Deck 7: Planning the Sales Call

Question 1

Collecting information about a prospect before making a call is a waste of the salesperson's time as this does not help him or her make a sale.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The first step in setting objectives for a sales call is to review what has been learned from the organization's mission statement.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The Marine Corps' 70 percent solution lays down that one must act as soon as they have 70 percent of the required information.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

An influential adversary is a competing salesperson from another company.

Question 5

A buying center consists of all the people in the selling organization who participate in a selling opportunity.

Question 6

Analysis paralysis refers to a situation where a salesperson cannot extract data about a prospect from the prospect's company's records because of the defective customer record system.

Question 7

The first place to look for information on the Internet about a prospect company would be the prospect company's Web page.

Question 8

It is important to learn and maintain current knowledge about both the prospect as an individual and his or her firm.

Question 9

A simple way to help ensure that call objectives are measurable is to set objectives that require a buyer's response.

Question 10

All sales objectives should be either specific or measurable.

Question 11

The statement "spend quality time with prospects and customers" is a measurable call objective.

Question 12

Call objectives should be developed while taking into account the firm's goals,the sales team's goals,and the salesperson's goals.

Question 13

It is recommended that salespeople avoid including suggested order quantities or dates for closure of a deal in their specific objectives.

Question 14

The more information a salesperson has about a prospect,the higher the probability of meeting the prospect's needs and developing a long-term relationship.

Question 15

One of the best sources of precall information is a prospect's own salespeople because they empathize with the salesperson's situation.

Question 16

For a sales call objective to be effective,it needs to be easy rather than specific.

Question 17

When setting sales call objectives,salespeople should discover what customers value and then find ways to improve customer value relative to their own products or services.

Question 18

As part of the process of gathering precall information,salespeople must understand the policies and procedures followed by a prospect's firm.

Question 19

Planning a sales call helps salespeople avoid wasting a prospect's time.

Question 20

To be effective,a call objective must be generic and non-measurable.

Question 21

Which of the following statements would be of value to insurance salespeople collecting information about prospects?

A) The prospect graduated with a marketing degree from Kennesaw State University.
B) The prospect is divorced with two children.
C) The prospect is a friendly and easygoing person.
D) The prospect is a member of the local Rotary Club.
E) All of these

Question 22

The most important step for a salesperson in planning a sales call is to:

A) design a flexible sales presentation.
B) discover personal information about a prospect.
C) plan an after-sales service package for a prospect.
D) set objectives for the call.
E) take an appointment with the prospect.

Question 23

Multiple sales objectives reduce salespeople's fear of failure.

Question 24

The statement "sell a minimum of 10 boxes of a product to the customer" is a specific sales objective.

Question 25

If a salesperson does not know the basics about a prospect's company,then the:

A) prospect will not meet the salesperson at all.
B) prospect's receptionist will prevent the salesperson from meeting the prospect.
C) prospect may justifiably refuse to take the deal forward.
D) salesperson may begin to experience a phenomenon called "analysis paralysis."
E) salesperson should make "getting the deal" the formal objective of the first sales call.

Question 26

A farm machinery salesperson has spent the last three weeks gathering information about a prospective customer.He has researched the customer's existing machinery and buying potential.However,he delays the actual meeting with the customer because he feels that he requires a couple of weeks more to gather enough information to make the sales call.In this scenario,the salesperson is experiencing a(n):

A) acute shortage of data about the customer.
B) phenomenon called analysis paralysis.
C) problem in meeting the client directly because of the existence of a screen.
D) obstacle in finalizing the deal because of an influential adversary.
E) problem in contacting the focus of power in the farm because of the gatekeepers.

Question 27

After gathering precall information and setting objectives,a salesperson's next step in planning the sales call is generally to make an appointment.

Question 28

Ben,a salesman,would like to sell his prospect three dozen handheld mixers.However,he would be willing to settle for selling just six of them-that would be his minimum sales call objective.

