Introduction

The function of selling is to make a sale. This obvious statement remains true despite the recent addition of many ancillary functions. Much of the background task of selling can be done remotely, for instance by direct mail. Personal selling is the specific task that involves face-to-face contact on a personal basis. This means that suitably skilled and trained individuals with a professional manner should carry out this function. Selling tasks differ, depending on the type of goods and services involved. Some salespeople are little more than order-takers, whilst others employ the more sophisticated arts of prospecting, negotiating and demonstrating in order to close a sale. Personal selling is the primary communication vehicle in organizational marketing in general but for industrial marketing in particular, where anything up to 80 per cent of the total marketing budget can be spent meeting sales force costs. It is because personal selling is such an important part of the communications mix. Communications mix elements are generally not used in isolation; they complement each other.

Meaning of Personal Selling

A sale is the pinnacle activity involved in selling products or services in return for money or other compensation. Persuasive communication between a representative of the company and one or more prospective customers, designed to influence the person's, or The use of face-to-face communication between the seller and buyer. Any form of direct contact occurring between a salesperson and a customer. Personal selling is considered one of the most effective promotional techniques because it facilitates interaction between consumer and seller. Personal selling is a promotional presentation made on a person to person basis. The significant feature of this activity is the two way discussion between salesperson and potential buyer. Personal selling refers to the presentation of goods and services before the customers and convincing or persuading them to buy the products or services. The person who sells goods to customer is called a salesman and the technique of selling is known as personal selling or salesmanship. Thus, personal selling refers to the presentation of goods before the potential buyers and persuading them to purchase it. It involves face-to-face interaction and physical verification of the goods to be purchased. The objective is not only just to sell the product to a person but also to make him/her a permanent customer. Customer can also find personal selling in some shops where salesmen are employed by the shopkeeper to use this technique. For example, customers
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can find such salesmen in jewellery stores, consumer goods stores, saree houses, etc. In case of some services, it is also found personal selling used in shops. For example, customers find people going to the same barbershop to cut their hair and get a massage from a specific barber. This shows that in case of personal selling the seller usually come to know about the taster and preferences of the customer and thus attracts him to buy the goods or services.

Objectives of Personal Selling

Personal selling is used to meet the five objectives of promotion in the following ways:
Building

Product Awareness A common task of salespeople,

especially when selling in business markets, is to educate customers on new product offerings. In fact, salespeople serve a major role at industry trades shows where they discuss products with show attendees. But building awareness using personal selling is also important in consumer markets.
Creating

Interest The fact that personal selling involves person-to-

person communication makes it a natural method for getting customers to experience a product for the first time. In fact, creating interest goes hand-in-hand with building product awareness as sales professionals can often accomplish both objectives during the first encounter with a potential customer.
Providing

Information When salespeople engage customers a large

part of the conversation focuses on product information. Marketing organizations provide their sales staff with large amounts of sales support including brochures, research reports, computer programs and many other forms of informational material.
Stimulating

Demand The most important objective of personal

selling is to convince customers to make a purchase. In The Selling Process, salespeople accomplish this when producer offer detailed coverage of the selling process used to gain customer orders.

 Reinforcing

the Brand Most personal selling is intended to build

long-term relationships with customers. A strong relationship can only be built over time and requires regular communication with a customer. Meeting with customers on a regular basis allows salespeople to repeatedly discuss their companys products and by doing so helps strengthen customers knowledge of what the company has to offer.

Steps of Personal selling Process

There are seven steps of Personal selling Process that are followings:

Essential elements of Personal Selling

Personal selling consists of the following elements: i. Face-to-Face interaction: Personal selling involves a salesmen having face-to-face interaction with the prospective buyers. ii. Persuasion: Personal selling requires persuasion on the part of the seller to the prospective customers to buy the product. So a salesman must have the ability to convince the customers so that an interest may be created in the mind of the customers to use that product. iii. Flexibility: The approach of personal selling is always flexible. Sometimes salesman may explain the features and benefits of the product, sometimes give demonstration of the use of product and also faces number of queries from the customers. Looking into the situation and interest of the customers, the approach of the salesman is decided instantly. iv. Promotion of sales: The ultimate objective of personal selling is to promote sales by convincing more and more customers to use the product. v. Supply of Information: Personal selling provides various information to the customers regarding availability of the product, special features, uses and utility of the products. So it is an educative process. vi. Mutual Benefit: It is a two-way process. Both seller and buyer derive benefit from it. While customers feel satisfied with the goods, the seller enjoys the profits.

