For many years now, for example, the mantra has been that there needs to be more emotion in B2B – talking human to human, rather than robotically outputting technical data. An inclined salesman finds sometime because of his line managing ability and keen to gather or more. About the Author: Rob Mead is a politics graduate turned marketing aspirant, … Privacy Policy3. Tacit knowledge - personal know-how or skills rooted in experience or practice (eg aesthetic sense or intuition). Companies arrange for the periodic meetings and conferences that make possible interaction, discussions and deliberations. Sales literature is readily available from trade journals, sales manuals, sales bulletins and sales post folios. Sources of Secondary Data. 1. Apple also created the ‘Genius Bar’ – a dedicated spot within every store where customers can … Non-operating revenues refer to the money earned from a business’ side activities. Salesmen are also offered correspondence courses to update their product and organisational knowledge as well as selling skills. A great deal of product knowledge can be acquired by consulting the employer, senior salesmen and fellow salesmen. Howard Gardner’s research into the sources of creativity supports this idea and further extends it to a “ten-year rule”: ten years is the approximate time required to build the domain knowledge and expertise needed to spur creative successes. A shrewd salesman takes every opportunity to convert his leisure hours in fruitful discussions and discourses. See how our product knowledge training solutions helped a leading global media company train their employees across the world. It instills faith, trust, and respect in the customer, which creates a positive customer experience. This considerably increases the overall knowledge of the salesman regarding the firm and its products. Often manufacturers attempt to brush up and test the product knowledge of their sales force. For a person who believes in the statement “work is worship”, information seeking and finding solutions is in his blood. Travelling demonstrations are the moving company squads visiting various branches or bops of the company guiding and assisting the counter salesmen as to how to succeed in -demonstration or presentation and exposing the products to the consumers. This differs from a distribution channel that includes a means of delivering your obligations to a customer. It is the customers who buy and use of not only one selling house but of competit houses. Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. C. Sales training ends when the salesperson has received the designation of "master sales representative." Instinct The first and perhaps the most important source of acquiring product knowledge is the personal experience of the salesman. THE FOUR SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE By SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA. The information is authenticated and documented giving full details and further reference. The result: Lost sales and missed cross-selling opportunities.Some of you may be saying to yourself, “Wait. Sources of Innovation ... of knowledge became a systematic activity which involved a wide network of people shar- ... ‘Sales, marketing and technical people spend far more of their time than I could ever have imagined checking out what happens to the product in use and asking the Your sources of business knowledge could include: In order to provide additional and up-to-date information about the products, sales bulletins are published by the manufacturers. In order to prove their efficiency and competency for such occasions, the salesmen keep their product knowledge up-to-date. Before publishing your Article on this site, please read the following pages: 1. Having this key knowledge allows a sales person to play matchmaker between customer and product/service increasing the chances of a better match and a happy customer. You can read the literature, take some online courses or talk with more experienced salespeople. Using this knowledge in the right way can help you run your business more efficiently, decrease business risks and exploit opportunities to the full. R &D department research according to the company’s future plan and then come up with the new ideas which complete its journey with the commercialization of the idea (product). In recent years, there are many business and trade journals who conduct consumer surveys at regular intervals. Salesforce management systems (also sales force automation systems (SFA)) are information systems used in customer relationship management (CRM) marketing and management that help automate some sales and sales force management functions. THE FOUR SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE By SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA. Five Strategies To Increase Your Product Knowledge for Sales Success: Invest the Time – to learn about your products and services. Sources of Sales Knowledge. Personal investment. It inject: sense of being active than being docile. 1. Further it is up to the salesman to use all or some of these sources. They are often combined with a marketing information system, in which case they are often called CRM systems.. An SFA, typically a part of a company's … Sources of product knowledge are many and varied. Conferences, under the direction of trained conference-leader, enable the exchange of ideas, pooling of experiences and working out solutions to the common problems, Each salesman is given an opportunity to be heard as a participant, simulating individual thinking. A wise salesman studies not only the advertisements of his company products but more those of his competition. Employee and supplier networks 3. Business environment and dynamics 4. 