• Options firms have in how they can approach customers as they add value.
• Selling through the Internet, field sales representatives, business partners, resellers, manufacturer agents, franchises, telemarketers

Paid: Firms have more control. Includes advertising, sales promotions, personal selling, and emails. Personal selling (personal) allows more flexibility, but is the most costly method. Advertising, internet sales, and promotions (impersonal) give companies more control over content and timing.

Unpaid: Publicity (impersonal) and word of mouth (personal) usually are perceived as more credible. 

Communications programs that coordinate the use of various vehicles to maximize the total impact of the program on customers.

Look at Stouffer's example on slide 12, or page 8 of textbook

1. to satisfy a need or want
2. More importantly: to make a profit!!!! 

• Client Relationship Manager
• Account team manager (coordinating activities within their firms to solve customer problems)
• Vendor and Channel Manager (interacting with other partners and vendors to meet customer needs)
• Information provider to the firm - eyes and ears of the company in the marketplace.

Set of people and organizations responsible for the flow of products and services from the producer to the ultimate user.

• Business to business channels
• Consumer channels

Manufacturer -> Business Consumer via a salesperson

Manufacturer -> Distributor via a trade salesperson -> Business consumer via a distributor salesperson

Manufacturer -> Business consumer via a missionary salesperson (work for manufacturer)

Work for a manufacturer and promote the manufacturer's products to other firms. However, those firms buy the products from distributors or other manufacturers, NOT directly from the salesperson's firm.

Usually call on influencers, rather than actual deciders of the buyer's decision (see in later chapters)

sell to firms that resell the products, rather than using them within the firm.

basically: sell to resellers

• Independent businesspeople who are paid a commission by a manufactuerer for all products or services sold.
• Unlike distributors and retailers, agents never own the products
• simply perform the selling activities and then transmit the orders to the manufacturers

1. The stage of the buyer-seller relationship  (new or continuing)
2. Salesperson's role ( taking orders or creating new solutions)
3. Importance of the purchase to the customer (less crucial or bigger decisions)
4. Location of salesperson-customer contact (field salespeople, inside salespeople)
5. The nature of the offering sold (products or services)
6. The salesperson's role in securing customer commitment (giving information or placing the order)

• self-motivated, dependable, ethical, knowledgeable about customer and product, use IT, analytical skills, communication skills, flexibility, agility, creativity, confident, optimistic, emotionally intelligent

Independence and responsibility (freedom and flexibility, not tied to an office chair)

financial rewards (more $ the more and longer they sell)

management opportunities (provide a base for launching business careers)

~50% The salesperson as a manager

~15% Knowledge and skills needed for partnerships

~35% the partnership development process