Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest Master of Business Administration

Sales Strategy
Nordic Petfood
Veronica Ni Andrei Rdulescu Diana Cojocea Alexandra Popescu

04/05/2011

Contents
1. 2. 3. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 3 General description of the company ........................................................................................................ 3 Vision, mission and fundamental values of the company ....................................................................... 3 3.1. Vision .............................................................................................................................................. 3 3.2. Mission ............................................................................................................................................ 3 3.3. Values .............................................................................................................................................. 4 4. Analysis of external environment ............................................................................................................ 4 4.1. Global Market trends and figures ................................................................................................. 4 4.2. Spotlight on Romania ...................................................................................................................... 4 5. Sales Strategy - Overview ....................................................................................................................... 5 5.1. Analysis of internal environment .................................................................................................... 5 5.2. Sales Strategy Company Level ..................................................................................................... 8 6. Sales Strategy at the level of Sales Department .................................................................................... 12 6.1. Sales Department Structure ........................................................................................................... 12 6.2. The Wisdom of Teams .................................................................................................................. 12 6.3. Responsibility of the Sales Department to each Sales Agent in person ........................................ 13 7. Sales Techniques Sales Agent ............................................................................................................ 13 7.1. Primary responsibilities: ................................................................................................................ 13 7.2. Required Skills: ............................................................................................................................. 14 7.3. Sales Techniques ........................................................................................................................... 14 8. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 15 9. References ............................................................................................................................................. 15

1. Introduction
In this report, we are going to analyse a proposed sales strategy for Nordic Petfood, a business relatively recent on the Romanian market, placed in an industry that has still growth. The Company benefited from the know-how from its Dutch shareholders (49%) (E. Spelt, Someren Onroerend Goed B.V./Ottevanger Machinefabrieken B.V.) highly experienced in this business. Moreover, the Romanian shareholders (59%) main shareholders Sorin Pufan, Stefan Mandru - intend to expand the production capacity 3 million investment in its factory in Buftea, in the context of a possible future exit of the foreign part. Nordic Petfood grew consistently above market growth rates, however additional financing is now necessary to achieve aggressive growth through sales.

2. General description of the company

Short history Nordic Petfood Production and Nordic Petfood Distribution are two companies part of the Romanian Nordic Group, founded in 1994. The Group comprises 4 companies: Nordic Import Export Co, Nordic Logistic, Nordic Petfood Production and Nordic Petfood Distribution. Our analysis is focused solely on the petfood divisions. Nordic has since become both a producer the biggest under local ownership and a wholesale distributor of high-quality petfoods to small shops and supermarkets throughout Romania. The Production Company was set up in 2005 producing extruded (dry) pet food for dogs, cats, fish, wild animals (wild boars, bears, deer tribes) and birds for Romanian market and other countries. The Company is a Dutch - Romanian joint venture in a project implemented in 2006, with a 700K grant from the Dutch party through the Agency for Intl Business & Cooperation (EVD). The Contractor, Brandenburch B.V., http://www.brandenburch.com, is a leading pet food producer in the Netherlands. The Company owns a plant in Buftea, 15Km North from Bucharest, a 3M investment completed at the end of 2005 and was devised to make Nordic a local producer that could compete with the big multinational corporations for a share of the Romanian market. The Romanian input was to build the factory on a green field site, while the Dutch helped on the equipment and experience side. The equipment for extruding and drying was bought second hand from the Netherlands, refurbished and installed in the new building in Buftea. The rest of the line (dosing, milling and mixing, packaging) is brand new, and more than 75% of the units were manufactured in Romania. Nordic Petfood Distribution (NPD) was set up in 2005. The object of its activity is import, distribution and sales of pet food and pet accessories for Romanian market.

3. Vision, mission and fundamental values of the company

3.1. Vision
Nordic Petfood Productions vision is to be known as the industry leader in pet food industry in Romania through setting industry standards for excellence in the services provided. The Company will constantly be tuned to market needs through flexibility, innovation and commitment to outstanding overall customer service.

