Deck 17: Personal Selling and Sales Management

Question 1

Describe how the relationship selling model differs from traditional (or transactional)personal selling.

Answer 1

Answers will vary.Historically,marketing theory and practice concerning personal selling have focused almost entirely on planned presentations to prospective customers for the sole purpose of making sales.Marketers then were mostly concerned with making onetime sales and then moving on to the next prospect.Traditional personal selling methods attempted to persuade the buyer to accept a point of view or convince the buyer to take some action.Frequently,the objectives of the salesperson were at the expense of the buyer,creating a win-lose outcome.Although this type of sales approach has not disappeared entirely,it is being used less and less often by professional salespeople.By contrast,modern views of personal selling emphasize the relationship that develops between a sales-person and a buyer.Relationship selling,or consultative selling,is a multistage process that emphasizes personalization,win-win outcomes,and empathy as key ingredients in identifying prospects and developing them as long-term,satisfied customers.The focus,therefore,is on building mutual trust between the buyer and seller through the delivery of long-term,value-added benefits that are anticipated by the buyer.Relationship or consultative salespeople,therefore,become consultants,partners,and problem solvers for their customers.They strive to build long-term relationships with key accounts by developing trust over time.The emphasis shifts from a one-time sale to a long-term relationship in which the salesperson works with the customer to develop solutions for enhancing the customer's bottom line.The end result of relationship selling tends to be loyal customers who purchase from the company time after time,often with an increased share-of-purchase.A relationship selling strategy focused on retaining customers is often less expensive to a company than having to constantly prospect for and sell to new customers.Relationship selling provides many advantages over traditional selling in the consumer goods market but,due to its expense,is more often used in selling situations for industrial-type goods (such as heavy machinery and computer systems)and services (such as airlines and insurance)than in selling situations for consumer goods.

Question 2

Mandy's Inc.is a well-known supplier of industrial goods.While selling goods,it provides personalized benefits to each customer.It focuses on developing trust over time instead of transacting one-time sales.This is an example of _____ selling.

A) price-based
B) relationship
C) discount
D) persuasive

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A current sales practice that involves building,maintaining,and enhancing interactions with customers in order to develop long-term satisfaction through mutually beneficial partnerships is called _____________ selling.

A) price-based
B) consultative
C) discount
D) persuasive

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In personal selling,costs of promoting a product or service can be controlled by

A) promoting a product to both qualified and nonqualified prospects.
B) promoting undifferentiated sales messages toward prospective consumers.
C) purchasing advertising and sales promotion in large amounts.
D) adjusting the size of the sales force in one-person increments.

Question 5

In which case is personal selling more effective or economic than advertising and sales promotion?

A) Customers are geographically dispersed.
B) The product has a low value.
C) The product is easy to understand.
D) There are few customers.

Question 6

Personal selling is considerably less effective than other forms of promotion in obtaining a sale and gaining a satisfied customer.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT true of relationship selling?

A) It emphasizes making a one-time sale.
B) It focuses on building mutual trust between the buyer and seller.
C) Its end result is loyal customers.
D) Its strategy is often less expensive than continuously marketing products.

Question 8

Personal selling should be directed toward all prospects-qualified and unqualified.

Question 9

In personal selling,cost per contact is much greater than for mass forms of communication.

Question 10

Unlike advertising and sales promotion,in personal selling,responses are provided only to the questions and objections that the copywriter thinks are important to customers.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of personal selling?

A) Personal selling provides a detailed explanation or demonstration of the product.
B) Costs can be controlled by adjusting the size of the sales force.
C) Personal selling is considerably more effective than other forms of promotion in obtaining a sale and gaining a satisfied customer.
D) Personal selling is not as effective as other forms of sales promotion.

Question 12

Personal selling is more important than advertising and sales promotion if the products being sold

A) are standardized.
B) have many consumers.
C) have a low value.
D) are technically complex.

Question 13

The prevailing view of personal selling is mostly concerned with making one-time sales and then moving on to the next prospect.

Question 14

Which of the following refers to a purchase situation involving a personal,paid-for communication between two people in an attempt to influence each other?

A) Personal selling
B) Sales promotion
C) Relationship selling
D) Promotional selling

Question 15

Which of the following is a sales practice that involves building,maintaining,and enhancing interactions with customers to develop long-term satisfaction through mutually beneficial partnerships?

