Course Lecturer Name(s): Tornia Charles, MA
Course Director Name: Tornia Charles, MA
Course Lecturer(s) Contact Information: tcharl10@sgu.edu
Course Director Contact Information: tcharl10@sgu.edu
Course Lecturer(s) Office Hours: By Appointment
Course Director Office Hours: By Appointment
Course Lecturer(s) Office Location: N/A
Course Director Office Location: N/A
Course Support: Mahalia Charles, mcharl11@sgu.edu, ext. 3863
Course Management tool: To learn to use Sakai, the Course management tool, access the link https://apps.sgu.edu/members.nsf/mycoursesintro.pdf
Course Description:
This sales management course focuses on the development of selling skills and understanding personal sales and sales management in many different contexts. It is the fourth element of the promotion mix and is the only form of face – to –face selling. It involves direct communication between some kind of sales representative and one or more prospective buyers with the intention of the seller to obtain a sale. This course therefore touches on and includes the management of this interactive process. Furthermore, this course helps prepare students for a career in sales and marketing and begins with the development of a personal selling philosophy or a set of principles which is used as a selling guide, but which incorporates the marketing philosophy, and ends with the management of the sales team.
Course Objectives:
At the end of this course, a participant should be able to:
- Define sales and explain sales functions within the context of the marketing concept, strategic planning, and marketing planning.
- Explain key sales concepts covered in the text and class lectures and be able to apply them to cases and problems.
- Define “Key Terms” covered in the text and lectures and use them appropriately in oral and written presentations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of and define the roles of the sales person and the sales manager.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the different roles of the sales person in different channel settings and environments.
- Formulate sales proposal and write a sales letter and proposal.
- Demonstrate competence in writing a sales presentation; develop possible questions and answers, and objections and responses for a business to business sales call.
- Show how to structure and plan sales calls and demonstrate this knowledge through role playing and a sales simulation.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the methods for handling objections and closing sales and show this knowledge through role playing and a sales simulation.
- Solve problems in all the above areas.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Develop and implement a sales plan
- Understand how to create value for the customer within the context of B2B and B2C
- Develop effective techniques for CRM
- Understand the traits of effective negotiators
Program Outcomes Met By This Course:
ISLO-1: Students will be able to apply ethical skills to lead and manage in their respective business discipline.
ISLO-2: Students will be able to utilize the relevant ICT tools to analyze problems and propose solutions that aid in management decision making.
ISLO-3: Students will be able to demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills. ISLO-4: Students will be able to critically think, motivate and collaborate to solve business problems.
ISLO-7: Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of legal, ethical, and global standards in the management domain.
ISLO-10 Students will be able to demonstrate an awareness of cross-cultural differences and analyze its significance for the development and implementation of alternative management techniques applicable to varying cultures.
SAS Grading Scale: Grades will be assigned as follows:
A = 89.5% or better
B+ = 84.5 - 89.4%
B = 79.5 - 84.4%
C+ = 74.5 - 79.4%
C = 69.5 - 74.4%
D = 64.5 - 69.4%
F = 65% or less
Course Materials:
Text: Selling Today (12th edition) Manning, Ahearne, & Reece Pearson Publishing
Supplementary Readings/Resources: Marketing Channels (7th Edition), Coughlin, A et al; ISBN: 013191346-8- copies in bookstore, 2 copies in Library Reserve
Course Grading Requirement:
- In-Class Discussions/Assignments/Attendance (15%)
- Quizzes (20%)
- Term Project (65%)
- Written Sales Plan Proposal (10%)
- Interim Presentation (15%)
- Written Sales Plan (25%)
- Case Study (15%)
Course Requirements:
In-Class Discussions (15%)
Students are to come to class prepared having completed any assigned readings and actively contribute to class discussions. As this is an advanced class, the focus is on students and their intellectual value-added to topics covered in class. Students are required to observe the following rules:
- Good preparation for each class
- Prompt arrival before each class session begins
- Complete attendance throughout the course
- Regular participation in class discussions
- Attentiveness to other students’ comments
- All cell phones off and no texting or e-mailing during class
In order to earn points, it is not enough to just be physically present.
Quizzes (20%)
There will be 4 quizzes throughout the semester, which will consist of multiple-choice questions, short essays, and/or responses to mini cases.
Term Project (65%)
The class will have a comprehensive term project which is a sales plan for a specific B2B or B2C product or service. The assessment of the project is broken down into several components throughout the semester in order to monitor progress.
Description of Term Project
The term project will be conducted in teams of 5 members. Project teams will need to apply the main themes discussed in class to a sales plan. Each team will be charged with developing an appropriate plan to manage the selling effort for a specific B2B or B2C product or service which will be developed at the start of the semester. Structure, strategy, compensation, training, and other elements will form parts of project.
