Where Strategy Meets Sales Execution

Apeejay School of Management (ASM) recently hosted an insightful guest session by Mr. Sunil Dhar,  Director, Photourja, on the theme “Decoding Sales Channels.” The session was organised for first year students for the subject of Marketing Management by Dr. Preeti Suryawanshi, Area Chair, Marketing with the objective of bridging theoretical understanding with real-world sales and distribution practices. With over three decades of rich experience in Sales, Distribution, and Strategy, Mr. Dhar brought deep industry perspective and practical clarity to the subject.

Mr. Dhar began the session by emphasizing the strategic importance of sales channels in achieving market reach, scalability, and sustainable growth. He clearly explained the distinction between direct and indirect marketing channels, highlighting how each plays a critical role depending on the nature of the product, customer profile, market maturity, and cost considerations. Using relatable real-life cases from FMCG, energy solutions, and B2B sectors, he demonstrated how organisations choose between direct sales forces, distributors, channel partners, and hybrid models to optimise performance.

A key highlight of the session was his explanation of the multichannel approach. Mr. Dhar illustrated how modern organizations increasingly rely on a mix of channels—such as direct sales teams, distributors, online platforms, and strategic alliances—to ensure wider market coverage and risk diversification. He explained that no single channel is universally superior; rather, effectiveness lies in aligning the channel strategy with business objectives and customer expectations. His examples helped students understand how companies recalibrate channels during expansion, market disruptions, or competitive pressure.

Drawing from his extensive experience as Director – Sales and Strategy across multiple organisations, Mr. Dhar also shared valuable insights into how he currently mentors and supports start-ups. He explained how early-stage ventures often struggle with choosing the right go-to-market strategy and how a well-designed sales channel can significantly reduce costs while accelerating growth. His discussion offered students a realistic view of decision-making challenges faced by entrepreneurs in building scalable sales models.

Towards the end of the session, Mr. Dhar briefly touched upon the role of a Key Account Manager (KAM). He outlined the responsibilities of managing large and strategic clients, maintaining long-term relationships, and balancing organizational objectives with client expectations. He also highlighted key challenges in the role, such as price negotiations, internal coordination, and managing client dependency.

The session was highly engaging and interactive, leaving students with actionable insights into sales and distribution dynamics. Reflecting on the learning experience, Daksh Aggarwal remarked, “The session gave us strong industry insights and helped us understand how sales channels actually work beyond textbooks.” Ms Harjas Kaur shared, “Mr. Dhar explained the roles in sales and distribution, especially Key Account Management, with great clarity and practical relevance. He also emphasised on the roles of soft skills, Attitude, Building trust, Communication and Determination.”

Overall, the guest session was a valuable learning experience that significantly enriched students’ understanding of real-world sales strategy and channel management.