3.2.

Mission

Nordic Group promises purity. Here's what Nordic means by "Promise of Purity": * No added growth hormones that make animals grow more quickly.
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* No antibiotic-fed protein. Antibiotics are routinely used on factory farms where overcrowded conditions can promote disease in animals. * No rendered meats. Rendering is a high-temperature process to separate protein and fat that uses slaughterhouse scrap, as well as animal tissue from dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals. * No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. Such additives are unnecessary when a pet food delivers sound nutrition with great taste. By feeding your dog or cat Pet Promise, you can be assured that you are truly making a difference to both the overall well-being of your pet and to the planet we share.

3.3.

Values

Integrity Honouring commitments made to customers and vendors in all activities. Customer Satisfaction Understanding customers requirements and delivering it continuously. People / Teamwork Welcoming change, taking pride in the job well done and delivering best practices to all areas of Nordic Petfood. Quality Nordic is committed to providing superior service with the highest quality Partnering Constant communication and planning is the essential to creating the true business partnerships.

4. Analysis of external environment

4.1.
-

Global Market trends and figures

Global market valued 53 billion in 2007 Top 5 companies make up nearly 50% of the market 3% CAGR forecasted at constant value to approach 62 billion in 2012

Pet market value 1998-2012

Global growth is characterized by the following: North America remains the largest region, with around 40% market value and boosting values in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The global market for pet food and pet care products remains concentrated in the hands of two main manufacturersMars and Nestl. Globalization (import/export trends, production outsourcing, role of China as product supplier, foreign suppliers selling into developed markets, information flow, homogenization of product preferences, trade barriers, harmonizing of global pet food regulations). And marketer shifts (mergers and acquisitions, international expansion)

4.2.

Spotlight on Romania

Petfood sales in Romania have been growing at more than 20% annually as the number of pet owners increase and supermarket chains rapidly expand. The growth starts from a low base. The spending per person for pet food and pet care products in Romania is US$7.91 per person, while in Poland it is US$10.47 per person, according to Euromonitor.
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Sales in urban areas are a major growth driver; consumers with higher incomes and more dynamic lifestyles are purchasing more prepared pet foods. These are mainly young professionals, living alone or in two-person households and increasingly concerned about their pets' health.

In 2009-2010, pet food and pet care products continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate on account of the financial crisis. Due to increasing disposable incomes experienced by middle and lower class consumers in Romania, purchasing habits have changed. As a result, pet food and pet care products became more affordable for a wider range of consumers. However, growth remains limited to dog and cat food because the dog and cat population is larger than that of other pets. Although the number of premium brands available has increased, pet owners continue to value economy and standard brands, with price continuing to be the main purchasing criteria. Romanian consumers prefer bulk packaging formats. Urban Romanians increasingly turn to prepared pet food Romanians living in large urban areas have developed a new attitude towards their pets, especially dogs and cats, treating them more like members of the family. Prepared food has continued to account for a small share of total sales, but it is becoming an increasingly popular means of feeding pets. Longer working hours, less time spent at home and increased popularity of eating out, were factors which contributed to the growth of prepared food, as time-constrained consumers rarely cook for themselves or for their pets. However, performance was dictated mainly by owners changing attitudes in Bucharest and larger cities, while in the rural and small urban areas, cats and dogs continued to be kept mainly for protection and vermin control and unprepared food remained the basic feeding method.