Question 29

Jason and his son Ryan supply laptop accessories to customers in their neighborhood.They have been approached by a salesperson for a laptop manufacturing firm that wants to sell them laptop products and accessories at a huge discount.Unfortunately,the owner of the laptop manufacturing firm had once refused to work with Ryan because he was inexperienced.While Jason may want to buy the products,his son will act as a(n)_____ in this situation.

A) influential adversary
B) actual competitor
C) potential competitor
D) poacher
E) bird dog

Question 30

As a result of failing to plan her sales call,Glenda is likely to do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) cover material in which the prospect has no interest.
B) obtain the prospect's commitment.
C) engage in seeding.
D) make a customized sales presentation.
E) seek referrals from the prospect.

Question 31

A customer value proposition is a written statement that lists the call objectives for a salesperson.

Question 32

Brandi,a sales trainee,watched as her sales supervisor chatted with a prospect's secretary in a very friendly manner.Brandi felt that such behavior was inappropriate in a business situation and she did not understand why her supervisor was asking the secretary about what sports the prospect follows closely.Brandi is unable to understand her supervisor's actions.Which of the following statements would help her understand the functional value of such interactions in a sales situation?

A) Brandi's supervisor has found a meaningless way to pass the time while waiting for the appointment.
B) The prospect will see Brandi and her supervisor more quickly if they prevent the secretary from getting any work done.
C) Secretaries are a rich source of information about a prospect and are important for successful sales calls.
D) Salespeople should talk to secretaries in order to appear to be working.
E) Secretaries are poor sources of information about the prospect.

Question 33

Seeding is the process of finding the key decision maker within a buying center.

Question 34

In which of the following types of buying situations is it usually unnecessary for a salesperson to educate a prospect about the common features of a product?

A) When the prospect is buying a smartphone for the first time
B) When the prospect is buying a new car from a famous automobile outlet
C) When the prospect is buying capital equipment to run the operations of his or her firm
D) When the prospect is buying an insurance product for his or her family
E) When the prospect is buying the same laptop he or she purchased previously with the salesperson

Question 35

"Get better acquainted with the prospect" is a measurable sales objective.

Question 36

It is important for salespeople to consider the company's overall promotional campaign when developing multiple call objectives for a prospect.

Question 37

Videoconferencing or Webcasting has lost its popularity as a result of downsizing.

Question 38

It is possible to have more than one primary call objective for a single call.

Question 39

Kenneth is a new salesperson in a firm.He collects all relevant data about his prospects,including their needs,buying behavior,and ability to buy.He thinks too much about these data points and never calls his prospects because he is never sure whether he has enough information to initiate a sales call.Kenneth is most likely experiencing the phenomenon known as:

A) buyer's remorse.
B) analysis paralysis.
C) boomerang.
D) wicked problem.
E) customer style flexing.

Question 40

Which of the following statements about obtaining precall information is FALSE?

A) At some point,the amount of time and effort required to collect additional information exceeds its value.
B) Proper planning before making sales calls leads to better territory management.
C) Collecting information about a particular prospect is usually a quick and easy process.
D) The more information the salesperson has,the more likely the prospect's needs will be met.
E) A salesperson calling on a regular customer does not need to collect additional information.

Question 41

Which of the following is a realistic sales call objective for a first call regarding a product that would require a large capital investment?

A) To secure an order
B) To send the prospect a brochure that lists the products of the selling firm
C) To get the prospect to identify all the other members of the firm who play key roles in the firm's decision-making process
D) To get the prospect to change over to the new product being offered
E) All of these

Question 42

While setting objectives for a sales call,the actual goal a salesperson hopes to achieve is known as:

A) an optimistic call objective.
B) the gross margin quota.
C) the zoning target.
D) a primary call objective.
E) the routing quota.

Question 43

Gary,a new salesperson for a reputed cellphone manufacturer,meets the owner of a transport company that employs 50,000 people as cab drivers.On his first meeting,he plans to sell mobile phones to all the 50,000 cab drivers because he believes his firm's mobile phones are the best in the market.Which of the following is a drawback of this primary call objective?

A) It is too qualitative.
B) It is unrealistic.
C) It is irrelevant.
D) It is less optimistic.
E) It cannot be measured.