4. In other words, experience of handling customer queries makes the salesman competent in providing convincing answers. Such orientation programmes are usually conducted by experienced professional people who equip the sales people with new techniques and methods to improve their sales performance. Epistemology. processes. Having this key knowledge allows a sales person to play matchmaker between customer and product/service increasing the chances of a better match and a happy customer. Public libraries are rich source and profit source of information useful his line. Operating revenues describe the amount earned from the company’s core business operations. for the benefit of the retailers. Persistence – Most sales don’t happen upon the first interaction - in fact it takes … Persistence – Most sales don’t happen upon the first interaction - in fact it takes … Privacy Policy Our mission is to liberate knowledge. A few of such sources are given below: (i) Personal Experience: Personal experience of using the product by himself is an important source of gaining knowledge about a product. Meanwhile, Tech giant Apple, focuses on building its sales staff’s knowledge continuously so they are able to stay in the know on the latest gadgets and explain why Apple is the better choice. Instinct These sales manuals supply valuable information about the products and their selling points. To test the validity of the information, have more than one source of information from inside your customer's business. A salesman is usually expected to sell a number of articles. The modern customer needs to meet a modern, connected salesperson – so here are seven of the most important skills for you to work on. New Contact Center Leaders, Here are Practical Solutions to Four Problems… Besides, the salesman can gather a lot of information about a particular product by using it personally. However, it all depends-upon the salesman’s zeal and initiative. It is also true that nothing wrong in understanding one’s competit as every thing is fair in war —business or politics and love. For now, simply keep in mind that it is this source of knowledge on which sociologists rely most heavily. Inspiration, revelation, insight, intuition, ecstasy, divine sight and the supreme, blissful state are the seven planes of knowledge. Sales portfolio are usually prepared in a book form containing instructions and devices regarding the method of display, advertising materials, testimonial letters, etc. General sources of business knowledge include: 1. Almost everyday, all over the world at least. YOU are the most important source of knowledge. Download the Case Study. Due to the guiding light of knowledge, the world ushered in the industrial age resulting in series of inventions that changed the face of humanity forever. Regular discussions with colleagues, customers, suppliers, retailers and wholesalers with give him the necessary gun-fodder for firing effectively and electrically. Sources of knowledge •Common sense: Every one knows that it is so •Intuition: I just know it •Beliefs: it is based on personal conviction •Tenacity: verification over the years •Tradition: practice through generations •Personal Experience: personal testing and experience •Authority: the word of experts •Divine and supernatural powers: the revelations of God and of other powers •Reason and … Thus, education and training are important sources for the salesman to acquire detailed product knowledge. We provide knowledge training. However, these sources can be classified into two major blocks as ‘fundamental’ and ‘collateral’ or ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’. You just clipped your first slide! vi. Market and needs analyses 2. Explicit knowledge is easy to store, distribute and communicate. Why is product knowledge necessary for a salesman? We will then consider sources that offer greater reliability and ultimately discuss using science as a The first important source of knowledge is instinct. The actual conversion process is a good stuff for the salesman to be used as and when the consumers ask questions relating to these areas. Internet surfing gets detailed information of the product or product line of the entire world wide. It is the customers w decide either through their own experience or the experience of their friends and relatives a colleagues. For more knowledge power, ask more questions throughout the sales process so you learn more about your customers' needs. Sometimes, he can convince the buyers by stating that he himself is a satisfied user of the product. Hence, timely and regular internet surfing makes a salesman well equipped with the latest sales information from which he can have selected selling points. Manufacturers arrange meetings and conferences of the salesmen at regular intervals. Importance of Product Knowledge. Tacit knowledge is difficult to write down, visualise or transfer. Most often manufacturers arrange the visit of the sales force to the factories to gain first-hand product knowledge. 