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Purpose: This article aims to explain the relationships between sales capabilities, which are split into personal selling and sales force management, both from the manager’s point of view, and financial/customer performance in market-oriented firms. Originality/value: This research is the first that explores in-depth sales capabilities and demonstrated that these capabilities need a previous strategic orientation. It checks different types of performance that can be the result of these two capabilities. We applied the research in to two types of companies, providing a number of contributions to the theory and practice of marketing. Design/methodology/approach: We conducted a survey with 223 companies that were divided according to their activities: software/service developers and companies that only offer services in information technology and communication sector. Findings: First, the two sales capabilities (personal and managerial) induce different performance, even when they are influenced by the same strategic orientation. Second, the mediation effect reinforces that sales force management capability is stronger than personal selling capability. Third, in service companies, it is important to develop personal selling capabilities. Lastly, they show that software/service companies present a differentiated behavior of service companies.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how business-to-business organizations use social media during the sales process. Design/methodology/approach The meta-synthesis steps methodology (Hoon, 2013) was applied. Findings This study presents a theoretical framework and contributes to improved understanding of how business can use social media in the sales process stages. The results allow identifying stages, discussing the integration between marketing and sales and generating benefits for the organization. Originality/value The proposed framework helps in understanding the previously performed fragmented studies. This study shows that social media use not only influences the sales process stages and increases the benefits to the business but also works as a mediator in the relation between sales process stages and identified benefits.

Purpose: This study demonstrates that sales force management capability (SFMC) is a driver to financial performance when influenced by marketing orientation. Wherefore, the researchers explore how each SFMC ́s dimension (salesforce structuring, talent management, and customer targeting) contributes on the relation between MO and financial performance. Methodology: A survey (n=223) was applied in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies in Brazil. Structural equation modeling allowed us to understand how the sales management forces capability ́s dimensions influence the relation between market orientation and financial performance intensity. Findings: It is demonstrated that MO influences the three SFMC capability dimensions (salesforce structuring, talent management, and customer targeting), mainly customer targeting and talent management. Furthermore, it is shown that the relation between MO and financial performance is mediated by SFMC capability. Theoretical contributions: This study contributes to the marketing literature by showing that MO may be applied jointly to SFMC in order to improve performance. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that SFMC to enhance financial performance. Consequently, this study promotes a better understanding of the process in which MO may be related to SFMC, and how each specific dimension of SFMC influences financial performance. Practical contributions: Marketing managers and sales managers should sharing information about the market to achieve better financial results and competitive advantage. Also, practitioners should use market information strategically to segmenting and positioning sales force. In addition to customers, competitors, and environmental forces, petitioners should make an effort to manage their organizational resources better. Firms should use market information to improve performance and engage marketing managers to support sales investment.