| Sales management is an integral sub-system
of marketing management. It translates
the marketing plan into marketing
performance. Sales management
is hence described as the muscle
behind marketing management. The
sales manager in a modern organization
holds a multitude of responsibilities.
He has to plan, direct and control
the personal selling effort of
the firm. His task does not stop
with the achievement of sales
quotas. He is also responsible
for bringing in the required profits.
In addition, he is also responsible
for creating the desired image
for the company and its products.
In fact, a modern sales manager
has to do marketing rather than
mere selling. His firm expects
him to assume a much larger role
than the traditional responsibility
of achieving sales quotas. It
expects him to be customer-oriented
as well as profit-directed. Sales
managers set sales goals for their
sales teams and bear the brunt
of the responsibility for achieving
the set goals. They assist the
firm in measuring market potential
and in developing sales forecasts
and sales budgets. In addition,
they have to develop the sales
program and achieve the forecasted
sales by implementing the program.
It is the responsibility of sales
managers to build the sales organization.
They are required to ensure that
the sales organization is maintained
in trim condition, capable of
effectively implementing the personal
selling program of the firm and
sales policies and strategies
of the firm. In addition, sales
managers are also required to
provide assistance in planning
the other aspects of the marketing
program, like product mix, pricing,
distribution, advertising and
sales promotion. Sales managers
foster an atmosphere for the growth
of the firm. In addition, they
assist the firm in the management
of change. In a dynamic market,
customer preferences and competitive
forces are constantly changing;
so too are technology and marketing
methods. Sales costs increase
rapidly. In managing all these
changes, the firm depends largely
on the sales management. Performance
Management provides detailed information
on Employee Performance Management,
Manufacturing Performance Management,
Marketing Performance Management,
Performance Management and more.
Performance Management is affiliated
with Job Performance Appraisals.
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