A) Price-based selling
B) Adaptive selling
C) Stimulus-response selling
D) Relationship selling

Question 16

Unlike consumer-focused salespeople,business-focused salespeople

A) require customers to come directly to a retail store.
B) call on other companies to sell their products.
C) shorten the sales process time.
D) do not travel to customer locations.

Question 17

Generally speaking,personal selling often works better than other forms of promotion if

A) the number of potential customers increases.
B) the complexity of the product increases.
C) the value of the product decreases.
D) the role of social media increases.

Question 18

Personal selling provides a brief and precise explanation of the product.

Question 19

Relationship selling is more often used in selling consumer goods.

Question 20

Manchester Classics manufactures apparel for men and women.It calls on other retailers to sell its products.Members of its sales team travel to their customers' locations to finalize sales deals.In this scenario,the team at Manchester Classics is comprised of _____.

A) business-focused salespeople
B) consumer-focused salespeople
C) opinion leaders
D) late adopters

Question 21

Which statement is true of the developing and proposing solutions step in the personal selling process?

A) Developing and proposing solutions is a step in the selling process that comes before the final purchase transaction.
B) Customers are more likely to remember what salespeople say rather than how they present themselves in their sales presentation.
C) Formal presentation is an ineffective tool to answering customer's needs.
D) The quality of both the sales proposal and the sales presentation can make or break the sale.

Question 22

Which statement is true of networking?

A) Approaching potential buyers without any prior knowledge of the prospects' needs or financial status
B) Using friends,business contacts,acquaintances,and fellow members in organizations to identify potential clients
C) Doing the "homework" that must be done by a salesperson before he or she contacts a prospect
D) Determining a customer's specific needs and wants and the range of options the customer has for satisfying them

Question 23

Which of the following terms refers to a meeting in which the salesperson offers a sales proposal to a prospective buyer?

A) Sales proposal
B) Sales presentation
C) Sales offer
D) Negotiation

Question 24

Which of the following refers to the determination of a sales prospect's recognized need,buying power,receptivity,and accessibility?

A) Referral
B) Networking
C) Cold calling
D) Lead qualification

Question 25

In the selling process,which of the following is true of a salesperson's conducting the needs assessment of prospective clients?

A) It should be carried out by the salesperson during development of the sales proposal.
B) It requires the salesperson to be aware of regulations and legislation that affect the industry.
C) It does not include the impact of competition on the demand for the product that is being sold.
D) The salesperson in relationship selling does not need to conduct a needs assessment.

Question 26

The process during which both the salesperson and the prospect offer special concessions in an attempt to arrive at a sales agreement is known as _____________.

A) negotiation
B) follow-up
C) a sales proposal
D) a sales presentation

Question 27

Which of the following indicates the final step of the selling process,in which the salesperson ensures delivery schedules are met,goods or services perform as promised,and the buyers' employees are properly trained to use the products?

A) Follow-up
B) Negotiation
C) Developing and proposing solutions
D) Handling objections

Question 28

Which term refers to a form of lead generation in which the salesperson approaches potential buyers without any prior knowledge of the prospects' needs or financial status?

A) Cold calling
B) Referral
C) Networking
D) Lead qualification

Question 29

Which term refers to a process that describes the "homework" that must be done by a salesperson before he or she contacts a prospect?

A) Needs assessment
B) Preapproach
C) Lead qualification
D) Networking

Question 30

Robust,a leading industrial manufacturer,has developed a new air conditioner with high cooling capacity.To identify potential clients who will be interested in the new product,the company has sent out pamphlets to many firms along with its contact details for anyone interested.This scenario illustrates _____.

A) a needs assessment
B) lead generation
C) a sales presentation
D) knowledge management

Question 31

A step in the selling process that concerned with identifying firms and people most likely to buy the seller's offerings is called _______________.

A) lead generation
B) lead qualification
C) preapproach
D) needs assessment

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of lead qualification?

A) It refers to a process in which a salesperson approaches potential buyers without any prior knowledge of the prospects' needs or financial status.
B) It refers to using friends,business contacts,coworkers,acquaintances,and fellow members in professional and civic organizations to identify potential clients.
C) It refers to a process that describes the "homework" that must be done by a salesperson before he or she contacts a prospect.
D) It refers to determining the recognized need,buying power,and receptivity and accessibility of a sales prospect.

Question 33

Which of the following is a combination of sales automation and Internet technology that some marketers use to enhance customer satisfaction and bring in more business?

