Emeka has been a sales representative for three years but has never met his target. (a) State five reasons that could have accounted for his inability to me...

Answer Details

(a) Five reasons that could account for Emeka's inability to meet his target

1. Poor product knowledge: he may not know enough about the goods to convince customers to buy.
2. Unrealistic/high target: the target set may be too high for the size and demand of his territory.
3. Strong competition: rival firms selling similar or cheaper products may be taking away his customers.
4. Poor selling skills and attitude: weak persuasion, poor communication or an unfriendly manner may drive customers away.
5. High price or poor quality of the product: if the company's goods are overpriced or of low quality, customers will resist buying (poor advertising and inadequate incentives may also be responsible).

(b) Five promotional tools he could use to stimulate sales

1. Advertising: using radio, television and posters to inform and persuade customers about the products.
2. Sales promotion: offering discounts, free samples, coupons, gifts and "buy-one-get-one" offers to attract buyers.
3. Personal selling: making direct, face-to-face contact with customers to explain, demonstrate and persuade them to buy.
4. Publicity/public relations: gaining favourable mention through sponsorships and community activities to build a good image for the products.
5. After-sales service: providing delivery, installation, guarantees and credit facilities to encourage and retain customers.