Many organisations do not include the cost of their sales force in their marketing communications budget because they see the sales force as part of distribution - a way of getting products and services to customers.

The size of the sales force affects sales. Increase the sales force and you increase distribution penetration which subsequently increases sales because more customers get access to the product. But one sales person can only cover so much. If there were 2,000 potential customers and one sales representative could only make four calls a day - how many sales reps would you need?

Well, one rep could make twenty calls a week and with fifty working weeks, one rep could make 1,000 calls a year. Therefore two reps would be required, that is, if neither rep got sick, took holidays, and both stayed on the road out of the office for the whole year. It also assumes that each customer only needs one visit a year. If each customer needed one visit a month then suddenly 24 hardworking, healthy reps would be required.

In reality big customers require a lot of attention. Some sales reps may spend all year trying to win just one or two of these as well as several smaller ones. This kind of sales rep is an 'order getter' and likes to go after new business. While other reps prefer to be 'order takers', maintaining and servicing existing customers.

In most cases, the sales force is used to create a network of distributors. In other cases it sells to end users. Avon cosmetics, for example, sells directly to millions of homes around the world.

Selection, training, motivation and control are all important components of any successful sales force. If all these are managed properly and the product is worthy then the probability of success increases.

Some organisations prefer to use their own sales force, others will only keep a small sales force which sells into a network of distributors and agents, who then sell the product through their own, larger sales force network.

Other organisations look for strategic partnerships involving horizontal systems where sales and distribution may be handled by the partner's sales force.

Since full time sales forces are so expensive, some organisations hire contract sales forces or a 'field marketing' agency who supply a temporary sales team for a fixed period of time, typically during seasonal peaks and during special promotions.

One aspect of selling that is never subcontracted out is selling to key customers such as major accounts. This is the responsibility of the marketing or sales director.

Successful selling is fundamental to successful distribution, which in turn is one of the marketer's key tasks.

source: svuonline.org