Learning Journals
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Wu0012Shaofen WuSection A:  Sales happen all the time in our daily life. I have never pay attention on the behavior of sales until I have a chance to be an exchange student in HZ University. I have not taken any classes about sales and marketing in the past two year, so it is really hard for me to understand what the teachers say in the class. The first homework is to read a long journal and it takes me a long time to finish it. After reading it, I have a deeper understanding of sales.  As far as I am concerned, firstly, sales is a form of person to person communication in which a salesperson works with prospective buyer and attempt to influence purchase in the direction of the company’s products (JA Wagner JA Wagner,2001). As a result, sales require good communication skills. Secondly, you need to help prospective customers to define their needs and suggest the best means of meeting those needs. Moreover, when selling, you should develop plans for the accounts, make formal presentations to top-level executives, and assist with all the product decisions at that level.  As for sales management, it needs to recruit, train, motivate and evaluate the sales representatives (BA Weitz，KD Bradford,2001). Developing sales plans and sales forecasts are of great importance. What’s more, it requires identifying business opportunities and creating appropriate strategies. Last but not least, encouraging the sales team to create value for the customers (D Kurlan ,2001).Section B:  In terms of my character, positivity plays major role in my lives. Besides, communicating with different people from different culture and background, I believe, is one of the most interesting things in the world. Have been the end of the holidays, a perfect summer for me, I participated in the social practice as a salesman promoting the sales of leisure food, such as biscuits, cakes, jellies and chocolates. It is a wonderful experience for me and I believe in the future of work, I can do better.
In the first day of working as a saleswoman, the boss gave me a series of brochure with much information about the leisure food. He told me a lot of sales knowledge and commanded me to get acquainted of all the information. I made efforts to remember the specific types, prices and brands of leisure food in a short time and passed a little test. Later, I was sent to the near retail store with other partners to sell leisure food. The store was a little small but full of people all day, and I worked as a shop assistant to help consumers to find out the leisure food that they are looking for and recommend the high quality leisure food to them and persuade them to have a try. What impressed me most is that there are groups of people and full of noisiness, and you should always keep alert and acute in order to convey the right and useful message to your customers. I need to stimulate them to purchase the leisure food to achieve the sales quota. Luckily, I finished my quota by trying hard to promote the leisure food and get the bonus from my boss.  Although the period of selling was very short, lasting only one month, I have learned a lot of things that will benefit my future life. The experience forces me to reflect on my selling skills. I am a shy girl and would not dare to speak to the strangers. At the very beginning, I did not dare to introduce the products. I could not meet the sales quota. Later, the boss pointed out my shortcoming and taught me to treat the customers as friends.   From this selling experience, that greatest impact on me should be the grasp of skill to communicate with others. Above all, in the conversations with consumers, the tone of your voice should keep stable and sure without hurry. When first meeting customers, you should say ”what can I do for you” in a enthusiastic tone and give them sample of leisure food to have a try. In fact, the relationship between our customers and us are very subtle, hearts need to be opened to customers with some topics to dispel that layer of estrangement. I generally greeted with those who look like students: ”Are you now studying? There is a discount for students.” In this way, it can strengthen our relationship and help promote the product.