5. Sales Strategy - Overview

5.1. Analysis of internal environment

5.1.1. Product Portfolio The Company owns a plant in Buftea, 15Km North from Bucharest, a 3M investment completed at the end of 2005, and produces dry pet food. Own brands: Skipper, a middle brand for dry dog food mostly for KA; Cookie, a middle - economy brand for dry dog food mostly for pet shops; Bosquito, an middle brand for dry dog food mostly for pet shops; Canino Imperiale, a naturist diet premium brand dry dog food for pet shops; Kirby Kat, a middle brand dry cat food; CipCirip, a middle brand for bird food. Currently, Nordic produces private labels for Carrefour and Cora and is negotiating with Metro for its private label for RO and Bulgaria.
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A. Dry dog food Skipper - delivery packaging in 0.5 kg, 3 kg and 10 kg Skipper Multi Complete Skipper Sausages Skipper Super Active

Bosquito - delivery packaging in 10 kg Bosquito with chicken Bosquito with beef

Cookie - delivery packaging in 10 kg Cookie Adult with Chicken Cookie Adult with Beef Cookie Sausages Cookie Light

Canino Imperiale

B. Wet dog food own brands (imported from Italy) Skipper with chicken Skipper with beef Skipper with tuna Skipper with beef Skipper with veal and carrots C. Dry cat food Kirby Cat -delivery packaging in 0.5 kg, 2 kg and 10 kg. with chicken and rice with beef and rice with fish and rice D. Wet cat food own brands (imported from Italy) Kirby Cat: with chicken with beef with salmon with rabbit
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 E. Bird food CipCirip

with lamb

for pigeons for parrots for canary Photo credits: http://www.nordicgroup.ro/3/index.htm 5.1.2. Distribution The products are distributed by Nordic Petfood Distribution (NPD), owned equally by the three RO shareholders and Nordic Petfood Production (NPP), respectively. The Company has a very good representation in KA (around 25% shares in KA market like Metro, Cora, Carrefour, Auchan) and around 20 % shares in the total market. The Company owns brands and produces private labels for dry and wet pet food for Cora, Carrefour and a chain of pet shops (255) (Bosquito/ Nordic property brand). Pet shops remain the most important distribution channel. In order to gain more customers, pet shops began stocking bulk packages of dry pet food, which they offer in smaller portions according to consumer needs. In addition, pet shops combined the lower unit prices with specialized advice, giving them a competitive advantage Supermarkets/hypermarkets - the next preferred outlets by Romanian consumers for purchasing pet food and pet care products after the pet shops, due to the advantage of having a wide variety of products in one place and also for the bulk packages available Exports - In addition, the Company exports pet food products to the neighboring countries like: Hungary, Bulgaria, Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Greece, and Russia. It also performs imports of pet accessories, pet treats and wet pet food from major manufacturers from all over the world. 5.1.3. Management structure Nordic Petfood is managed by two of its Romanian shareholders: - Mr. Sorin Pufan holds the position of Sole Administrator with unlimited powers in both companies. He acts as Chief Executive Officer of both NPP and NPD but is focusing most of his efforts on NPD activities. - Mr. Stefan Mindru acts as Chief Operating Officer of both NPP and NPD and is focusing most of his efforts on NPP activities. Both shareholders have relevant expertise (15 years of experience) in food products distribution. 5.1.4. Financials
Nordic Pet Food Production Key Indicators Turnover EBT Net Income Growth rate % No of employees Turnover EBT Net Income Growth rate % No of employees 2005 199,475 -117,783 -117,783 12 295,609 22,975 19,258 9 2006 1,285,486 80,675 80,675 168% 15 2,215,960 81,360 66,541 246% 15 2007 2,637,085 156,337 134,267 66% 21 4,170,489 90,069 71,117 7% 15 2008 2009 4,307,381 5,130,712 765,665 798,033 648,248 698,134 383% 7% 24 27 6,899,338 7,351,229 117,484 130,071 91,773 101,963 29% 11% 34 34

Nordic Pet Food Distribution

NPP and NPD growth fluctuates over the time, with accent on NPPs spectacular evolution, mainly in 2008, in spite of the crisis and still growth in 2009. That is due to the good choice of industry but also to management capabilities and know-how. Place your army in deadly peril and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits and it will come off in safety Sun Tzu states in The Art of War. On a Romanian market dominated by multinationals (Mars, Nestle), Nordic proves to be a fierce fighter. 5.2.