A) The preapproach model
B) The attribution model
C) Needs assessment
D) Automated e-mail follow-up marketing

Question 34

Which of the following statements is true of prequalification systems?

A) They free sales representatives from the time-consuming task of following up on leads to determine need,buying power,and receptiveness.
B) They describe the "homework" that must be done by a salesperson before contacting the prospect.
C) They use friends,business contacts,coworkers,acquaintances,and fellow members in professional and civic organizations to identify potential clients.
D) They determine a customer's specific needs and wants and the range of options the customer has for satisfying them.

Question 35

Which of the following defines the sales process?

A) The process of identifying the firms and people most likely to buy the seller's offerings
B) The process a salesperson goes through to sell a particular product or service
C) The process of finding out about potential clients from various contacts or sources
D) The process of a salesperson doing his or her "homework" before contacting a prospect

Question 36

As part of the needs assessment,the consultative salesperson must know everything about __________.

A) customers and their needs,but not necessarily the product or service
B) the product or service,but not necessarily the competition and potential impact
C) competitors' companies and products,but not necessarily the customers and their needs
D) customers and their needs,the product or service being sold,and the product's competition

Question 37

Which statement is true of traditional selling?

A) It allows ample time for a detailed follow-up with customers after a sale.
B) It results in more win-win transactions for salespeople than relationship selling.
C) Minimal effort is placed on asking questions to identify customer needs.
D) High emphasis is placed on matching customers' needs and wants to the benefits of the product.

Question 38

Why do salespeople need to conduct thorough and continued follow-up with clients?

A) Conducting post-sale follow-ups gives rise to cognitive dissonance.
B) Customers today are more loyal toward brands and vendors than before.
C) Most businesses depend on repeat sales,which depend on follow-up by the salesperson.
D) Buyers look for the best deal when they experience good post-sale follow-up.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is true of negotiation?

A) It plays an important role in the closing of the sale.
B) It is effective when price is used as a negotiation tool.
C) Salespeople increase the perceived value of a product when they quickly accept a client's price negotiation.
D) It is a formal meeting where salespeople present sales proposals.

Question 40

A process of finding out about potential clients from friends,business contacts,coworkers,acquaintances,and fellow members in professional and civic organizations is called _____________.

A) referrals
B) networking
C) cold calling
D) lead qualification

Question 41

Determining sales goals is part of effective sales management.A statement of a salesperson's sales goals,usually based on sales volume,is called a(n)_________.

A) quota
B) referral
C) sales plan
D) offer

Question 42

When recruiting the sales force,sales managers prefer salespeople who

A) often avoid getting involved in negotiation process.
B) get their point across confidently without being overbearing or aggressive.
C) ensure that there is no negotiation during the process of closing a sale.
D) are transaction-oriented rather than relationship-oriented.

Question 43

Which of the following is among the responsibilities of a sales manager?

A) Recruiting and training the sales force,but its evaluation is done by the human resources department
B) Evaluating the sales force,but not determining its structure
C) Determining the sales force structure,but not its evaluation
D) Recruiting,training,motivating,and evaluating the sales force

Question 44

A good salesperson perceives objections as a hindrance to the purchase decision.

Question 45

Which of the following is involved in defining the sales goals of the salesforce?

A) Assigning quotas to salespeople
B) Evaluating the effectiveness of a sales representative
C) Training new salespeople
D) Designing the sales force structure

Question 46

Effective sales management begins with

A) determining sales goals to be met by the salesforce.
B) determining the most efficient structure for the sales force.
C) specifying the sales force size.
D) designing a compensation plan.

Question 47

A sales manager at a consumer durable goods manufacturing firm instructs his new salesperson,Rita,that she must identify ten potential customers and sell five flat screen televisions per week.This directive from the sales manager is referred to as Rita's _____.

A) referrals
B) sales leads
C) quota
D) touch points

Question 48

Lead qualification is the identification of the firms and people most likely to buy the seller's offerings.

Question 49

When customers try to pit suppliers against each other to drive down the price of the product,the salesperson should offer an initial discount and then raise the price later on.

Question 50

The assertion that "great salespeople should have strong,healthy self-esteem and the ability to bounce back from rejection" describes which trait that is desirable in applicants for sales position?

A) Ego strength
B) Risk takers
C) Assertiveness
D) Empathy

Question 51

Because the salesperson usually has multiple opportunities to present solutions to his or her clients in personal selling,the quality of the sales proposal and the presentation are not critical in making the sale.

