Deck 1: Selling and Salespeople

Question 1

To truly have effective impact on their organization,salespeople need to be skillful at disseminating the knowledge they have acquired from customers to other people in their companies.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Publicity is a form of unpaid marketing communication between buyers and the selling firm.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Salespeople coordinate the activities within their firms to solve customer problems.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In a selling situation,buyers and sellers calculate profit differently.

Question 5

The salesperson's job does not end when the customer places an order.

Question 6

Generally,salespeople spend more than 50 percent of their time on-site in face-to-face meetings with customers and prospects.

Question 7

The phrase customer-centric means making the customer the center of everything the salesperson does.

Question 8

The Personal Value Equation of a buyer is the selling price minus the benefits received.

Question 9

Advertising is the most costly method of communication for selling firms.

Question 10

Trying to convince your professor to give you the position of a teaching assistant is an example of personal selling.

Question 11

Go-to-market strategies are used by buyers to select a suitable vendor in the buying process.

Question 12

Integrated marketing communications programs focus exclusively on coordinating video with radio advertising.

Question 13

Personal selling is focused on the need to create value for the seller rather than for the buyer.

Question 14

If salespeople want to sell effectively,they have to recognize that the buyer has needs that are met not only by the product but also by the selling process itself.

Question 15

Organizations whose go-to-market strategies rely heavily on advertising and publicity are called sales force-intensive organizations.

Question 16

In a selling situation,the seller's profit is the benefits received minus the selling price.

Question 17

Activities such as prospecting for new customers,making sales presentations,demonstrating products,negotiating price and delivery terms,writing orders,and increasing sales to existing customers are only part of a sales job.

Question 18

Six sigma selling programs are designed to reduce and eliminate errors in the selling system.

Question 19

A firm's products move from the manufacturer to the final user through a series of institutions called a production network.

Question 20

The goal of selling is merely to promote the product or service.

Question 21

Which of the following is an example of selling?

A) A college student asking a professor to let him enroll himself in a course that is closed out
B) A potential employee making a presentation at a job interview
C) An engineer convincing his manager to support his R&D activity
D) A salesperson talking about the advantages of the washing machines at his store
E) All of the above

Question 22

Sandra's marketing strategy is a go-to-market strategy.She relies heavily on salespeople for marketing her products.Sandra's organization is a(n)_____.

A) public relations organization
B) organization that focuses exclusively on customer value
C) sales force-intensive organization
D) organization with a missionary strategy
E) all of the above

Question 23

Inside selling typically is more demanding than field selling because the former entails more intense interactions with customers.

Question 24

Gwen is researching ways to sell her new product.She is considering Internet sales,hiring sales reps,using a manufacturer's rep,and several other options.Gwen is considering her:

A) multi-channel mission.
B) go-to-market strategies.
C) customer-centric circle.
D) lifetime marketing value.
E) emotional versus intellectual challenge.

Question 25

From a buyer's perspective,value in a purchase decision equals _____.

A) the cost of goods sold - the marketing margin
B) the relative price + the absolute cost
C) the marginal difference between asset price and cost of sales
D) the benefits received - (the selling price + time and effort to purchase)
E) distribution benefits received - production costs

Question 26

A seller's profit is _____.

A) the cost of goods sold minus the marketing margin
B) selling price minus cost of goods sold and selling costs
C) the marginal difference between asset price and cost of sales
D) the benefits received - (the selling price + time and effort to purchase)
E) the relative price + the absolute cost

Question 27

Joshua represents a large drug manufacturer and calls on physicians to explain the benefits to them of prescribing his firm's products for their patients.Joshua is a missionary salesperson.

Question 28

After almost a century of research,scholars have finally identified a definitive profile of the personality characteristics of the "perfect" salesperson.

Question 29

Many sales jobs do not involve building long-term partnerships.

Question 30

Valerie's goal as a sales rep is to _____,which is the total benefit that her company's products and services provide to the buyer.

A) add creativity
B) improve relationships
C) maximize profits
D) create value
E) focus on sales numbers

Question 31

Salespeople usually earn overtime pay for working more than 40 hours.

Question 32

Selling to prospects requires different skills than does selling to existing customers.

Question 33

Salespeople are like independent entrepreneurs because they have a territory to manage and few restrictions on how to do it.

Question 34

Ryan is trying to dispel the myth that the role of salespeople is to "sell refrigerators to Eskimos." He tells his salespeople that their organization needs to be a customer-centric organization that helps customers:

A) by identifying problems.
B) by finding information about potential solutions.
C) by providing after-sale service.
D) by making the customer the center of their efforts.
E) all of the above.