Sales Strategy Company Level

5.2.1. Sales Objectives Our sales strategy is based on the business and marketing plans of the Company. In order to deliver marketing objectives, we have to target the market segment, reach customers and support major marketing activities, such as promotional drives, plan and support sales effort (by marketing and sales departments) and, finally, monitor and improve sales effectiveness.

Nordic Sales Objectives: Gaining market share of 35% on Romanian market and expansion to other markets - exports Obtaining a return on investment of at least 15% Achieving turnover of over 7 M Increase volume of sales with 50% in 2 years Achieve 65% customer awareness of our brands in our target markets (Ro and abroad) Acquire a CRM software and increase clients database with 25 % in the following 12 months 5.2.2. Understanding the market In creating a sales strategy at the company level, Nordic is committed to take into account the following trends as well as psychological and economic factors:

Branding (introduction of new brands, brand support advertising/promotion, growth of private label lines, licensed brands).

through

consumer

Product Pricing (economy/mid, price/quality value ratio, rising production costs). Nordic owning economy and mid-price brands, they exhibit strong growth in Romania and other developing economies as distribution deepens New Product Trends (functional/ novel ingredient types, new product forms). Dry pet food products continue to gain sales from less convenient wet products, which are also more expensive. Functional foods also mirror the trend in the human food industry, with such items as water fortified with fluoride and soft drinks with vitamins added Manufacturers that tap into this consumer attitude that pets are children will benefit. Cultural Shifts (human-pet relationships/humanization, pets as fashion/identity statement). People need pets as companions, both for mental and physical health reasons. In a 2004 study conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association, 98% of the respondents said they would risk their own lives for their pets, 45% said their pets listen better than their significant others, and 94% think their pets have humanlike personality traits.
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Organic Pet Food (consumer demand). Trends in human food products seem to be duplicated in pet food products these days. (www.wholefoods.com). For this reason, Nordic petfood has its own production facility with quality standards implemented and consistent know how from the Dutch partners.( http://www.brandenburch.com) Internet Use (Internet as sales venue, Internet as marketing tool, Internet for information sharing among consumers, Internet for information exchange among companies) the Company is on its way of implementing an online shop, both for B to C and B to B sales, has promotion on Internet (ads), presence in online and traditional media

The targeted market is represented by pet owners (B to C) and businesses (B to B) such as pet shops, pet clinics, veterinary businesses etc. 5.2.3. Competition Analysis Multinationals dominate sales: Multinationals continued to lead pet food and pet care products, benefiting from first-entrant advantage. They managed to gain and maintain their positions through heavy advertising and educational campaigns for pet owners. Nordic is currently the only pet food local producer in Romania, while other domestic players are exclusive importers of various brands. However, besides multinational main companies Mars and Nestl, domestic producers are increasingly interested in establishing production facilities with the aim of gaining share in a category which has grown considerably over the review period and has potential for continued growth over the forecast period as well. 5.2.4. Porters Model
Porter's model outlines the primary forces that determine competitiveness within an industry: 1. The risk of new competitors penetrating the market - With an annual growth of 15% (steady upward trend since 1999), the Romanian pet food market reached a value of 50 M in 2008 and a total volume of 50 K tons. That means that the industry is attracting more and more players because the market is far from being saturated. Especially multinationals that want to develop their portfolio with petfood are viewed as direct competitors to Nordic Petfood. 2. The degree of rivalry between the existing companies on the market. Main Players are mainly multinationals i). Masterfood, ii).Nestlel, iii) Profipet, iv). Salvavet The main competitive advantages of Nordic against Masterfood/Nestle are: Flexibility Lower prices for same quality A better knowledge of the market and adaptation to it On KA segment, the products are positioned in price 20% less than Chappi and others, but at same quality. Moreover, Nordic products are No coloring, meaning no chemical colorants inside, which competitors do not offer on RO market. KA are pleased to work with Nordic due to the fact that supplies products (private label and own brands) which the competitors do not provide. 3. The power of negotiation of the buyers. The power of the buyers regarding price negotiation is rather high because there are many competitors on the market and the clients can easily choose another brand. 4. The power of negotiation of the suppliers. The suppliers dont possess a crucial negotiation power because they only provide raw materials for the Romanian plant. Pet food generally consists of meat, meat byproducts, cereals, grain, vitamins, and minerals and Nordic Petfood can easily find new suppliers if the current ones dont meet the necessary standards. 9