Question 44

Tom,an experienced salesperson for road construction equipment,has been hired as the sales representative for Caterpillar Tractor Corporation in the state of Ohio.Tom is aware that his company makes products of high quality but is fairly new in the market.Which of the following objectives for Tom's first sales call on Faulkner Paving,a key prospect,meets the criteria of being realistic?

A) To get an appointment for a second call
B) To persuade Faulkner to switch to Caterpillar's equipment next season
C) To convince Faulkner to buy one of Caterpillar's large bulldozers for a trial run
D) To get Faulkner to watch a two-hour videotape that shows the superiority of the construction of Caterpillar's products
E) All of these

Question 45

Veronica's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 70 chairs to an IT company.She would be willing to sanction an order for 30 chairs if the owner of the company is ready to make a small investment.She is also hoping to convince the manager of the IT company for 200 chairs and to sell them at a 15 percent discount.For Veronica,the sale of 70 chairs is her _____.

A) minimum call objective
B) routing quota
C) gross margin quota
D) primary call objective
E) optimistic call objective

Question 46

Norah's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 10 cases of anchovies to Darby's Diner,though she would be willing to accept an order for just five cases,too.Additionally,she is planning to approach the owner to enter into an agreement to purchase anchovies only from her supplier.For Norah,setting up a straight rebuy situation with Darby's Diner is her _____ in this scenario.

A) minimum call objective
B) strategic mission
C) sales quota
D) primary call objective
E) optimistic call objective

Question 47

Victor is calling on Meridian Cabinetworks.His goal is to close a deal for a customized profile sander valued at about $3,500.He'd be willing to accept if Meridian purchases one of his firm's ready-made sanders,which costs about $2,000.Victor wants to convince the owner of Meridian to use the sander and to provide his company with a testimonial that would help him approach other local wood workers.For Victor,the sale of the less expensive ready-made profile sander is his _____.

A) minimum call objective
B) strategic mission
C) sales quota
D) primary call objective
E) optimistic call objective

Question 48

As a salesperson,a simple way to ensure that the sales call objectives determined are measurable is to:

A) use a canned sales presentation.
B) follow the guidelines set by your sales supervisor.
C) set long-term goals based on your sales call objectives.
D) align your objectives with the strategic objectives of your company.
E) set objectives that require a buyer's response.

Question 49

A salesperson who routinely accomplishes his or her _____ objectives most likely sets his or her objectives too low.

A) strategic
B) optimum call
C) minimum call
D) primary call
E) secondary call

Question 50

Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is true?

A) Sales call objectives should always be expressed in monetary terms.
B) Sales call objectives are unnecessary for missionary salespeople.
C) Sales call objectives are unnecessary when the sales rep is cold calling.
D) Sales call objectives should be limited to one objective per sales call.
E) Sales call objectives are based on strategic decisions about an account.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is FALSE?

A) The primary objective of every sales call is to make a sale.
B) An objective should be established for every sales call.
C) Sales call objectives should be specific.
D) Sales call objectives should be measurable.
E) Sales call objectives should be aimed at customer action.

Question 52

Ivan's actual goal from his sales call is to get 10 people to buy his firm's insurance policies.Ivan hopes to get more than 25 people to buy his insurance policies,get their relatives and friends to buy the policies too,and develop a long-term relationship with these customers.This long-term relationship that Ivan hopes to build in the future is an example of his:

A) minimum call objective.
B) routing quota.
C) zoning quota.
D) optimistic call objective.
E) gross margin quota.

Question 53

Which of the following best exemplifies a measurable sales call objective?

A) To learn more about a prospect's needs
B) To learn about a prospect's professional background
C) To improve a prospect's perception of a salesperson's company
D) To build rapport with a prospect
E) To gain a buyer's trust

Question 54

Jonah,a salesperson,hears of a lead and decides to pursue it.He determines getting acquainted with the client to be his call objective for the first sales call.As he reviews his notes after the sales call,he realizes that he does not have much information about the needs and the business potential of the lead despite having met most members of the buying center.Which of the following drawbacks of his call objective is most likely to explain this shortage of information faced by Jonah?

