Abstract

In the face of the changes experienced by the figure of the salesperson and, in particular, to verify the diffusion of digital tools in the field of direct sales, a web-based research questionnaire was submitted to a sample of direct sales representatives of PEF S.p.A. (an Italian network marketing company operating in the energy industry), aimed at measuring the perceived usefulness and effective use of digital marketing tools. The questionnaire, administered in March/April 2023, provides an initial indication of the instrumentality of digital communication tools and, indirectly, of the evolution of the skills profile of the network marketer in the context of a role that bases its differentiation and the generated value for the customer on personal interaction vis-à-vis and off-line conversion.