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SALES MANAGEMENT

Syllabus

Updated A.Y. 2024-2025

Course Title: Sales Management

Course Code: SECS-P/08

Semester: Spring 2025

Credits: 6

Duration: 36 hours

Delivery Mode: Moodle / Hybrid

Instructor: Paolino GAGLIARDO

Contact Information: paolino.gagliardo@gmail.com

This syllabus provides a structured approach to understanding sales management and equips students with the necessary skills to succeed in the field. It is designed to provide a balance of theory, practical applications, and skill-building activities to prepare students for leadership roles in sales management.

Course Description:

This course provides a comprehensive overview of sales management principles and practices, integrating strategic, marketing, and operational aspects, to equip students with the skills to be effective within, and eventually lead, sales teams.

It covers the sales and marketing perspective, all sales operations including customer relationship management (CRM), sales management and soft skills and organization; the use and impact of media and new technologies with a focus on AI.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the basics of sales, the integration of sales with marketing, and the strategic role of the sales function within organizations.
  2. Manage operations, set up and implement operating sales and marketing plans and programs, aligned with Brand and Company goals.
  3. Utilize media, marketing and sales and CRM tools, data analytics to enhance sales performance including basic knowledge of new AI technologies and applications.
  4. Develop personal, leadership and team skills to manage operations and sales teams effectively.

Required Text:

  • Textbook: "Selling and Sales Management” by David Jobber, Geoff Lancaster and Kenneth Le Meunier-FitzHugh
    • Sales and Marketing Chapters 1-3 and read only 4 (no practical exercise)
    • Sales operations Chapter 5 and 10-11 and read only 12 (no practical exercise)
    • Sales management Chapter 8 (no practical exercise); read-only 13-15, 17

 Supplementary relevant materials and supports will be provided throughout the course on Moodle. e.g., Video Zuares, Napolitano, Pessina

Course Outline

Moodle Pre-assignment: Chapter 1

 Lesson 1 (in person class): The Role of Selling

  • Characteristics of modern selling
  • Types of Selling
  • B2B vs B2C
  • Success Factors
  • International Selling

Moodle:

  • Taped Class
  • Video clip with testimony on the Role (Mario Di Maria Exec Vice President Piaggio)

Homework Assignment:

  • Write and submit on Moodle your point of view on sales overview and practices.
  • Chapters 2 and read only 4.

Lesson 2 (Teams): The Marketing Concept

  • Marketing and Brand Basics
  • Situation analysis including market analysis and segmentation
  • Consumer and customer behavior
  • Performance and Metrics
  • Sales Process and performance vs Marketing and Business Strategy

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Video clip with testimony on the Marketing Concept (Massimo Ghenzer, President of Aretè Methods)
  • Marketing Research
  • Situation Analysis format

Homework Assignment:

  • Organize in 4 Teams: each Team write and deliver a situation analysis (format will be provided on Moodle) of a company's sales and marketing plan of your choice.
  • Chapter 3

Lesson 3 (Teams): Sales Operations I: Sales and Marketing planning

  • The planning processes
  • Marketing Plans vs Sales Plan
  • Developing sales strategies
  • Setting sales objectives; scale and timing
  • Performance evaluation methods
  • Continuous improvement strategies

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Video clip with testimony on sales and marketing operations (Matteo Sanguineti, Marketing and Sales Operations Fibra-Italia)
  • Format of a Sales and Marketing Plan

Homework Assignment:

  • Teams write a company's Sales and Marketing plan (format will be provided on Moodle) of your choice.
  • Chapter 5

Lesson 4 (Teams): Sales Operations II: basics, tactics, and tools

  • Distribution strategies
  • Sales Channels
  • Pull strategies
  • Push strategies
  • Trade marketing
  • Sales promotions
  • Sales strategies vs Brand

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Team completes and delivers a company's sales and marketing plan (executive summary format)

Lesson 5 (in person class): presentations and discussions

  • Teams present their company's sales and marketing plans
  • Discussion

Moodle:

  • Taped Class
  • Video clip with testimony ATL vs BTL (Adriana Ruggiero Brand Manager Swatch)

Homework Assignment:

  • Write and post on Moodle class discussion debriefing / bullet point format (as you would deliver it to your own Sales Teams for deployment), of one of others project sales and marketing plans
  • Chapters 10 and 11

Lesson 6 (Teams): ATL vs BTL sales techniques

  • Relationship Marketing vs Relationship selling
  • Multi-channel selling
  • Prospecting and Lead Generation Techniques
  • E-commerce and online sales strategies
  • Social media as a sales tool
  • Benchmarking and best practices

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • CRM application and program

Homework Assignment Homework Assignment:

  • Write and post debriefing of the CRM application provided (as you would deliver it to your own Sales Teams for deployment)
  • Read only Chapter 12.

Lesson 7 (Teams): Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Technology

  • Fundamentals of CRM systems
  • CRM tools and technologies
  • Enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty
  • Implementation of CRM Systems
  • Discussion on the CRM program

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Video clip with testimony on Organization and Leadership (Maurizio Zuares Worldwide Commercial Director Maserati)

Homework Assignment:

  • Write and post on Moodle your take outs on the Video Clip testimony
  • Read only Chapters 13-15 and 17.

Lesson 8 (Teams): Organization and Leadership in Sales Management

  • Designing the sales team structure
  • Motivating and leading sales teams
  • Managing underperformance
  • Building a high-performance culture
  • Designing effective compensation plans
  • Aligning incentives with performance

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Video clip with testimony on Skills for Sales Managers (Marco Vignale Commercial Director Telecom Company)

Homework Assignment:

  • Write and post on Moodle your take outs on the Video Clip testimony (as you would deliver it to your own Sales Teams for deployment)
  • Chapter 8

Lesson 9 (Teams): Skills for Sales Managers 

  • Real life training and selling techniques
  • Essentials of negotiation in sales
  • Conflict resolution strategies
  • Building long-term client relationships

Moodle:

  • Taped Teams Class
  • Blog discussion on skills
  • Readings on AI applications provided
  • AI application provided

Homework Assignment:

  • Study materials provided 

Lesson 10 (in person): Technology in Sales and Class Conclusion

  • Impact of Digital Tools on Sales
  • E-commerce and online sales strategies
  • Social media as a sales tool
  • Future Trends in Sales Technology
  • Impact of digital tools and AI in sales
  • CLASS HIGHLIGHTS and discussion

Moodle:

  • Taped Class
  • Q/A and Conclusion Blog

Assessment and Grading:

  • Active Class Participation: 10%
  • Moodle Assignments: 50%
  • Final Exam: 40%

Class Policies 

  • Attendance is strongly recommended and active participation is mandatory.
  • Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Any form of cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action.

Accessibility:

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor to discuss any accommodations needed for successful course participation.