5. The threat of substitute products. The main group of substitute products consists of home made food and food destined for people. Some pet owners may choose to feed their animals with the same food they are eating instead of buying special products destined for animals.

5.2.5. Sales Planning Sales Forecast: - Annual Budget for Marketing Department, Sales Department and other activities related to Sales Strategy: 1,000,000 - Coordination of Sales with other business activities Possible Scenarios: - Being different and stand out from the competition - Develop a great relationship with clients 5.2.6. Sales Channels: Direct sales: Sales agents Sales Department Traveling salesman (door-to-door)

Sales outsourcing through direct branded representation partner distributors, telemarketing or telesales, retail or consumer) Business-to-business industrial, professional sales Electronic (Business-to-business and business-to-consumer) soon to be implemented (http://www.nordicgroup.ro/nordic-petfood-distribution/shopping.php) 5.2.7. Sales Resources

Tangible: NPD has own truck fleet, sales agents and is using Nordic Food Distribution warehouses. Car & truck fleet: Cars: 16 Trucks: 8 vans of 2 tones, 1 trailer of 1 tone Part of products transportation has been outsourced to independent small transport companies. Due to the previous experience of RO owners (involvement in margarine production and food distribution), the distribution is an active one, merchandisers have been implanted in the KA outlets.
Intangible: Sales tools to increase efficiency: good database, CRM system, support for sales force all necessary documents, training, information, equipment (phones, laptop, transportation), monitoring and evaluating progress tools

5.2.8. Strategy Lines When choosing one course of action instead of other, we should take into account opportunities and threats in the firms external environment, capabilities and core competencies of sales force, its mission, vision and strategic objectives.
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Performance We believe that Nordic should adopt - Efficiency: - sales volume bigger sales budget, sales force - accessing EU structural funds, attracting a strategic investor or maybe better an investment fund, venture capital, sales volumes at middle to low costs. - specialized HR sales agents - increase of experience through continuous learning and training, increase in sales volume by sales agents motivation, evaluation and coaching - attracting new clients finding answers to customers needs, perfect knowledge of those customers and how their needs will be met using the firms competencies as opposed to other companies. The relationship with customers is the lifeblood of the organization. - Cost leadership Nordic costs are be lower than its opponents the mammoth Mars and Nestle mainly because it is focused on low to average cost products which are better for the Romanian buyers and during economy down state. Its strategy should also be focalised on the market segment with average incomes and on products such as dog food and cat food as they are most numerous. On todays Romanian market good costs seem to be the most important criterion to buyers. - Competition - We cant consider Romanian pet food industry a fragmentary one as it is dominated by two strong players (multinationals) and very few other locals. It is neither embrionary as the competition shows its teeth aggressively but somewhere in-between embrionary and mature industry as the market and Romanian consumers give more and more attention to their pets but within reasonable costs. Nordic has now over 30 different food types and pet food accessories, is the only local producer and should maintain position and even go deeper in the market and also try to penetrate other markets close to Romania Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia etc - Investment in order to expand and increase market share, Nordic needs infusion of capital for production capacity. The industry is good so if it makes investments now and the economy rebalances, it will ride the wave afterwards - Quality - better quality of products. Nordic already produces pet foods at high standards using Dutch know how and having implemented TQM the market showed that dry foods are required instead of humid; easier to produce and cheaper. Better quality leads to increase in market share and organization profitability 5.2.9. Stakeholders Value Analysis
Nordic employees

