‘Because professional personnel in construction and real estate industries are key actors in the process of converting sales leads into purchases, specific training in sales, PR and advertising technique should be part of their professional training’

Debate this statement illustrating your answer with examples from your own experience. You may elect to discuss either the construction or real estate industry for your examples.

The professional working in the house building industry must have an overview of the company structure and how each different department fits cohesively with another. It would be naïve and ignorant for a sales manager for example, not to have an understanding of the construction or land process however limited. Similarly the sales manager must be aware and have an understanding of the client added benefits and differentiation of their services or product from a similar competitor. If the statement is to be accepted that professionals are key actors in the process of sales leads into the purchases, then this is very likely to be personal selling (as apposed to general selling). ‘Personal selling is done face to face, this demands good interpersonal skills’1 and ‘most sales people are well educated well trained professionals who work to build and maintain long-term relationships with customers’2. The larger the company the more likely this statement will be true. It ‘is a form of marketing communication and as such is part of the firm’s communication or promotional mix’3. Therefore selling is of vital importance to the business and as such should be at the heart of all professionals work and actions. All professionals are company ambassadors.

The individual professional must possess certain character traits to be effective in the sales conversion. The traits could include as Lancaster and Massingham 1993 describe: Stability,