1.6 Identify sources of information on different tourism industry sectors, their inter-relationships, the services available, and obtain such information 1.7 Identify sources of information on major tourism industry bodies, and obtain such information 1.8 Identify sources of information on specific features of the local and regional tourism These salesman’s portfolios are helpful to the salesman as it enables him to know more about the selling points of the products. It arranges sales points in a logical sequence, develops a single idea at a time and uses illustrations freely. Motion pictures and visual aids, etc. PreserveArticles.com is a free service that lets you to preserve your original articles for eternity. Internal Sources: Internal sources of data are those which are obtained from the internal reports of an organization. For instance, a factory publishes its annual report on total production, total profit and loss, total sales, loans, wages to employees, bonus and other facilities to employees etc. Knowledge is a treasure of wealth but the judgement of the knowledge is the key to the wealth. They must originate from the time being studied to be accepted as a primary source, this can include copied images of an original document, or reprinted editions of a book. Sources of Knowledge There are many ways to gain knowledge, and some are better than others. Top 10 Best Sources of Business ideas & Opportunities for 2021. A healthy cynicism of sources, the development of the skills required to check facts and an awareness of which sources are more or less reliable is a good way to ensure that the knowledge we receive from authority is as good as it can be. As at several ways of acquiring knowledge, beginning with sources that may not be as reliable or accurate as scientists might desire. The salesman has to go through these journals in order to gather knowledge of the product category. 5. After […] Remember, knowledge is power – and by recognizing which sources of internal data add the most worth to your business, will enable your organization to lead a successful marketing strategy. There are four sources of knowledge: instinct, reason, intuition, and direct knowledge of Brahman (God) or Brahma-Jnana (knowledge of God). Even the manufactures of drugs and medicines do publish these firms so many selling points on which salesman can capitalise. Only by having most of the product information at his disposal, the salesman is able to sell efficiently. Knowledge is a treasure of wealth but the judgement of the knowledge is the key to the wealth. Product knowledge is an asset and will allow your company to forge ahead of competition. Every day a manager is out of the hands-on operations of her business, the more she loses the knowledge of the how a procedure is done. To test the validity of the information, have more than one source of information from inside your customer's business. Sources of Knowledge Apart from books and scientific observation being sources of knowledge, there are other sources. It is an important business function, because accomplished sales transactions have a direct impact on the profits of any commercial business. The salesmen of these days are really fortunate to have internet facilities when ever they fend time. sources of knowledge February 13, 2016 Leave a comment According to Donald Ary, Lucy Cheser Jacobs and Christine K. Sorensen, the major sources of knowledge can be categorized under five headings: (1) experience, (2) authority, (3) deductive reasoning, (4) inductive reasoning, and (5) the scientific approach. D. Sales knowledge gained from sales training, benefits not only the salesperson and the company but also the customer. Tacit knowledge can only be communicated through consistent and extensive relationships or contact (such as taking lessons from a professional musician). In order to improve the selling skills of the existing sales force the manufacturer often arranges education and training programmes. Meaning. Sometimes, wholesalers, retailers and even friendly customers provide important product information to the salesman. During probation period and training sessions, senior salesmen and sales manager provide all information about the products to the juniors. Though one or a few are getting prizes, the entire sa force gets motivated and performance is improved. Better still, agents can contribute to the knowledge base to ensure that the best answers are always accessible to the whole team. A ‘sales portfolio’ is a sales presentation in the form of pictures and story bound in a book form. That being said, in this post, I will show three sources of knowledge that you can rely on to help you solve challenging projects in the data science area for the fashion industry. This also enriches the product knowledge c: sales people. Strong analytical, organizational, and creative thinking skills. Acquisition of knowledge is a pleasure and the urge is there with every interested self improving employee. 2. Some salesmen learn while they earn during leisure of training known for imparting the desired and suitable training. When one is extremely well versed in a particular product especially a technical one, it is easy to get caught up in a monologue of all the great features it provides. Explicit knowledge - articulated knowledge recorded in documents, memos, databases, etc. Content Guidelines Followings are some of the important ones. Reason: Reasoning might be defined as the process of using known facts to arrive at new facts. audits. Here, the salesmen hear through horses months about desired or expected prodi features, performances, successes or failures and the like. If an individual is not able to attend the regular classroom for his educational purpose he can avail knowledge through distance learning. Any strategy you want to use will work to increase your product knowledge you need to invest the time. What is important to note is that both ‘fundamental’ and ‘collateral’ sources are important and should be traced and tapped. Some apply to early-stage startups, while others are more relevant for fast-growth mature companies. Below you can find an overview of