Question 52

Discuss the lead qualification step of sales process and different ways in which leads are qualified.

Question 53

Salespeople who practice relationship selling emphasize a long-term investment in the time and effort needed to uncover each customer's specific needs and wants and to meet them with the best product or service that can be offered.

Question 54

A sales presentation is a written document that outlines how a company's product or service will meet or exceed the client's needs.

Question 55

Briefly explain the impact of technology on personal selling.

Question 56

E-business-that is,the buying,selling,marketing,collaborating with partners,and servicing customers electronically using the Internet-has not affected personal selling very much.

Question 57

A salesperson's responsibilities usually end with making the sale and placing the order.

Question 58

The ability to place oneself in someone else's shoes,which enables salespeople to understand the client's situation,is called ________.

A) assertiveness
B) ego strength
C) risk taking
D) empathy

Question 59

Salespeople selling in foreign markets should tailor their presentations and closing styles to each market.

Question 60

Cold calling is a process of finding out about potential clients from friends,business contacts,coworkers,acquaintances,and fellow members in professional and civic organizations.

Question 61

The process by which customer information is centralized and shared to enhance the relationship between customers and the organization is called ___________ management.

A) knowledge
B) customer relationship
C) sales force
D) organizational

Question 62

A touch point that customers encounter in stores or information kiosks,and that uses software to enable them to easily provide information about themselves without feeling violated,is called __________.

A) point-of-sale interaction
B) lead generation
C) inquiry management
D) personal selling interaction

Question 63

Which of the following occurs when a customer and a company representative exchange information and develop learning relationships?

A) Transactional selling
B) An intervention
C) Customer profiling
D) An interaction

Question 64

The point at which a customer and a company representative exchange information and develop learning relationships is called __________.

A) interaction
B) knowledge exchange
C) knowledge management
D) touch points

Question 65

Point-of-sale interaction is a touch point in stores or information kiosks that uses software to enable customers to easily provide information about themselves without feeling violated.

Question 66

Which of the following describes the kind of candidates sales managers look for when recruiting sales force candidates?

A) A sense of urgency without exhibiting competitiveness
B) An impotent ego but capable of understanding complex concepts
C) Competitiveness without exhibiting risk-taking behavior
D) Assertiveness,as well as creativity and empathy

Question 67

Which of the following measures one customer's influence on the behavior of other customers through recommendations on social media?

A) Net promoter score
B) Customer relationship score
C) Social CRM
D) Social media score

Question 68

A term that describes a company that customizes its products and services based on data generated through interactions between the customer and the company would be described as being ______.

A) customer-centric
B) employee-centric
C) business-centric
D) organization-centric

Question 69

Which of the following best defines the term "touch points"?

A) Storage of customer information in a central location that is accessible to all company departments
B) The points where a salesman exchanges information with the company and the company doesn't take interest.
C) Areas of a business where customers have contact with the company and data might be gathered
D) Customized product or service offerings for different customer segments

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT true of sales force compensation?

A) Compensation needs to be competitive enough to attract and motivate the best salespeople.
B) Companies and industries with lower levels of compensation have lower turnover rates.
C) Recognition and rewards may help increase overall sales volume.
D) Sales managers often offer rewards or incentives to motivate their sales force.

Question 71

An electronic equipment manufacturer collects data about its customers through customer interactions.On the basis of the data,the firm customizes its products and services according to the needs of customer segments.This is an example of effective _____.

A) transaction management
B) campaign management
C) lead generation
D) lead qualification

Question 72

LaPizza is a restaurant that recently implemented a new system to identify and gather information about its regular customers.It rewards these customers by giving them gift coupons and cash prizes.This practice is an example of _____.

A) organizational optimization
B) profit maximization
C) total quality management
D) customer relationship management

Question 73

Which term refers to developing product or service offerings customized for a customer segment and then pricing and communicating these offerings for the purpose of enhancing customer relationships?

A) Transaction management
B) Campaign management
C) Sales Promotion
D) Lead qualification

Question 74

Name the ultimate goal of a new trend in marketing that focuses on understanding consumers as individuals instead of as part of a group.

A) Organizational optimization
B) Profit maximization
C) Total quality management
D) Customer relationship management

Question 75

A sales manager's sole function is to maximize sales at a reasonable cost while also maximizing profits.