INTRODUCTION

The thirteenth edition of Sales Force Management carries on the tradition from previous editions, incorporating the latest research and management practices into an easy-to-read yet comprehensive learning tool.

You will notice that we continue to integrate a variety of innovative learning tools with the latest in sales management theory and practice. At the same time, we have taken great care to preserve the excellent framework and principles from editions one through twelve. In short, we have taken the best from earlier editions and added relevant, real-world student learning tools and up-to-date sales management theory and practice to create this thirteenth edition of Sales Force Management.

Still without peer, Sales Force Management remains the definitive text in the field. Building on the tradition of excellence established by Gil Churchill, Neil Ford, and Orv Walker, in this thirteenth edition Mark Johnston and Greg Marshall maintain the quality and integrity of earlier editions while breaking new ground.

WHY WRITE THIS BOOK?

For many years, the practice of sales management was an unfortunate combination of tradition, folklore, personal experiences, and intuition. Sales managers had very little in the way of research or management theory to help better understand the motives and behaviors of their own salespeople. As a result, there was practically no support for the sales manager in the field.

Fortunately, during the 1970s sales academicians and researchers began to conduct empirical studies and develop theoretical models to explain salesperson behavior and motivation. Sales managers found the information invaluable and added their own insights, further refining and enhancing the sales management knowledge base. Today, sales research appears in all the leading marketing journals, and one journal is singularly dedicated to the field of sales management (Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management).

It is not surprising that, as changes were occurring in sales management, the rest of the organization also was experiencing significant transformation. Concepts like strategic alliances, customer relationship management, and value creation brought revolution to every part of the organization, including the sales force. Today, salespeople are expected to have new skills, more information, and instant answers. This makes managing the sales force an even more formidable challenge. Old ways will no longer work—sales force management is undergoing change at an increasing rate, and success in the future will be defined, in part, by how well sales managers learn to manage in this new world.

From the beginning, Sales Force Management filled the need for a single, detailed summary of sales management theory, analysis of sales force research, and review of its managerial implications for the organization. Other books provide a cursory appraisal of relevant research or fail to keep pace with current knowledge and trends. Our primary goal in the thirteenth edition is the same as it was in the first: offer students a thorough, up-to-date, and integrated overview of accumulated theory and research relevant to sales management.

In writing such a book, however, we know that simply presenting a summary of theories and research would be incredibly dull (we were students, too) and, even worse, would provide little real insight for students interested in learning how a sales manager can apply this information in the real world. Put simply, our second goal is to highlight how real managers apply these theories and principles in their own organizations. By identifying recent practices, applications, and the use of state-of-the-art technology, we combine real-world sales management best practices with cutting-edge theory and empirical research—all in a single source.

STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

Over the book’s history, a framework has been developed that portrays sales managers’ activities as three interrelated, sequential processes, each of which influences the various determinants of salesperson performance. The thirteenth edition continues to use this time-tested and insightful structure.

1. Formulation of a sales program. This process involves organizing and planning the company’s overall personal selling efforts and ensuring that the selling initiative is integrated with the other elements of the firm’s marketing strategy.
2. Implementation of the sales program. This involves selecting appropriate sales personnel, providing effective training and development, as well as compensation.
3. Evaluation and control of the sales program. This involves employing proper metrics to monitor and evaluate sales force performance so adjustments can be made to either the sales program or its implementation as needed.

Chapter 1 introduces the subject of sales management with an overview of the field, including key aspects of the external and internal environment of selling. The remainder of the book is divided into three sections corresponding to the three processes described earlier.

• Part One: Formulation of a Sales Program (Chapters 2 through 5) This section examines the process of buying and selling, including a strong emphasis on selling as a career and the role of organizational buyers; linkages of sales management to business and marketing-level strategies; organizing for success in sales management; and the strategic role of information in forecasting, setting quotas, designing sales territories, and conducting sales analysis. A continuing feature of this edition is emphasis on customer relationship management (CRM) and its link to sales management. In this edition we have updated and expanded the discussion linking CRM to the use of data analytics in sales organizations.
• Part Two: Implementation of the Sales Program (Chapters 6 through 11) This section provides an overview of the determinants of sales performance with the special focus on a salesperson’s role perceptions and motivation. It then proceeds to examine decisions involving the recruitment and selection of sales personnel, sales training, and the design of compensation and incentive programs.
• Part Three: Evaluation and Control of the Sales Program (Chapters 12 and 13) This section discusses techniques for monitoring and controlling sales force behavior and performance. It examines various approaches for conducting behavioral and other performance analyses.

THE APPROACH OF THE BOOK

Sales Force Management is designed for use in a course on sales management at either the undergraduate or graduate level. It also complements a variety of teaching approaches. Instructors who focus primarily on either a lecture/discussion format or case format will find plenty of material for any teaching calendar in the chapters, enhanced by the end-of-chapter Breakout Questions and discussion-centered Leadership Challenges. For those adopting a more case-oriented approach, each chapter contains a short, thoughtful “Minicase” to highlight key learning elements from the chapter along with guiding questions. If you are looking for more comprehensive cases for your course, our Companion Website houses a variety of longer cases in sales management for your use. Also, an updated sales management role-play is provided for each chapter.

FEATURES OF THE THIRTEENTH EDITION

We subscribe to the old adage, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” The philosophy in creating the thirteenth edition was to begin by updating and enhancing the best parts of Sales Force Management. As a result, those who have used previous editions will be comfortable with the thirteenth edition. But at the same time, with this new edition we have included numerous updates to chapter content, examples, feature boxes, updated data, and more attention to global and ethical aspects of sales force management.

Minicases

Each chapter contains a Minicase enabling students to apply directly what they are learning in the chapter. These Minicases, written specifically for Sales Force Management, are short and designed to be used in a variety of ways. For example, they are great for discussion starters in class or as individual assignments. Additionally, student teams can be assigned to analyze the case and make a presentation to the class. Feedback from colleagues was a key driver in creating these shorter, more focused cases that will certainly enhance student learning. Key issues from the chapter will be brought out for the students as they analyze the case. And importantly, most of these Minicases have strong global selling implications. Each Minicase ends with a set of directed, action-oriented questions that force the student to integrate the chapter material.

SUPPLEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Books are the result of hard work by many people, and we very much appreciate the efforts of numerous individuals associated with this new edition. First, as this book is built on the research and hard work of sales management academicians and practitioners, we would like to thank the many scholars and colleagues who have contributed to the body of sales force research over the past years. We reference their work and honor their contributions to the field.

Emmie Shand and Sophia Levine. Working with professionals who are also fantastic people makes the task easier and more enjoyable—thanks again to everyone at Routledge/Taylor & Francis. Finally, Chrissy Schreiber and Christian Panier here at Rollins College, who contributed in an outstanding manner to the updating and integration of literature and references in this edition—your efforts are greatly appreciated.

We want to offer a very special thank you to our families and friends. Without their encouragement and support you would not be reading this book. You are special and you are appreciated. Enjoy the book!

Mark W. Johnston, Rollins College
Greg W. Marshall, Rollins College
September 2020