Question 1

A review of the personal selling process indicates that selling is
A) a matter of establishing relationships.
B) getting a name on a sales contract.
C) about 90 percent luck and 10 percent skill.
D) giving way to computers in responding to consumer needs.

Accepted Answer

The personal selling process involves building relationships with customers in order to meet their needs and convince them to make a purchase. It is not solely about closing a deal or relying on luck. While technology can play a role in the selling process, it cannot replace the importance of building and maintaining personal relationships with customers.

Question 2

Consumer research indicates that the public is very concerned about underage drinking. In response, Texas Brewing Company has created a website providing parents with information to help avoid underage drinking in their families. The firm also provides materials to retailers to help train their employees to avoid sales to minors. Publicizing these efforts:
A) will likely backfire, since few people will believe a beer company would seriously support a program that would reduce their sales.
B) represents a key step in a good public relations program.
C) illustrates a push strategy applied to public relations.
D) would distract the firm from its primary mission of selling beer to adults.

Accepted Answer

Publicizing efforts to address concerns about underage drinking is a positive step in public relations, demonstrating a commitment to responsible behavior and community values. It is not a push strategy, as the content is informational rather than directly promotional. While it may not directly increase sales, it is consistent with the firm's mission of producing and selling beer to adults in a socially responsible manner.

Question 3

The activity that evaluates public attitudes, changes policies and procedures in response to the public's requests, and executes a program of action and information to earn public understanding and acceptance is called
A) public research.
B) public relations.
C) public communication.
D) public advocacy.

Accepted Answer

The activity described in the prompt is commonly known as public relations. It involves researching public attitudes, responding to requests for policy changes, and executing communication efforts to earn public understanding and acceptance. Public research, communication, and advocacy may all be elements of a public relations strategy, but they are not comprehensive enough on their own to describe the full scope of this activity.

Question 4

Madeline just finished giving a sales presentation to a major prospect. Next, Madeline will likely be
A) processing the customer's order.
B) closing the sale, by asking the customer to make a commitment.
C) answering customer questions and dealing with objections.
D) setting an appointment for the customer to meet with her boss.

Accepted Answer

After finishing the sales presentation, Madeline will likely address any questions or objections the customer may have. This is an important step in the sales process to ensure the customer feels comfortable and confident in making a purchase decision. Once any concerns are addressed, Madeline can then move on to closing the sale or processing the order. Setting an appointment with her boss is not necessary at this stage unless the customer specifically requests it.

Question 5

In B2C sales the salesperson does not spend a great deal of their time
A) following up.
B) closing.
C) qualifying.
D) presenting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In B2C sales the salesperson does not...

Question 6

A good public relations program recognizes that the
A) company must not ever admit fault.
B) firm must be willing to make changes in its policies and procedures.
C) firm must be independent of production and service activities.
D) media are not to be trusted since they profit by selling bad news.

Accepted Answer

A good public relations program recognizes that a firm must be willing to make changes in its policies and procedures in order to improve its reputation and maintain positive relationships with its stakeholders. Admitting fault and taking corrective action can actually enhance credibility and trust.

Option A is incorrect because admitting fault in certain situations can be a responsible and ethical approach to crisis management.

Option C is incorrect because a firm's public relations program should be closely aligned with its production and service activities in order to effectively communicate its values and accomplishments to stakeholders.

Option D is incorrect because the media can play a valuable role in disseminating accurate and timely information about a firm and its activities. Trust is built through transparency and honest communication with the media.

Question 7

A major responsibility of the public relations department is to
A) decide on the appropriate mix of advertising media.
B) maintain close ties with the media, community leaders, government officials, and other stakeholders.
C) identify appropriate markets for the firm's products, and then select the most likely customers in each market.
D) train salespeople to interact better with their company's customers.

Accepted Answer

Maintaining close ties with the media, community leaders, government officials, and other stakeholders is a major responsibility of the public relations department as it helps in managing the company's image and reputation among all the stakeholders. It also involves disseminating information about the company's policies, products, and services to the public and building meaningful relationships with them.

