Industrial sales management

Module content

Fundamentals of distribution in the industrial goods business
Distribution options in the industrial goods business
Marketing and sales organisation
Organisation of the multi-level sales channel
Sales controlling
Negotiations in distribution
International distribution
Communication policy in the context of industrial goods sales

Learning objectives

On Degree of this module students will be able to

develop sales and distribution
organise direct sales in the industrial goods business
communicate and calculate the essential contents of offers
Internationalise business activities

Furthermore, upon Degree of the module, students will be able to demonstrate that they can present and justify the methodological approach developed for the case study as well as the results obtained (i.e. the models) orally.

Course language	Frequency	Hours per week	ECTS	Exam
German	3-semester, rolling rotation	2V+2?	6	60-minute written exam

Links

Lecture
Exercise
Structure
Literature

The lecture "Industrial Sales Management" by Prof Helm is offered every 3 semesters on a rolling basis. The course is offered in German. Course number 22327 in the course catalog.

The next time the course is planned for summer semester 2026.

Expected start date: April 2026 at 12 noon s.t.

Thursday
12-14 h s.t.,
Lecture theatre: to be announced
weekly

On the first session date, you will receive an overview of the structure of the course and the associated exercises as well as organisational details in an introduction.

On Grips (external link, opens in a new window) you will find accompanying information on the lecture and exercises. You will receive access (enrolment key) to Grips during the Introductory Events for New Students.

The course consists of a combination of lectures and tutorials. Within the exercise groups, 30% of the grade is achieved through coursework. Course number 22328 in the course catalog.

The start date, structure and procedure of the exercises will be announced in the Introductory Events for New Students (1st lecture of the semester).

Exercise dates:

Tuesday

12.00 - 14.00, lecture theatre: to be announced

14.00 - 16.00, lecture theatre: to be announced

Accompanying information and working material is available via Grips.

Structure

1. Basic information on distribution in the industrial goods business

2. Distribution options in the industrial goods business
2.1 Structure of internal distribution
2.2 External sales organisations

3. Marketing and sales organisation
3.1 Forms of organisational structure
3.2 Sales teams
3.3 Remuneration of the sales organisation

4. Organisation of the multi-level sales channel
4.1 Choice of sales channel
4.2 Strategies in the sales channel
4.3 Customer loyalty
4.4 E-commerce

5. Sales controlling
5.1 Planning of sales activities
5.2 Process control of sales activities / CRM
5.3 Sales controlling by means of economics results
5.4 Sales controlling by means of pre-economic results

6. Negotiations in sales
6.1 Conducting negotiations
6.2 Contents of negotiations
6.3 Financing the business

7. International sales
7.1 Market selection
7.2 Culture as a determinant of market selection and market development
7.3 Timing of market entry
7.4 Institutional market entry
7.5 Special features of the market development strategy

8. Communication policy in the context of industrial goods distribution
8.1 Media advertising
8.2 Direct advertising / social selling
8.3 Sales promotion and trade fairs
8.4 Public relations
8.5 Classic advertising effects
8.6 Pre-announcements
8.7 Design of advertising material and advertising message

Literature

Basis:

Ahlert, D. (1991): Distribution Policy, 2nd ed. S. 93-113; 123-138, 171-174, 192-220.
Alavi, S.; B?hm, E.; Habel, J.; Wieseke, J.; Schmitz, C.; Brüggemann, F. (2021). The ambivalent role of monetary sales incentives in service innovation selling, in: Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 445-463.
Albers, S.; Peters, K. (1997): The retail value chain in the age of electronic commerce, in: Marketing ZFP (19), pp. 69-80.
Atuahene-Gima, K. (1997): Adoption of New Products by the Sales Force: The Construct, Research Propositions, and Managerial Implications, in: Journal of Product Innovation Management, vol. 14, pp. 498-514.
Backhaus, K.; Voeth, M. (2010): Industrial Goods Marketing, 9th ed, pp. 44-58, 375-388, 404-415.
Backhaus, K.; Voeth, M. (2014): Industrial goods marketing, 10th ed.
B?cker, F. (1988): Marketing control, pp. 158-162.
Eastlack, J.O./Rao, A.G. (1989): Advertising Experiments at the Campbell Soup Company, in: Marketing Science, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 57-71.
Endres, H.; Helm, R.; Dowling, M. (2020): Linking the types of market knowledge sourcing with sensing capability and revenue growth: Evidence from industrial firms, in: Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 90, 30-43.
Gierl, H. (1995): Marketing, pp. 640-652.
Gierl, H.; Helm, R. (1999): Relationship marketing and optimisation of the sales organisation through benchmarking, in: Der Markt, 38th vol., pp. 199-206.
Gierl, H.; Helm, R. (1999): Die Werbewirkung emotionaler Printwerbung für technische Produkte, in: Planung & Analyse - Zeitschrift für Marktforschung und Marketing 26 (3), pp. 59-62.
Gierl, H.; Helm, R. (2000): Optimum sales presence in foreign markets, in: ZfB - Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft 70, pp. 1063-1082.
Gierl, H.; Helm, R.; Puhlmann, A. (2000): Manufacturers' strategies to motivate retailers - A causal-analytical investigation of inter-firm co-operation in the consumer goods sector, in: Trommsdorff, V. (ed.): Handelsforschung, pp. 233-252.
Gierl, H.; Helm, R.; Satzinger, M. (1999): Technologische Innovationen und asymmetrische Information - Die Eignung verschiedener Signale für Anbieter unterschiedlicher Technologiegeneren, in: ZfB - Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft 69 (10), pp. 1181-1205.
Goehrmann, K.E. (1984): Sales Management, pp. 20-22, 53-61, 101-107, 112-123, 158-161.
Helm, R. (1998): Determinants of international product standardisation and differentiation strategies - results of an empirical study, in: ZfB - Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft 68, pp. 683-701.
Helm, R. (2001): Institutional forms of international market entry through distribution, in: WiSt - Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium 30, pp. 2-9.
Helm, R. (2009): Marketing: Strategische Analyse und marktorientierte Umsetzung, 8th ed., pp. 100-104, 361-369.
Helm, R. (2009): Marketing: strategic analysis and market-oriented implementation, 8th ed., pp. 369-377.
Helm, R. (2009): Marketing: strategic analysis and market-orientated implementation, 8th ed, pp. 106-108, 190-196, 391-395.
Helm, R. (2009): Marketing: strategic analysis and market-oriented implementation, 8th ed., pp. 378-379, 386-391, 395-400.
Helm, R.; H?ser, H. (1995): The Need for Economic and Pre-economic Marketing Controlling, in: Marketing Intelligence and Planning 13 (4), pp. 10-15.
Helm, R.; Krinner, S.; Schmalfuss, M. (2014): Conceptualisation and Integration of Marketing Intelligence: The Case of an Industrial Manufacturer, in: Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 21, pp. 237-255.
Helm, R.; Mauroner, O.; Steiner, M. (2015): Marketing, sales and distribution.
Hollensen, S. (2011): Global Marketing, 5th edition, pp. 49-65, 233-250, 260-284, 550-568, 585-618.
Kassemeier, R., Alavi, S., Habel, J., & Schmitz, C. (2022). Customer-oriented salespeople's value creation and claiming in price negotiations, in: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol 50, pp. 689-712.
Krafft, M.; Frenzen, H.; Jeck, M. (2002): Team Selling, in: Absatzwirtschaft, No. 9, pp. 40-44.
Kroeber-Riel, W. (1993): Bildkommunikation, Munich, p. 27.
Kroeber-Riel, W.; Esch, F. R. (2011): Strategie und Technik der Werbung, 7th ed, pp. 13-42, 90-137.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 1-18, 39-44.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 157-175, 209-218.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 182-193, 197-209, 343-352.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 270-272.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 285-318.
Kuhlmann, E. (2001): Industrial sales management, pp. 44-59, 168-172.
Mahajan, V.; Muller, E. (1986): Advertising Pulsing Policies for Generating Awareness for New Products, in: Marketing Science, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 89-106.
Meckl, R. (2010): International Management, 2nd ed., pp. 123-133, 261-305, 328-346.
Nieschlag, R.; Dichtl, E.; H?rschgen, H. (2002): Marketing, 19th ed. S. 918-933.
Nieschlag, R.; Dichtl, E.; H?rschgen, H. (2002): Marketing, 19th ed. S. 886-920, 949-952.
Nowack, C. (forthcoming 2016): Diffusion acceleration in industrial goods markets: The effect of sales force adoption on customer adoption, pp. 24-29, 32-35, 36-55, 83-103, 116-128.
Perridon, L.; Steiner, M. (2009): Finanzwirtschaft der Unternehmung, 15th ed, pp. 49-91, 102-106, 121-124.
Pesch, R.; Endres, H.; Bouncken, R. B. (2021): Digital product innovation management: Balancing stability and fluidity through formalisation, in: Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol 38, No. 6, pp. 726-744.
Rouziès, D.; Anderson, E.; Kohli, A. K.; Michaels, R. E.; Weitz, B. A.; Zoltners, A. A. (2005): Sales and Marketing Integration: A Proposed Framework, in: Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 113-122.
Schirm, K. (1995: The credibility of product pre-announcements, p. 24.
Schmalen, H. (1992): Kommunikationspolitik: Werbeplanung, 2nd ed. S. 125-151, 155-162, 171-174, 194-211.
Schweiger, G.; Schrattenecker, G. (2009): Advertising: an introduction, 7th ed. S. 6-15, 191-202, 299-324, 377-384, 338-376.
S?hnchen, F; Albers, S. (2010): Pipeline management fort he acquisition of industrial projects, in: Industrial Marketing Management 39, pp. 1356-1364.
Steffenhagen, H. (2000): Effects of advertising: concepts - explanations - findings. S. 123-175, 193-214.
Trommsdorff, V.; Teichert, T. (2011): Konsumentenverhalten, 8th ed.

back to overview

To top