Each team will decide who plays each of the following roles: VP of Sales; VP of Marketing; Training Manager; National Accounts Manager; Regional Sales Manager. During the project, there will be periodic ‘meetings’ for all members to discuss aspects of the project with the CEO (the professor).
Your professor will play the role of the CEO of the company; both VPs on the team will report directly to the CEO (the professor). As the teams need additional information or advice from the CEO in the course of their research, teams may contact the CEO regularly via email. Doing so will also help keep the CEO up-to-date of the progress of the project. The quality of the team’s research is of paramount importance.
The main goal of the project will be a detailed written Sales Plan applying the various topics and concepts covered in class. In addition, each team will present and defend a portion of their sales plan to the “company executives”, which will be the class audience and/or other invited faculty. The milestones of the project are outlined below
Milestones
There are three required deliverables for the project:
- Written Sales Plan Proposal
Each team will submit an outline and structure of the Sales Plan including the identification of steps necessary to collect data and other information in order to create a successful sales strategy. This step is necessary as it allows the professor to provide feedback and identify strengths and weaknesses in your project. This step will include an interim presentation to the class (15% of grade).
- Written Sales Plan
Each team will write and submit an original Sales Plan based on the team’s ‘research’. The length of the Written Sales Plan should be 5,000 -5,500 words and follow APA referencing style. (35% of grade)
- Sales Case Study
Each team will assess and submit an essay type response to their assigned case study. (15% of grade)
Course Schedule:
- Week 1: Chapter 1: Strategic selling – Introduction to Sales Management, Developing relevant business models, products and services
- Week 2: Chapters 1 & 2: Strategic Selling, Customer Strategy, Developing Appropriate Business Models
- Week 3: Chapter 3: Creating Value using Relationship Strategies Quiz 1
- Week 4: Chapters 4 & 5: Communication, Adaptive Selling, and Ethics
- Week 5: Chapter 6: Creating product and service solutions
- Week 6: Chapters 7 & 8: Product-selling strategies that add value; The buying process and buyer behavior Quiz 2
- Week 7: Interim Presentations
- Week 8: Midterm Exam Week (no midterm exam in this course)
- Week 9: Chapter 9: Developing and qualifying a prospect base
- Week 10: Chapter 10: Adaptive selling and developing effective presentation strategies
- Week 11: Chapter 13: Negotiating buyer concerns Quiz 3
- Week 12: Ch 15: Servicing the sale and developing and building the partnership; Proposal
- Week 13: Chapter 16: Discovering sales opportunities Quiz 4
- Week 14: Management of the Sales Force; Case Study
- Week 15: Sales Plan Submission
- Week 16: Final Exam Week (no final exam in this course)
School of Arts and Sciences Master Syllabi — Info for All Sections
Academic Integrity
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Plagiarism is regarded as a cardinal offense in academia because it constitutes theft of the work of someone else, which is then purported as the original work of the plagiarist. Plagiarism draws into disrepute the credibility of the Institution, its faculty, and students; therefore, it is not tolerated” (p. 48).
Plagiarism also includes the unintentional copying or false accreditation of work, so double check your assignments BEFORE you hand them in.
Be sure to do good, honest work, credit your sources and reference accordingly and adhere to the University’s Honor Code. Plagiarism and cheating will be dealt with very seriously following the university’s policies on Plagiarism as outlined in the Student Manual.
Your work may be subject to submission to plagiarism detection software, submission to this system means that your work automatically becomes part of that database and can be compared with the work of your classmates.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Students are expected to attend all classes and or clinical rotations for which they have registered. Although attendance may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance may be taken randomly. Students’ absence may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy. If absence from individual classes, examinations, and activities, or from the University itself is anticipated, or occurs spontaneously due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, proper notification procedures must be followed. A particular course may define additional policies regarding specific attendance or participation” (p. 9).
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“All matriculated students are expected to attend all assigned academic activities for each course currently registered. Medical excuses will be based on self-reporting by students. Students who feel they are too sick to take an examination or other required activity on a specific day must submit the online SAS medical excuse, which is available on Carenage. Students are only allowed two such excuses a year. Upon consultation with the Director of University Health Service, the third excuse will result in a mandatory medical leave of absence. The policies regarding make-up examinations are at the option of the Course Director” (p.46).
For additional specific examination policies and procedures, refer to the St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020), pages 31 through 37.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“A student with a disability or disabling condition that affects one or more major life activities, who would like to request an accommodation, must submit a completed application form and supporting documentation to the Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) located in the Dean of Students Office. It is highly recommended that students applying for accommodations do so at least one month before classes begin to allow for a more efficient and timely consideration of the request. If a fully completed application is not submitted in a timely fashion, an eligibility determination may not be made, and accommodations, where applicable, may not be granted prior to the commencement of classes and/or examinations” (p. 8).
It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the policies, laws, rules and procedures that while they could affect your grade for a course, have not been specifically outlined in the course syllabus. These are contained in the St. George’s University Student Manual.