Personal sellingSelling that involves informing customers and persuading them to
purchase products through personal communication in an exchange situation is called
personal selling. The phrase ‘to purchase products’ should be interpreted broadly to
encompass the acceptance of ideas and issues.Telemarketing, described as direct
selling over the telephone, relies heavily on personal selling.
Personal selling has both advantages and limitations when compared with advertising. Advertising is general communication aimed at a relatively large target audience,
whereas personal selling involves more specific communication aimed at one person
or several people. Reaching one person through personal selling costs considerably
more than doing so through advertising, but personal selling efforts often have a
greater impact on customers. Personal selling also provides immediate feedback,
which allows marketers to adjust their message to improve communication. It helps
them determine and respond to customers’ needs for information.