Personal selling is a face to force selling technique by which a salesperson uses his or her interperional skills to persuade a customer in buying a particular product.

the seller promote the product through their attitude, appearance and specialist product Knowlege they aim to inform and
encourage customers to buy or at least try the product.

According to American Marketing Association (AMA) “It is a personal process of assisting and persuading a prospective customer to buy a commodity or service and to act favorably upon an idea that has a commercial significance".

The objectives for which the personal selling exercise is undertaken can be outlined as follows

1. Identifying prospective buyers: The primary objective of personal selling is to identify and search the prospective buyers for the products.

The direct communication between the buyer and seller helps to recognize the most suitable prospects for carrying out the personal selling activities.

2. Stimulating demand: Once the prospects have been identified, the next step is to push the products by convincing efforts of salesperson.

The interaction with the potential buyer helps in determining the specific needs and requirements.

The salesperson has to present and demonstrate in such a manner that arouses the interest and desire for acquisition of product.

3. Informing, educating and guiding: The task of personal selling involves providing information and assistance, promoting, educating and guiding the customers throughout their journey of seeking the solution to their problem.

4. Persuading and reinforcing prospects: The persuasion and positive reinforcement is the key obiective of personal selling.

The reinforcement with respect to finding or suggesting products/services to the best interest of potential buyer helps to create a satisfying experience.

The features, advantages, benefits and competitive edge of products must be communicated to the prospects and customers. the need-benefit linkage must be established through personal selling.

5. Building long term relationships: The personal selling efforts are undertaken to cultivate relationships with buyers.

Even if the salespersons may not be able to close the sale successfully.

it cannot be considered as failure of person selling rather it should be seen as an opportunity to understand the needs better and provide solution accordingly.

The strength and conviction of personal selling helps in building the trust and confidence in the minds of customers.

Salesmanship is the process whereby the seller ascertains and activates the needs or wants of the buyer and satisfies these needs or wants to the mutual continuous advantage of both the buyer and the seller.

Salesmanship is the ability to persuade people to buy goods or services at a profit to the seller and with, benefit to the buyer.

From these definitions, it is clear that salesmanship is not just handing over of goods to the customers and taking the money from them.

True salesmanship is not only an art of inducing the consumers to buy goods, but also an art of guiding them to buy what they need.

In short, salesmanship is the process of persuading and assisting a prospective customer to buy a commodity or service.

Sales management is defined as the planning, direction, and control of personal selling including recruiting, selecting, equipping, assigning, routing, supervising, paying, and motivating as these tasks apply to personal sales force.

Sales management originally referred exclusively to the direction of the sales force. Later the term took on broader significance in addition to the management of personal selling.

Sales management spe­cifically contributes to achieve the marketing objectives of a firm. In fact, sales managers set their personal selling objectives and formulate the personal selling policies and strategies.

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According to the definition committee of the American marketing association sales management meant “The planning, direction, and control of personal selling including recruiting, selecting equipping, assigning, routing, supervising, paying, and motivating as these tasks apply to the personal sales force”.

A.PERSONAL SELLING

1.Personal selling is an act of engaging with customers to persuade them to buy the product.
2.It is most flexible as the messages could be changed according to the customer's needs.
3.Only one or two customers can be dealt in one time.
4.Cost per person is high as limited persons can be reached at a given time.
5.It takes a long time to cover the market.
6.It does not make use of mass media.
7.Direct feedback can be collected from customers.
8.More useful for industrial and customized product.
9.Personal selling is a part of sales management and the scope of personal selling is narrower than sales management.


B.SALESMANSHIP

1.It is an act of being employed as a salesperson. Salesmanship is an art and skill of initiating selling efforts.
2.It is comparatively less flexible than personal selling.
3.An only a limited number of persons can be contacted.
4.Cost is comparatively lower than personal selling.
5.It takes comparatively | less time to cover the market.
6.Makes comparatively less use of mass media.
7.Indirect feedback can be collected.
8.More useful for a technical product.
9.Salesmanship is included under personal selling.

C.SALES MANAGEMENT

1.Sales management is an act of planning, controlling, directing and coordinating the sales process.
2.It is least flexible as the rules and policies are formed and followed strictly.
3.It reaches to masses in the form of advertising and other marketing communications.
4.Cost per person is very less.
5.It takes medium time to cover the market.
6.Makes use of mass media.
7.Feedback is not possible because customers are not involved.
8.Useful for all kinds of product.
9.Sales management has a broader scope as it guides both personal selling and salesmanship efforts.