Question 8

Lyla faces the challenge of developing the promotion mix for a new business. Given the uniqueness of the new products and a very limited budget, Lyla confronts a creditability problem. She realizes that the promotional messages of an unknown firm may be met with skepticism. What should Lyla consider?
A) publicity to help create a positive image for her firm and its products
B) extensive use of persuasive advertising
C) emphasizing personal selling rather than public relations
D) changing jobs because this situation is hopeless

Accepted Answer

Publicity can be a cost-effective way to create a positive image for the new business and its products. This can help to build credibility and increase awareness among potential customers. Persuasive advertising may not be as effective because of limited budget, and personal selling may not be feasible for a new business with a limited budget and few salespeople. Changing jobs is not a viable solution to the problem at hand.

Question 9

The purpose of a ________ is to move the selling process toward an actual product purchase.
A) follow up
B) closing
C) trial close
D) commission

Accepted Answer

The answer of The purpose of a ________ is to...

Question 10

Compared to advertising, publicity offers the advantage of greater
A) flexibility.
B) personal appeal.
C) believability.
D) message repetition.

Accepted Answer

Publicity, particularly in the form of media coverage, is seen as more credible than advertising. This is because it is perceived as an unbiased and independent third-party endorsement rather than a paid promotion.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is the most accurate?
A) Closing is the final and most important step in the selling process.
B) Once a sales presentation is completed, the salesperson should attempt to close as quickly as possible before the customer expresses any doubts or concerns.
C) Closing may involve getting the customer to agree to a trial close.
D) If the salesperson has done a good job of qualifying prospects and has developed a strong presentation, then closing is the easiest step in the selling process.

Accepted Answer

Closing may involve getting the customer to agree to a trial close. This statement recognizes that closing is not just a one-time event that occurs at the end of a sales presentation; it can involve smaller steps throughout the selling process. Additionally, it acknowledges that the customer's agreement and participation are necessary for a successful close. The other statements are not entirely accurate: while closing is important, it is not necessarily the final or most important step (A); rushing to close too quickly can lead to missed opportunities or unhappy customers (B); and even if the salesperson has done a good job up to this point, closing can still require some effort and skill (D).

Question 12

________ refers to any information about a product or an organization that is communicated to the public through the media and is not paid for or controlled by the sponsor.
A) A market presentation
B) Promotion
C) Public relations
D) Publicity

Accepted Answer

Publicity refers to any information about a product or an organization that is communicated to the public through the media and is not paid for or controlled by the sponsor. It is a form of earned media and can be positive or negative. Publicity is different from advertising or promotion which are paid for by the sponsor and are more controlled in their messaging. Public relations (choice C) is broader and includes managing relationships with various stakeholders, including the media, to build and maintain a positive image for the organization. A market presentation (choice A) is a specific type of promotional activity that involves presenting information about a product or service to potential customers in order to persuade them to buy.

Question 13

Jasmine finished writing a news release about her company's new product. She intends to e-mail the message to local television and radio stations as well as newspapers in hope that they will find the information newsworthy and run a story about the product. Jasmine's efforts represent the firm's
A) public relations.
B) institutional advertising.
C) secondary advertising.
D) interactive marketing.

Accepted Answer

Jasmine's actions represent the firm's public relations efforts, as she is trying to communicate with and persuade various media outlets to cover the news about the company's product.

Question 14

Blake's client expressed her concerns and questioned some of the details of the sales proposal once he completed his sales presentation. An effective salesperson would
A) downplay these objections and push to close the sale as quickly as possible to avoid the endless questions that some customers ask.
B) address her concerns and develop a better relationship.
C) consider revising the presentation so that next time customer concerns and objections can be avoided.
D) bring in the top executives of the company to close the sale.

