30+mba-第24章

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108　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
geared　up　to　help　retailers　to　sell　your　product；　and　they　need　that　help；　
then　this　could　be　a　poor　channel。　
8。　Physical　distribution：　The　way　in　which　you　have　to　move　your　product　
to　your　end　customer　is　also　an　important　factor　to　weigh　up　when　
choosing　a　channel。　As　well　as　such　factors　as　the　cost　of　carriage；　you　
will　also　have　to　decide　about　packaging　materials；　warehousing　and　
storage。　As　a　rough　rule　of　thumb；　the　more　stages　in　the　distribution　
channel；　the　more　robust　and　expensive　your　packaging　will　have　to　
be。　
9。　Cash　flow。　Not　all　channels　of　distribution　se。。le　their　bills　promptly。　
Mail…order　customers；　for　example；　will　pay　in　advance；　but　retailers　can　
take　up　to　90　days　or　more。　You　need　to　take　account　of　this　se。。lement　
period　in　your　cash…flow　forecast。　
Logistics　
The　goal　of　a　marketing　logistics　system　is　to　manage　the　whole　process　of　
ge。。ing　products　to　customers　in　an　efficient　and　cost…effective　manner　to　
meet　marketing　goals；　and　to　get　faulty　or　unwanted　products　back。　This　
interfaces　with　a　host　of　related　areas　of　business；　including　physical　transportation；　
warehousing；　relationships　with　suppliers；　and　inventory　and　
stock　management。　Some　important　considerations　in　logistics　include：　
。　Just　in　time　（JIT）　aims　to　reduce　the　need　for　warehousing　through　
accurate　sales　forecasting。　All　parties　in　the　distribution　channel　carry　
minimum　stock　and　share　information　on　demand　levels。　
。　Vendor　managed　inventory　（VMI）　and　continuous　inventory　replenishment　
systems　（CIRS）　require　customers　to　share　real…time　data　on　
sales　demand　and　inventory　levels　with　suppliers。　
Both　supplier　and　customers；　while　benefiting　from　cooperation；　have　
mutually　conflicting　goals　in　that　they　want　to　shi。。　costs　onto　the　other　
party。　Their　capacity　for　doing　so　depends　on　their　relative　strengths。　For　
example；　giant　retailers　such　as　Tesco　and　Marks　&　Spencer　have　been　
very　successful　in　ge。。ing　their　suppliers　to　carry　a　major　part　of　the　cost　of　
stockholding。　
SELLING　
Marketing　is　the　thinking　process　behind　selling；　in　other　words；　finding　
the　right　people　to　buy　your　product　or　service　and　making　them　aware　
that　you　are　able　to　meet　their　needs　at　a　petitive　price。　But　just　because　
customers　know　you　are　in　the　market　is　not　in　itself　sufficient　to　make　
them　buy　from　you。　Even　if　you　have　a　superior　product　at　a　petitive　
price　they　can　escape　your　net。
Marketing　109　
Ge。。ing　customers　to　sign　on　the　do。。ed　line　almost　invariably　involves　
selling。　This　is　a　process　that　business　people　have　to　use　in　many　situations　
other　than　in　persuading　customers　to　buy。　MBAs　have　to　‘sell’　bank　
managers　the　idea　that　lending　their　business　money　is　worthwhile；　that　
shareholders　should　invest；　that　employees　by　working　for　them　are　making　
a　good　career　move　or　that　their　boss　should　back　one　of　their　proposals。　
Though　essential；　selling　on　its　own　is　an　inefficient　method　of　ge。。ing　
potential　customers　to　the　point　of　buying。　Understanding　the　‘ascending　
ladder　of　influence’；　as　marketers　call　it；　puts　the　salesperson’s　role　in　
perspective。　This　is　a　method　to　rank　the　‘warm　bodies’　a　customer　will　
encounter　in　the　selling　process　in　the　order　in　which　it　is　most　likely　to　
influence　your　customers　favourably。　At　the　top　of　the　scale　is　the　personal　
remendation　of　someone　whose　opinion　is　trusted　and　who　is　known　
to　be　unbiased。　An　example　here　is　the　endorsement　of　an　industry　expert　
who　is　not　on　the　payroll；　such　as　an　existing　user　of　the　goods　or　services　
who　is　in　the　same　line　of　business　as　the　prospective　customer。　While　