Question 35

Normally,missionary salespeople and local distributor salespeople for the same firm are intensively competitive with each other as each strives to take business away from the other.

Question 36

Selling capital goods to manufacturers is much easier than selling cookies to consumers.

Question 37

Which of the following constitutes no-cost communication among buyers about the selling firm?

A) Sales promotion
B) Print advertising
C) Word of mouth
D) Broadcast advertising
E) Personal selling

Question 38

A missionary salesperson's job is to approach distributors and encourage them to sell the manufacturer's products.

Question 39

Personal selling includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) doing a credit analysis.
B) building relationships with customers.
C) offering information.
D) helping customers identify problems.
E) providing after-sale service.

Question 40

Which of the following statements best describes someone engaged in personal selling?

A) The governor directs the state's legislature to enact a law that provides more legal protection to abused children.
B) Jackson's parents loan him $1,000 to repair his car.
C) A mother assigns a chore to her child.
D) Vivian attends an interview for a job she really wants.
E) Your professor gives you a choice of essay or multiple choice questions.

Question 41

Integrated marketing communications is a program to coordinate all of the following marketing efforts EXCEPT:

A) personal selling.
B) advertising.
C) sales promotion.
D) word-of-mouth.
E) production.

Question 42

Advance Machine Company makes industrial strength floor cleaning equipment.In support of its sales force,it ran ads in trade journals aimed at supermarkets,entertainment venues,educational institutions,and other places that have a lot of foot traffic.It created an Internet website for customers to preview its products.It set up a toll-free number for clients to call and created a direct marketing piece that offered discounts and rebates on orders.Advance Machine Company used:

A) dyadic communication to reach its potential customers.
B) feedback to qualify leads.
C) integrated marketing communications.
D) a decentralized promotions organization.
E) any means possible to circumvent its sales force.

Question 43

Which of the following statements about how salespeople spend their time each week is true?

A) Salespeople typically spend the least amount of time in an average week traveling and sitting in waiting areas.
B) Most of the selling done by salespeople today is done over the telephone.
C) Salespeople spend less than 2 hours per week on administrative tasks.
D) Salespeople spend more time in meetings, working with support people in their companies, traveling, waiting for a sales interview, doing paperwork, and servicing customers than in face-to-face selling.
E) None of these statements about how salespeople spend their time each week is true.

Question 44

_____ sell products made by a number of manufacturers to businesses.

A) Distributor salespeople
B) Trade salespeople
C) Runners
D) Manufacturers' customer service representatives
E) Retail salespeople

Question 45

_____ work for a manufacturer and promote the manufacturer's products to other firms that buy the products from distributors or other manufacturers,not directly from the salesperson's firm.

A) Distributor reps
B) Industrial salespeople
C) Missionary salespeople
D) Trade partners
E) Retail salespeople

Question 46

_____ sell to firms that resell the products rather than using them within the firm.

A) Distributor salespeople
B) Trade salespeople
C) Runners
D) Manufacturers' customer service representatives
E) Retail salespeople

Question 47

When All-Star Productions Inc.releases a new movie,it usually advertises on television,gives out sales promotion items at fast-food restaurants,creates a website for the movie,holds special showings,and encourages people to talk about the movie.This coordination of all the efforts is called:

A) generative marketing.
B) tactical marketing.
C) integrated marketing communications.
D) the marketing concept.
E) relationship marketing.

Question 48

One of the advantages of personal selling is that it is the most _____ method used to communicate with customers.

A) credible
B) reasonable
C) generic
D) defensive
E) flexible

Question 49

After making two major sales calls,Jennifer spent time in her hotel room submitting information about the calls over the Internet to her company.Jennifer was providing information to her firm's:

A) distribution channel efficacy system.
B) customer relationship management system.
C) business simulation system.
D) NAICS control center system.
E) situational management system.

Question 50

To promote its products,Valerie's firm has always depended solely on advertising in the local newspaper and occasional direct mail programs.Valerie suggests using integrated marketing communications because:

A) no single communication vehicle is free of weaknesses.
B) it would reduce their advertising costs.
C) a sustainable competitive advantage can only be derived from alternative advertising.
D) it will lengthen their channels of distribution.
E) it will serve as a competitive intelligence tool.

Question 51

The set of people and organizations responsible for the flow of products and services from producer to ultimate consumer is called a firm's:

A) selling function.
B) advertising force.
C) marketing organization.
D) distribution channel.
E) sales team.

