The PLUS Framework of Personal Selling
(A2022-106416)

AUTHORS

Soo Yeong Ewe, Monash University Malaysia; Helen Hui Ping Ho, Monash University Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the personal selling process (PSP) and proposes the PLUS framework of personal selling to help sales personnel overcome sales challenges posed by the pandemic and achieve better work performance. The PLUS framework consists of four inter-connected components: Psychological capital, Learning orientation, the Use of technology, and Selling process. The effectiveness of enacting one component may influence the effectiveness of the others. This integrated approach to effectuate PSP may produce an overall positive impact on sales personnel’s performance. The PLUS framework contributes to the extant literature by extending the socio-technical model of sales force change at organizational level to individual level by incorporating psychological elements into the model. The framework also has several practical implications to sales personnel and managers in sales management.