• knowledge and understanding of sales management issues and theory
• skills in applying prodedures such as territory design, routing, and forecasting
• skills associates with the personal selling process

Week 1 20/22 JAN	INTRODUCTION TO SALES course overview careers in sales and sales management - Appendix B introduction to selling and sales management - Ch. 1 introduction to case method - Case 1-1 discussWhich Way to Go? case discussWood Stove Store case note: no class on Thursday (professor at conference)
Week 2 27/29 JAN	CONSUMER vs. INSTITUTIONAL MARKETS account relationship management - Ch. 4 consumer markets institutional markets Job Search 1 due
Week 3 3/5 FEB	PERSONALITY, LEADERSHIP, AND MOTIVATION personality, leadership, and motivation - Ch. 12, 13 case discussion: Centrust - Case 4-2 Quiz 1 (read the case before class!)
Week 4 10/12 FEB	METHODS OF COMPENSATION AND EVALUATION salesforce compensation - Ch. 14 salesforce evaluation - Ch. 15 case discussion: Canterbury Bank and Trust - Case 3-1 Quiz 2 (read the case before class!)
Week 5 17/19 FEB	THE SELLING PROCESS: PROSPECTING, APPROACH, AND NEEDS ANALYSIS personal selling: needs based - Ch. 3 case discussion: Romano Pitesti - Case 12-2 Romano case due
Week 6 24/26 FEB	THE SELLING PROCESS: PRESENTATION, CLOSING, AND POST SALE SERVICE personal selling: needs based - Ch. 3 Job Search 2 due
Week 7 2/4 MAR	NON-NEEDS SELLING personal selling: compliance and social influence techniques ethics - Ch. 6 EXAM 1
8-12 MAR	SPRING BREAK - no class
Week 8 16/18 MAR	EXAM 2 - personal selling project You MUST make the initial telephone approach during this week. You MUST have completed the personal selling project (Exam 2) by the end of week 9.
Week 9 23/25 MAR	SALESFORCE ORGANIZATION sales force organization - Ch. 8
Week 10 30 MAR/1 APR	RECRUITING AND TRAINING sales force recruiting - Ch. 10 sales force training - Ch. 11
Week 11 6/8 APR	TIME AND TERRITORY MANAGEMENT territory management - Ch. 5 territory design and management - Ch. 9 Allied Standard Brands
Week 12 13/15 APR	SALES FORECASTING sales forecasting - Ch. 7 Qwik Wrap Systems homework due Alpine Products homework due
Week 13 20/22 APR	SALES FORECASTING forecasting homework due
Week 14 27/29 APR	BUDGETING strategic planning and budgeting - Ch. 2 Murphy Consumer Products Murphy case due
Week 15 4/6 MAY	CATCH UP EXAM 2

Since the Personal Selling Project (Exam 2) is based substantially on in-class role play, it is imperative that students be in all classes to prepare for this individual oral exam.  Any student who misses more than four class hours prior to the the start of this project WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE COURSE, since performance is based on the in-class experience.  This includes even the first class session.

Note that your "product" need not be a tangible good.  You may, for instance, attempt to obtain a signature on a petition of a donation to a worthy cause.  Grading will be based on your attempt to properly qualify this prospect, to obtain an appointment, to uncover a problem, to demonstrate a solution, to attempt a close if appropriate, and to obtain referrals if appropriate.  You can earn an "A" without making a sale, and your can do very poorly if you attempt to push a close when it is not appropriate.  It is appropriate to close on, say, a donation to a worthy cause within five minutes with enough additional time to obtain referrals; you probably should not attempt to obtain anything other than agreement to a follow-up appointment and a few referrals if you are promoting a complicated financial service.  (Would agreement to a second, longer appointment be the  sale  in the latter example?)  "Creativity" is not a factor in this assignment.  It is not appropriate to offer product samples and none will be accepted.

We will cover the specifics of the requirements for grading and will do ample role playing in class for you to get a good feel for how to practice for your final performance.  See the project score sheet for more insight.  Remember the advice attributed to Abe Lincoln: if you have six hours to cut down a tree, spend the first four sharpening your axe.

Although a five-line letter, a 45-second phone contact, and a five or eight minute sales encounter might not seem like much, be sure that you take this assignment very seriously.  Even the short telephone contact will require substantial practice, and I will hang up on you just like  real people  if you do not structure your call appropriately.  "Real people" are busy and will cut off an introductory sales encounter if you overstay your limited welcome, just as I will.  You cannot possibly go on to gain a sale, obtain a follow-up appointment, obtain referrals, or get a second chance if this happens in the real world; likewise it is difficult to obtain a passing grade if you cannot complete all of the components of the assignment in the time allotted to you.  In sales jargon, don't wing it!

You should "forget" that this prospect is your instructor, but you otherwise will not be role playing during this encounter: you must qualify your instructor as a real-live person and choose a suitable product based on what you know or can reasonably assume about this prospect.  What have you noticed in looking around his office?  What might some other referrals (friends, relatives, and acquaintances) know about him?  Might his employer or professional organizations have any information about him (e.g., Web postings)?

 A=540-600 points
 B=480-539
 C=420-479
 D=360-419
 E=000-359

 150=Exam 1 (midterm)
 150=Exam 2 (personal selling project)
 150=Exam 3 (final)
 150=Homework, Quiz, Effort totals
 600 TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE