MKTG 3451: Professional Selling
Students examine an overall analysis of the professional selling function, and gain insight into the role of personal selling in marketing and society and its applications within organizations. Topics include being a professional salesperson; knowing your product; finding customers; presenting successfully; closing sales; and managing and being managed.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the key components, frameworks, and methods used in the selling process and in sales management
- Develop relationship strategies, product strategies, customer strategies, and presentation strategies that advance the sale
- Design, execute, document, and critique a comprehensive sales strategy for a real organization
Course topics
Module 1: Being a Professional Salesperson
- Topic 1: Developing a Personal Selling Philosophy
- Topic 2: Developing a Relationship Strategy
- Topic 3: Building an Ethical Foundation
Module 2: Knowing Your Product
- Topic 1: How to Add Value
- Topic 2: Becoming a Product Expert
- Topic 3: Features and Benefits
- Topic 4: Product Positioning
Module 3: Finding Customers
- Topic 1: Understanding Buyer Behaviour
- Topic 2: Planning Your Prospecting
- Topic 3: Generating Prospects
- Topic 4: Building a Prospect Database
Module 4: Presenting Successfully
- Topic 1: Pre-Approach
- Topic 2: Approach
- Topic 3: Consultative Sales Presentations
- Topic 4: Sales Demonstrations
Module 5: Closing Sales
- Topic 1: Identifying Buyer Concerns
- Topic 2: Addressing Buyer Concerns
- Topic 3: Closing the Sale
- Topic 4: Building Future Sales
Module 6: Managing and Being Managed
- Topic 1: Managing Your Time
- Topic 2: Managing Your Sales Territory
- Topic 3: Managing Stress
- Topic 4: Managing a Sales Force
Required text and materials
Students will need to source the following textbook on their own:
- Manning, G. L., Ahearne, M., Reece, B. L., & MacKenzie, H. F. (2016). Selling Today: Partnering to Create Value (7th Canadian ed., includes access kit for Companion Website). Toronto, ON: Pearson. Type: Texbook: 978-0-13-315685-0
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.
| Assignment 1.1: Ethics Game Reflection | 10% |
| Assignment 1.2: Integrated Assignment Plan (required, but no grade) | 0% |
| Assignment 2: Product Overview | 10% |
| Assignment 3: Develop a Prospect List | 10% |
| Assignment 4: Prepare a Sales Presentation | 10% |
| Assignment 5: Do a Sales Presentation and Report | 10% |
| Assignment 6: Reflective Summary (10%), and Overall Contribution to Discussions (5%) | 15% |
| Final Exam (mandatory) | 35% |
| TOTAL | 100% |
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.