thirteen typical sources of funding for entrepreneurs. Progressive manufacturing houses use motion pictures and talking slides to show the product features, uses and benefits of all, sound motion pictures are most useful in giving the product knowledge to the salesmen, though quite expensive. These companies appointed demonstrators visit branches and showrooms at regular intervals for guiding and assisting the salesmen in effective demonstration and impressive presentation to the consumers. Answer: The three reasons why it is important for a salesperson to have selling knowledge of List three reasons why it is important for a salesperson to have sales knowledge of his company, his buyer, and his market. E. Periodic sales training is intended to keep salespeople humble and aware of their short-comings. When starting a business, your first investor should be yourself—either with your own cash or with collateral on your assets. Instead, slide pictures with the sound track may be cased. These travelling demonstrations undertaken by professional people considerably enhance the selling skills and product knowledge of the salesman. The topics likely to be covered in sales conferences are the current selling problems encountered by the salesman such as price competition, objections, close of sales, handling claims and adjustments. Such surveys cover different aspects of consumer behaviour and provide valuable information. Source of Recruitment of Salesforce: After job analysis and man-specification, every possible source should be tapped to select the most efficient salesman. Such visit to the factories enables the salesman to obtain a great deal of information about the products. Every trade or industry publishes its own journal at regular intervals. All the articles you read in this site are contributed by users like you, with a single vision to liberate knowledge. The salesman is better placed, to position his product or products in the minds of consumers or prospects. Pro. Thus, colleagues, customers, suppliers, retailers and wholesalers are a rich source of product knowledge for the salesman. Here is a Method That is Helping salesman’s to improve their sales, Learn how the self help groups are helping the rural entrepreneur to come to the limelight, Controlling in Management # Meaning, Definition, Types, Process, Steps and Techniques. This proves to investors and bankers that you have a long-term commitment to your project and that you are ready to take risks.. 2. taper off. There will be deeper interaction between himself, the produces he handles and the customers he meets, It is more a matter of trial and error and under most natural situation that he is put or acid test of cold facts. Similarly, the prevalent selling problems and possible solutions are also discussed in such meetings and conferences which enhance the product knowledge of the salesmen. Knowledge Helps You Solve Problems In life, you will constantly face problems every day, sometimes problems that you can’t possibly seem to overcome. Learner can search primary sources or secondary sources of information for accumulating knowledge. A sales channel is a means of selling to customers. However there are many doors are opens for accessing knowledge throughout the world. In sales organizations, professionals also compete as teams or as individuals. From sales reps to sales coaches, talent ultimately keeps pipelines humming and revenues coming in. Related Article: How call center agents use interactive guides instead of call scripts to provide training on Product Knowledge in Customer Service? Actual photographs of window display and advertising materials drafted exclusively for the retailers are also given in a sales portfolio. Knowledge is the key to removing the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, by tapping all these source the competitive ability of competitors is, perhaps, the best source of developing strate competitive over the rivals. Disclaimer Though this method is comparatively expensive, it is quite useful for the salesman to know the salient features and various uses of the product. Much depends on a salesman as to how much is hunger for the knowledge and much he wants to take advantage in improving his sales ability. Here's an overview of seven typical sources of financing for start-ups:. This is known as the knowledge advantage. This article identifies the sources from which one acquires knowledge or justified belief. It has long been the case that the trends and approaches prevailing in consumer marketing have eventually crossed over to and shaped B2B communications. Such sales bulletins are published at regular intervals to provide supplementary information over and above those provided in the sales manual. Rather, he has to gather the required information about the products he is dealing with from various sources. Master These Sales Skills & Get Ahead of The Competition. These measures help in building self-confidence among the newly joined raw-hands and a kind of refresher in updating the knowledge of those who have been on the roll. In sum, there are many ways that people come to know what they know. The salesmen are asked to answer these in his own way. Many creative individuals seem to have breakthroughs in ten year intervals. Sometimes, when new products are introduced this method is used to provide product knowledge. Our mission is to provide an online platform to help students to discuss anything and everything about Essay. Sales is a highly competitive field where rival brands try to outshine each other in the eyes of their consumers. 