Present owners, investment funds

Retailers, pet owners

NGO animal protection

Romanian buyers

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6. Sales Strategy at the level of Sales Department

6.1. Sales Department Structure

In general, as set forth in What Really Works (Harvard Business Review, OnPoint collection The Tangible Power of Intangible Assets), there are three basic rules for structure: 1. Build and maintain a fast, flexible organization. 2. Eliminate redundant organizational layers and bureaucratic structures and behaviors. Simplify, simplify, simplify. 3. Put your best people closest to the action and keep your frontline stars in place.

Sales effectiveness drivers: - Determine sales force size, sales force structure, territory design - Recruiting, learning and development of sales team, coaching, leadership, compensation and incentives, motivation program

Nordic Petfood has the advantage of being quite a small organization (around 30 sales agents, 5 Territory Managers and one Sales Manager) and that means that differentiation and integration will be done smoothly. As regards differentiation things are very clear with the production and regarding the distribution managers are very experienced in this domain and the entire organization will work arm to arm for growth. That leads to horizontal differentiation and less bureaucratic costs and meetings to increase integration. So, we can ask, How many is too many when it comes to a sales managers span of control? The answer is, of course, It depends. It is a judgment call that is affected by the following variables: 1. Job complexity: type of transaction/deal, customer proximity 2. Job scope: type of product, the type of customer, and the buying cycle 3. Necessary interaction 4. Salesperson experience 5. Salesperson personality 6. Sales manager experience

6.2.

The Wisdom of Teams

In their book, The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization, Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith define a team as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Sales agents who are disengaged at work provide one-third less value than those who are engaged. Employee dedication and loyalty creates customer dedication and loyalty but at the end of the day, theyre the same animal. There's a quote from the Art of war (Sun Tzu) where he says that a strategy without tactics is the slowest way to victory, but tactics without strategy is just noise before defeat. Often you'll find that sales people will approach in opportunity and the leader will come up with a broad-bush strategy and
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they will just go for it, and they'll wonder why it takes so long to progress the sale or else they'll go directly to tactics and they'll never figure out the strategy and they wonder why they lose the deal. Establishing and agreeing on the strategy together with the Sales Manager, Territory Managers and sales agents represents an essential requirement of an effective sales team and sales department.

Being in line with strategy and integrated in the sales team means, you have to follow these sales guidelines developed at the level of your sales department: 1. The Sales Agent first has to establish: who the client is from a bio- profile perspective- is he the focus of power and receptivity? Is he a decision maker, or just an influencer, or someone who can broker the product/the sales person in a another conversation 2. Decision criteria: what is important to the buyer price, reach, quality, benefits. Build map of the opportunity and ensuring he has the tactics to make sure hes adapting the strategy to each person in the process. 3. Look if a competitor is involved: how do you stack up against the competitor in terms of the decision criteria 4. Type of deal: Small deals are just as important as the big million deal! The Sales Agent has to clear of the strategy and position of the client where you are in the buying cycle.

6.3.

Responsibility of the Sales Department to each Sales Agent in person

1. Give them the tools: see selling resources 5.2. 2. Sales Manager/ Coach should take you as an action based sales person and work on your reflection skills too if you understand the sales guidelines 3. Updated database, progress evaluation, bonuses, reinforced motivation

7. Sales Techniques Sales Agent

7.1. Primary responsibilities:

Calling existing accounts, selling promotions, writing orders and assisting Territory
Manager/Sales Manager to help grow existing accounts and cultivate new business. Ability to adjust presentation style to the buying needs of the pet store or boutique owners Focus with Territory Manager sales/ Sales Manager by studying existing and potential volume of customers. Regular face-to-face contacts with existing accounts to ensure that customer needs are met. Resolves customer complaints by investigating problems, developing solutions, making recommendations to management. Coordinates efforts with other departments, which include marketing, customer service, transportation, and warehouse along with the Territory Manager/Sales Manager Maintains technical knowledge by learning about products and trends, reading industry publications, establishing personal networks and participating in pet industry trade shows. Questioning to understand a customer's goal and requirements relevant to the product and the creation of a valuable solution by communicating the necessary information to the customer. A good sales agent should never mis-sell or over-evaluate the customer's requirements.

