Combining Personal Selling and Advertising

Last Updated on Thu, 04 Jan 2024 | Marketing Communications

With specific market situations and communications objectives, the advantages of advertising make it more effective in the early stages of the response hierarchy (for example, in creating awareness and interest), whereas personal selling is more likely to be used in the later stages (for example, stimulating trial and getting the order). Thus, each may be more or less appropriate depending on the objectives sought. These elements can be combined in the promotional mix to compensate for each other's weaknesses and complement each other.

Consider a new product introduction. Given an adequate budget, the initial objective might be to reach as many people in the target market as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Since the primary objective is awareness and a simple message will suffice, advertising will likely be the most appropriate medium.

Now suppose specific benefits must be communicated that are not very obvious or easy to comprehend, and a product demonstration would be useful. Or consider a situation in which the objective is to ask for the sale and/or to establish a relationship. Here personal selling is a more appropriate tool than advertising. In common marketing situations like these, you can see how well advertising and personal selling work together to attain the objectives sought.

A number of studies bear out this complementary relationship. A study by Theodore Levitt showed that sales reps from well-known companies are better received than those from companies that do not spend advertising dollars to create awareness.14 (Once they are in the door, however, the buyer expects the salesperson to perform better than those from lesser-known companies.) If a salesperson from a lesser-known company can get in to see the buyer, he or she is as likely to make the sale. But in risky situations, the well-advertised company rep has the advantage. Gateway recently embarked upon a $50 million IMC campaign (Exhibit 18-4) using advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and the Internet to create awareness that Gateway is interested in companies' business (Gateway has been perceived by many as being a consumer PC). The campaign is designed to position the company as a solutions provider and to assist and enhance the sales force's efforts.

In other studies, John Morrill found that selling costs were 2 to 28 percent lower if the buyer had received an advertising message before the salesperson's arrival.15 McGraw-Hill Corp., in a review of 54 studies, concluded the combination of advertising and personal selling is important since "less than 10 percent of industrial decision makers had been called upon by a salesperson from a specific company about a specific product in the previous two months."16

The studies suggest that combining advertising and personal selling is likely to improve reach, reduce costs, and increase the probability of a sale (assuming the advertising is effective, a concern reflected in Exhibit 18-5). Unfortunately, many salespeople do not understand the role that advertising plays and the contribution it can make to supporting their sales efforts. Some view the impact advertising makes with skepticism and/or believe that the monies would be better spent on commissions, price reductions, and so on. Ted Pollock, writing in The American Salesman, dis-

cusses the fact that advertising contributes to the sales process, and he enumerates 12 ways salespersons can use advertising to help them sell more (Figure 18-6).

Continue reading here: Combining Personal Selling and Public Relations

Was this article helpful?

