Unit 1: Sales Relationships
A career in sales presents a range of professional possibilities. As you think about the type of sales you want to pursue, focus on broader considerations rather than the varieties of products or services you might sell. For example, will you be required to make frequent, multiple, one-time sales to your customers, or will you be asked to create a long-term relationship with clients you will contact regularly? Will you be asked to find customers and clients, or will your customers come to you? Should you pursue an inside or outside sales position?
These requirements result from various selling needs that make up different sales relationships. To communicate effectively in your role as a salesperson, you need to understand the sales relationship in which you find yourself. The relationship you have with your customers will shape the strategies you use. In some contexts, quick, positive, and efficient communication is preferred. But in other types of sales positions, you must develop a relationship with your current and prospective clients built on trust. In this unit, we explore the various contexts in which you engage others!
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- compare transactional and relational sales;
- compare inside and outside sales; and
- explain the role relationship development plays in sales.
1.1: Transactional and Relational Sales
A primary feature that distinguishes the sales context is its degree of relationship establishment and development. In many sales positions, you only meet your client once – there is no need to establish a long-term relationship. This kind of transactional sales interaction requires basic, good customer service skills and a positive attitude. However, as we move from a transactional to a more relational context, there is a greater emphasis on building relationships, meeting needs, and building partnerships.
Learning how to communicate effectively in these different environments means learning good customer service and relationship development skills, in addition to teamwork, motivational, and persuasive presentation skills! Let’s take a step back and deepen our understanding of these different sales relationships and contexts.
Read this text for an overview of differing types of selling. It highlights transactional and relational sales with various shades of selling in between. Pay attention to the defining characteristics of each kind of selling.
1.2: Inside and Outside Sales
In addition to different types of customer relationships, there are two essential distinctions in sales. Inside sales (sometimes called online sales) focuses on using electronic communication (such as phone calls and email). Outside sales (sometimes called personal sales) focuses on a more personal approach. It usually involves meeting customers in person and engaging in an interactive, dynamic relationship.
Read this text on how sales can occur and the features that shape particular environments. It explains where, when, and how each different type of selling is conducted.
Watch this video on inside (online) and outside (personal) sales. Compare the different approaches each sales type requires.
Listen to this brief conversation that reviews inside and outside sales and explores some variations in how inside sales work. It provides a good discussion on the contours of this approach.
1.3: Professional Sales Skills
Let’s explore the skills sales professionals need to succeed. The texts in this section introduce a range of communication skills. As you study the materials, think about your current abilities, the skills you should refine, and those you need to begin building. We will return to these essential communication skills later in the course to gain a better sense of what they are and how they work.
Read this examination of the sales professional role and the skill set it requires. The narrative paints a clear picture of what you can expect from a sales professional.
Read this chapter, which explains the importance of relationship development in sales. It introduces skills that are part of the sales environment. We will return to this discussion throughout the course and build on strategies you can use to develop these skills.
Read this chapter, which reviews the skills successful sales professionals must develop. Can you summarize these characteristics? What are your current strengths? Which skills do you need to work on or develop?