking to
buy a new pen that can reflex his "successful image"

1. Based on the information, criticize the choice criteria that Jamie has made (3
marks)

Jamie's choice criteria for selecting a new pen based solely on its ability to reflect his
"successful image" lacks depth and overlooks several important factors:

 Superficiality: Focusing solely on the outward appearance of a pen as a reflection of

success is superficial. Success is not accurately represented by material possessions
alone, such as an expensive pen.
 Lack of Functionality Consideration: Jamie's choice criteria does not consider the
functionality or practicality of the pen. A pen's performance, comfort, and suitability for
the tasks Jamie needs to perform should also be taken into account.
 Ignoring Value Proposition: Spending a significant amount of money on a pen purely
for its image may not be a wise investment. Jamie should consider the value proposition
of the pen, weighing its cost against its utility and durability.

It can be seen that Jamie's choice criteria overlooks the holistic aspects of selecting a pen
and focuses too narrowly on projecting a certain image without considering other important
factors.

2. How would you deal with objection if Jamie has made the statement as "I do not
like this pattern of the pen" (1 mark)

If Jamie expresses dissatisfaction with the pattern of the pen, I would address his
objection by highlighting the importance of considering both personal preference and practicality
in selecting a pen:

 Acknowledge his Preference: I would begin by acknowledging Jamie's preference and

understanding that personal taste plays a significant role in selecting any item, including a
pen.
  Emphasize Functionality: However, I would gently remind Jamie that while aesthetics
are important, the functionality of the pen should also be a key consideration. It's
essential to choose a pen that not only looks good but also feels comfortable to hold and
writes smoothly.
 Explore Alternatives: If the pattern of the pen in question doesn't align with Jamie's
preferences, I would suggest exploring alternative options that offer a similar level of
functionality but with a different pattern or design that may better suit his taste.
 Highlight the Value Proposition: Additionally, I would emphasize the value proposition
of the pen, focusing on its quality, durability, and how well it reflects Jamie's successful
image beyond just its pattern.
 Encourage Flexibility: Finally, I would encourage Jamie to keep an open mind and
consider a variety of options before making a decision. It's important to strike a balance
between personal preference and practicality when choosing a pen that will serve him
well in both professional and personal settings.

CLCQTL42
Question 1 (3 Marks): Product life cycle is one of the charts that marketing and sale
manager can use to track, manage and planning the strategies to maximise revenue.
Criticizing the product life cycle

( Câu 8 Lý thuyết )

The product life-cycle is analogous to the life-cycle pattern of humans and has
four distinct stages – introduction (birth), growth, maturity and eventually decline.
 Introduction: Sales are increasing slowly at this point. Dealers must be convinced to
carry the product and promote it. Consumers must be made aware of its existence and
persuaded that it is worthwhile to purchase. Therefore, it is important to use promotional
activity to give advice about the product’s benefits.
Example: VinFast is about to produce new electric cars VF8 and VF9. Although
the models are only in the process of testing and manufacturing, they has allowed
customers to register and deposit in advance with the expectation of receiving large
orders from customers.
 Growth: The next stage is growth. During this period more people find out about the
product and purchase it. There is a snowball effect as word-of-mouth communication and
advertising begin to take effect. Example: After the new Samsung Fold phone was
launched and received the evaluation and feedback of Youtuber and Reviewer, this new
phone was sold in mobile retail stores nationwide. Although the price of the product is
quite high, the revenue from this product model is extremely impressive and has rapidly
increased since its launch.
  Maturity: The growth of sales begins to slow as the market becomes aturated.
Competitors have now entered the market because the strong profit and sales figures
attract them. Profits rose and then began to drop, partly as a result of rising competition.
Example: When the dairy market in Vietnam was saturated, Vinamilk’s revenue
was slowed down and it was facing difficulties in expanding the market, increasing sales
and profits each year
 Decline: Sales begin to fall, and already slim profit margins are depressed even further.
further. Customers might have become bored with the product and are attracted by newer,
improved products.
Example: When the milk tea market in Vietnam is saturated, a series of chains of milk
tea stores such as Tocotoco, Toocha, Gongcha, etc… have been reduced in revenue and forced to
close a series of stores to limit costs

Question 2 ( 3 Marks): In today context, sales management and sale activities have
been changed expeditiously and require with modem selling. Explain the
characteristics modern selling

