In the previous two chapters, you learned about engaging customers and communicating customer value through integrated marketing communications (IMC) and two elements of the promotion mix: advertising and public relations. In this chapter, we examine two more IMC elements: personal selling and sales promotion. Personal selling is the interpersonal arm of marketing communications, in which the sales force engages customers and prospects to build relationships and make sales. Sales promotion consists of short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. Although this chapterpresents personal selling and sales promotion as separate tools, they must be carefully integrated with the other elements of the promotion mix.

First, let’s look at a real-life sales force. When you think of salespeople, perhaps you think of pushy retail sales clerks, “yell and sell” TV pitchmen, or the stereotypical glad-handing “used-car salesman.” But such stereotypes don’t fit the reality of most of today’s salespeople—sales professionals who succeed not by taking advantage of customers but by listening to their needs and helping to forge solutions. Consider Salesforce—the industry leader in customer relationship management solutions. Salesforce not only produces market-leading sales management software, it also excels at practicing what it preaches—effective personal selling.