ABSTRACT
In the small company, personal selling is the key day-to-day marketing tool. Only in a few fast-moving consumer markets does some other aspect of marketing, such as advertising, take precedence over sales. The chief executive contact with the largest customers is a vital part of business. Many developing companies structure their entire business on one, two or three customers only. Provided that these customers can be trusted to continue to buy, this is a very sensible way of developing a business profitably. But the risk to a small company's future is obvious. The sales force should be operated just like production. Its work should be controlled, salesmen should know what is expected of them and should be paid, in part, according to their performance. A company's lifeblood is dependent upon the total of the efforts of all the salesmen put together. Without sales a company fails and a sales force needs constant encouragement from the centre.