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7.2.

Required Skills:

Strong demonstration/detailing/merchandizing experience. Focus on customer satisfaction and building client relationships. Attention to detail, report and timeline oriented. Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner. Flexibility and ability to handle stress.

Due to the nature of their jobs, the sales agents will be asked numerous questions by customers as well as hear complaints about prices and service. A knowledgeable person with a pleasant personality is especially needed for this job, because this is usually the person who is dealing with the customer when the customer's money (payment) is received. In addition to having personnel who understand and apply the creative selling process, Nordic is looking to have sales agents who possess certain attributes that can make them more effective in their jobs: judgment, tact, attitude, selected physical attributes, a pleasant personality, good attitude. All these can result in many additional sales.

7.3.

Sales Techniques

The achievement of effective sales process consists of a sum of strategies and requires specific skills on the sales agents side. 1. Pre-Customer Contact Before any contact is made with the customer, every salesperson should know as many details as possible about the products he sells, customer's interests and their ability to buy. 2. Prospecting Although not appropriate to every sales situation, prospecting should be used whenever possible. Essentially, prospecting involves not waiting for the customer to show up at a store or to phone about a service. It is concerned with taking the initiative by going to the customer with a product or service idea. Prospecting may be of two types: new or regular customer prospecting. 3. Initial Contact The most effective way to close a sale is to open it on a positive note. 4. Presentation of Services In presenting services to the customer, the sales agent should use product knowledge to best advantage showing buyer benefit, customer involvement, limit the choices ( not presenting many products at the same time), message adaptation. 5. Closing the Sale In various ways, the sales agent can assist the customer by helping him or her to make the buying decision. Closing techniques that can aid in this effort include: offer a service, give a choice, offer a discount 7. Suggestion Good suggestion sales makes sales and builds confidence in the firm's business. 8. Sales Follow-up If done correctly, however, it allows the customer to leave on a positive note, thereby increasing the chances of repeat business by the customer.

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Follow-Up may also concern itself with checking on anything that was promised the customer after the sale. Sales follow-up builds goodwill and repeat business. Creative Selling- The competitive edge

8. Conclusions
As a result of our sales analysis, we can conclude that Nordic is a very ambitious organization, both in objectives and in results, has knowledge in dealing with retailers, production and distribution are both covered, it has own brands and labels, the production facility at Buftea allows to control the costs 20% below to the multinationals for same quality and in a few years Nordic Petfood might be a valuable potential acquisition due to its market position and products quality and most of all to its sales force.

9. References
http://www.nordicgroup.ro/ - Company website http://www.euromonitor.com- International market intelligence on industries, countries and consumers http://www.nielsen.com/- The Nielsen Company is an American marketing and advertising research company http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports http://www.petfoodindustry.com - Portal for the Global Pet Food Industry http://www.mintel.com - Global Consumer, Product and Market Research http://www.datamonitor.com- world-leading provider of premium global business information http://www.bccresearch.com/- BCC Research provides market research analysis, market research reports,

newsletters and conferences in competitive business intelligence trends. http://www.brandenburch.com the Dutch part Company
http://www.nordicgroup.ro/3/index.htm

http://www.mediaselling.us/MSM_Chapter2-Structure.pdf
http://www.businessdictionary.com/videos/?516895589 The Sales Bible: The ultimate sales resource By Jeffrey H. Gitomer

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