Maharashtra HSC Bifocal Marketing and Salesmanship study plan

Define marketing and salesmanship and distinguish the two in writing, listing three points of difference and two points of overlap

Map the seven steps of the personal selling process in order and write a one-sentence purpose for each step

Classify at least ten selling situations as order-taking, order-getting or missionary selling and justify each classification

Identify the qualities of an effective salesman (physical, mental, social, character) and self-rate yourself against five of them

Draft a complete prospecting and pre-approach routine, including three sources of prospects and one qualifying criterion for each

Write and rehearse a 90-second opening and need-discovery pitch for a product of your choice, using at least four open questions

Demonstrate five common objection-handling techniques (direct denial, indirect denial, boomerang, compensation, trial close) with one scripted response each

Explain the difference between a close and a trial close and script three closing techniques

Trace the evolution of marketing concepts from production to selling to marketing to societal marketing, with one real Indian example per stage

List the elements of the marketing mix for a service and for a physical good, and explain how the two lists differ

Describe the components of the marketing environment (micro and macro) and place eight named forces into the correct category

Explain how demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural forces each change a marketer's decisions

Explain the consumer buying decision process across its five stages and identify one marketing action that fits each stage

Distinguish need recognition, information search and post-purchase behaviour using a single purchase example from your own life

Compare Maslow's hierarchy, Freudian theory and learning theory as explanations of buyer motivation, noting one limitation of each

Define segmentation, targeting and positioning and list four bases of segmentation with one product example per base

Evaluate three segment attractiveness criteria (size, growth, competition) and select a target segment with stated justification

Draft a positioning statement in the standard form for a chosen brand and draw a simple two-axis perceptual map

Classify products as convenience, shopping, specialty or unsought and explain the marketing implications of each class

Explain the product life cycle stages and match one pricing and one promotion tactic to each stage

Distinguish brand, brand name, brand mark and trademark, and outline the steps in brand building

Compare cost-plus, going-rate, penetration, skimming and value-based pricing, and state when each is appropriate

Explain the factors affecting price decisions, including demand elasticity, competition, costs and government regulation

Distinguish the channels of distribution for consumer and industrial goods and define channel levels with a diagram in words

Explain the roles of wholesalers and retailers and describe three types of retail formats found in India

Identify the functions of physical distribution: transportation, warehousing, inventory control and order processing

List the elements of the promotion mix and match each element to a suitable marketing objective

Explain the AIDA model and the communication process model, and apply AIDA to one advertisement you can describe in words

Distinguish advertising, publicity, public relations and personal selling on cost, control and credibility

Describe the steps in sales force management: recruitment, selection, training, motivation, compensation and evaluation

Explain quota setting and the difference between qualitative and quantitative sales forecasting methods

Explain at least six contemporary marketing trends such as digital marketing, social media marketing, e-commerce, relationship marketing, green marketing and customer relationship management

Describe how digital channels change the personal selling process, naming two tools a modern salesperson uses

Re-attempt the weakest questions from earlier weeks and correct each error with a written reason

Complete two full-length timed practice papers and record the domain-wise score for each