The role of the salesperson has evolved since the development of the marketing concept.
The marketing concept was a revolutionary idea when it originated in business in the 1960s to 1970s. The marketing concept is the philosophy that a company should identify and satisfy the needs and wants of its target customers as a primary strategy toward meeting business objectives. This concept not only changes the way company's view business management and marketing, but it also impacts the role of the salesperson in business.
Selling Concept
Before implementing the marketing concept, companies often relied on aggressive, sometimes unethical salespeople to push or peddle products to customers. This contributed to old stigmas about selling that some people still cling to now. University of Southern California Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing Lars Perner, Ph.D., calls this process of salespeople selling existing products regardless of customer need, the selling concept. With the marketing concept, company's evolve products and services in response to customer market needs and sell the benefits to match.
Transactional vs. Consultative Selling
The marketing concept developed in the midst of what is referred to in selling as the consultative selling era. In the 1960s and 1970s, this marked a change in the traditional role for the salesperson from a transaction-oriented peddler to selling consultant. Transactional selling centers on getting a product into a customer's hands in exchange for money. The focus is a one-time transaction. In 21st century business, long-term relationships with customers are valued. This means salespeople must identify customer needs and recommend solutions that best meet them for the long run.
Long-Term Relationships
Customer retention and loyalty are key drivers of long-term success in 21st century business. For this reason, companies take great care in implementing the marketing concept. Main emphases to generation long-term loyalty, according to Net MBA, include: Focus on customer need before product development; alignment of all company functions with the needs of key customers; and recognition that profit and success in business only comes from satisfying long-term relationships with customers.
Salesperson's Job
In consultative selling, salespeople facilitate the buying process with customers. They view their role not as selling products to customers, but as helping resolve issues and fill needs with good product and service recommendations. Salespeople use questioning to uncover what customers need or want. They determine whether the company has a product or service to adequately meet that need. Finally, they make a recommendation to the customer, emphasizing benefits of the product that make it the best match for the customer's needs.
Tags: marketing concept, role salesperson, with customers, 1960s 1970s, 21st century, 21st century business, century business