Question 1

Personal selling and telemarketing have different brand positioning and communication objectives.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 2

The most important hiring factors for staff for regular retail selling (transactional, over-the-counter selling to customers) are mathematical ability, followed by social skills.

Accepted Answer

Mathematical ability is important for calculating prices, handling cash transactions, and giving accurate change. Social skills are also important for building rapport with customers, resolving complaints, and providing good customer service.

Question 3

Small business selling exchanges are transactional.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

Trade selling has the highest proportion of pay in the form of commission, typically a 60:40 ratio of fixed salary to variable commission.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true, as trade selling often involves a high level of persuasion and negotiation, leading to a higher proportion of pay being in the form of commission.

Question 5

Rapid speech (20 words per minute), higher than average voice pitch and an accent that is equal or higher in status than the person called are all desirable hiring characteristics of a successful telemarketer.

Accepted Answer

Rapid speech, higher voice pitch, and a higher-status accent are all desirable hiring characteristics for telemarketers because they can help to create a sense of urgency and importance, which can lead to increased sales.

Question 6

Because of the stressful nature of telemarketing, the salesperson should ideally have strong pessimism.

Accepted Answer

Although telemarketing can be stressful, having strong pessimism would not be ideal for a salesperson. A positive attitude and optimism can often lead to more successful sales.

Question 7

All personal selling campaigns follow the six stages of selling: prospecting, approach, benefit presentation, de-resistance, closing, and follow-up.

Accepted Answer

Not all personal selling campaigns strictly adhere to these six stages, as different sales models and industries may have variations in their sales processes.

Question 8

To establish rapport with a customer, a salesperson can use two tactics - speech rate convergence (salesperson adjusts his or her speech to a slower speed than the customer), and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) matching.

Accepted Answer

Speech rate convergence involves adjusting one's speech rate to match that of the customer, not necessarily slowing it down. It aims to mirror the customer's pace to create a sense of similarity and comfort.

Question 9

Most trade selling, telemarketing, and technical selling is informationally based and the salesperson's ethical obligation is to make a benefit claim that does not go beyond the objectively determinable level.

Accepted Answer

Most sales roles involve giving information to customers about the benefits and features of a product or service. Salespeople have an ethical obligation to make truthful and accurate benefit claims, without exaggerating or making claims that cannot be objectively determined.

Question 10

Lifetime value calculation is required for managing an LFG database marketing program.

Accepted Answer

Lifetime value calculation helps in determining the long-term profitability of customers and helps in devising targeted marketing strategies. Therefore, it is an essential part of managing an LFG database marketing program.

Question 11

The amount that companies in the U.S. spend on direct selling and telemarketing combined is less than the estimated expenditure on media-based advertising and promotion.

Accepted Answer

The statement is opposite to the reality. The estimated expenditure on media-based advertising and promotion is less than the amount that companies in the U.S. spend on direct selling and telemarketing combined.

Question 12

We can distinguish five main types of selling.

Accepted Answer

The answer of We can distinguish five main types of...

Question 13

Professional technical salesperson hiring requires professional knowledge and an externalizing attributional style.

Accepted Answer

Professional technical salespeople need to have a good understanding of the products they sell and the industry, as well as the ability to take ownership of successes and failures and analyze them objectively, which is known as an externalizing attributional style.

Question 14

Conscientious, experienced salespeople over 35 years of age are the most successful in trade selling (selling within channel of distribution).

Accepted Answer

According to research, conscientious, experienced salespeople over 35 years of age tend to outperform their younger counterparts in trade selling.

Question 15

Telemarketing is best regarded as a relational exchange between the company and its customers.

Accepted Answer

Telemarketing is typically viewed as a direct marketing strategy focused on selling products or services over the phone, rather than building long-term relationships with customers.

Question 16

Attractive, well-groomed salespeople tend to sell more products in high-end retail selling (e.g., automobiles, electronics, household furnishings).

Accepted Answer

Research has suggested that attractive and well-groomed salespeople tend to sell more in high-end retail selling, as customers perceive them to be more trustworthy and credible.

Question 17

Personal selling campaigns should take about three salesperson-customer exchanges to achieve their communication objectives.

Accepted Answer

There is no set number of exchanges that a personal selling campaign should take to achieve its communication objectives. The number of exchanges needed will vary depending on the complexity of the product or service being sold, the needs and concerns of the customer, and other factors.

Question 18

The approach takes place in the first few minutes of the sales call and is usually opened with a statement about yourself, your company and a brief industry-specific positioning statement (ISPS) followed with a compliment or a question as to the prospect's interest.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes the opening approach of a typical sales call.

Question 19

According to studies of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), approximately 70% of the population are auditory processors (respond best to auditory communication).

Accepted Answer

Studies on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and its claims about sensory processing preferences (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) lack scientific evidence and consensus. The specific statistic about 70% of the population being auditory processors is not supported by reliable research.

Question 20

The conditions necessary for effective database marketing are: verifying that there is a substantial number of good prospects, having a realistic chance of persuading them, estimating an expected profit which is higher than without database marketing, and having a database marketing program that is difficult for competitors to duplicate with your customers.

Accepted Answer

These conditions are necessary for effective database marketing, as they ensure that the program will have a high impact and return on investment. Without these conditions, the database marketing efforts may not be successful.

Quiz 14: Personal Selling and Customer Database Marketing