Assignment 5. Fill in the gaps with the words and expressions from the text.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 511.

TEXT

The total demand for the goods or services offered by any small firm can be divided into established demand and newly created demand, sometimes called promoted demand.

Established demand is that volume of sales which comes without conscious outside promotion by the firm. People buy because they have had positive experiences with the firm's products, find the firm conveniently placed or are attracted by the firm's appearance.

Newly created or promoted demand by contrast is the volume of sales that results from firm's engaging in various types of activities to draw people to the firm. Promoted demand customers, if pleased, can become established customers. Those firms that supplement established demand with promoted demand show much better sales volume and profits. Almost without exception, additional advertising and promotion bring in greater sales volume.

All the activities that go into the development of sales can be grouped under the title promotion of sales. This promotion can use either direct or indirect methods. Every small firm owner should think about using some of the following types of sales promotion.

Advertising can be defined as commercial messages to the public designed to inform potential and established customers and to encourage sales for the advertiser. Advertising can be either institutional (designed to sell the firm's name) or direct-action (designed to sell the firm's product or service).

Types of advertising media. Among the media generally used in advertising are: television, radio, newspapers, magazines, outdoor billboards, specialty advertising (distribution of such items as notebooks, pencils, calendars, blotters, gummed labels, telephone pads, shopping bags), public transportation, yellow pages, direct mail, other media (catalogues, samples, handouts, leaflets, etc.)

Measuring advertising effectiveness. Whenever possible, every advertising program undertaken should be checked for its effectiveness. Some of the ways the small firms can do this are:

1. Advertise one item in one ad only. By having no references to the item on the sales floor and then counting the calls and requests, ad results can be identified.

2. Place identical ads with identifying marks in two separate publications. The reader is asked to bring the ad to the firm to obtain a special price or prize. Count how many ads come in from each source.

3. Omit a regular advertising project for intermittent periods and watch for any change in sales.

4. Check sales results when a new advertisement is placed.

Publicity has always been described as advertising that is not paid for. It includes such things as public news items about the owner of the firm that tend to brighten the firm's image or make friends for the business.

Displays are an one-site method of sales promotion. Products that are not normally considered impulse items are often sold through an effective display in the windows or on the sales floor. Displays enable the merchant to add changes, interest and brightness to the standard layout and when well done can do much to increase sales.

Special event sales. Special events to directly promote sales have become a well-established feature of most consumer goods businesses. The firm's anniversary, the firm's president's birthday, the addition of a new service for customers, the start of the spring and fall seasons and so on can all be used as occasions to promote sales. Major holidays, of course, are ideal for sales.

Manufacturer's aids are any form of assistance provided by the manufacturer to small wholesalers and retailers for promoting sales. These aids may take the form of national advertising of the products involved, assignment of trained personnel to demonstrate the use of a product such as cookware in the particular store, provision of attractive window and floor displays or monetary contributions to an advertising program.

Personal selling means all those activities and characteristics of the individual salesperson which make successful sales. Fundamental to all good personal selling is a thorough knowledge of the merchandise. Personality, human psychology are also important.

The four basic steps in making any sale have been summarized as follows: 1. Gaining the prospective customer's attention and interest, 2. Creating desire and overcoming objections, 3. Presenting various solutions, 4. Closing the sale.

Sales promotion campaigns are usually built around a central idea. The campaign may last a day, a week or even several months. It may be seasonal or associated with a business opening or anniversary, a new product or the introduction of a new service. The opening of a new department, a new location or a national or historic commemoration can also be the basis for a campaign.

When the theme is chosen, the campaign itself must be carefully planned. The list that follows outlines a number of important campaign elements: a basic promotion idea or philosophy must be developed, promotion objectives should be drawn up, various elements of the campaign – advertising, display and public relations should be studied, responsibilities should be assigned to employees, the program of activities should be scheduled, using a calendar and a timetable, individual promotions should be reviewed after the campaign, critiques should be written and filed for the future reference.

Public relations. A firm's public relations determine its image or popular reputation in the general community. The nature of its public relations, good or bad, is reflected in the community's attitude and goodwill toward the firm. Good public relations are cumulative net result, which is more easily destroyed than built. It is the responsibility of every person associated with the firm. Every act of the firm's representatives contributes to the overall image of the firm.

Customer relations build sales independently and also contribute to the total image of the firm. Satisfied, happy customers are the best form of advertising and promotion.

Customer services can be a part of both public relations and good customer relations. Many customers want special services and seek out firms that supply them. Examples are air-conditioned stores, night hours for shopping, credit accounts, delivery service and lines of merchandise not generally available. Pricing policies are sometimes adjusted for particular customer groups as a part of service. Firms selling industrial products have found that the most valued customer services are on-time deliveries, conformity to specifications of products sold and efficient accounting procedures.

Product styling and packaging are obvious aids in developing sales volume. When similar products are offered in various styles, customers seek choices. Packaging can be an equal attraction.

Community goodwill. Every owner should be aware of the importance of the goodwill of the public to the firm's success. Every proposed business policy should first be analyzed in terms of effect its upon the company's image. No firm with tarnished goodwill will be very successful in a community. Potential purchasers stay away from such firms, sales fall, service becomes more difficult to maintain and as a result the circle gets smaller. Failure is the ultimate result.

All the sales promotion methods reflect a conviction that the customer is the most important part of any successful business. There can be nо profit in the absence of sales. Efforts to keep present customers happy and to constantly attract new ones are essential to continued profits and growth.

Notes to the text:

1. if pleased – если их устраивает

2. to bring in – приносить (доход)

3. either … or – или … или; либо … либо

4. such as – такой как

5. yellow pages амер. – «желтый справочник» (торгово-промышленный раздел телефонного справочника на бумаге желтого цвета)

6. etc = et cetera лат. – и так далее, и прочее

7. ad – сокр. разг. от advertisement – реклама

8. and so on – и так далее

9. to draw up – составлять

10. both … and – как …, так и …; и … и

11. to seek out – искать; разыскивать

12. as a part – как часть

13. to be aware of – знать, сознавать, отдавать себе полный отчет

14. in terms of – с точки зрения

15. as a result – в результате

Assignment 4. Answer the following questions:

1) How would you describe established demand and promoted demand?

2) What is promotion of sales? What types of sales promotion do you know?

3) How would you define advertising?

4) What types of media are used in advertising?

5) What do we mean by checking the effectiveness of advertising? What are some of the methods by which this can be done?

6) What goods are often sold through an effective display in the windows or on the sales floor?

7) What occasions can be used as special event sales?

8) What are the four basic steps in successful selling?

9) What are important campaign elements?

10) What do public relations determine?

11) What are the best forms of advertising and promotion?

12) Can you give examples of special customer services?

13) What is the most important part of any successful business?

14) What efforts are essential to continued profits and growth?

1) People buy because they have had positive experiences with the firm's products find the firm … …, or are … by the firm's appearance.

2) Those firms that … established demand with promoted demand show much better sales volume and profits.

3) … can be either institutional (designed to sell the firm's name) or direct-action (designed to sell the firm's product or service).

4) Whenever possible, every advertising program undertaken should be … for its effectiveness.

5) … a regular advertising project for … periods and watch for any change in sales.

6) Products that are not normally considered … … are often sold through an effective display in the windows or on the sales floor.

7) … … means all those activities and characteristics of the individual salesperson which make successful sales.

8) Good … … are … … … which is more easily destroyed than built.

9) Firms selling industrial products have found that the most valued customer services are … …, … to … of products sold and efficient accounting procedures.