highly　effective；　this　method　is　hard　to　achieve　and　can　be　expensive　and　
time　consuming。　Further　down　the　scale　is　an　approach　by　you　in　your　
role　as　a　salesperson。　While　you　may　be　seen　to　be　knowledgeable；　you　
clearly　stand　to　gain　if　a　sale　is　made。　So　you　can　hardly　be　unbiased。　Sales　
calls；　however　they　are　made；　are　an　expensive　way　to　reach　customers；　
especially　if　their　orders　are　likely　to　be　small　and　infrequent。　
How　selling　works　
There　is　an　erroneous　view　that　salespeople；　like　artists　and　musicians；　
are　born；　not　made。　Selling　can　be　learnt；　improved　and　enhanced　just　like　
any　other　business　activity。　First；　you　need　to　understand　selling’s　three　
elements：　
。　Selling　is　a　process　moving　through　certain　stages　if　the　best　results　
are　to　be　achieved。　First；　you　need　to　listen　to　the　customers　to　learn　
what　they　want　to　achieve　from　buying　your　product　or　service；　then　
you　should　demonstrate　how　you　can　meet　their　needs。　The　next　stage　
is　handling　questions　or　objections；　a　good　sign　as　it　shows　that　the　
customer　is　sufficiently　interested　to　engage。　Finally　es　‘closing　
the　sale’。　This　is　li。。le　more　than　asking　for　the　order　with　a　degree　of　
subtlety。　
。　Selling　requires　planning　in　that　you　need　to　keep　records　and　
information　on　customers　and　potential　customers　so　you　know　when　
they　might　be　ready　to　buy　or　reorder。　
。　Selling　is　a　skill　that　can　be　learnt　and　enhanced　by　training　and　
practice；　as　shown　in　the　case　study　below。　The　Sales　Training　Directory　
（sales…training…courses。uk》Directory）　lists　sales　course　
providers　in　the　UK。
110　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
NEGOTIATING　
Like　selling；　negotiating；　of　which　it　usually　forms　a　part；　is　as　much　a　
science　as　an　art。　There　are　a　few　immutable　rules；　easily　understood　but　
invariably　difficult　to　execute：　
。　Aim　high　at　the　outset。　Unless　you　can　find　the　point　of　resistance；　you　
can’t　find　the　outer　limits　of　your　negotiating　range。　
。　You　must　be　prepared　to　walk　away　from　a　deal　and　make　that　evident；　
if　you　are　to　have　any　negotiating　leverage。　To　achieve　this　you　
must　have　prepared　plans　B　and　C　ready　to　execute　if　the　terms　you　
want　can’t　be　achieved。　For　example；　when　negotiating　to　buy　out　a　
petitor；　have　other　businesses　in　the　frame　too；　or　have　plans　to　
enter　that　market　without　them。　
。　Search　out　a　range　of　variables　to　negotiate　other　than　price。　Delivery　
date；　payment　terms；　quantities；　currencies；　shared　future　profits；　knowhow　
swaps　are　just　a　handful　of　areas　rich　in　negotiating　possibilities。　
。　Never　give　a　concession　away。　Anything　given　for　nothing　is　seen　as　
being　worth　nothing。　Instead；　trade　concessions　and　always　put　the　
highest　value　possible　on　the　concession。　‘We　will　pay　30％　upfront　
rather　than　the　20％　you’re　asking　for　（a　gain　for　the　seller）　if　you　bring　
the　price　down　to　￡1。2m　rather　than　the　￡1。3m　you’re　asking’　（a　gain　for　
the　buyer）　is　the　place　to　start　if　you　hope　to　hit　a　￡1。25m　final　price。　
。　Talk　as　li。。le　as　possible。　The　less　you　say　the　less　you　can　give　away。　
。　Once　you　have　put　a　proposition　on　the　table；　shut　up。　The　first　to　blink　
is　the　loser。　
When　Sumir　Karayi　started　up　in　business　in　the　spare　room　of　his　flat　in　
West　Ealing；　London；　he　wanted　his　business　to　be　distinctive。　He　was　
a　technical　expert　at　Microsoft　and　with　two　colleagues　he　set　up　1E　
（1e）　as　a　mune　aiming　to　be　the　top　technical　experts　in　
their　field。　The　business　name　es　from　the　message　that　appears　on　
your　screen　when　your　puter　has　crashed。　Within　a　year　of　starting　
up　the　team　had　learnt　two　important　lessons。　Businesses　need　leaders；　
not　munes；　if　they　are　to　grow　fast　and　prosper；　and　they　need　
someone　to　sell。　
On　the　remendation　of　an　adviser　Karayi　went　on　a　selling　course　
