Planning and implementation of sales activities may relate to the promotion of any product, service or event; a group of products being cooperatively marketed; or even a whole city, region or tourist precinct.

This unit requires the application of planning, organisational and communication skills. This role is generally undertaken by sales and marketing personnel within the service industries who operate autonomously and who are responsible for coordinating a range of sales activities. Managers and owner-operators of small businesses would also undertake this activity.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Plan sales activities.

1.1

Plan and schedule sales activities for existing and potential customers according to marketing plan or other organisation systems.

1.2

Identify, analyse and incorporate appropriate organisation, customer and market information into the sales planning process.

1.3

Proactively source prospects and create profiles accordingly.

1.4

Estimate potential revenue, based on sound analysis of information and in consultation with appropriate colleagues.

1.5

Plan activities to maximise opportunities to meet individual and team targets.

1.6

Establish practical sales call patterns based on analysis of all relevant customer and market information.

2

Prepare for sales calls.

2.1

Make sales call appointments in advance where appropriate.

2.2

Develop sales call strategies and tactics based on market knowledge, current sales focus and consultation with appropriate operational colleagues.

2.3

Gather specific information and support materials to support individual sales calls.

3

Make sales calls.

3.1

Make sales calls according to agreed call patterns.

3.2

Build relationships with customers through the use of effective interpersonal communication styles.

3.3

Develop customer trust and confidence through the demonstration of personal and professional integrity.

3.4

Proactively identify and resolve customer issues and problems.

3.5

Use selling techniques to maximise opportunities to meet and exceed sales targets.

3.6

Provide current, accurate and relevant information on product features and benefits according to current organisation marketing focus.

3.7

Encourage feedback from customers and proactively seek market intelligence.

4

Review and report on sales activities.

4.1

Review all activities according to agreed evaluation methods and incorporate results into future sales planning.

4.2

Prepare sales reports according to required timelines and organisation procedures.

4.3

Present market intelligence in a manner that provides clear and concise information to those responsible for sales and marketing planning.

4.4

Share market intelligence with relevant colleagues in a timely fashion.

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

sales skills to sell diverse products and services in a range of industry contexts and environments

planning and organisational skills that relate to the conduct of sales activities

high-level verbal communication skills, specifically active listening and questioning

conflict and problem resolution techniques in order to take a lead role in solving ongoing problems

high-level literacy skills to interpret customer information and market trend information, and to read and prepare sales reports

high-level numeracy skills to calculate potential sales revenues and create and interpret sales statistics.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

in-depth knowledge of the principles of selling, sales communication and relationship building

in-depth product knowledge sufficient to take a proactive sales role

detailed knowledge of the industry, including structure and interrelationships, industry networks and information sources

industry and market knowledge appropriate to the sector and organisation, including:

in-depth knowledge of distribution and marketing networks, especially those that support the product or service being promoted

current customer and market trends, products and service style that would meet particular customer and market requirements and preferences

links between sales and other areas of the organisation's operations

overall structure and content of marketing plans

role of sales within the overall marketing mix

broad and working knowledge of the legal liability and implications of consumer legislation and regulations on selling products appropriate to particular industry sectors.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

project or work activities that show the candidate's ability to plan and implement sales activities for a specific business operation and to prepare sales reports

use of effective communication skills during sales calls

detailed knowledge of the industry, including structure and interrelationships, industry networks, information sources and distribution and marketing networks

project or work activities conducted over a commercially realistic period of time so that the planning, analysis and reporting aspects of this unit can be assessed.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

that the candidate has accessed a fully equipped office environment using appropriate computers, printers, communication technology, information programs and software to facilitate the processes involved in planning and implementing sales activities

access to an operation for which products would be promoted or access to comprehensive and sufficient information about that operation to allow the candidate to plan for fully and implement sales activities

use of marketing plans and operational sales documents, such as sales reports and sales support materials

interaction with individuals or businesses with a genuine or potential interest in purchasing the product or service.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to plan and implement sales activities. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

evaluation of sales plans and sales results developed and achieved by the candidate

evaluation of sales reports prepared by the candidate to detail the way in which a sales campaign was planned and implemented and lessons to be learned for future sales activities

evaluation of sales activities undertaken by the candidate in conjunction with and on behalf of industry operators

case studies to assess knowledge of how sales activities can be used for specific industry contexts

written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge such as structure of the industry, industry interrelationships, distribution networks and legal compliance issues

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SITXMGT002A Develop and implement operational plans

SITXMGT006A Establish and conduct business relationships

SITXMPR004A Coordinate marketing activities.

Assessing employability skills

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Information to be incorporated into the sales planning process may include:

sales and marketing reports

financial statistics

market trends

competitive activity.

Establishing practical sales call patterns may be affected by:

specific sales and revenue targets

call intensity required

geographic considerations and restraints

current organisation priorities

need for administration and reporting time.

Sales call strategies and tactics may include or be based on:

focus on specific products or offers

individual customer history

current sales figures for nominated periods

response to competitive activity.

Information and support materials may include:

brochures

tariff sheets

other handouts

internet and web pages

electronic updates

display material

giveaways

incentive material.

Sector

Cross-Sector

Marketing and Public Relations

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.