There is usually more than one strategy at work at any given time. For example Kudler can use direct marketing, door to door selling, fairs and events to promote its products. In many affluent areas, there are large malls that people gather at for fun, shopping and eating out. This is a good place for promotion of Kudler's salad line.
The program must be kept alive and active by consisting sending out mails, letters, and promotional items to all those who matter. This helps in increasing the consumer base as Parinello says: "Send no less than 50 letters of introduction to new prospects each week; make no less than 50 cold calls of introduction to new prospects each week; make no less than 20 face-to-face contacts with new prospects each week; create no less than 10 proposals each week; and make no less than five presentations each week."
Ethical selling:
With ethics becoming an important concern among people, it has been found that customers would normally opt for a firm that is more ethical than waste their money for some socially irresponsible company. This is an important discovery and one that can shape all future sales and strategy plans in any company. Kudler needs to explain to its sales force that its selling strategies should be ethically sound. In other words, they must be based on good intentions and profit maximization should not appear to be the sole motive. For example the sales force should heavily focus on the health benefits of its new salad line while maintaining that a small percentage of profits would be spent on raising health awareness in the country. This is an ideal plan and any similar program would only help in driving the sales team to its destination faster. When people feel that the money they spend will also benefit other people, they are more likely to spend generously. Secondly, the firm must then go ahead and follow this program. In other words, it must not use this strategy only to extract money out of people because eventually they will see through any loopholes and...
Trust is the cornerstone of any customer-firm relationship and if you want more buyers, you must deliver and keep your promises at all costs. "Trust is the basic building block of any business relationship. Experience has shown that the more time you spend building a solid trust-based relationship with your buyers, the more loyal they become and consequently, the better your paycheck and the company's bottom line. When you focus on "making a customer," not just a sale, you begin to establish trust." (Sales Ethics)
The sales staff must take into account people's worries and their concerns when they try to purchase a new product. They do not yet know of the actual benefits of the products and they are also reluctantly to let go of their hard earned cash. Alleviate their worries by taking their concerns into account and then doing all that can be done to answer their queries. The more attentive sales personnel are, the more genuine they appear. "Prove to your buyers how valuable they are by being honest, customer focused, and truly committed to exceeding their needs. When you are with a buyer, make that buyer feel that he or she is the only customer you have. Spend time understanding the buyer's expectations and what the effects would be if they are not met. This is one of the key goals for developing business."
These are some key lessons that Kudler's sales force must bear in mind when the organizational sales plan is being developed. The firm must not ignore its relationship building tactics in favor of making more sales.
References
Electrical Apparatus: Creating a sales plan, Electrical Apparatus Jun 2004. Accessed online 3rd June 2006:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3726/is_200406/ai_n9441233
Sales Ethics: A requirement for meaningful long-term sales success - Sales Focus Inc. Sales Tips Newsletter - Vol. II, Issue 19 Accessed online 3rd June 2006: http://www.salesfocusinc.com/newsarchive/0319_sales_ethics.htm
