Blake & Mouton’s Sales Grid
Blake & Mouton’s Sales Grid
Personal selling is a promotional method involving the use of a sales force to convey messages. This promotional method is used extensively in the healthcare industry, most notably in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare insurance segments. Sales representatives are often evaluated using some sort of quota, where performance is measured by comparing actual sales with prior conceived sales goals for a given time period.
This practice accurately assesses sales outcomes but does little to assess the techniques that sales representatives use in carrying out their assigned duties and responsibilities. With the introduction of the Sales Grid, an evaluative tool developed by Blake and Mouton, the process of assessing the techniques used by sales representatives was greatly enhanced.
Blake and Mouton Sales Grid consists of a nine-point horizontal scale that measures “concern for the sale” and a nine-point vertical scale that measures “concern for the customer”. On these scales, 9 represents maximum concern and 1 represents a minimum concern. Blake and Mouton specifically identify and describe five locations that are explained as follows:
Location 9,1 (Push-The product Orientation)
The 9,1 strategy, located in the lower right corner of the Sales Grid, this approach involves a complete concern for making the sale with little or no regard for the customer.
Location 1,9 (People Orientation)
The 1,9 strategy, located in the upper left corner of the Sales Grid, this approach involves little or no concern for the sale and maximum concern for the customer and is thus termed the people orientation.
Location 1,1 (Take it or Leave it)
The 1,1 strategy, located in the lower left corner of the Sales Grid, this approach involves little or no concern for both the sale and the customer.
Location 5,5 (Sales Routine Orientation)
The 5,5 strategy, located in the center of the Sales Grid, represents a middle of the road approach. this approach involves a moderate amount of concern for both the sale and the customer.
Location 9,9 (Problem Solving Orientation)
The 9,9 strategy, located in the upper right corner of the Sales Grid, this approach involves maximum concern for both the sale and the customer.
