Course Description
This is a comprehensive course in sales management principles and methods featuring allocation of priorities to the company's sales objectives and responsibilities; formulation of sales policy; tasks of planning, organizing, staffing and controlling the work of the field sales force. Understanding the human dynamic in managing salespeople and discussing some of the opportunities and challenges that sales managers face in their day-to-day work. Discussing the role of sales management in the broader corporate environment and the career opportunities that are available working in the sales and sales management functions. The course also reinforces the need for sales managers to display strong ethical behaviour with customers and employees alike.
Course Content
- The field of sales management and its role in the corporation.
- Functions of sales management.
- The skills required to properly select salespeople and to deal with those that are not performing as expected.
- Techniques for the proper training and motivation of the sales force.
- Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various types of compensation plans and expense policies for the sales force.
- Proper supervision and management of sales force.
- Maintaining morale and instilling the right types of motivation for sales force.
- The design of sales territories and routings.
- Understanding the various techniques for sales forecasting and establishing quotas.
- Learning some of the methods of conducting proper sales analysis.
- Effective evaluation methods for providing positive feedback to the sales force performance.
- Understanding the realities of sales management in terms of managing ambiguity as well as conflicting directions within an organization.
Learning Activities
Instruction will consist of lectures, videos and case studies. Students are required to present their work using professional presentation techniques, and to develop a comprehensive sales force plan.
Means of Assessment
| Quizzes |
20% |
| Cases |
20% |
| Midterm examination |
25% |
| Project |
25% |
| Participation |
10% |
| Total |
100% |
STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ALL COMPONENTS OF THE COURSE TO OBTAIN CREDIT FOR THE COURSE.
Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:
- explain the basic principles of sales management;
- demonstrate an understanding of the role of the sales force as a part of the marketing mix;
- apply in a competent manner sales management tools such as sales forecasting, sales compensation methods, sales budgeting, sales reports, routings, quotas, sales analysis, and evaluation of performance by means of a team project that creates a sales force plan.
- understand the role of the function of sales management in the corporate structure.
Textbook Materials
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students
Stanton, W. J., Spiro et al. Management of the Sales Force, Latest Ed. McGraw Hill or equivalent text.