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Abstract
The study has examined sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication with reference to some selected firms in Port-Harcourt. The survey design was employed since the study was to ascertain sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication. The study was designed to focus on customers and retailers of made in Nigeria goods in Brooks table water and Next time super market. The population of this study constitutes all staff of Brooks table water and Next time super market, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The sample size of this study is judgmental sample of 45 respondents which comprise of management and junior staff of Brooks’s table water and Next time super market, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. In this study both the primary and secondary data were used. A self-designed questionnaire on sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication was used and administered for the collection of data from the respondents. The data collected were processed electronically using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The statistical test used in the analysis of the data collected was the Chi-Square. The study revealed that there is a significant relationship between promotional sales report and marketing communication, the study also revealed that there is a significant relationship between productivity report and marketing communication and the study also showed that there is a significant relationship between coupon sales report and marketing communication. Based on the finding of the study, we recommended that management should adopt promotional sales reporting in marketing communication, firms should always check their productivity report to ensure that sales person communicate their marketing performance and Sales managers should present coupon sales report to management as it is an effective marketing communication tool.
Table of Contents
Title Page i
Cover Page ii
Declaration iii
Certification iv
Dedication v
Acknowledgements vi
Abstract viii
Table of Contents ix
CHAPTER ONE 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 2
1.3 Objective of the Study 4
1.3 Research Questions 5
1.5. Hypothesis 5
1.6 Significance of Study 6
1.7 Scope of the Study 6
1.8 Limitation of the Study 7
1.9 Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO 10
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 10
2.0 Introduction 10
2.1 Conceptual Framework 10
2.1.1 Concept of Sales Reporting 11
2.1.2 Dimensions of Sales Reporting 12
2.1.3 Concept of marketing Communication 12
2.1.4 Dimensions of Marketing Communication 15
2.1.5 Sales Reporting and Marketing communication 20
2.2 Theoretical Framework 21
2.3 Review of Related Empirical Studies 23
2.4 Summary of Literature Review 25
CHAPTER 3 26
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 26
3.1 Introduction 26
3.2 Research Design 26
3.3 Population of the Study 27
3.4Sampling Techniques Used 27
3.5 Sample Size 27
3.6 Source of Data 28
3.6.1 Primary Source (s) of Data 28
3.6.2 Secondary Source of Data 28
3.7 Research Instrument for Data Collection 28
3.8 Validity and Reliability of Instrument 29
3.9 Techniques for Data Analysis 30
CHAPTER FOUR 31
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 31
4.1 Questionnaire and analysis of response 31
4.2 Presentation of Question/Items in the Questionnaire and Analysis of Responses 31
4.3 Testing of Hypotheses 34
4.4 Discussion of Findings 38
CHAPTER FIVE 40
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 40
5.1 Introduction 40
5.2 Summary 40
5.3 Conclusion 40
5.4 Recommendation 41
Bibliography 42
Appendix I 44
Appendix II 45
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Having understood that communication is the blood of any organization, and also an integral part of marketing management; it is necessary for such tool to be effectively guided in order to achieve the marketing objectives (Sannie, 2006). Marketing communication is a promotional tool that favourably communicates information about the organization and its products to target market. Marketing communication can also be defined as those promotional tools used in communicating favourably with the targeted market (Sannie, 2006). Having known and understood the target market in the environment, it is therefore necessary to effectively select appropriate marketing tools that can be used in communicating with the target market in order to achieve the marketing objectives of the organization. Marketing communication can be defined as the totality of the various communicational tools used in communicating an organization’s image and products with the target market (Sannie, 2006). It is the combination of all promotional tools used in communicating effectively with the target audience. Marketing communication as an integral part of marketing management can also be seen as another name for promotional elements. Marketing communication as vital marketing tools, consist of four promotional variables which can be used in persuasively communicating favourable information about organizational products to its target audience (Bamiduro 2000). One way an organization can promote marketing communication is through sales reporting. Everyone knows that successful sales managers lead their teams to close more deals. One of the most important traits of successful sales managers is their ability to use the right sales reports to track progress and identify strengths and weaknesses in their sales process (Bamiduro 2000). A sales report enables a manager to keep an eye on the sales representatives, track the amount of time they spend on sales activities, show if they are achieving their sales objectives, and check whether they are translating their hard work into real sales (Bamiduro 2000). A sales report can also be simply defined as a record of calls made by the sales representatives and the products they sell during a selected timeframe. From the foregoing therefore, the study seeks to examine sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In an average business organization, the major concern of shareholders and management is how to optimize returns on investment and profit. To be profitable, a company needs to achieve a desirable patronage of its goods and services by the consumers. This desirable patronage is the ability to take the company’s sales to the point where its revenue substantially outweighs expenses. To achieve this is not easy because the company is faced with so many challenges some of which include competition, absence of adequate financing, the consumer’s income, perception and disposition, the quality of the goods and services, absence of basic facilities for doing business etc.
