Question

MP B - U3L1

What are the advantages to personal selling?





What are the different types of sales positions?





What is the difference between features and benefits?

Answer 1

### Advantages of Personal Selling

1. **Personal Interaction**: Personal selling allows for direct interaction between the salesperson and the customer, fostering relationships that can lead to trust and brand loyalty.

2. **Customization**: Salespeople can customize their sales presentations to meet the specific needs and preferences of individual customers, enhancing the likelihood of closing a sale.

3. **Immediate Feedback**: Salespeople can receive immediate feedback from customers, allowing them to address objections in real time and adjust their strategies.

4. **Complex Products**: For complex or high-value products, personal selling is often more effective as it provides the opportunity to explain intricate details and benefits.

5. **Educational Opportunities**: Personal selling is also an opportunity for educating customers about products or services, which can lead to informed purchasing decisions.

6. **Relationship Building**: Strong customer relationships can lead to repeat business and referrals, which are vital for sustained sales success.

7. **Market Research**: Salespeople often gather valuable insights and feedback from customers during interactions, which can inform product development and marketing strategies.

### Different Types of Sales Positions

1. **Inside Sales Representative**: Works primarily from the office and communicates with customers via phone, email, or online chat.

2. **Outside Sales Representative**: Meets clients face-to-face, often traveling to prospects' locations to build relationships and make sales.

3. **Sales Engineer**: Combines technical knowledge with sales skills to provide advice and support to customers on complicated technical products.

4. **Account Manager**: Manages relationships with existing clients, ensuring their needs are met and looking for opportunities to upsell or cross-sell.

5. **Sales Manager**: Oversees a sales team, sets sales goals, and develops training programs for staff.

6. **Retail Sales Associate**: Works in a retail environment, assisting customers with their purchases and providing product information.

7. **B2B Sales Representative**: Focuses on selling products or services to other businesses rather than individual consumers.

8. **Telemarketer**: Makes sales calls to potential customers, typically to promote products or gather leads.

### Difference Between Features and Benefits

- **Features**: Features are the characteristics or attributes of a product or service. They describe what the product is and what it can do. Examples include the size, color, weight, functionality, or specifications.

- **Benefits**: Benefits explain how the features of a product or service translate into value for the customer. They answer the question of "What's in it for me?" and emphasize how the product or service meets the needs or solves problems for the customer.

For instance, if a smartphone has a high-resolution camera (feature), the benefit would be that it enables the user to capture high-quality photos and memories effortlessly.