( Câu 5 Lý thuyết )

There are 06 characteristics of modern selling:

 Customer retention and deletion:
The Pareto Principle states that 20% of a company’s customers account for 80%
of its sales. This means that it is vital to devote considerable resources to retaining
existing high volume, high potential and highly profitable customers. Therefore, the sales
force can focus their efforts on one or a few significant customers, key account
management has become an important form of sales organization.
Example: The application of Pareto principle is now popular for most companies.
One typical example is The Coffee House and its membership policy. This brand divides
the customers into 5 categories of members from New Members to Diamond Members.
The more customers consume their products, the more benefits they gain. This policy
expresses the Pareto principle when the company focuses their resources to the most
loyal customers.
● Database and knowledge management:
Modern salespeople must be instructed how to use and create customer databases,
as well as how to use the internet to help in sales. Modern selling encourages the
implementation of advanced technology, storage and sharing electronically. Salespeople
can store customer and competitor information, make presentations and communicate
with head office electronically. Furthermore, information supplied by the company, such
as catalogues and price lists, can be held Electronically.
Example: VNG Corporations (Vietnam) is currently using artificial intelligence
and big data within their corporation. This marketing tool allows them to gather a large
 amount of customer data and improve and/or import the games which are more and more
suitable for customers.
● Customer relationship management (CRM):
Customer relationship management requires that the salesforce focuses on the long term
and not simply on closing the next sale. The emphasis should be on creating win–win
situations with customers so that both parties to the interaction gain and want to continue the
relationship. For major customers, relationship management may involve setting up
dedicated teams to service the account and maintain all aspects of the business relationship.
Example: Vinamilk hires the customer service teams to support the technical
issues through the call center of FPT in the aim of serving 200 distributors.
● Marketing the product:
Today’s salesman is responsible for much more than just creating and delivering a sales
presentation. Information displayed on web pages and email attachments can now
occasionally replace face-to-face encounters by providing customers with up-to-date
knowledge. The role of the salesperson is expanding to participation in marketing activities
such as product development, market development and the segmentation of markets, as well
as other tasks that support or complement marketing activities such as database management,
provision and analysis of information, and assessing market segments.
Example: Snoopydoodoo is a startup company. Their salesmans have to sell their
products like cases, toys,... and do marketing on instagram and facebook at the same
time.
● Problem solving and System selling:
Much of modern selling, especially in B2B circumstances, is centered on the
salesperson acting as a consultant, working with the customer to identify problems,
establish needs, and suggest and implement effective solutions. Modern selling often
involves multiple calls, the use of a team-selling approach and considerable analytical
skills. Further, customers are increasingly looking for a systems solution rather than the
buying of an individual product.
Example: In reality, many companies even working in the B2C market conduct
their selling activities in the manner of providing the solution for customers’ problems
rather than selling specific products. For instance, Innisfree offers their customers a
solution for their skin conditions.
● Satisfying needs and adding value: Today’s salesperson must be able to recognize and
satisfy consumer needs. Some customers are unaware that they have a requirement. In
such cases, the salesperson's responsibility is to encourage need recognition. It is the
salesperson’s job in such situations to stimulate need recognition.
Example: customers may not realise that a machine in the production process has
low productivity compared to newer, more technologically advanced machines. The
salesperson’s job is to make customers aware of the problem in order to convince them
that they have a need to modernise the production process. In so doing, the salesperson
 will have added value to the customer’s business by reducing costs and created a win–
win situation for their company and the customer.

Question 3 (4 Marks): Josh is a senior manager of a sole propriety company and all
of his work about the book keeping and tracking sales process are done manually.
In 20X2, he decides to switch to more moder management by purchasing a new
computer that suitable for his office work. However, by researching through
variable stores in the area, Josh chooses Kenton Computer as they give the best
price and lots of promotion when purchase at store.

