Relational Communication: Form versus Content in the Sales Interaction

Abstract

In view of the importance of interpersonal communication in the face-to-face selling interaction, this discussion seeks to provide a more complete picture of the actual communication process by introducing a concept new to the marketing literature. The concept is relational communication, which refers to that part of a message beyond the actual content which allows communicators to negotiate their relative positions. Thus, the message sender can either bid for dominance, deference, or equality. The message receiver, in turn, can accept the bid or deny it.

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