However, in the face of these challenges, a company depends mainly on its marketing activities to be able to scale through these hurdles and improve its profitability. Everyone knows that successful sales managers lead their teams to close more deals. One of the most important traits of successful sales managers is their ability to use the right sales reports to track progress and identify strengths and weaknesses in their sales process. A sales report enables a manager to keep an eye on the sales representatives, track the amount of time they spend on sales activities, show if they are achieving their sales objectives, and check whether they are translating their hard work into real sales.
Today’s sales managers doesn’t simply follow his gut, he uses data to help him make the right decisions to hit his number. Sales persons in a company are responsible for the revenue generated, and their efforts determine whether the company makes a profit or a loss. Special care should be given so that the sales representatives keep the cash coming in. Thus the research is to solve the problem of low customers patronage, in term of product awareness of advertising campaign, sale promotion and how to address this problem of patronage to increase market shares, market growth, return on investment and market retention, Hence the problem of the study is to examine sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication with reference to some selected firms in Port-Harcourt.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The main objective of the study is to examine sales reporting as an effective tool in marketing communication with reference to some selected firms in Port-Harcourt. The specific objectives are as follows:
- To examine the extent to which promotional sales report influence marketing communication.
- To find out whether productivity report enhance marketing communication.
- To know whether coupon sales report associate with marketing communication.
1.3 Research Questions
Based on the objectives of the study, the following research questions were posed.
- To what extent does promotional sales report associate with marketing communication?
- To what extent does productivity report enhance marketing communication?
- To what extent does coupon sales report associate with marketing communication?
1.5. Hypothesis
This study will be conducted under the following assumptions:
Ho1: There is no significance relationship between promotional sales report and marketing communication.
Ho2: There is no significance relationship between productivity report and marketing communication.
Ho3: There is no significance relationship between coupon sales report and marketing communication.
1.6 Significance of Study
The study of “sales reporting and marketing communication” will be of significant importance to companies, their management, marketing departments, educational and research institutions.
Through this study, it can be established whether or not marketing activities carried out by companies are really useful to their product sales and whether marketing programmes need to be extensively communicated to make the right impact on consumers and the audience. This way it will be possible to know whether the money spent on marketing and marketing communications by companies are worth it.
In addition, marketing departments will be able to know whether their marketing communication activities really influence the consumers and the best way to package their marketing communication activities to achieve their marketing goals.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study is delimited under the following heading: content scope, geographical scope and unit of analysis.
Content Scope: The content scope of this study involves an investigation to ascertain the relationship between sales reporting and marketing communication of selected firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The dependent variable is marketing communication, measured by sale promotion, advertising, personal selling and publicity. While independent variable is sales reporting measure by promotional sales report, productivity report and coupon sales.
Geographical Scope: This study is delimited in Port Harcourt Rivers State with references to some selected firms in Port Harcourt which include Brooks table water and Next time super market in Port Harcourt.
Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis in this research involves both senior and junior staffs of Brooks table water and Next time super market in Port Harcourt in Port Harcourt at the time of carrying out the study. Hence, it is a macro level study.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Just like every research work, the researcher encountered a number of difficulties that did not only affect the volume of the work but also the quality of the research work. The most pressing of these difficulties was finance. In order to conduct a meaningful research such as this, there must be solid financial base and support. Unfortunately the researcher was affected by inadequate funding. In a like manner the quality of typing, duplicating were subjected to untold financial hardship, Also time which is so vital in all aspect of human lives hinders the progress of this research work. This fact is that, inadequate time to carry out the research work subjected the researcher to a great pressure. In essence the research work was rushed in order to meet up with time.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Some of the terms as used in the study were defined as follow:
Marketing: is the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from the producer to the final customer or industrial users.
Communication: is the act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.
Marketing communication: are the means by which business organization attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers directly or indirectly about their products and brands they sell.
Consumers: are the end users of the goods and services of the business organization
Business organization: are those organizations that offers equality products at fair prices to the customers.
Market: is an aggregate of people who as individuals or organization have needs for the products in a product class and who have the ability, willingness and authority to purchase such product.
Effectiveness: is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to produce desire output. When something deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid expression.
Marketing effectiveness: “Marketing effectiveness is the quality of how marketers go to market with the goal of optimizing their spending to achieve good results for both the short-term and long-term. It is also related to Marketing ROI and Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI)”.
Sales Report: It is the record of all the calls which have been made and products that have been sold during a particular time frame by a salesperson or the management.