ABSTRACT

The importance of personal selling can not be over emphasized. This has informed this study which is on the impact of personal selling on the marketing of beverages. A study of Milo. The objective, the study among other things include:

-              To find out whether personal selling strategy adopted in the marketing of Milo has any significance impact on the sales volume of the product.

-              To determine whether the personal strategy adopted in the marketing of Milo is adequate.

Based on this indepth literature review was conducted on materials and data were also sourced using questionnaire and personal interview. The population of study include consumers of Milo dealers and employees of Nestle makers of Milo. Statistical techniques and method such as Topman and Bourley’s formular were used to determine the sample size while tables and percentages were used for the analysis. Data collected were clinically analyzed and in the testing of hypothesis formulated. Thus the following findings were made. That personal selling strategy adopted in the marketing of Milo have positive impact on the performance of the product. That personal selling strategy builds goodwill for both the company and it’s product. In the light of this recommendations were made on how to effectively and efficiently exploit the benefits of personal selling strategy particularly in the marketing of Milo within Enugu metropolis.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page         -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       i

Approval page -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       ii

Dedication       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       iii

Acknowledgement    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       iv

Abstract   -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       v

Table of contents     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       vi

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION      -       -       -       -       -       -       -       i

1.1      Background of the study -       -       -       -       -       1

1.2      Statement of problems             -       -       -       -       5

1.3      Objectives of the study     -       -       -       -       -       7

1.4      Formulation of hypothesis/Research questions       -8    

1.5      Significance of the study -       -       -       -       -       10

1.6      Scope of the study   -       -       -       -       -       -       11

1.7      Definition of terms   -       -       -       -       -       -       11

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE    -       -       -       13

2.1      Concept and meaning of Personal selling        -       -       13

2.2      Personal selling as a promotional tool     -       -       15

2.3      Personal selling position -       -       -       -       -       17

2.4      Personal selling functions        -       -       -       -       20

2.5      Personal selling process   -       -       -       -       -       21

2.6      The role of personal selling in the marketing

of beverages     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       33

2.7      Prospects of personal selling    -       -       -       -       35

2.8      Characteristics of sales force   -       -       -       -       37

2.9      Information gathering function of the sales person 41

2.10  Tasks perform by sales person         -       -       -       -       50

2.11  Personal selling strategies        -       -       -       -       -       55

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY         -       -       -       -       -       58

3.1      Sources of data        -       -       -       -       -       -       58

3.2      Population of study -       -       -       -       -       -       59

3.3      Sample size determination       -       -       -       -       59

3.4      Sample size      -       -       -       -       -       -       -       62

3.5      Research instruments used     -       -       -       -       62

3.6      Validity of research instrument used       -       -       -       63

3.7      Method of data analysis   -       -       -       -       -       63

3.8      Limitation of the study     -       -       -       -       -       64

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA -    65

4.1      Data presentation and interpretation       -       -       69

4.2      Test of hypothesis    -       -       -       -       -       -       70

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION       -        -       -       -       -       -       -       -       74

5.1      Summary of findings       -       -       -       -       -       74

5.2      Recommendations   -       -       -       -       -       -       76

5.3      Conclusion      -       -       -       -       -       -       -       77

Bibliography    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       78

Appendix-       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       79

Questionnaire administration and response    -       80

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1:         Allocation and Returned of Questionnaires  65

Table 4.2:         Customer of Milo     -       -       -       -       65   

Table 4.3:         Respondent Point of Purchase of Milo     66   

Table 4.4:         Preference factor Milo      -       -       -       67   

Table 4.5:         Sales persons attitude to Customers       67   

Table 4.6:         Impact of Personal Selling Strategy in Increase Sales      -       -        -       -       -       -       68

Table 4.7:         Response Rate on whether Personal Selling Encourage consumers Patronage      -       69

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Personal selling which is one of the function of marketing is very important in the business and marketing life of an organization. It involves the face to face communication of information from a seller to a prospective buyer for the purpose of facilitating exchange for the mutual satisfaction of both parties.

It has long been recognized as the oldest and probably the most important component of the promotional mix, it’s age can be ascertained by the fact that word of mouth and recommendation by others long in existence as a method of wining somebody over to some idea.

A curious objective of Nigerian society and habits will reveal that selling is a major and ubiquitous economic activities, it would probably not be wrong to describe Nigeria as a nation of salesmen and women.

Virtually every house in Nigeria has a room that serve as a shop, this addition to numerous kiosk dotted all around the towns and villages and the hundreds of thousands of hawkers that are virtually part of the Nigeria landscape. Selling is thus a job which the Nigeria takes seriously but paradoxically, the professional sales man whom the seller looked down open, various resources adduced for this, firstly, the generally how educational qualification of most of the salesmen.

Secondly, there is the fact that the outward appearance of these salesmen is at best scruffy and finally there is general feeling of insecurity which makes the average Nigeria suspicious of any unvisited visitor who is often assumed to be a potential armed robber.

Inspite of all this, there is little doubts as to be critical role which personal selling, if properly applied could play in the fortunes of a company, particularly, a company operating in the industrial market.

The importance of personal selling is inherent in it’s nature which involves the use of salesmen who would usually be quite flexible in putting across their message to ensure that it confirms to the peculiar needs and idiosyncrasies of their audience.

Another aspect of personal selling which demonstrates it’s special nature is it’s lack of impersonality. This quality means that there is the possibility that the commercial in a largely friendly and relaxed atmosphere is focused on general marketing strategies with an emphasis on when marketing and promotional strategies should be personal selling driven or advertising driven, according to Edoga (1997 – Principles and practice of selling). Most firms, however employ both promotional mixes when this is the case, it is important to determine the most effective way to integrate personal selling and advertising efforts.

One typical approach pointed out by Fisenhart (1998: 92 – 97 – Blue ocean strategy) is to use advertising to generate company’s and product awareness and to identify potential customers. These sales leads are then turned over to the sales force for personal selling attention. The basic objective is to use low cost per-contact advertising to identify prospects while more expensive personal selling efforts are used to turn prospects into customers. The effectiveness of the type of promotional strategy was documented by a study of 2,500 sales people that found mode than 85% of the sales people and received leads from advertising during past year.

A specific example of effective use of advertising and personal selling is the promotional strategy of Nestle to introduce Milo beverages into the market.

The promotional strategy had four objectives.

1)          To increase brand awareness by 60%

2)          To generate high quality leads for the sales force

3)          To increase sales by 10% in six months and

4)          To improve sales force morale.

Although a typical approach would be to advertise in trade publications to increase basis and spend considerable time arraying shelves setting up displays, accepting returned merchandise or addressing other problems.

This unique promotional mix has produce strong relati

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