Sales techniques for wine and beverages

Lesson Code: 6.5.2

Semester: 6^th Semester

Category: selection course

Hours: 2h Theory

ECTS credits: 3

 

LEARNING RESULTS

The aim of the course is for students to comprehend the fundamental concepts of sales promotion, along with their organization and management, particularly in relation to products within the wine sector, wine and beverage companies, and associated activities such as tourism, culture, environment, quality of life, gastronomy, and well-being. The course intends to introduce students to best practices and applications essential for enhancing the competitive outlook of the wine sector and the commercial efficiency of wine and beverage enterprises. Additionally, it aims to equip students with skills in applying selected sales promotion techniques. 

After completing the course, students will be able to:

• effectively negotiate the promotion of products of the wine and beverage sector, as well as of the companies directly or indirectly active in it
• actively participate in the elaboration of sales promotion plans for wine and beverage products, in relevant technical and economic studies of enterprises and related activities

 

GENERAL SKILLS

• Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary technology
• Working independently
• Teamwork
• Working in an interdisciplinary environment
• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking
• Decision-making

 

COURSE CONTENT

• Response to customers
• Buying behaviour of consumers and organisations
• Principles of personal selling
• Stages of selling: identifying and assessing customers, preliminary approach, approach, presentation and demonstration, handling objections, closing the sale, post-sale actions
• Negotiation (negotiation strategy, techniques)
• Types of customers and how to deal with them
• Sales promotion: tools-motivation, steps-decisions (defining objectives, choosing tools, developing a programme, pre-testing a programme, implementing and monitoring a programme, evaluating a programme)
• Interpersonal communication in sales
• Sales “force” management: planning (objectives, strategy, structure, size, reward), sales force management (recruitment, selection, training, management, motivation, evaluation)
• International sales
• Sales and new information and communication technologies
• Case studies

 

STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Language of Evaluation: Greek

Evaluation methods: written examination, oral examination (60%), assignments (40%)

 

RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Greek bibliography:

• Giblin Les, Basic Sales Skills, Kleidarithmos Publications, Athens, 2016
• Avlonitis, G. and Stathakopoulos, V., Effective Organization and Sales Management, 2nd Edition, Stamoulis Publications, Athens, 2008
• Panigirakis, G. and Zairis, A., The Art of Selling, Kritiki Publications, Athens, 2006
• Veltras, N., Sales Marketing. Two Crises of the Same Chain, Third Edition, A. Stamoulis Publications, Athens, 2003
• Jobber, D. and Lancaster, G., Organization and Sales Management, Clidarithmos Publications, Athens, 2005

 

Foreign bibliography:

• Ingram, T. N., LaForge, R. W., Avila, R. A., Schweper Jr, C. H., & Williams, M. R., Sales management: Analysis and decision making. Routledge, 2019
• Olsen, J., Wagner, P., & Thack, L., Wine marketing & sales: Success strategies for a saturated market. Board and Bench Publishing, 2016
• Schiffman, S., The Ultimate Book of Sales Techniques: 75 Ways to Master Cold Calling, Sharpen Your Unique Selling Proposition, and Close the Sale. Simon and Schuster, 2012
• Hall, M. and Mitchell, R., Wine Marketing: A Practical Guide, Elsevier Ltd, 2008
• Wagner, P., Olsen, J. and Thach, L., Wine Marketing and Sales, The Wine Appreciation Guild, USA, 2007
• Wayne, T, The Sales Manager’s Success Manual, Amazon, 2007
• Kotler, P., and Armstrong, G., Principles of Marketing, Pearson Education, 2007
• Pride, W. and Ferrell, O., Marketing, Houghton Mifflin Co, 2007
• Burkitt, H. and Zeallen, J., Marketing Excellence, John Willey and Sons Ltd, 2006