Class: Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1 / SSS 1)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 8
Age: 15 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Salesmanship
Curriculum Theme: Trade
Previous Lesson: Salesmanship And Marketing: Definition, Interrelationship and Differences Between Salesmanship and Marketing.
Topic: SALESMANSHIP AND MARKETING
Subject Matter: Skills needed in salesmanship, Difference between sales promotion and salesmanship, Forms of promotion, Requisites of effective salesmanship

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Define salesmanship.
List at least five skills needed in salesmanship.
Differentiate between sales promotion and salesmanship.
Identify and explain three forms of promotion.
State four requisites for effective salesmanship.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of salesmanship skills in daily interactions.
Show interest in developing effective salesmanship qualities.

Psychomotor Domain:

Demonstrate basic salesmanship skills through role-play.
Apply knowledge of promotion forms to real-life scenarios.

Collaborate with peers to discuss different forms of promotion.
Engage in a respectful discussion about the qualities of a good salesperson.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum for Business Studies (Senior Secondary Education).
State Unified Scheme of Work for Senior Secondary Salesmanship.
Etuk, A. (2018). Comprehensive Salesmanship for Senior Secondary Schools. Abuja: Learnwell Publishers.
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4925-sales-skills.htm
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sales-promotion.asp

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Charts showing various salesmanship skills.
Different flyers and promotional materials from companies.
Role-play cards depicting sales scenarios.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the essential skills required to succeed in sales and the various ways businesses communicate with customers. It enables pupils to differentiate between personal selling and broader promotional activities, which is important for future career choices and understanding the business world around them.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have a basic understanding of trade, buying, and selling, and may have encountered various forms of advertising and promotion in their daily lives.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

SALESMANSHIP AND MARKETING

Skills Needed in Salesmanship

Salesmanship is the act of persuading a customer to buy goods or services. It involves personal interaction between a salesperson and a potential buyer.

The following are important skills needed in salesmanship:

Communication Skills: Ability to clearly explain product features and benefits, and listen to customer needs.
Product Knowledge: Thorough understanding of the product or service being sold.
Persuasion: Ability to convince customers of the value of the product.
Listening Skills: Paying attention to customer concerns and requirements.
Problem-solving: Helping customers find solutions to their needs through the product.
Empathy: Understanding and relating to the customer’s feelings and situation.
Resilience: Ability to handle rejection and continue selling.
Time Management: Efficiently managing sales calls and activities.
Negotiation Skills: Ability to reach mutually beneficial agreements.

Difference Between Sales Promotion and Salesmanship

Sales promotion and salesmanship are both tools used in marketing, but they differ in their approach and objectives.

Salesmanship (Personal Selling):

Involves direct, personal interaction between a salesperson and a customer.
Focuses on building long-term customer relationships.
Tailored to individual customer needs and concerns.
Aims to close a specific sale and provide personalized service.

Sales Promotion:

Involves short-term incentives to encourage immediate purchase.
Non-personal and often directed at a mass audience (e.g., discounts, coupons, contests).
Aims to boost sales quickly or introduce new products.
Does not typically involve direct, one-on-one persuasion at the point of sale.

Forms of Promotion

Promotion refers to the activities a business undertakes to communicate the merits of its product to target customers and persuade them to buy.

The following are common forms of promotion:

Advertising: Paid, non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor (e.g., TV ads, radio, billboards).
Public Relations (PR): Building good relations with the company’s various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building a good corporate image, and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events.
Sales Promotion: Short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service (e.g., discounts, coupons, samples, contests).
Personal Selling (Salesmanship): Personal presentation by the firm’s sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships.
Direct Marketing: Communicating directly with carefully targeted individual consumers to obtain an immediate response and cultivate lasting customer relationships (e.g., email marketing, telemarketing).

Requisites of Effective Salesmanship

To be an effective salesperson, certain qualities and characteristics are important:

Good Appearance: Neat and professional dressing creates a positive first impression.
Product Knowledge: A deep understanding of what is being sold builds confidence and trust.
Confidence: Belief in oneself and the product inspires trust in customers.
Honesty and Integrity: Being truthful builds long-term customer relationships.
Enthusiasm: A positive and energetic attitude can be contagious.
Tact: Dealing with customers sensitively and politely, especially in difficult situations.
Patience: Ability to handle difficult customers and long sales processes without frustration.
Perseverance: Persistence in pursuing sales opportunities despite setbacks.
Good Health: Physical and mental well-being to sustain the demands of the job.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to recall the previous lesson. The teacher then asks pupils to mention any product they bought recently and what made them buy it (e.g., a friend recommended it, they saw an advert, a salesperson convinced them). The teacher links their responses to the day’s topic: Salesmanship and Marketing.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to questions and listen attentively to the introduction.
Learning Point: Pupils are reminded of previous knowledge and introduced to the new topic.

Step 2: Skills Needed in Salesmanship

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines salesmanship and explains the various skills needed to be an effective salesperson, using the skill charts as visual aids. The teacher encourages pupils to give examples of how these skills are used.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, take notes, and contribute examples of salesmanship skills they have observed.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the definition of salesmanship and can list important skills.

Step 3: Difference Between Sales Promotion and Salesmanship

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Comparison/Differentiation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the concepts of sales promotion and salesmanship. The teacher then clearly distinguishes between the two, highlighting their unique characteristics and objectives. The teacher uses examples of flyers and promotional materials to illustrate sales promotion.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and note the key differences.
Learning Point: Pupils can differentiate between sales promotion and salesmanship.

Step 4: Forms of Promotion

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Listing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that promotion encompasses various methods to communicate with customers. The teacher then lists and briefly explains different forms of promotion, such as advertising, public relations, and direct marketing, providing everyday examples for each.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, identify examples of promotion they encounter daily, and take notes.
Learning Point: Pupils identify and understand various forms of promotion.

Step 5: Requisites of Effective Salesmanship

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Enumeration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the personal qualities and characteristics (requisites) that contribute to effective salesmanship. The teacher encourages pupils to suggest qualities they believe a good salesperson should possess.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, contribute their ideas, and record the requisites in their notes.
Learning Point: Pupils can state important requisites for effective salesmanship.

Step 6: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Define salesmanship.
List three important skills needed in salesmanship.
State two differences between sales promotion and salesmanship.
Mention three forms of promotion.
Enumerate four requisites of effective salesmanship.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 7: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Assignment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, reinforcing the understanding of salesmanship skills, the difference between sales promotion and salesmanship, forms of promotion, and requisites for effective salesmanship. The teacher assigns homework: “Imagine you are a salesperson for a new school bag. Write down how you would convince a friend to buy it, highlighting at least three salesmanship skills you would use.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and prepare for further practice.

Lesson Keywords

Salesmanship – The act of persuading a customer to buy goods or services through personal interaction.
Sales Promotion – Short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service.
Promotion – Activities that communicate the merits of a product and persuade target customers to buy.
Advertising – Paid, non-personal presentation of goods or services by an identified sponsor.
Personal Selling – Direct, face-to-face communication between a salesperson and a potential customer.
Requisites – Essential qualities or conditions needed for something to be effective.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher can encourage them to research successful salespeople and their strategies. For pupils requiring more support, the teacher can provide simplified definitions, pre-written notes, and pair them with stronger pupils for discussion or role-play activities.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Encourage practical examples from pupils’ daily lives to make the concepts relatable. A short role-play activity (even 2 minutes per group) can significantly enhance understanding of salesmanship skills. Ensure that the distinction between sales promotion and salesmanship is very clear, as pupils often confuse them. Use the instructional materials effectively to engage pupils visually.