Study Guide

Objective

After the study unit the student is capable to
- Understand sales strategies and processes
- Act as value creating sales person in the sales process
- Utilize needed sales methods and tools
- Analyze and interact with purchasing process
- Create possibilities within different parts of sales funnel in the international environment
- Develop and lead oneself

Content

Content
- Value selling
- Selling in different sales channels
- Sales methods and tools, including financial and statistical analysis
- Team selling
- Sales skills and their development
- Self Management

Materials

1) Harvard Business Review. Vol.90(7), pp. 61-68 (2012).
The end of solutions sales. Adamson, Brent
2) Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management. Vol. 39, issue 1. (2019).
Fostering collaborative mind-sets among customers: a transformative learning approach.
Timo Kaski, Ari Alamäki &Ellen Bolman Pullins
3) Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management. Vol. 37, issue 3. (2017).
Translating sales effort into service performance: it's an emotional ride.
Jessica Ogilvie, Adam Rapp, Raj Agnihotri &Daniel G. Bachrach
4) Harvard Business Review. July-August issue. (2019)
Digital doesn’t have to be disruptive. Nathan Furr and Andrew Shipilov.
5) Harvard Business Review. November-December issue (2018).
Reinventing Customer Service. Matthew Dixon.

Teaching methods

Students are requested to read the given pre-reading material and write an essay about the journals.
Participating in contact sessions and group exam. Working individual and in a group to make a presentation about an agreed topic. Participating actively in discussion and work during contact sessions.

Exam schedules

Group exam November 22nd.

International connections

Individual learning and writing an essay based on given material.
Group exam based on pre-readings.
Team work between the contact sessions.
Active participation in the discussions and other activities during contact sessions.

Completion alternatives

Contact Sanna Vauranoja.

Student workload

Pre-readings, essay and exam 55 hours
Contact sessions 15 hours
Team work and presentation 50 hours

Content scheduling

On this course we are going to
1) Perceive recent and future approaches of BtoB sales: value selling, sales as a change management, sales concervatism.
2) Find out beneficial publications about sales’ trends and changes.
3) Learn to use publications and digital channels to update own selling skills and views.
Oct.+Nov. Pre-assignment readings
15.11. DL of essee about the pre-readings
22.11. Contact session 1, LEM_B166
Team works
12.12. Contact session 2, LEM B166

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

Pre-readings, essay and exam 50%
Contact sessions 10%
Team work and presentation 40%

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

The student does not show any interest towards the study unit. S/he does not participate in the contact lessons or return the required assignments.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The students has basic understanding about recent BtoB sales approaches. S/he is able to point out some trends and how they affect sales situations and customer needs. S/he is aware of theoretical issues but cannot show deep understanding about how to implement those in his/her work. S/he does not show particular interest in participating in the work during contact lessons. The assingments s/he returns do not show profound understanding about the subject matter.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

The student knows and understands about different approaches around advanced BtoB sales. S/he can apply fresh BtoB sales approaches in a changing business culture and write about that reflecting approaches against theory. S/he participates actively in the work during contact lessons and brings added value to the discussions through his/her input. The assignments s/he returns show understanding about the subject matter.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student perceives many different approaches around advanced BtoB sales. S/he can apply and design diversely advanced BtoB sales operations in a changing business culture and write about them reflecting approaches against theory. S/he is able to find new signals of change and fresh views of changing business cultures.

S/he participates actively in the work during contact lessons and brings added value to the discussions through his/her input. The assignments s/he returns show understanding about the subject matter.