Sales District Manager

Area sales managers must be outgoing and have good socialization skills. They should have the ability to build rapport easily with individuals from different backgrounds. This is to help prospect new clients for the organization. They should also have good persuasion skills and strong analytical skills. Area sales managers need to be highly motivated. They also need good presentation skills, and excellent verbal and written communication skills. Area sales managers should be able to multi-task and carry out multiple responsibilities

Primary Data in a Desk research

Method	Comments
Observation	Watching how consumers behave provides many insights, but can leave questions unanswered.   Observation works well in retail markets; sit outside a shop and watch how many people walk by, look at the window display etc.
Postal surveys	Sent to the address of potential customers who complete the form and send back in a pre-paid envelope. Relatively cheap, a postal survey can cover a wide geographical area and avoids the potential for interviewer bias.  However, response rates (the proportion of people sending back a completed survey) are often very low and it can take be a long time before enough surveys are returned
Telephone interviews	Not to be confused with “telesales” (which is a method of selling), the telephone interview allow quicker feedback than a postal survey.  However, potential customers are often wary of being called and may be reluctant to give anything other than short answers
Online surveys	Increasingly popular and relatively low cost, online surveys are widely used by small businesses as a way of capturing the views of existing and potential customers
Face-to-face surveys	Personal interviews conducted face-to-face.  A costly, but good way to get detailed insights from an individual
Focus groups	Groups of potential customers are brought together to discuss their feelings about a product or market. Focus groups are a good way of getting detailed information about customer tastes and preferences
Test marketing	This involves selling a new product in a small section of the market in order to assess customer reaction.  For example, a start-up could start by selling to a limited local area in order to iron-out product issues.  Software firms often test-market their products by offering “beta” versions for testing by a small group of potential customers. Test marketing can be a good predictor of how a new product or service will be received by the larger market (provided that it can be kept secret from competitors!)

SWOT : What think?

strengths •Advantages of proposition? •Capabilities? •Competitive advantages? •USP's (unique selling points)? •Resources, Assets, People? •Experience, knowledge, data? •Financial reserves, likely returns? •Marketing - reach, distribution, awareness? •Innovative aspects? •Location and geographical? •Price, value, quality? •Accreditations, qualifications, certifications? •Processes, systems, IT, communications? •Cultural, attitudinal, behavioural? •Management cover, succession?

weaknesses •Disadvantages of proposition? •Gaps in capabilities? •Lack of competitive strength? •Reputation, presence and reach? •Financials? •Own known vulnerabilities? •Timescales, deadlines and pressures? •Cashflow, start-up cash-drain? •Continuity, supply chain robustness? •Effects on core activities, distraction? •Reliability of data, plan predictability? •Morale, commitment, leadership? •Accreditations, etc? •Processes and systems, etc? •Management cover, succession?

opportunities •Market developments? •Competitors' vulnerabilities? •Industry or lifestyle trends? •Technology development and innovation? •Global influences? •New markets, vertical, horizontal? •Niche target markets? •Geographical, export, import? •Market need for new USP's? •Market response to tactics, e.g., surprise? •Major contracts, tenders? •Business and product development? •Information and research? •Partnerships, agencies, distribution? •Market volume demand trends? •Seasonal, weather, fashion influences?

threats •Political effects? •Legislative effects? •Environmental effects? •IT developments? •Competitor intentions - various? •Market demand? •New technologies, services, ideas? •Vital contracts and partners? •Obstacles faced? •Insurmountable weaknesses? •Employment market? •Financial and credit pressures? •Economy - home, abroad? •Seasonality, weather effects?