Internal

MM294 - Understanding Sales

MM294-Understanding Sales

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Mr Jurek Sikorski
Email: jurek.sikorski@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module introduces students to sales and in particular the sales process and selling. It adopts a highly practitioner-oriented introduction to sales. It explains to students, different approaches and models to selling, with a specific focus on direct and online sales.


Aims:

Selling is central to every career in business. This module aims to introduce students into an understanding of sales including the sales process. It will explain the role of selling and describe the five basic principles of selling.


Assessable learning outcomes:

Students should be able to: 



• Demonstrate a good understanding of sales and how selling fits into the business organisation and the awareness of a practitioner informed approach to selling.



• Understand the psychology of persuasion and the principles of selling. 



• Demonstrate the difference between selling, marketing and business development. 



• Identify the customer acquisitio n channels that maximise sales



• Create a winning ‘Sales Value Proposition’



• Recognise ‘Moments of Truth’ and develop action ready strategies to manage these



• Create a winning sales strategy



• Understand the ‘Critical Hour’ in direct selling



• Know how to sell online


Additional outcomes:

Students will learn to work independently under pressure of time, and to organise diverse empirical material.


Outline content:

The content will cover the following topics:




  1. Knowing what sales is all about

  2. Becoming familiar with the key principles that underpin selling

  3. Understanding ‘customer orientation’

  4. Building a persuasive ‘sales value proposition’ (key selling message statement)

  5. Understanding the 'sales process'

  6. Developing your selling skills      &nbs p;  

  7. Leveraging the customer acquisition channels

  8. Selling online

  9. Delivering ‘customer satisfaction’

  10. Creating a winning sales strategy  


Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Detailed guidance on the main topics of the syllabus and key references are provided in 10 x 2-hour sessions of lectures and seminars. Students are required to do a significant amount of reading of journal articles and chapters of books. A reading list will be provided.


Contact hours:
  Autumn Spring Summer
Lectures 20
Seminars 8
Guided independent study:      
    Wider reading (independent) 30
    Wider reading (directed) 30
    Advance preparation for classes 25
    Preparation for presentations 20
    Preparation of practical report 30
    Completion of formative assessment tasks 27
    Group study tasks 10
       
Total hours by term 0 0
       
Total hours for module 200

Summative Assessment Methods:
Method Percentage
Report 60
Oral assessment and presentation 25
Practical skills assessment 15

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

a. Written Report



One 2,000-word individual report submitted by a specified date [during the last week of the Easter vacation (or Timetable week 33 of term)].



b. Team Presentation



One team presentation at the end of spring term [week 11].



c. Role Play



An assessment of one role-play exercise in Spring Term [weeks 7-10] to demonstrate practical skills in seminars on a topic related to one or more lectures.  



Relative percentage of coursework: 100% weight.



Upper limit of word count: A word count of 10% excess is allowed for the written assignment essay. Exceeding the word count will attract a penalty whereby written work beyond the 10% excess is discounted in the grading of the assignment.


Formative assessment methods:

Role plays and group presentation will be assessed in the seminars. The written report will be assessed following the submission of said report.


Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convener will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:




  • where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;

  • where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

  • The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

    The student is strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. The student should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.


Assessment requirements for a pass:

A weighted average mark across assessments.


Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment by submission of a written report and oral assessment as defined by a written brief.


Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 8 April 2021

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.

Things to do now