DECA Selling PIs

Explain the nature and scope of the selling function

Definition: The selling function provides consumers with the products or services that they want or need. The selling process is personalized communication and influences the purchase of a product or service and future sales. It is not advertising or promotion. This occurs at all levels of the distribution channel. 

Explanation/Significance: The selling process influences the purchase of a product/service and any future/potential sales with the consumer, therefore it determines and defines a business’s sales.

Explain the role of customer service as a component of selling relationships

Definition: Customer service is the support a business offers to their consumer—both before and after a purchase of a product/service—that helps them have an easy, enjoyable experience with the brand.

Explanation/Significance: The selling function relies on repeat business; customer service drives repeat business. Integral to successful selling is good customer contact. Service extras and a friendly, positive, knowledgeable, and helpful staff are what the customer will remember and cause him/her to return. Product knowledge is important for customer service.

Explain key factors in building a clientele

Definition: A clientele refers to clients collectively. A steady clientele takes time to build. Factors to build a client consist of making it your priority to know the client’s needs/wants, offering rewards for continued business so the client has an incentive to stay with your business, gaining feedback from clients on how you well you are meeting their needs and wants, and most importantly striving for consistency.

Explanation/Significance: By putting yourself out there, clients will be attracted to your business.

Explain company selling policies

Definition: Company selling policies are regulations put in by the business to guide a salesperson’s training, compensation, legal and ethical issues, and sales quotas.

Explanation/Significance: Selling policies ensure the company and the customers understand how products are sold and protect the company legally.

Explain legal and ethical considerations in selling

Definition: Legal and ethical considerations are factors that determine the ethics of a business’s selling methods and are important in personal selling because salespeople may face conflicts between their personal standards and the standards of their firms and customers. These standards are usually created by the company and address how a salesperson conducts their sales.

Explanation/Significance: Without personal standards, salespeople will lose their self-respect and the respect of their company and customers. Good ethics are good business. Over the long run, salespeople with a strong sense of ethics will be more successful than salespeople who compromise their own and society's ethics for short-term gain.

Describe the use of technology in the selling function

Definition: The use of technology in the selling function includes enabling companies to automate and streamline various tasks, such as lead generation, customer relationship management, and marketing.

Explanation/Significance: Technology enables companies to reach more customers, gather and analyze data, and improve the efficiency of their sales process.

Describe the nature of selling regulations

Definition: Regulations can include guidelines related to sales tax, where products may be sold and how promotions can be communicated

Explanation/Significance: Regulations are put in place to promote competition, and protect customers so that these selling practices are ethical and allow for equal opportunity in the market

Acquire product information for use in selling

Definition: Product information is the information held by a company about the products the company buys, sells, or distributes.

Explanation/Significance: Product information is important to know in selling, as it prepares you for any questions a customer may ask you, which is expected to be answered properly in selling.

Analyze product information to identify product features and benefits

Definition: Features are characteristics that your product or service does or has. Benefits are the reasons customers buy the product or service. 

Explanation/Significance: The uniqueness of a product or service can set it apart from the competition. Features can communicate the capability of a product or service. Features are only valuable if customers see those particular features as valuable. You want products or services with features that customers perceive as valuable benefits. By highlighting benefits in marketing and sales efforts, you'll increase your sales and profits.

Explain the selling process

Definition: The selling process is the interaction between a salesperson and their consumer. There are 4 steps to a sale: prospecting which is finding potential customers and preparing for initial contact, approach which is the introduction with the client, presentation which is the actual proposition of the sale and also the point of handling any questions/concerns, then closing which is getting the final decision from the client, and finally follow-up which is the act of keeping in touch with the client and effectively promotes repeat business and referrals.

Explanation/Significance: This process is important to generate sales and revenue for the business. These steps are the base of the main motive of starting businesses which is the profit motive.

Discuss motivational theories that impact buying behavior

• Definition: A theory that explains motivational factors that impact buying behaviour is The Hierarchy of needs made by Abraham Maslow.

  • Self Actualization: (morality, creativity, personal growth and fulfillment)

  • Esteem: self-esteem, confidence, respect for oneself, respect from/by others, achievement.

  • Love/Belonging: platonic, romantic/sexual, and familiar relationships. affection.

  • Safety: security over one's own body, of employment, house, health, etc.

  • Physiological: breathing, sleep, food, water, etc.

• Explanation/Significance: This theory allows marketers to understand how consumers make their decisions about their wants/needs. It is also important to understand what level of needs a customer is trying to meet in order to deliver the appropriate product.

Identify factors affecting a business’s profit

Definition: A business’s profit is the money a business makes from selling products/services and is affected by factors such their product/service management function, marketing function, selling function, and other functions related to touchpoints with customer

Explanation/Significance: These factors are key points to making profit for a business and they are what big businesses like Apple or Walmart generally focus on to effectively generate profit.