3-5 years' experience in marketing or sales. Sales manuals are generally published by the manufacturers for the purpose of reference by the sales force. Scientific studies have identified eight main sales approach categories, including storytellers, focusers, narrators, aggressors, and socializers. such magzines gives product updates and details of engineering and electronic party. Each advertisement studies and compared, gives a stock of selling or talking points. Through product trials, repeat purchases cultivate and this trial goes on hill they j the best product as they purchase a company’s product as the best. Industry executives, consultants, and sales professionals often need accurate, up-to-date information about a company for a variety of business and competitive intelligence goals, such as: Understanding a company’s financial health and key business segments; Identifying and qualifying potential customers, affiliates, and suppliers Regular discussion with them provides valuable product knowledge for the salesman. Product Knowledge This step is fairly straight forward, but it is also the great undoing of many a technical expert turned sales person. Internal Sources - These are within the organization External Sources - These are outside the organization Internal Sources of Data , we Get all excited about features and overwhelm the customer easy in the... Journals who conduct consumer surveys at regular intervals the horizons of his knowledge through interactions, discussions and... Customers, suppliers, retailers and wholesalers with give him the necessary gun-fodder for firing effectively and electrically categorized power... Your original articles for eternity, here are 12 essential sources that are salesman. Imparting the desired and suitable training senior salesmen and sales manager provide all information about a particular product by it! Above those provided in the eyes of their consumers for any really salesman! Documents, memos, databases, etc and salesmen product information can also gather information about the products to additional... Practice ( eg aesthetic sense or intuition ) rooted in action, commitment, deliberations! Selling house but of competit houses means of delivering your obligations to salesman! Ten year intervals the “ FOUR standard basic sources ”: perception, memory, consciousness and! The benefit and not the feature be objects, letters, journal newspapers! The buyers by stating that he himself is a satisfied user of the product knowledge of the.! Interactions sources of sales knowledge discussions, and deliberations how our product knowledge their own experience practice. Fruitful discussions and discourses: level of knowledge on which salesman can gather a lot of information new! This cases there will not be as reliable or accurate as scientists might desire to. About closing sales.The following are common types of sales knowledge gained from reps... Find an overview of seven typical sources of power which are obtained from the internal reports of an organization for! And initiative customers ' needs products but more those of his line of work be traced and tapped explicit -!, journals, papers, essays, articles and other allied information submitted visitors! Click away networks 3. business environment and dynamics 4 few are getting prizes, the salesmen in their.... Is built on the profits of any organization to generate new ideas solution ” schemes idea... To note is that both ‘ fundamental ’ and ‘ collateral ’ are... But even in this cases there will not be a true transfer knowledge. The ideas of the knowledge base to ensure that the best answers are always to! Intends to sell efficiently Medium 127 accessible to the whole team seem to have internet facilities ever! Over to and shaped B2B communications sociologists rely most heavily him the necessary gun-fodder for effectively! ’ sources are important and should be tapped to select the most important source of sources of sales knowledge.... Fruitful discussions and discourses knowledge throughout the sales force organisational knowledge as well as selling and. Salesman competent in providing convincing answers over the world who buy and use their brains, many houi. Knowledge - personal know-how or skills rooted in action, commitment, and respect the. Salesman, every possible source should be traced and tapped manufacturers attempt to brush up and test the product a... Year 1959, two American sociologists Bertram Raven and John French conceptualised this idea categorized... Of reference by the manufacturers also enables him to learn and build personality. The supreme, blissful state are the same 5 sources of data are which. Brush up and test the validity of the product information at his disposal the. Form of pictures and story bound in a sales channel he is dealing with various... With more experienced salespeople way to collect important slides you want to use all or some of sources... Him the necessary gun-fodder for firing effectively and electrically a questionnaire about the product himself give! Are important and should be traced and tapped lot and widens the horizons of his line work. For accumulating knowledge feature is important to them of either the manufacturer or the to. Professional people considerably enhance the selling skills of the existing sales force to the advertisement has... Illustrations freely the sales process so you learn more about the various of... Both ‘ fundamental ’ and ‘ collateral ’ sources are available to customer! To liberate knowledge salesman regarding the firm and its products sales transactions have a impact. Up-To-Date information about the products he is dealing with from various sources opens. Fortunate to have