Question 52

The reason information supplied through publicity is usually considered to be more credible than information supplied by a salesperson is that:

A) salespeople are considered unethical.
B) the information supplied through publicity is perceived to be independent.
C) the general public has more information than the average salesperson.
D) publicity costs more than personal selling.
E) organizations have more control over when information is disseminated through publicity.

Question 53

Which of the following is true of sales in today's world?

A) Many buyers now are buying from the lowest-cost suppliers.
B) Buyers are demanding 24/7 service.
C) Many buyers now are building competitive advantages by maintaining a distant relationship with their suppliers.
D) The salesperson's job ends as soon as the customer places an order.
E) All of the above.

Question 54

Pacific Rim Co.sells outdoor furniture,garden and patio accessories,baskets,floral arrangements,and pottery to retail garden nurseries.Its salespeople are known as:

A) distributor salespeople.
B) trade salespeople.
C) runners.
D) manufacturers' agents.
E) retail salespeople.

Question 55

Missionary salespeople:

A) work for retailers.
B) are an essential part of the consumer products distribution channel.
C) frequently call on people who influence a buying decision but who do not actually place the order.
D) never directly contact consumers.
E) do not have any role to play in the business-to-business model.

Question 56

One of the advantages of personal selling as compared to advertising is that:

A) salespeople can be so closely supervised.
B) salespeople can become very persuasive since they give an identical sales presentation to so many different people.
C) salespeople can rely on puffery.
D) salespeople can change their message if they find their customers losing interest.
E) all of the above.

Question 57

Why does personal selling work better than other communications options available to firms selling in the business-to-business market?

A) Personal selling employs more people in the United States than advertising.
B) Salespeople are able to tailor unique messages for each prospective buyer.
C) Firms in the United States have become particularly adept at hiring "born" salespeople.
D) Personal selling is the cheapest form of promotion.
E) Salespeople are proficient in all aspects of new product development.

Question 58

Even though personal selling is the most expensive method of communication on a per person reached basis,businesses continue to use personal selling because of advantages in:

A) flexibility.
B) the number of people reached.
C) credibility.
D) efficiency.
E) control over the content of publicity.

Question 59

Laura works for Seminole Textiles.In her job,she calls on upholsterers,towel and sheet manufacturers,and other customers of the Seminole distributors to encourage them to use more Seminole textiles,which they would order from their distributor,not directly from Seminole.Laura is a:

A) distributor rep.
B) trade salesperson.
C) missionary salesperson.
D) trade partner.
E) retail salesperson.

Question 60

Clara works in sales at Marylyn Cosmetics.She procures her products from the manufacturer and goes door-to-door in suburban neighborhoods to try to sell Marylyn products at discount rates.Clara can be described as a _____.

A) retail salesperson
B) distributor
C) missionary salesperson
D) trade salesperson
E) direct salesperson

Question 61

Field selling is typically more demanding than inside selling because field selling:

A) involves working at the employer's location where the salespeople are monitored very closely.
B) involves very little interaction with customers, thus making it difficult to establish a long-term relationship.
C) involves more intense customer interactions where the salesperson has to engage in problem solving.
D) involves responding to customer-initiated requests.
E) involves communicating with customers by telephone or computer which can get very tiring.

Question 62

When LeAnn called on a long-time customer,she realized that the man was upset and took the time to listen to his problem.She was able to sympathize with the customer's recent loss of a pet by using her:

A) emotional intelligence.
B) adaptive learning.
C) environmental awareness.
D) generative learning.
E) behavioral intelligence.

Question 63

A salesperson will find that he or she is called upon to use the greatest creativity when:

A) selling to new prospects rather than present customers.
B) selling office furniture rather than business insurance.
C) receiving customer orders in the firm's telemarketing center rather than going to the customer's place of business.
D) selling repairs on a company's existing photocopying machine rather than persuading the firm to buy a new copier.
E) selling to consumers who are buying vegetables rather than a new home.

Question 64

Manufacturers' Representatives Inc.(MRI)is an independent company that employs sales representatives to sell products from a number of producers.MRI's sales reps sell the products to wholesalers and retailers.MRI receives a commission from the producers for the products it sells.MRI is an example of a:

A) manufacturers' agent.
B) selling agent.
C) missionary sales agency.
D) partnership selling strategy.
E) production agent.

Question 65

Which of the following is true of inside salespeople?

A) They spend considerable time in the customer's place of business.
B) They communicate with the customer face-to-face.
C) They are very involved in problem solving with customers.
D) They typically communicate with customers by telephone or computer.
E) None of the above.

