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Assignment tasks:

In scenario, we are salesperson of Helifork Forklift.

Our company Helifork ( https://heliforklift.ca/products/ ) is trying to sell electrics forklifts and We want to sell our forklifts to Walmart (https://www.walmart.ca/en ).

We need to make research in this assignment about Helifork and Walmart.

Here below are the topic headings you will research to develop your knowledge bases for the selling project. You are encouraged to include any other relevant information that you obtain about your product/service.

Your Company Information( (this is who you are selling for): Helifork (  https://heliforklift.ca/products/ )

• Full legal name of the entity and address of the entity both corporate and location you will work for.
• A brief history of the company
• Mission, corporate goals, strategies
• Provide an organizational chart with focus on the marketing/selling functions. Names included.
• If you pick a public company the “Leadership” should be listed on the site or in the annual report or in press releases.
• Describe the structure of the local sales and marketing function to which you as the salesperson belongs. (see the sample Sales Organization PowerPoint for help)
• Find a job description for the sales position you are role modelling for this assignment. Include it as an appendix at the end of your paper.
• Firmographics: number of employees, revenues, accreditations and awards that help establish credibility etc.

Note: you should spend time researching the company’s selling function career postings past or current to help formulate a knowledge base about the selling organization.

The Market Place:

• Find the NAICS
• Describe and quantify      the industry, size*
• What types of customers are your products      targeted to?
• What is your company’s market share or position?      (see 5. Competition below may address this there).

Note that your product may be suited to several industries but here select the one that you will develop your knowledge base on ie healthcare, technology, etc. Use Industry Canada and Statistics Canada or other sources to quantify the market potential and characteristics.

Your Customer Account: Walmart ( https://www.walmart.ca/en )

• Who is your customer? Full legal name of entity, address and location you will be selling to. Include the web address.
• Any background information required. Information that leads you to think there may be a need/problem your product may solve.
• insight as to company goals may be found in annual reports and press releases.
• Identify who would be in the “Buying Centre” for a purchase such as your product/service. (Remember resources such as Hoover’s Online, Zoom Info and LinkedIn. Annual reports and corporate websites.)
• Minimum of three influencers (with names and title) and the role they will play identified.
• Check for current news and announcements that may be significant to your selling opportunity with the customer account and or any of the individuals in the buying centre.
• Buying process expectations that must be considered.

Product Knowledge – What solution are you proposing to this customer?

• Ensure you include all information your customers may want to know about the product
• Describe how product is used
• Complete a feature and benefit analysis (remember a feature is something it has or does and the benefit is how it helps) – present rationale in prose but create a chart for quick reference.
• Complete a SWOT analysis
• Describe packaging and labelling
• What it is made of
• How and where it is made
• Does it require installation and service post sale?
• Complementary products (may be from product line or services ie training)

Competitive analysis 

• Describe the major competitors for your product
• Compare using factors important to end user of      the product
• Compare on factors important to the channels of      distribution (where applicable).
• Make sure you summarize the above in a      compare/contrast chart and include your own company with the others.

Written/ Overall Format

• See the rubric below for specific font, size and bibliographic      requirements.
• Always cross reference the overview description      with the marking rubric to ensure you have addressed all the required      elements for the assignment.

At the completion of the research phase you will have enough information to begin thinking about the “story” of your specific sales role play. Start thinking about how you can demonstrate relationship building with your customer and the buying centre people.

Knowledge Bases Research Marking Rubric – Value 

Form and Format: When marking project assignments, the facilitator will consider the extent to which you do the following:

• Follow the directions given for the project.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret information appropriately, using supporting details.
• Organize information in an appropriate way, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Cite references in APA format both in-text (footnotes) and in References (bibliography)

• File name must start with student First name, Last name (ie Peter Parker Major Selling Project Part 1- Knowledge Bases Research.docx)
• The assignment is expected to be approximately 10 pages long