Accredited Programmes - Level 8

Higher Diploma in Professional Selling

The Higher Diploma in Professional Selling is designed to enhance the Professional Selling Approaches and Selling Behaviours of Senior Sales Executives. The purpose of the process is to provide high potential talent with an opportunity to develop their skills in order to prepare them for management positions or more senior sales roles. This diploma will be particularly relevant for graduates of the Diploma in Sales or Senior Sales Executives with at least 5 years experience

The programme consists of 4 taught modules and a final project. The participants can choose from 8 modules. Each module consists of 18 hours in total as well as pre-module reading assignments, significant project assignments, and case study preparation.

Satisfactory completion of 4 courses of the programme, including assignments will entitle participants to 20 credits under the Irish National Qualifications Framework – NQF Level 8). In addition an individual research project, involving preparation of substantial work-related assignment will entitle participants to a further 10 credits.

The Higher Diploma is a 30 ECTS Diploma.

MODULE DESCRIPTIONS

Module 1 Industry and Market Analysis
Module 2 Strategic Selling (Managing a Complex Sale)
Module 3 Major Account Management
Module 4 Proposal and Tender Writing
Module 5 Channel Strategy and Brand Segmentation
Module 6 Promotions Management
Module 7 Managing Individuals within Accounts
Module 8 Advanced Negotiation Skills

Module 1 - Industry and Market Analysis

Sales Managers and Senior Sales Executives need to clearly understand their industry and market and be able to clearly and articulately explain their own product portfolio’s relevance to a market. They need to understand how the Value Chain Works, how the different firms compete both at Supplier and Retail Level. In that way they can have more strategic conversations with Senior Buying Managers.

• Industry Analysis
• Who are the players
• How do they compete
• What are their market shares
• What is their competive advantage?
• How is the industry changing?
• What are the trends?

Module 2 - Strategic Selling (Managing the Complex Sale)

Selling large value products and services to organisations is quite different to medium value items. There are more parties to sell to; they have different needs, priorities and timeframes. The sale is complex and timeframe is longer.
This module will educate the participant in the art of tackling the complex sale.

• How to qualify opportunities
• How to choose a sales strategy
• Defining relationships in accounts
• Strategic questioning
• Action planning

Module 3 - Major Account Management

The objective of this course is to help participants engage their accounts at a more strategic level. It will help your organisation build dynamic, position you in a more differentiated fashion and shift the focus from products and prices to value and relationships. You will learn how to identify and articulate the value you bring, and how to professionally develop the right relationships, which help shift the perception from supplier to trusted partner.

• The role of the account manager
• The business context of account management
• Identifying Account Opportunities
• How to profile accounts
• How to manage relationships in accounts
• Managing Budgets within accounts

Module 4 - Proposal and Tender Writing

The objective of this module is to equip the participants with the skills to write excellent proposal and tender documents. Ensuring that they realise that winning business through a tendering process is a challenge and there are some key rules that may save you a significant amount of time and effort, and will ensure that you enjoy greater success

• How to set up the proposal at the meeting
• How to write effective proposals
• Structure
• Using client language
• Identifying clear next steps
• How to respond and win tenders

Module 5 - Channel Strategy and Brand Segmentation

Senior Sales Executives need to be able to create and implement strategy to defend and grow market share. They also need to understand where their brand portfolios fit into clients product portfolios.

• The principles of Channel Management
• Trends in channel management and its effects on decision making
• Roles and Responsibilities of channel partners
• How to create effective reward programmes for your channel
• Why segmentation is important
• Types of Segmentation
• Key pillars of successful segmentation
• Evaluation of segmentation strategies

Module 6 - Promotions Management

The focus of this module is the key skills required to manage promotions successfully. Promotions management is a key part of many Senior Sales Executive Role. Understanding that success at this at this activity can lead to increased Brand equity while failure can have devasting implications.

• How promotions effect brands long term health
• Understanding the role of promotions in implementing the brands long term strategy
• How to design promotions
• Consumer behaviour analysis
• Identifying your target audience
• Developing promotion objectives
• Promotion value analysis

Module 7 - Managing Individuals Within Accounts

The purpose of this module is to develop a deep insight into how to read people and develop appropriate relationship strategies to create impact and bias. It will also provide a deep insight into the participants themselves.

• Understanding Communication style
• Understanding Decision Making style
• Understanding Relationship preferences
• Understanding Career motivators
• How to design a relationship strategy

Module 8 - Advanced Negotiation Skills

This Programme will equip Senior Sales Executives with the skills to negotiate much larger and more complex commercial deals.

• How to set up the negotiation in the first place
• What to do when procurement isn’t the buyer
• Avoiding the commoditisation of your product
• Negotiating as a team
• The 6 steps of negotiation
• How to pick up signals
• Making specific proposals
• Understanding the dynamics and arithmetic of concessions
• How to swop effectively, how to put a price on concessions
• Using closing opportunities
• How to handle aggressive negotiators