Internal Marketing and Sales Force Performance of Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

This study was designed to investigate the influence of internal marketing on the sales force performance of beverage manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The underpinnings of internal marketing were internal communication and internal training. The population of the study included the salespersons that were involved in the sales of beverage-manufactured drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, in Nigeria. A sample size of 152 was investigated. A structured questionnaire served as the primary instrument for data collection. The structured questionnaire was administered to every member of the population, and 144 copies of the instrument were filled out and returned in useable form. Data collected were analysed using percentage analysis, and hypotheses formulated were tested using simple linear regression analysis. Findings from the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between the internal marketing variables (i.e., internal communication and internal training) and sales force performance. Based on the empirical findings, the author concluded that internal marketing strategies influence the sales force performance of beverage manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The researchers recommended that management show more interest in communication and training to improve and enhance sales through the performance of the sales team.