Question 1

Which of the following statements is not true about recruiting and training a sales force?

Accepted Answer

There is no universally accepted set of traits that all marketers agree on for an effective salesperson. Different companies may prioritize different traits and skills depending on their industry and product/service offering.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is not true about the follow-up step of the personal selling process?

Accepted Answer

The statement that salespeople should only follow up with dissatisfied customers is not true. Follow-up is necessary for all customers, especially to build loyalty and identify future needs.

Question 3

The most effective sales promotion efforts are highly interrelated with other promotional activities.

Accepted Answer

Sales promotion efforts work best when they are integrated with other promotional activities like advertising and personal selling. This helps to reinforce the promotion message and increase its impact on potential customers. For example, a sales promotion that offers a discount on a product can be advertised through various media channels and also offered by sales representatives when interacting with customers. This integrated approach can help to maximize the effectiveness of promotional efforts and achieve better results.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is not true about training salespeople?

Accepted Answer

The statement that "training programs for new sales personnel are never more than two weeks long" is not true because training programs for new sales personnel can vary in length depending on the complexity of the products and services being sold, the sales process, and other factors that may affect sales success.

Question 5

If possible the salesperson should have the prospect view, touch, or test the product during the presentation.

Accepted Answer

Allowing the prospect to view, touch or test the product during the presentation has been found to increase the likelihood of a sale as it enables the prospect to have a firsthand feel of the product and understand its functionalities.

Question 6

Ruby works as a salesperson and spends most of her time focusing on existing accounts, calling people to follow up on previous sales to see if they are interested in making an additional purchase. Ruby's job function is best described as

Accepted Answer

Ruby's job function is focused on existing accounts and making additional sales, which falls under the category of current-customer sales.

Question 7

Scan-back allowances link trade spending directly to product movement at the retail level.

Accepted Answer

Scan-back allowances are a type of trade promotion that ties the allowance given to retailers directly to the sales performance of the promoted product at the retail level. Therefore, it links trade spending directly to product movement at the retail level.

Question 8

In order to show consumers how well its blenders work and to stimulate sales, Vitamix often sets up temporary booths in stores where they have someone using the blender in a variety of ways. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The temporary booths where Vitamix showcases how well its blenders work by having someone using the blender in a variety of ways is an example of a demonstration. The purpose of this demonstration is to stimulate sales and to show consumers how the product can benefit them.

Question 9

Jordan is a sales manager for a wholesale auto parts company. To motivate his sales force to increase their sales to retailers, he has created a(n) _____ where he will give the salesperson with the most dollar sales in the next month a two-night stay at a nearby resort hotel.

Accepted Answer

Jordan has created a sales contest to motivate his sales force. The reward for the highest salesperson is a two-night stay at a nearby resort hotel. Sales territory refers to a geographical area assigned to a salesperson. Organizational climate refers to the overall culture and atmosphere of a workplace. Compensation plan and commission plan refer to different ways of paying employees for their work, but they do not necessarily involve a specific reward for achieving a certain level of sales.

Question 10

Vicky is hiring sales representatives for her insurance company. As she tries to attract and retain top-quality salespeople, which of the following is least likely to affect the decisions of potential hires?

Accepted Answer

The expense of the insurance plans being sold is unlikely to affect the decisions of potential hires as they are typically more concerned with their own compensation structure and potential for commission earnings rather than the cost of the products they are selling.

Question 11

Cents-off offers are likely to be used for products in the growth stage.

Accepted Answer

Cents-off offers are more commonly used for products in the maturity or decline stages of the product life cycle to boost sales or clear inventory, not typically in the growth stage where demand is increasing and brand loyalty is being established.

Question 12

Inside salespeople support personnel or take orders, follow up on deliveries, and provide technical information.

Accepted Answer

Inside salespeople do provide support, take orders, follow up on deliveries, and provide technical information.

Question 13

Jessica is attending a Mary Kay free facial event her friend Jasmine is putting on. After the free facial, Jessica agrees to buy some of the products she likes. Before she makes her payment, Jasmine gives her a form. The form says that if Jessica writes down the names and numbers of five friends that Jasmine can call, she will receive 10% off her next Mary Kay purchase. Which stage is Jasmine at in the personal selling process regarding the form she is asking Jessica to fill out?

Accepted Answer

Jasmine is at the Prospecting stage, as she is looking for new potential customers by asking Jessica for referrals.

Question 14

Personal selling does not normally occur in retail environments.

Accepted Answer

Personal selling can occur in retail environments, for example in high-end stores where sales associates provide personalized assistance to customers.

Question 15

After an increase in the usage of coupons during the economic downturn, the use of coupons has once again started to decrease. Aside from increased spending power, consumers indicate a primary reason for not using coupons is

Accepted Answer

The answer of After an increase in the usage of...

Question 16

During team selling, the engineers are usually the ones who take the lead because of the specialized products being sold.

Accepted Answer

Team selling often involves a variety of roles, and the lead is usually taken by sales professionals who coordinate the process, even when specialized products are involved. Engineers may provide technical expertise but do not typically lead the sales process.

Question 17

Kimberly is a salesperson in the sales division of Hewlett-Packard. Today Kimberly is focused on researching a list of potential sales leads. Kimberly wants to look at these sales leads and determine how likely they are to buy from the company, the type of products they will likely need, and whether they have a sales history with the firm. Kimberly also wants to determine who the key decisions makers are in the buying decision-making process at these sales leads so she can identify who will have the most influence. In the process of her research, Kimberly makes extensive use of the firm's CRM system to forecast sales and manage leads. Kimberly is most likely at which stage of the personal selling process?

Accepted Answer

Kimberly is in the Preapproach stage, where she is researching potential clients to understand their likelihood of purchasing, their needs, their past interactions with the company, and identifying key decision-makers before making contact.

Question 18

John is a sales manager at IBM. He is analyzing sales reports and interviewing key personnel in his department to find out what traits and activities his most successful salespeople share in common. He also wants to determine some of the traits that unsuccessful salespeople have had so he knows what to avoid. John plans to use this to develop a set of requirements for future salespeople, as well as to be aware of potential weaknesses that could lead to failure. John is most likely performing these activities because he is

Accepted Answer

John's activities, such as analyzing sales reports and interviewing key personnel, aim to identify the characteristics and behaviors of successful and unsuccessful salespeople. This information can be used to develop a set of requirements for future salespeople and to avoid potential weaknesses that could lead to failure, which are crucial steps in the recruiting and selecting process. Therefore, John is most likely performing these activities because he is recruiting and selecting salespeople.

Question 19

A combination compensation plan is the most effective method for motivating sales personnel to escalate their selling efforts.

Accepted Answer

The effectiveness of a compensation plan in motivating sales personnel varies depending on individual preferences, company culture, industry, and the specific goals of the sales team. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and a combination compensation plan may not be the most effective method for every situation.

Question 20

Jenny is making a sales presentation to a retailer that may be willing to carry her line of soaps. During the presentation, she will handle any objections as they are made. This is because when she anticipated and countered potential objections in prior presentations, she found that she

Accepted Answer

Anticipating and countering objections that the prospect would not have had can come across as pushy or defensive. It is best to handle objections as they arise during the presentation to address the specific concerns of the prospect. This approach also allows Jenny to focus on highlighting the soap's benefits and features rather than raising objections that may not have existed.

Quiz 18: Personal Selling and Sales Promotion