1. According to the information and as a salesperson, how would you judge the
choice criteria that Josh made and evaluate your decision (3 Marks)
As a salesperson evaluating Josh's choice criteria, I would assess it in the following ways:

 Price and Promotion: Josh's decision to choose Kenton Computer based on the best price
and promotions aligns with a common consumer behavior of seeking value for money.
By prioritizing cost-effectiveness and taking advantage of promotions, Josh demonstrates
a prudent approach to managing his company's expenses.
 Suitability for Office Work: Since Josh specifically mentions purchasing a computer
suitable for office work, it suggests that he considered his company's specific needs and
requirements. Choosing a computer that meets the functional demands of his business
operations is a rational decision that prioritizes practicality over other factors.
 Research Efforts: Josh's initiative to research various computer stores in the area
indicates a proactive approach to decision-making. By exploring multiple options, he
ensures that he can make an informed choice based on a comprehensive understanding of
available products and prices.
 Potential Trade-offs: However, while focusing on price and promotions is important,
Josh should also consider other factors such as product quality, after-sales service, and
warranty terms. Opting for the cheapest option may sometimes lead to compromises in
these areas, which could impact the long-term reliability and support of the computer.

Josh's choice criteria reflect a balanced consideration of cost-effectiveness and suitability

for his company's needs. However, it's essential for him to ensure that the selected computer
meets the necessary quality standards and provides adequate support to facilitate smooth
business operations in the long run.

2. What would you do and would not do if Josh said "I thought this model X is
better thanY model and I thought your company provide 2 year warranty". (I
mark)

If Josh expresses his thoughts regarding the superiority of Model X over Model Y and his
expectation of a two-year warranty from my company, what I would do and would not do:

Would Do:
  Acknowledge Josh's Concerns: I would start by acknowledging Josh's preferences and
concerns regarding the models and warranty terms. It's essential to show understanding
and respect for his perspective.
 Provide Information on Warranty: I would clarify our company's warranty policy,
ensuring Josh has accurate information about the warranty duration, coverage, and any
additional services or support we offer to our customers.
 Explain Product Features: I would provide Josh with detailed information about both
Model X and Model Y, highlighting the features, specifications, and benefits of each
model. This will help him make an informed decision based on his specific requirements.
 Offer Assistance: I would offer my assistance in helping Josh explore alternative options
or address any further questions or concerns he may have. Providing personalized
assistance can enhance customer satisfaction and trust in our company.

Would Not Do:

 Dismiss Josh's Opinion: I would not dismiss Josh's opinion regarding the superiority of
Model X over Model Y. Every customer has unique preferences and requirements, and
it's important to respect their individual choices.
 Mislead Regarding Warranty: I would not mislead Josh regarding our company's
warranty policy. It's important to maintain transparency and integrity in all customer
interactions, including discussions about warranty terms.
 Pressure for Immediate Decision: I would not pressure Josh into making an immediate
decision. Instead, I would encourage him to take his time to carefully evaluate his options
and ensure he selects the model that best suits his needs.

According to these approaches, I can address Josh's concerns effectively, provide him
with the necessary information and support, and ultimately help him make a confident decision
that aligns with his preferences and requirements.

CLCQTKD46
QUESTION 1 (3 điểm): product life cycle is one of the charts the company and sales
manager can use to manage, analyze and planning to increase revenue. Based on
your point of view, evaluating the product life cycle of the company

( Câu 8 Lý thuyết )

The product life-cycle is analogous to the life-cycle pattern of humans and has
four distinct stages – introduction (birth), growth, maturity and eventually decline.
 Introduction: Sales are increasing slowly at this point. Dealers must be convinced to
carry the product and promote it. Consumers must be made aware of its existence and
persuaded that it is worthwhile to purchase. Therefore, it is important to use promotional
activity to give advice about the product’s benefits.
 Example: VinFast is about to produce new electric cars VF8 and VF9. Although
the models are only in the process of testing and manufacturing, they has allowed
customers to register and deposit in advance with the expectation of receiving large
orders from customers.
 Growth: The next stage is growth. During this period more people find out about the
product and purchase it. There is a snowball effect as word-of-mouth communication and
advertising begin to take effect. Example: After the new Samsung Fold phone was
launched and received the evaluation and feedback of Youtuber and Reviewer, this new
phone was sold in mobile retail stores nationwide. Although the price of the product is
quite high, the revenue from this product model is extremely impressive and has rapidly
increased since its launch.
 Maturity: The growth of sales begins to slow as the market becomes aturated.
Competitors have now entered the market because the strong profit and sales figures
attract them. Profits rose and then began to drop, partly as a result of rising competition.
Example: When the dairy market in Vietnam was saturated, Vinamilk’s revenue
was slowed down and it was facing difficulties in expanding the market, increasing sales
and profits each year
 Decline: Sales begin to fall, and already slim profit margins are depressed even further.
further. Customers might have become bored with the product and are attracted by newer,
improved products.
Example: When the milk tea market in Vietnam is saturated, a series of chains of
milk tea stores such as Tocotoco, Toocha, Gongcha, etc… have been reduced in revenue
and forced to close a series of stores to limit costs

