MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES AND SALESMANSHIP BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCE ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
CHAPTER ONE
1 Background Of The Study
Small scale businesses are those businesses which are independently owned and operated requiring limited capital with few employee and non-sophisticated technology and which is not dominant in its field of operation. Small businesses are small in operations. Types of small business include those engaged in trade and commercial activities, services, and small scale manufacturing .Examples include service or retail operations such as delicatessens, hairdressers or convenience stores, small grocery stores, bakeries tradespeople (e.g., carpenters, electricians), very small-scale manufacturing, and Internet-related businesses. Small business can be started with very minimal capital and without any formality .many small business are operated as family business and can be combined with regular employment. Personal selling is an aspect of salesmanship, which involves person to person interaction between a seller and the buyer to effect exchange of facts for making buying decision.. The salesperson has to communicate to the buyer by persuading and creating awareness for the product to be desired. The product so
advertised has all the potential to satisfy the need of the customer more than the competing brand in the market . personal selling has the advantage of communicating personally with potential customer about the unique feature of
the product which provide the customer the option to to inspect the product before buying to meet his expectation for
the product..It is through personal selling therefore that this products and services are communicate and sold to the
customers at an agreed price and terms of sales. . The product so advertised has all the potential to satisfy the need
of the prospect more than competitive product in the market .This is because, personal selling is a face-to-face
communication, which has the potential to convince the buyer and demonstrate the workability of the product in terms
of its quality and features..
Personal selling enables marketers to make their presentation to fit the needs, wants, motives and behavior of
individual customer. Personal selling is an effective tool used by organizations to receive the desired response from
its customers and prospects. Effective personal selling includes effective communication, education of customers on
product usage, problem solving stimulating and motivating and ultimately soliciting for favorable response. Most
SMES must adopt personal selling as its number one promotional tool.
due to its traditional nature and cost effectiveness. Personal selling convinces the potential customer of the unique
features of the product which differentiate it from competing brands in the market with the aim of creating customer
purchase for the product. It involves a person to person interaction in the process communicating the unique features
of the product or service. Håkan Håkansson & IMP Group. (1982).The research therefore seeks to investigate
Medium scale enterprises and salesmanship behavioral characteristics influence on business performance.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The management and operations of small business is confronted with some challenges which constitute the
limitations hindering the growth of small business in Nigeria. Small business can be started with very minimal capital
and without any formality .many small business are operated as family business and can be combined with regular
employment. Some of that problem includes lack of huge capital to expand or take advantage of business
opportunities .This also affect the salary of the salemen who may not be motivated to perform ultimately. Also the lack
of managerial skill also affects the smooth and successful operation of small businesses. Lack of planning skill often
leads many small businesses into failure. Poor decision making and improper accounting also constitute the problem
confronted by Small businesses among other things. This combined together impedes on the performance of the
salemen. The problem confronting the research is to determine. Medium scale enterprises and salesmanship behavioral characteristics influence on business performance.