A) It puts too much emphasis on service.
B) It says nothing about the product being sold.
C) It is not measurable.
D) It is too personal.
E) It is unrelated to company goals.

Question 55

As the first step in setting sales call objectives,a salesperson should:

A) review the steps of the selling process.
B) review the customer's marketing goals.
C) determine his or her progress toward meeting the sales targets.
D) review what has been learned from the precall information gathered.
E) review the available inventory in his or her own company.

Question 56

Jeff is an experienced salesperson in a firm that manufactures agricultural equipment.His goal is to sell five tractors to farmers in a particular village.He is willing to accept orders for two tractors if the farmers are first willing to make a small payment of 10 percent on the cost of the tractor.Jeff would ideally like to sell more than 15 tractors and develop a long-term relationship with these customers.Nevertheless,he accepts the order for two tractors.This sales call objective,where Jeff is willing to adjust his actual goal,is most likely an example of his _____ call objective.

A) minimum
B) optimistic
C) primary
D) actual
E) unrealistic

Question 57

TECAmerica,Inc.sells electronic scales used for weighing meats and vegetables.A salesperson for TECAmerica is calling on the headquarters of Kroger supermarkets.He has set his sales call objectives to meet the members of the buying center,to have his product brochures sent to the appropriate geographic division managers of Kroger,and to be allowed to demonstrate the superiority of his company's scales.If he truly expects to achieve his objective of meeting the members of the buying center,then the others would be classified as _____ call objectives.

A) ideological
B) primary
C) visionary
D) secondary
E) minimum

Question 58

Effective call objectives must be:

A) expressed only in monetary terms.
B) specific,realistic,and measurable.
C) standardized for all sales representatives in a company.
D) independent of any cultural influences.
E) all of these.

Question 59

Flora is a chief supplier of flowers to retailers in Dallas.Haley,a salesperson at Flora,is planning to call on a supermarket chain that stocks flowers but does not buy its supplies from Flora yet.Why would Haley set multiple call objectives including the goals of getting the company to buy its Valentine package for $129 and convincing them to display Flora's samples in some of its stores for her first meeting itself?

A) Multiple sales call objectives increase the fear of failure,which makes the salesperson try even harder.
B) Multiple sales call objectives allow the salesperson to avoid focusing on any one sales call objective for too long.
C) Multiple sales call objectives will force the salesperson to set his or her objectives too high.
D) Multiple sales call objectives are usually self-correcting in case the call objectives set are too high or too low.
E) There is no benefit inherent in multiple sales call objectives.

Question 60

Andrew,who works for TeaTree,is going for his first sales call to Dynamo Motors.TeaTree leads the market in the vending machine industry for beverages.Andrew hopes to meet the members of the buying center first so he can estimate the demand for beverages and engage them in a presentation regarding his products.Additionally,he would like to get permission to give a demonstration at the MNC so its employees can taste TeaTree's beverages and provide their feedback.Obtaining the permission to provide a demonstration of his vending machine is a(n)_____ for Andrew's sales call.

A) minimum call objective
B) strategic mission
C) sales quota
D) primary call objective
E) optimistic call objective

Question 61

As the CEO's personal assistant,Robert's job involves taking calls from sales representatives from different companies.He sorts them and selects the salespeople who get to speak directly to his boss.In this situation,Robert is acting as the _____.

A) point of dissatisfaction
B) screen
C) user
D) risk-taker
E) center of influence

Question 62

If an industrial salesperson makes her first call on an employee at a client's company who is most likely willing to listen and provide valuable information,she is most likely calling on the _____.

A) focus of dissatisfaction
B) focus of receptivity
C) focus of expertise
D) focus of power
E) focus of satisfaction

Question 63

When making a telephone call to a new client,salespeople must:

A) contact the top management of the company directly.
B) prepare themselves for any objections that may come up in the conversation.
C) avoid answering any queries raised by the prospect about their products or services.
D) attempt to finalize the deal during the first call itself.
E) prepare to aggressively market their product over the telephone.