QUESTION 2 (3 điểm): with the development of the technologies and social aspects,
criticizing the traditional and modern sales approach, support your answers with
examples.

( Câu 6 Lý thuyết)

Traditional Sales Approach:

4. Focus on Product Features Over Customer Needs:

o Criticism: Traditional sales approaches often emphasize the features and benefits
of a product rather than understanding and addressing the specific needs of the
customer. This can lead to a misalignment between what is being offered and
what the customer actually needs.
o Example: A sales representative for office equipment focuses on detailing the
technical specifications of a new printer without first understanding the
customer's specific printing needs or existing challenges.

5. One-Way Communication:
 o Criticism: Traditional sales methods often involve one-way communication,
where the salesperson delivers a pitch to the customer without engaging in a
meaningful dialogue. This can result in customers feeling unheard and
undervalued.
o Example: Door-to-door salespeople delivering scripted pitches without asking
questions or listening to the homeowner's concerns or preferences.

6. Limited Use of Technology:

o Criticism: Traditional sales approaches tend to rely heavily on face-to-face
interactions, phone calls, and paper-based materials, which can limit efficiency
and scalability.
o Example: A salesperson using physical brochures and handwritten order forms to
close sales, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Modern Sales Approach:

4. Customer-Centric Focus:
o Criticism: While a customer-centric approach is beneficial, it can sometimes lead
to over-customization, where the effort to tailor solutions to each individual
customer becomes inefficient and costly.
o Example: A tech company spends excessive time and resources customizing
software for each client, resulting in delayed deliveries and reduced profitability.

5. Two-Way Communication and Relationship Building:

o Criticism: Building relationships and engaging in two-way communication can
be time-intensive, and not all customers may be interested in forming a long-term
relationship with the brand.
o Example: A B2B salesperson spends considerable time nurturing a relationship
with a potential client who ultimately decides to go with a competitor based on
price alone.

6. Integration of Technology and Data Analytics:

o Criticism: Relying heavily on technology and data analytics can lead to over-
reliance on quantitative data, potentially overlooking qualitative insights and the
human element of sales.
o Example: An e-commerce platform uses algorithms to recommend products
based on browsing history, but fails to consider the context or changing needs of
the customer, leading to irrelevant suggestions.

Examples and Comparison:

Traditional Sales Approach Example:

 Car Dealership: A traditional car dealership often employs salespeople who use a hard-
sell approach, focusing on closing the deal quickly. They might emphasize the car's
features and offer limited-time promotions to create urgency. While this can be effective
 in driving immediate sales, it may lead to buyer's remorse and lower customer
satisfaction if the customer's needs aren't fully understood and met.

Modern Sales Approach Example:

 SaaS Company: A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company might use a consultative sales

approach, where the sales representative acts as an advisor. They might use CRM
systems to track customer interactions, employ data analytics to understand customer
behavior, and engage in personalized email marketing. This approach aims to build long-
term relationships and deliver solutions that genuinely meet customer needs, enhancing
customer loyalty and lifetime value.

Both traditional and modern sales approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.
Traditional sales methods can be effective for quick, transactional sales but may fall short in
building long-term customer relationships. Modern sales approaches, while more aligned with
today's customer expectations for personalized and value-driven interactions, can sometimes be
resource-intensive and overly dependent on technology. The best approach often involves
integrating the strengths of both, combining efficient, feature-focused selling with personalized,
customer-centric strategies.

QUESTION 3 (4 điểm): Holland is the sole proprietor and currently running under
fashion industry especially fast fashion, the company is currently in maturity stage,
and he is wishing to expand his business to sneakers market. One of the problems is
that he is unable to collect any information related to his buyer so he can be able to
make the decision, thus based on his finding, he knows that the company needs to
transform from normal retailing to moder retailing with a support of CRM, but he
is uncleared about the CRM can maintain and expand the customers.