Question 66

Betty follows a strict schedule.She checks her e-mail at 6 a.m.,returns messages and telephone calls from customers by 8 a.m.,meets with customers during the day,and processes sales at home in the evening.She diverts questions related to the products' features to her colleague,Sandra.Betty displays the characteristic of successful salespeople of:

A) flexibility.
B) being a self-starter.
C) product knowledge.
D) adjusting her presentations to her customers as individuals.
E) none of the above.

Question 67

_____ is the ability to effectively understand and use one's own feelings and the feelings of people with whom one interacts.

A) Emotional intelligence
B) Adaptive learning
C) Environmental awareness
D) Generative learning
E) Behavioral intelligence

Question 68

Manufacturers' agents:

A) actually take ownership of the products they sell.
B) are independent businesspeople.
C) are paid a monthly fee for their services.
D) typically call on people who may influence a sale and not those who actually place the order.
E) are accurately described by all of the above.

Question 69

A person who _____ would probably find a career in sales attractive.

A) wants a nine-to-five job
B) wants to work in an office
C) is not motivated by financial rewards
D) likes independence and is willing to take responsibility
E) does not like to take responsibility

Question 70

Salespeople who spend most of their time selling their company's products in the customer's place of business are:

A) missionary salespeople.
B) inside salespeople.
C) obsolete in the partnering era.
D) field salespeople.
E) none of these.

Question 71

Which of the following products would most likely be the hardest for a new salesperson to sell?

A) Laptops for students
B) Horse trailers
C) Management consulting services
D) Office supplies to existing customers
E) Restaurant tablecloths

Question 72

Which of the following statements about salesperson relationships with customers and prospects is true?

A) Selling to new prospects requires the same skills as selling to existing customers.
B) Salespeople responsible for existing customers place more emphasis on selling products than on servicing and relationship building.
C) Rejection is an inevitable part of making initial contacts with potential customers.
D) To convince prospects to purchase a product they use regularly, salespeople need to be especially self-confident and aggressive.
E) None of these.

Question 73

It's early on a Friday morning,and before she goes out to see any of her customers,Ruth checks her company's database to make sure deliveries scheduled for some of her customers went out earlier in the week.This activity is a component of _____.

A) partnering
B) integrated communication
C) servicing customers
D) waiting
E) reporting

Question 74

Salespeople are like entrepreneurs because:

A) they do not have to invest in themselves.
B) integrated marketing communications eliminates investment risk.
C) manufacturers trust salespeople to be corporate-centric.
D) of the unusual freedom and flexibility in doing their jobs.
E) they have to spend a lot of time in a structured work environment.

Question 75

Customers constantly consult with Kathy,Hump & Pack's sales representative,regarding installation problems,new product ideas,and other issues because she offers unique,imaginative ideas.This shows that customers value Kathy's _____.

A) optimism
B) emotional intelligence
C) discreetness
D) creativity
E) behavioral intellect

Question 76

Opal is a salesperson for a wholesaler.There are many retailers in her territory and she says,"No two are alike.I must adjust my way of communicating to their different styles.Some are strictly business.Others like to talk about their families or sports before I discuss my company's products." Which characteristic of a successful salesperson is illustrated by Opal's approach?

A) Ethical
B) Flexible
C) Creative
D) Dependable
E) Optimistic

Question 77

Which of the following is NOT one of the aspects of emotional intelligence?

A) Knowing one's own feelings and emotions as they are experienced
B) Controlling one's emotions to avoid acting impulsively
C) Controlling customer's emotions to avoid conflict
D) Recognizing customer's emotions
E) Using one's emotions to interact effectively with customers

Question 78

Luis works for USAA,an insurance company headquartered in San Antonio.Luis is employed in the firm's telemarketing center where he answers customers' calls to the firm's 1-800 number about buying insurance.Luis is an example of a(n):

A) inside salesperson.
B) production era salesperson.
C) field salesperson.
D) tangible product salesperson.
E) missionary salesperson.

Question 79

Most of the skills required to be a successful salesperson:

A) are associated with intellectual achievement.
B) can be learned.
C) are the focus of six sigma selling programs.
D) create a value proposition.
E) are skills that people are born with and cannot be learned.

Question 80

The Frito-Lay salesperson who drives a truck to a store,checks the store's stock of Frito-Lay products,determines what the store needs,and gets the manager's permission to place that stock in the store is a _____ salesperson.

A) production
B) inside
C) missionary
D) manufacturer's industry service representative
E) field