and　within　months　had　won　the　first　of　what　became　a　string　of　blue　chip　
clients。　The　pany　is　now　one　of　the　10　fastest…growing　panies　in　
the　Thames　Valley；　with　annual　turnover　approaching　￡15　million；　profits　
of　30　per　cent　and　partners　and　reseller　partners　worldwide。
Marketing　111　
MARKET　RESEARCH　
The　purpose　of　market　research　is　to　ensure　you　have　sufficient　information　
on　customers；　petitors　and　markets　so　that　you　can　be　reasonably　
confident　that　enough　people　want　to　buy　what　you　want　to　sell　at　a　price　
that　will　give　you　a　viable　business　proposition。　
You　do　not　have　to　launch　a　product　or　enter　a　market　to　prove　there　
are　no　customers　for　your　goods　or　services；　frequently；　even　some　modest　
market　research　beforehand　can　give　clear　guidance　as　to　whether　your　venture　
will　succeed　or　not。　
While　big　businesses　may　employ　market　research　agencies　to　design　
and　execute　their　research；　an　MBA　should　both　understand　the　process　
and　be　able　to　carry　out　elementary　research　themselves　quickly　and　on　a　
low　budget。　
The　fundamental　goals　of　market　research　
The　purpose　of　market　research　from　an　MBA’s　perspective　is　twofold：　
1。　To　build　credibility　for　a　business　proposition。　The　MBA　must　demonstrate；　
first　to　his　or　her　own　satisfaction；　and　later　to　colleagues；　
superiors　and　eventually　to　financiers；　a　thorough　understanding　of　the　
marketplace　for　the　new　product；　service　or　strategy。　This　will　be　vital　if　
resources　are　to　be　a。。racted　to　execute　the　proposal。　
2。　To　develop　a　realistic　market　entry　strategy　for　the　proposed　course　of　
action；　based　on　a　clear　understanding　of　genuine　customer　needs　and　
ensuring　that　product　quality；　price；　promotional　methods　and　the　distribution　
chain　are　mutually　supportive　and　clearly　focused　on　target　
customers。　
You　will　need　to　research　in　particular：　
。　Your　customers：　Who　will　buy　your　goods　and　services？　What　particular　
customer　needs　will　your　business　meet？　How　many　of　them　are　
there？　
。　Your　petitors：　Which　established　panies　are　already　meeting　
the　needs　of　your　potential　customers？　What　are　their　strengths　and　
weaknesses？　
。　Your　product　or　service：　How　should　it　be　tailored　to　meet　customer　
needs？　
。　What　price　should　you　charge　to　be　perceived　as　giving　value　for　
money？　
。　What　promotional　material　is　needed　to　reach　customers；　which　newspapers；　
journals　do　they　read？
112　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
。　Whether　or　not　your　operational　base　is　satisfactorily　located　to　reach　
your　customers　most　easily；　at　minimum　cost。　
Seven　steps　to　successful　market　research　
Researching　the　market　need　not　be　a　plex　process；　nor　need　it　be　
very　expensive。　The　amount　of　effort　and　expenditure　needs　to　be　related　
in　some　way　to　the　costs　and　risks　associated　with　the　proposition。　The　
market　research　needs　to　be　conducted　systematically　following　these　
seven　stages：　
1。　Formulate　the　problem：　Before　embarking　on　your　market　research　you　
should　first　set　clear　and　precise　objectives；　rather　than　just　se。。ing　out　to　
find　interesting　general　information　about　the　market。　
So；　for　example；　if　you　are　planning　on　selling　to　young　fashion…conscious　
women；　among　others；　your　research　objective　could　be：　to　find　
out　how　many　women　aged　18　to　28；　with　an　ine　of　over　￡35；000　
a　year；　live　or　work　within　your　catchment　area。　That　would　give　you　
some　idea　whether　the　market　could　support　a　venture　such　as　this。　
2。　Determine　the　information　needs：　Knowing　the　size　of　the　market；　
in　the　example　given　above；　may　require　several　different　pieces　of　
information。　For　example；　you　would　need　to　know　the　size　of　the　
resident　population；　which　might　be　fairly　easy　to　find　out；　but　you　
might　also