1. As a Marketer, defining the CRM and criticizing how CRM can work with selling
activities (3 marks)

As a marketer, let's first define CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and then analyze
how it can work with selling activities:

CRM is a strategy and technology used by businesses to manage interactions and relationships
with customers and potential customers. It involves gathering, organizing, and analyzing
customer data to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. CRM systems typically
include tools for managing customer interactions, tracking sales activities, automating marketing
campaigns, and providing personalized customer service.

CRM can work with selling activities:

1. Data Collection and Analysis: CRM systems can collect a wealth of data about
customers, including their purchase history, preferences, demographics, and
communication preferences. However, the effectiveness of CRM in driving sales depends
on the accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of this data. If the data collected is outdated,
 incomplete, or irrelevant, it can hinder the ability to make informed sales decisions and
target customers effectively.
2. Personalization and Targeting: One of the key benefits of CRM is its ability to
personalize marketing and sales efforts based on customer data. By segmenting
customers into different groups and targeting them with tailored messages and offers,
businesses can increase the effectiveness of their selling activities. However, if CRM
systems are not properly configured or utilized, they may fail to deliver personalized
experiences, leading to missed sales opportunities and customer dissatisfaction.
3. Integration with Sales Processes: CRM systems should seamlessly integrate with
existing sales processes and workflows to support selling activities effectively. This
includes capturing leads, managing contacts, tracking opportunities, and analyzing sales
performance. If CRM systems are overly complex or difficult to use, sales teams may be
reluctant to adopt them, resulting in low usage and limited benefits for driving sales
growth.
4. Customer Engagement and Retention: CRM can play a crucial role in engaging and
retaining customers by enabling businesses to stay connected with customers across
multiple channels, such as email, social media, and mobile apps. However, if CRM is not
integrated with customer service processes or if communication with customers feels
automated and impersonal, it can have a negative impact on customer satisfaction and
loyalty, ultimately affecting sales performance.

In summary, while CRM has the potential to enhance selling activities by providing
valuable insights, facilitating personalization, and improving customer engagement, its
effectiveness depends on factors such as data quality, system integration, user adoption, and the
overall customer experience. Businesses must carefully evaluate their CRM strategies and
technologies to ensure they align with their selling objectives and contribute to sustainable sales
growth.

2. Suggesting some consumer promotion that can help Holland's company

expanding the market (1 mark)

( CHỌN 1 – 2 thoai k cần ghi hết )

Some consumer promotion ideas that can help Holland's company expand its market:

1. Loyalty Programs: Implementing a loyalty program can incentivize repeat purchases and
encourage customer retention. Offer rewards such as discounts, exclusive access to sales
or events, or points redeemable for free products or gifts.
2. Referral Programs: Encourage existing customers to refer their friends and family to
Holland's company by offering incentives for successful referrals. This could include
discounts on future purchases, free products, or entry into a prize draw.
3. Limited-Time Offers: Create a sense of urgency and excitement by offering limited-time
promotions, such as flash sales, buy-one-get-one-free offers, or exclusive discounts for a
specific time period. This can help drive immediate sales and attract new customers who
are drawn to the opportunity for savings.
4. Contests and Giveaways: Host contests or giveaways on social media platforms to
engage with potential customers and increase brand awareness. Encourage participants to
share your content or tag friends for a chance to win prizes such as product bundles, gift
cards, or exclusive experiences.
5. Bundling Deals: Offer bundled packages where customers can purchase multiple
products together at a discounted price. This not only encourages upselling and higher
transaction values but also introduces customers to a wider range of Holland's company's
offerings.
6. Free Samples or Trials: Provide free samples or trials of Holland's company's products
to allow potential customers to experience the quality firsthand. This can help alleviate
any hesitation or skepticism and increase the likelihood of conversion.
7. Seasonal Promotions: Tailor promotions to align with seasonal events or holidays, such
as back-to-school sales, Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, or summer clearance events.
Capitalize on seasonal shopping trends to attract customers and drive sales.
8. Partner Promotions: Collaborate with complementary businesses or influencers to reach
new audiences and expand market reach. Offer joint promotions or co-branded
campaigns that leverage each other's customer bases and increase brand visibility.