General Information
Instructor Bio
Inez Blackburn is a futurist who helps companies navigate the impact of emerging retail, technology, and consumer trends to deliver profitable growth. Inez has held numerous executive positions in Marketing and Market Research with a proven track record. She was the Canadian Lead for SmartLabel Canada and developed VR/AR Category Management Training Tool for Category Management. Inez is a deliberate and decisive leader with the passion and vision to create and deliver strategic marketing plans that reflect market dynamics. Her consulting company MTI Market Techniques and Innovations is focused on helping her clients develop effective sales and marketing plans and digital strategies in an arena of change. She developed customized sales and training workshops for IBM, Unilever, Bell, Rogers, GEIS, GS1 USA & Canada, Domtar, Dupont & NRI Industries. Integrated sales and marketing training sessions were developed for Newfoundland Liquor, Seagrams, OLG, Dupont, New Brunswick Liquor & LCBO.
Inez is a best-selling author of “Pride Passion Profit -7 Steps to Category Development” and a featured speaker at industry conferences. She has worked with leading Retailers, CPG Companies, Private Label Manufacturers, Telecommunications, and Medical and Technology Companies helping them navigate emerging trends and opportunities to develop compelling positioning and marketing strategies. Inez is a detail-oriented, creative problem solver who interprets multifaceted issues and delivers meaningful solutions by applying best practice standards, broad industry knowledge, and persuasive communication.
Inez is also an award-winning instructor at the Rotman School for her ability to deliver courses that will prepare students for the world they will graduate into. Her high teaching scores for undergraduate and graduate courses are attributed to the depth and breadth of her industry knowledge and practical application of course materials to business-specific issues.
Format
Each week, a topic will be addressed in a seminar discussion format focused on a specific sales management issue. The course will also use outside experts to facilitate discussions, inspire, and address leading-edge perspectives on sales management. As a seminar, student engagement in the readings, group assignments, and class discussions makes this course meaningful and rewarding.
Target Audience
This is a must-take for everyone interested in a career in sales and sales management who understands that the role of a sales manager will continue to evolve and adapt to market dynamics and global competition. It is also valuable to anyone in a marketing or consulting role who wants a successful sales career. Old school sales managers will become obsolete as past knowledge, experience and success in the past will not pave the way toward success in the future.
The current economy demands a more robust and effective interaction between marketing and sales personnel. The ability to develop and deploy marketing concepts, strategic plans and financial analyses with motivation, leadership and practical communication skills will be critical to success.
Course Description
This course aims to help students prepare for a successful, exciting, prosperous career in sales or sales management. The challenges and opportunities faced by sales managers and salespeople today are unprecedented. Sales have emerged as one of the most rewarding and satisfying that pave the way towards senior management roles. Sales teams will continue to play a pivotal role and critical connection between companies and their customers. Sales roles today are complex and multifaceted, focused on planning, directing, leading, and managing multi-generational and multi-cultural sales teams and customer expectations. The role of sales personnel will continue to adapt and evolve in tandem with emerging technologies, more demanding customers and global competition. Big Data, Marketing Analytics and Artificial intelligence (AI) and their impact on traditional sales roles and responsibilities will also be discussed.
Course Scope
This course prepares sales and marketing managers for a successful career in sales. This course will go beyond traditional buyer-seller transactions and build mutually beneficial relationships based on professionalism, trust, service and customer service. There will be a stronger focus on B2B selling versus B2C to create a framework for solutions-based selling.
This course is designed to prepare students for this new environment. Key themes in the course will be:
- 21st Century Sales Force Management
- Sales Force Management & evolving roles
- Managing Ethics in a Sales Environment
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Organizing & Developing a Sales Force
- Sales Forecasting, Budgeting, Planning & Organizing
- Leadership & Managing a Sales team
- Compensation & Performance
- Emerging Technologies & Market Dynamics
Evaluation and Grade Distribution
| Component | Due Date | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | Ongoing | 20% |
| Term Paper Case Study | Week 7 | 15% |
| Group Project & Presentation – Sales Organization Audit & Recommendations | Week 10 | 35% |
| Take Home Exam | Exam Period | 30% |
Required Resources
The course has an extensive reading list from case studies and a Sales Force Management textbook.
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