Integrating the Concept of Customer Needs Into an Undergraduate Professional Selling Course in a Marketing Curriculum

This paper argues that professional selling within the cuntext of a marketing c,,rricula in a business school should be described and practiced in a manner compatible with the marketing concept, which emphasizes satisfaction of consumers' needs. The paper looks at textbook approaches to sales presentations to determine their congruency with the marketing concept and buyer behavior. Analysis of a sample of 11 textbooks on professional selling shows that there are differences with regard to the way need satisfaction is treated across the various textbooks. Two customer need dimensions that are integral to the buying decision process include problem recognition and information needs. A prescription is offered for introducing students to a need-based approach to sales presentations which is compatible with the marketing concept. Students are challenged to view the sales interview as a customer need-centered process. An appendix offers specific findings related to each of the 11 textbooks analyzed. (Contains 30 references.) (JDD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Integrating the Concept of Customer Needs Into an Undergraduate Professional Selling Course in a Marketing Curriculum Vaughan C. Judd, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Marketing School of Business Auburn University at Montgomery 7300 University Drive Montgomery, AL 36193 Phone: (205) 244-3519