OUTLINE OF A SALES MANUAL

It is very important to decide as to what information must be provided in the sales manual. A sales manual is a guide for the salesperson as he performs his duties according to the sales manual. it must be designed in a way that it makes the work of the salesperson easy and he could get all relevant information in the sales manual.

A sales manual must include the following

1. Contact information: Let the salesperson know where they can get more information on a product or on any part of the guide. Include email addresses and phone numbers.

2. Selling strategies: Outline target market, market size, sales cycle, ideal customer profile, list of current customers, references, press mentions and success stories. If this is a one-page sales guide the information must be kept to one paragraph with a few bullets.

3. Products and Demonstration: Positioning of the product, how it fits into the overall product line, a list of key features and benefits, demonstration highlights, most common customer questions, and product updates. For a one page sales guide use only the top three the key features and benefits .

4. Competition: A table of competitors with a feature matrix is the best way to show this information. Don’t forget to include pricing. Short write-ups on key competitors including strengths, weaknesses, and an overview of their strategy can be useful if you have just a few competitors. Since many competitors fall into similar categories you may want to outline more broad strategies for competing against competitors in those categories. You may also want to include write-ups of what the competitors will be saying to your customers.

5. Pricing: Include all pricing, ordering, and configuration information.

6. Collateral Documents: All associated collateral including datasheets, brochures, and white papers

7. Sales presentation: It is important to let the salespeople know how to present the product. An online presentation detailing high-level positioning, success stories, and features and benefits with a script is great. A video of the presentation is also a useful tool.

8. Glossary: You may need a glossary of terms and acronyms associated with the product.

9. Index: Include an index if the sales manual is over 50 pages.

10. Reference Material: Include a reference where the salespersons could find more information. Like the Annual Report of the company, monthly booklets, circulars etc.

Source: Neeru Kapoor, Personal Selling and Salesmanship

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