+1 0

Recommended Books

Recommended Programs

Agency Client Finder

Agency Client Finder

Related Posts

Readers' Questions

  • DIVO
    How personal selling complements advertisng?
    10 months ago
    • Personal selling complements advertising by providing personalized communication with customers. It allows businesses to build relationships with customers and provide them with tailored product advice. Personal selling also helps to reinforce advertising messages and foster brand loyalty. Personal sellers can more effectively explain product features and answer customer questions, which can help to influence the decision making process. Additionally, personal selling can help to identify customer needs and preferences, providing a clear direction for future advertising campaigns.
    • CHRISTINA
      How can personal selling reduce the costs of promoting a product or service?
      12 months ago
      1. Targeting: Personal selling allows sales representatives to target specific audiences and prospects who have the potential to become customers of the company. This significantly reduces the costs associated with mass marketing or advertising, since resources and messages are narrowly targeted and customized.
      2. Improving conversion rate: Personal selling increases the conversion rates because sales representatives can address customer concerns and resistance on the spot. This helps to close sales more quickly and efficiently, thereby reducing the costs associated with ineffective advertising.
      3. Building relationships: Personal selling allows sales representatives to build relationships with customers. This helps to build customer loyalty, which reduces expenses associated with customer acquisition and turnover. Additionally, loyal customers typically spend more than new customers.
      4. Collecting feedback: Personal selling provides sales representatives with an opportunity to collect valuable feedback from customers in terms of product or service expectations, pricing sensitivity, and other key information. This helps to enhance product offerings and reduce research and development costs.
      • raymond
        What is the major advantage of personal selling over advertising as a communication method?
        1 year ago
        • The major advantage of personal selling over advertising as a communication method is that personal selling allows for a face-to-face exchange between the seller and the customer. This exchange allows the seller to better assess the customer's needs and better tailor their product or service offering to meet the customer's needs. Personal selling also allows the seller to get immediate feedback from the customer and to create a stronger, more personalized relationship with them.
        • Melba
          Why the combination of personal selling and advertising may provide benefits?
          1 year ago
          • The combination of personal selling and advertising can provide benefits such as increasing brand awareness, building relationships with customers, and improving customer loyalty. Personal selling allows companies to directly engage with customers and develop relationships with them, while advertising can reach a larger audience and be tailored to meet specific needs and interests. Both approaches can be used to effectively promote a company’s products and services and increase sales.
          • fastolph
            How does sales promotion compliment advertisement and personal selling ?
            1 year ago
            • Sales promotions can complement advertising and personal selling in several ways:
            1. Increased awareness: Sales promotions can create awareness about a product or service through various means such as discounts, coupons, and free samples. This can attract the attention of potential customers and generate interest in the product, which can then be reinforced by advertising and personal selling efforts.
            2. Reinforcing messages: Sales promotions can reinforce the messages communicated through advertising and personal selling. For example, if an advertisement highlights a specific benefit of a product, a sales promotion can offer a discount or incentive related to that benefit, further emphasizing its importance to consumers.
            3. Accelerating buying decisions: Sales promotions can provide incentives for consumers to make a purchase decision quickly. While advertising and personal selling create desire and interest, sales promotions capitalize on this by offering limited-time discounts or other incentives that encourage consumers to take action immediately.
            4. Encouraging trial: Advertising and personal selling can make consumers aware of a new product or service, but sales promotions can provide incentives to actually try it. This can be done through free samples, introductory discounts, or buy-one-get-one offers, which can overcome consumer hesitation and encourage them to try the product.
            5. Expanding customer base: Sales promotions can also be used to attract new customers, especially when combined with advertising and personal selling efforts. For example, a promotion that offers a discount to new customers can grab their attention through advertising, and personal selling can be used to engage and convert them into loyal customers.
              6. Overall, sales promotions can enhance the effectiveness of advertising and personal selling by creating awareness, reinforcing messages, accelerating buying decisions, encouraging trial, and expanding the customer base.
            • Ferruccio Bruno
              Is it effective to combine advertising and personal selling?
              1 year ago
              • Yes, it can be effective to combine advertising and personal selling. Advertising is a cost-effective way to reach a large number of potential customers, while personal selling is more tailored and can create stronger relationships with customers. Combining the two can be a powerful tool to reach customers, build relationships and ultimately increase sales.
              • ARDUINO
                How is personal selling better than advertisement ?
                1 year ago
                • Personal selling is generally considered to be more effective than advertising because it allows the seller to tailor their message to the specific needs of their audience, build relationships with potential customers, provide immediate feedback, and adjust their sales pitch as needed. Personal selling also allows for follow-up questions and further discussion of products/services, improving customer engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, personal selling can help build brand loyalty and trust as it provides an opportunity for customers to interact directly with a company representative.
                • hasan
                  Can personal selling and IMC be combinedhow so?
                  1 year ago
                  • Yes, personal selling and IMC can be combined in order to give an integrated and comprehensive marketing strategy. Personal selling can be used as a tool within IMC to help target specific customers and build relationships. This approach can be used to deliver tailored messages to customers and convey the brand’s unique promise. Additionally, personal selling can be integrated with other marketing channels such as public relations, advertising, direct marketing and digital marketing to amplify its effectiveness. Companies can also use personal selling to increase the visibility of their brand and ensure a higher level of customer engagement.
                  • fethawit
                    How personal selling related to advertising?
                    1 year ago
                    • Personal selling and advertising are both essential components of the sales and marketing process. Advertising can be used to increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience, while personal selling is a more direct and targeted approach to connecting with potential customers. Personal selling can be used to build relationships with customers and to close sales. It is also an important tool for gathering feedback and gaining insights into customer needs and preferences that can help inform marketing strategy. Both personal selling and advertising play a critical role in successful sales and marketing campaigns.
                    • pansy
                      What are the benefits of combining marketing and selling?
                      1 year ago
                      1. Increased Brand Awareness: Combining marketing and sales together helps businesses to increase brand awareness. Marketing efforts help to draw attention to the business, while sales efforts help to create a deeper connection with potential customers. This connection can lead to a higher level of engagement and loyalty to the brand.
                      2. Coordinated Messaging: When marketing and sales teams work together, there is a greater chance for a consistent message to be delivered across the board. This means potential customers will be receiving the same information, and this helps to build trust and loyalty.
                      3. Increased Sales: By combining marketing and sales, businesses are able to create a more effective sales process. This could include activities such as targeted email campaigns, personalized sales outreach, and more, which can help to convert leads into actual sales.
                      4. Improved Analytics: When marketing and sales are combined, businesses are able to use data and analytics to measure the results of both efforts. This leads to better understanding of what works and what doesn’t, and businesses can make more informed decisions about their strategies.
                      • leonida
                        Are advertising and personal selling supplementary to each other?
                        1 year ago
                        • Yes, advertising and personal selling are supplementary to each other. Advertising is a form of communication used to reach a large audience, while personal selling focuses on one-on-one contact and relationship building. Together, they can provide a strong, multi-channel approach to marketing and sales.
                        • jonah
                          Do advertising and personal selling are complementary to each other?
                          1 year ago
                          • Yes, advertising and personal selling are complementary to each other. Advertising helps to create awareness of a product or service and is often used to target potential customers. Personal selling, on the other hand, helps to create relationships between customers and salespeople, making it easier to close sales. Through personal selling, salespeople can respond to customer inquiries, provide feedback and discuss pricing, promotions and other details needed to close a sale. When used together, advertising and personal selling can be a powerful combination to help businesses increase brand awareness and generate sales.