Definition: Selling Concept can be defined as the one that harps and reflects on the thought that the customers of the brand will not purchase the product and service offerings of the brand unless the company spends hefty amount on large scale marketing and promotional activities.
Selling Concept is one of the beliefs in the stream of marketing such as holistic concept, product concept, and production concept amongst others.
What is Selling Concept?
Selling Concept is used for products and services that customers do not buy usually and unsought products such as insurance policies, and more. Such products are sold by opting for the technique of tracking down the buyer segment and selling the products on the virtue of the benefits pertained by the same.
The main and final aim of the firm is to elevate the sales revenue and profits.
Selling Concept is usually found in the markets that are saturated or oversaturated in nature and order. When the sellers of such products and services persuade their target audience to buy, the customers then concentrate on such markets and their offerings.
The main aim and objective of the Selling Concept is to focus heavily on selling the products and services of the firm without considering or comprehending the needs of the market plus elevate the sale transactions and profits of the firm rather than developing and maintaining relationships with the customers.
It works on the poor assumption that if the customers are persuaded to buy the product then they will like the product definitely. And even if they don’t like the product, they will forget and pay no heed to their dissatisfaction after a period of time and will indulge in the purchase of the same product again.
It harps and works on the belief that the customers will not buy the products of the firm in large quantities if they are not pushed and coaxed enough through the selling and marketing efforts. Hence, the company should undertake the promotion of the products for the success of sales and marketing.
The customers need to be highly persuaded so that they get the buying motive in their minds through the high levels of selling action and persuasion.
Other examples of products that come under Selling Concept are vacuum cleaners and fire fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers. The industries of such products have a strong network of the sales force and such firms have overcapacity and have the main motive to sell what they manufacture rather than what the customer needs and demands.
In the era of modern marketing, the buyer has an array of products and services to choose and select from and he is sick and tired of high levels of advertising. This leads to the misconception that the marketing of the product is all about selling and selling.
The main issue with this concept is that the customer will surely buy the product after he is persuaded heavily and if he is dissatisfied with the same, he will not mention the product to others.
Hence, in real life, this concept often fails in the businesses.
Origin of Selling Concept
The Selling Concept was originated and developed after the products and production concepts of marketing. And one of the major reasons behind the same is that product concept was not very successful in the market and streams of businesses as a whole as despite the production of products and goods that were high in quality, the problem of selling remained and hence, the Selling Concept came into the picture.
It works on the fundamentals that the customers will not indulge in the purchase if they are not persuaded enough. In short, they will not take an initiative to buy the products on their own and they have to coaxed and motivated for the same.
Through the various promotional and marketing activities, the factor of need and desire can be generated in the minds of the customer.
Selling Concept lays it focus on the needs of the seller in the market and not of the buyers as its main aim is to elevate the volume of sales and earn profit through various marketing and promotional efforts.
The concept gained a lot of momentum during the years of 1930 to 1950 and the period is termed as “Ideal Sales Era” as during the period supply became more than demand except the time of the Second World War.
The premise of product concept failed to work that relied on the fundamentals that customers easily buy high-quality goods at a low price and hence, the Selling Concept came into the picture.
Many of the companies at the point of the time appointed various sales employees and focused heavily on marketing and sales promotional activities.
To grab the attention of the customers, varied techniques were applied such as exhibitions, trade fairs, advertisements, display and decoration of products, publicity, and more.
The management of the firm gave more and more attention to the sales of the products rather than the needs of the market.
Some of the industries and firms such as Life Insurance companies, Encyclopaedia publications, and more still believe in the Selling Concept. They present arguments that make use of hard selling techniques that help to identify the needs of the customers and motivate them to indulge in the purchase.
It focuses more on sale and not on after-sale services and the overall satisfaction of the customers.
It believes that marketing and promotional efforts should be made to make the customer realize his needs and to indulge in the purchase.
Features of Selling Concept
Selling Concept emphasizes more on the needs of the seller rather than of the buyers.
It works on the belief that the product must be sold out.
It involves sales marketing and promotional activities to lure and attract customers in the market.
Its only concern is to increase the number of sales in the market.
It is not at all concerned with the needs and demands of the customers.
Its main focus is to sell the products and not what kind of products to be manufactured for the customers.
It lays emphasis to persuade the customer in the market to buy products convincing them about the quality and price.
Pinky is an MBA in Marketing from the University of Mumbai. She loves helping people out in learning Marketing and sharing latest ideas and tactics for growing businesses.