Accepted Answer

An effective salesperson should address the customer's concerns and questions. It is important to develop a relationship with the customer and build trust. By addressing their concerns and questions, a salesperson can show the customer that they are knowledgeable and trustworthy, which can lead to closing the sale in the future. Downplaying objections or pushing to close the sale quickly could come across as pushy and may turn the customer away. Revising the presentation may be useful in avoiding future objections, but it is important to address the customer's concerns immediately. Bringing in top executives may not be necessary at this point and could come across as intimidating to the customer.

Question 15

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression," captures the importance of the ________ step in the selling process.
A) prospecting
B) introduction
C) qualifying
D) approach

Accepted Answer

The quote directly refers to the importance of making a good first impression, which occurs during the approach step of the selling process.

Question 16

Today's public relations departments
A) focus more on advertising and less on publicity.
B) are downsizing as firms emphasize personal selling to promote their products.
C) are more actively listening to customers and helping to solve their problems.
D) avoid relationships with the media and government officials.

Accepted Answer

Today's public relations departments are more actively listening to customers and helping to solve their problems. This shift is due to the rise of social media and the fact that customers have more power and influence than ever before. Public relations departments now focus on building relationships with customers and addressing their concerns, rather than just promoting products or services.

Question 17

Bailey is a new salesperson for a textbook publisher. She is compiling a list of professors who make textbook buying decisions and plans to contact these professors to determine what texts they are currently using, and if they plan to adopt a new text. Identifying those decision makers who are willing to consider one of her texts is called
A) personal development.
B) sales identification.
C) preliminary sales analysis.
D) prospecting and qualifying.

Accepted Answer

This process is known as prospecting and qualifying, which involves identifying potential customers (prospecting) and determining if they fit the criteria for a good sales lead (qualifying).

Question 18

Compared to other promotional tools, publicity
A) costs more.
B) offers the firm little control over the message.
C) prevents a response from competitive firms.
D) is the easiest to manage.

Accepted Answer

Publicity offers the firm little control over the message as it depends on the media outlets or sources that choose to cover the company or product. Unlike other promotional tools like advertising or sales promotion, the message cannot be guaranteed or pre-determined by the firm.

Question 19

One way to see that publicity is handled well by the media is to
A) pay for it.
B) establish a friendly relationship with media representatives.
C) write good press releases that attract attention.
D) ask for the best location or time in the medium under consideration.

Accepted Answer

Establishing a friendly and professional relationship with media representatives is a key factor in handling publicity well. This can include providing them with relevant and timely information, responding quickly to their inquiries, and treating them with respect and courtesy. Paying for publicity (A), while sometimes effective, can be expensive and may not result in genuine coverage or interest from the media. Writing good press releases (C) is important, but does not guarantee coverage or impact. Asking for the best location or time in the medium (D) may also be helpful, but is not as important as building a positive relationship with reporters and editors.

Question 20

The final step of the selling process involves
A) follow-up.
B) closing.
C) posting.
D) trial closing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The final step of the selling process...

Quiz 16: Using Effective Promotions

A review of the personal selling process indicates that selling is

The activity that evaluates public attitudes, changes policies and procedures in response to the public's requests, and executes a program of action and information to earn public understanding and acceptance is called

Madeline just finished giving a sales presentation to a major prospect. Next, Madeline will likely be

In B2C sales the salesperson does not spend a great deal of their time

A good public relations program recognizes that the

A major responsibility of the public relations department is to

The purpose of a ________ is to move the selling process toward an actual product purchase.

Compared to advertising, publicity offers the advantage of greater

Which of the following statements is the most accurate?

________ refers to any information about a product or an organization that is communicated to the public through the media and is not paid for or controlled by the sponsor.

Jasmine finished writing a news release about her company's new product. She intends to e-mail the message to local television and radio stations as well as newspapers in hope that they will find the information newsworthy and run a story about the product. Jasmine's efforts represent the firm's

Blake's client expressed her concerns and questioned some of the details of the sales proposal once he completed his sales presentation. An effective salesperson would

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression," captures the importance of the ________ step in the selling process.

Today's public relations departments

Compared to other promotional tools, publicity

One way to see that publicity is handled well by the media is to

The final step of the selling process involves