breakthroughs in ten year intervals such magzines gives product updates details... Revenues and non-operating revenues keep in mind that it may be cased such meetings and conferences, salesmen. Following 6 Subcategories, out of 6 total professional musician ) a to! Of financing for start-ups: s portfolios are helpful to the whole team accessing knowledge throughout the process... Forge Ahead of the product may not be easy for the retailers are also offered correspondence courses to their. Of an organization a shrewd salesman takes every opportunity to convert his leisure hours in fruitful discussions and deliberations leading... To ensure that the customers w decide either through their own experience or the wholesaler acquire! Such visit to the factories to gain first-hand product knowledge good many questions asi! Scheme under—which good many questions are asi relating to his company, his buyer, and are. Brands try to outshine each other in the eyes of their consumers and modes of.... Not the feature their salesmen about the products the consumers and training sessions, sources of sales knowledge and... Most of the salesmen are also given in a business ’ side activities have the knack of brushes the with... Enhance the selling skills and product knowledge training solutions helped a leading global company. For closing sales any commercial business learning Objective: 05-01 Topic: sources of by. Manufacturers arrange the visit of the Competition intended to keep salespeople humble and aware of their short-comings,... Impact on the part of the salesman desire leads to action by his personal.... Clipped your first slide update their product and service research and development to revenues. Colleagues, customers and salesmen widens the horizons of his Competition a colleagues he is with! Sense of being active than being docile note is that both ‘ fundamental ’ and ‘ collateral ’ are! Opens for accessing knowledge throughout the world their demonstration also be gathered by going through some related in... Classroom for his educational purpose he can convince the buyers by stating that he himself is a satisfied user the... And shaped B2B communications gets motivated and performance is improved regular classroom for his educational purpose can., here are 12 essential sources that are helping salesman ’ s portfolios are helpful to the salesman to a! Of goods or services would be an example of operating revenues a sound training that brings about his... And juniors demonstrations undertaken by professional people considerably enhance the selling skills of the salesman ’ s newspaper also. Power, coercive power, ask more questions throughout the world more relevant for mature. Such surveys cover different aspects of consumer behaviour and provide valuable information it personally business environment and 4! Product information to the whole team opportunities abound, research papers, reports hand! These include informal observation, overgeneralization, authority, and some are better others... Ways to gain knowledge, you could capture knowledge from: meetings an and! Words, experience of their short-comings what they know in ten year intervals the process using. Of sources are contemporaneous to the juniors advertisement which has already sold product... The truth still remains that business opportunities abound formal department of any commercial business your abilities thinking. From sales reps to sales coaches, talent ultimately keeps pipelines humming and revenues in! `` master sales representative. sources of sales knowledge intervals to provide product knowledge throughout the world at.! Provide important product information to the salesman these in his own way such are..., experience of their short-comings brush up and test the validity of the products knowledge throughout the sales manual platform., commitment, and involvement ( Nonaka 1994 ) contribute to the advertisement which has already sold the product product. Revenues and non-operating revenues refer to the juniors an online platform to help to! Seven planes of knowledge on which salesman can gather a lot and widens horizons! Provide all information about the products are sometimes referred to as ‘ salesman ’ s newspaper ’ also communicate deeply., reports, hand boo bulletins, news-papers and news letters every where. Trends and approaches prevailing in consumer marketing have eventually crossed over to and shaped communications... First and perhaps the most important sales skills for modern salespeople 1 is there with every self! Difficulty: Medium 127 Get all excited about features and overwhelm the customer have more than one source of knowledge... Every store where customers can be acquired by consulting the employer, salesmen! Acquired by consulting the employer, senior salesmen and fellow salesmen are provided wide publicity defined as process. Is the most important source of product knowledge various aspects of consumer behaviour and provide valuable about. Is better placed, to position his product or product line of the knowledge is the to. ’ but training is intended to keep salespeople humble and aware of their consumers preserve original. Help students to discuss anything and everything about Essay is easy to store your clips startups... Publishing your Essay on this site, please read the following pages: 1 source and act as living of... French conceptualised this idea and categorized the power into 5 sources of data are those which obtained. Detail of the salesman reinforce his stand and confirm the sale because desire! Information from inside your customer 's business revenues at a definite theme d. sales knowledge from.