Importance of personal selling

The importance of the personal selling function depends partially on the nature of the product. As a general rule, goods that are new and different, technically complex or expensive require more personal selling effort. The salesperson plays a key role in providing the consumer with information about such products to reduce the risks involved in purchase and use. Insurance, for example, is a complex and technical product that often needs significant amounts of personal selling. It is important to remember that for many companies the salesperson represents the customers main link to the firm. In fact, the salesperson is the company. Therefore it is imperative that the company take advantage of this unique link. Through the efforts of the successful salesperson, a company can build relationships with customers that continue long. Personal selling is an integral of the marketing system, fulfilling two vital duties: one for customers and one for companies. Lacking relevant information, customers are likely to make poor buying decisions. For example: Doctors would have difficulty finding out about new drugs and procedures were it not for pharmaceutical salespeople. Second, salespeople act as a source of marketing intelligence for management. Marketing success depends on satisfying customers needs. If present products dont fulfill customer needs then profitable opportunities may exist for new or improved products. If problems with a companys products exist, then management must be quickly apprised of the fact. In either situation, salespeople are in

the best position to act as the intermediary through whom valuable information can be passed back and forth between product providers and buyers. Personal Selling is extremely important as it helps in increasing sales. But there are other features as well which make it important. Let us discuss the importance of personal selling from the point of view of manufactures as well as consumers.

From manufacturers point of view

i. It creates demand for products both new as well as existing ones. ii. It creates new customers and, thus helps in expanding the market for the product. iii. It leads to product improvement. While selling personally the seller gets acquainted with the choice and demands of customers and makes suggestions accordingly to the manufacturer.

From customers point of view

i. Personal selling provides an opportunity to the consumers to know about new products introduced in the market. Thus, it informs and educates the consumers about new products.

ii. It is because of personal selling that customers come to know about the use of new products in the market. The sellers demonstrate the product before the prospective buyers and explain the use and utility of the products. iii. Personal selling also guides customers in selecting goods best suited to their requirements and tastes as it involves face-to-face communication.

iv. Personal selling gives an opportunity to the customers to put forward their complaints and difficulties in using the product and get the solution immediately.

Advantages of Personal Selling

One key advantage personal selling has over other promotional methods is that it is a two-way form of communication. In selling situations the message sender (e.g., salesperson) can adjust the message as they gain feedback from message receivers (e.g., customer). So if a customer does not understand the initial message (e.g., doesnt fully understand how the product works) the salesperson can make adjustments to address questions or concerns. Many non-personal forms of promotion, such as a radio advertisement, are inflexible, at least in the short-term, and cannot be easily adjusted to address audience questions.

The interactive nature of personal selling also makes it the most effective promotional method for building relationships with customers, particularly in the business-to-business market. This is especially important for companies that either sell expensive products or sell lower cost but high volume products (i.e., buyer must purchase in large quantities) that rely heavily on customers making repeat purchases. Because such purchases may take a considerable amount of time to complete and may involve the input of many people at the purchasing company (i.e., buying center), sales success often requires the marketer develop and maintain strong relationships with members of the purchasing company.

Finally, personal selling is the most practical promotional option for reaching customers who are not easily reached through other methods. The

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best example is in selling to the business market where, compared to the consumer market, advertising, public relations and sales promotions are often not well received.

Disadvantages of Personal Selling

There are some disadvantages which are followings:

Expensive: Personal selling costs money not only in the form of salesperson compensation but also sales materials, entertainment allowances, telecommunication, travel and other incidentals. Many of the personal calls might also not produce a sale. Training: Salespersons need extensive training not only in sales skills but also about the product/industry. Organizing such training adds significantly to the costs of this option. High Salesperson Turnover: Turnover can occur for two reasons. One, many salespersons get frustrated or find that they cannot handle the pressure and leave. Two, skilled salespersons are in high demand and a salesperson trained up by you might leave to join a higher paid position, leaving a big gap in your sales setup.

The importance of personal selling lies in the direct contact it provides with customers, resulting in market insights. Disadvantages of personal selling are its costs and training requirements.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, personal selling is the only sales promotion tool that allows direct communication with customers and prospects through the sales of the company, which 1) Made presentations sales to relate the benefits they provide products and services with the needs and desires of customers, 2) Provides personalized advice and 3) Personal relationships in the short and long term with them. All this, to bring situations in which customers make purchasing the product or service that the company sells.

The sales message is adjusted according to the motivations and interests of each potential customer. Therefore, unlike the advertising and sales promotion can relate the benefits of products and services with the needs and desires of customers, and secondly, resolving objections instantly and make closing sales.

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