Question 1

A smart way to enhance direct mail is to make it personal,such as addressing it to the consumer's name or thanking a consumer for their loyalty.

Accepted Answer

Personalizing direct mail adds a personal touch and can increase engagement and response rates.

Question 2

The pivotal role for direct marketing programs in this process is to establish dialogue with customers and then close the sale.

Accepted Answer

Direct marketing programs aim to establish a two-way communication with customers which can lead to closing the sale. Therefore, they play a pivotal role in the sales process.

Question 3

Which is a key aspect of direct marketing programs? 
A) It uses only one type of media to get a response.  
B) It has a long-term sales promotion goal. 
C) It often is designed to produce an immediate, measurable response. 
D) It relies on technology rather than human behavior.

Accepted Answer

Direct marketing programs are designed to generate an immediate, measurable response. This means that the goal is to get the audience to take a specific action, such buy a product or sign up for a service, and to track and measure the success of the campaign. Direct marketing can use multiple types of media to achieve its goal, and technology plays an important role, but the key aspect is the focus on a measurable and immediate response. Option A is incorrect because direct marketing can use multiple types of media, not just one. Option B is incorrect because while direct marketing may have a long-term goal of building customer relationships, its primary focus is on generating immediate responses. Option D is incorrect because while technology may be important, human behavior is also a crucial factor in the success of direct marketing programs.

Question 4

Traditionally done via face-to-face-communications,now personal selling has emerged to include personal chats,video session,calls,and other ways to communicate in a more personal manner with a consumer as it relates to a sale or service.

Accepted Answer

Personal selling has evolved to include various forms of personal communication, including online chats, video sessions, calls, and other methods to interact with consumers on a more personal level.

Question 5

The missionary salesperson calls on accounts with the express purpose of monitoring the satisfaction of buyers and updating buyers' needs but may provide product information after a purchase.

Accepted Answer

A missionary salesperson's primary objective is to build relationships with customers and ensure their satisfaction, rather than to make immediate sales. They may provide product information and educational resources to customers, but their primary focus is on customer service and long-term relationship building.

Question 6

Creative selling is the type of selling in which customers rely heavily on the salesperson for technical information,advice,and service.

Accepted Answer

Creative selling involves providing personalized solutions and technical expertise to address the specific needs of a customer. Therefore, customers tend to rely heavily on the salesperson for information, advice, and service.

Question 7

Direct marketing is ________________ because the marketer attempts to develop an ongoing dialogue with the customer based on the idea that one contact will lead to another,and the message is continually refined. 
A) mass 
B) interactive 
C) social media 
D) partnership

Accepted Answer

Direct marketing is interactive because it involves the marketer and the customer engaging in a two-way communication. The marketer tries to establish a dialogue with the customer and refine the message based on the response received, thus creating an ongoing interaction. Other options (mass, social media, partnership) do not accurately describe the nature of direct marketing.

Question 8

It can cost 19 to 20 times more to reach a person with a direct mail piece than it would to reach that person with a traditional advertising medium because of the cost-per-contact advantages of traditional mass media.

Accepted Answer

Traditional mass media, like TV or radio, often have lower cost-per-contact due to their broad reach, while direct mail involves higher costs for printing and postage per individual recipient.

Question 9

In digital form,spam is the new manifestation of junk mail.

Accepted Answer

Spam emails are unwanted, unsolicited emails or messages that are sent to a large number of recipients, similar to traditional junk mail. Therefore, in digital form, spam is considered the new manifestation of junk mail.

Question 10

Products that are higher priced,complicated to use,or require demonstration are heavily dependent on personal selling in order to close the deal.

Accepted Answer

Products that are higher priced, complicated to use, or require demonstration often require a salesperson to explain the benefits and features of the product to the customer. The salesperson can help answer any questions or concerns the customer may have and build trust in the product, which can ultimately lead to a sale. Personal selling is an important tool for higher-priced products, as it allows for a direct and personalized approach to selling.

Question 11

Direct marketing is defined as an interactive system that uses one or more advertising media to: 
A) develop a one-time communication with customers.  
B) push a product through the distribution channel. 
C) sustain a brand image. 
D) affect a measurable response and/or transaction at any location.

Accepted Answer

Direct marketing is focused on generating a measurable response and/or transaction from the recipients of the advertising message. This can occur through various channels such as mail, email, phone, or social media. The ultimate goal is to drive sales or other specific actions from the target audience.

Question 12

System selling entails selling a set or interrelated components that fulfill all or a majority of a customer's needs in a particular area.

Accepted Answer

System selling involves selling a complete solution that meets the needs of the customer, rather than individual products or components.

Question 13

Advertisers invest nearly $9 billion annually in direct-mail programs.

Accepted Answer

According to the United States Postal Service, advertisers invest nearly $9 billion annually in direct-mail programs.

Question 14

Customer relationship management,or CRM,involves cultivating short-term transactions with customers.

Accepted Answer

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategy for managing long-term relationships with customers and improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. It involves understanding customer needs and preferences, providing personalized service, and building a strong emotional connection to the brand. It focuses on the entire customer journey, from initial contact to post-purchase support and beyond.

Question 15

Companies use advanced technology to merge offline data,like credit ratings and home value,with online data,like online searches.

Accepted Answer

This is true as companies use various techniques like data mining, predictive analytics, and machine learning to merge and analyze offline and online data to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Question 16

List enhancement includes any of four categories of information: demographic data,geodemographic data,psychographic data,and behavioral data.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true, as list enhancement commonly involves adding information about a target audience's demographics, geographics, psychographics, and behaviors to improve targeting and effectiveness.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of building customer relationships through direct marketing? 
A) Word-of-mouth advertising is the best way to build a marketing base.  
B) Long-term customer relationships must be based on trust. 
C) Transactions are more important than relationships in direct marketing.  
D) Customers are willing to pay for catalogs if given the proper incentive.

Accepted Answer

Building long-term customer relationships through direct marketing requires trust between the customer and the company. Word-of-mouth advertising can help, but it is not the primary focus of direct marketing. Transactions are important, but they are not more important than relationships. Customers may be willing to pay for catalogs, but this is not always the case and should not be relied upon as the primary means of building relationships.

Question 18

The CAN-SPAM legislation passed in 2003 requires that marketers use an accurate and verifiable return e-mail address,be transparent about the nature of the e-mail content,provide opt-out options and act on such requests or face stiff penalties.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately describes the requirements of the CAN-SPAM legislation.

Question 19

Our advice is to stay away from the low-cost temptations of bulk-email because the quickest way to get flamed and damage your brand name is to start sending out bulk emails to people who do not want to hear from you.

Accepted Answer

Sending bulk emails to people who have not opted in or shown interest in your brand can lead to high unsubscribe rates, negative feedback, and potentially being marked as spam. This can harm your brand reputation and potentially damage your email deliverability in the long run. It's important to prioritize building a quality email list with engaged subscribers who have given consent to receive your emails.

Question 20

A marcom manager,or marketing communications manager-which may be folded into the chief marketing officer role-plans an organization's overall communications program and oversees the various functional specialists inside and outside the organization.

Accepted Answer

A marcom manager is responsible for planning an organization's overall communications program and overseeing the various functional specialists both within and outside the organization. This role can be folded into the Chief Marketing Officer role, depending on the size and structure of the organization.

Quiz 17: Integrating Direct Marketing and Personal Selling