Question 64

Kerry,a sales representative from Spitz Inc. ,has a lead on a potential customer for her company's line of vacuum cleaners.She calls the prospect's firm and speaks to the secretary.What should be the primary goal of this call?

A) To make an appointment with the prospect
B) To finalize the sale of the vacuum cleaners
C) To make Spitz the sole supplier of vacuum cleaners to the prospect
D) To engage in the practice of seeding
E) To compromise the credibility of competing salespeople

Question 65

In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call,which of the following was suggested by Neil Rackham?

A) A salesperson should initially try to contact the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction.
B) Going straight to the decision maker as quickly as possible is not necessarily effective selling.
C) A salesperson should first focus on initiating contact with the person who is the focus of expertise.
D) A salesperson should avoid initiating a conversation with people who are not in the buying center even though they are excellent listeners.
E) Salespeople who talk to the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction are effective salespeople.

Question 66

Al sells everything a company needs to market decorative balloons-the balloons themselves,ribbons,helium tanks,etc.He wants to talk to the owner of a large catering company because balloons are great decorations for birthday tables,baby showers,and other such social occasions.Unfortunately,every time he tries to talk to the owner of the catering company,he finds himself in an unnecessarily long conversation with the assistant caterer,who does not let him talk to the owner.The assistant caterer is assuming the role of a(n):

A) barrier.
B) decider.
C) driver.
D) risk-taker.
E) arbitrator.

Question 67

In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call,Neil Rackham suggests that the focus of dissatisfaction leads to the:

A) focus of receptivity.
B) focus of power.
C) focus of reciprocity.
D) focus of expertise.
E) focus of satisfaction.

Question 68

Kumar is a salesperson for a cosmetic brand.Before meeting his prospect,he sends the prospect a few fashion and lifestyle magazines to improve the prospect's knowledge about cosmetic products.In this case,Kumar is most likely engaging in _____.

A) nibbling
B) lowballing
C) seeding
D) cloverleaf routing
E) cold calling

Question 69

Billy is a charming sales representative.He uses his skills and persuades the prospect's secretary to get him a face-to-face meeting with the prospect.He convinces her that the product he is selling will greatly benefit her company.The technique that Billy is using is known as:

A) ignoring the screen.
B) taking down the screen.
C) going under the screen.
D) going through the screen.
E) going over the screen.

Question 70

A safety equipment salesperson calling on a prospect for the first time should try to schedule an appointment with the focus of _____,a person who will listen to the salesperson and provide valuable information about the types of equipment that the company needs.

A) receptivity
B) authority
C) power
D) expertise
E) dissatisfaction

Question 71

A(n)_____,which salespeople can share with the CEO of a buyer's firm,focuses on what an individual manager needs to address and resolve to be able to better contribute to overall company objectives.

A) optimal sales call objective
B) mission statement
C) sales presentation synopsis
D) statement of expectation
E) customer value proposition

Question 72

In the buying center,the person who can approve,prevent,and/or influence action is called the _____.

A) focus of receptivity
B) focus of dissatisfaction
C) focus of power
D) driver
E) gatekeeper

Question 73

A(n)_____ is defined as a written statement (usually one or two sentences)that clearly states how purchasing a product or service being offered can help solve the customer's perceived business issue.

A) optimal sales call objective
B) mission statement
C) sales presentation synopsis
D) statement of expectation
E) customer value proposition

Question 74

When making an appointment,it is important for a salesperson to identify an environment conducive to doing business.So,the salesperson should:

A) choose a place free of distraction for all parties.
B) ensure the buyer's subordinates will not be present at the meeting.
C) arrange the meeting at his/her own company.
D) plan the meeting during the company's annual review meetings.
E) all of these.

Question 75

Gareth,an insurance salesperson,has an appointment with Jeff.Jeff's subordinate is known to restrict salespeople from contacting or meeting Jeff during his work hours.Gareth tries to contact Jeff at lunchtime when his subordinate does not monitor these activities.In this case,the strategy used by Gareth is known as:

A) nibbling.
B) bypassing the gatekeeper.
C) going under the screen.
D) poaching.
E) seeding.

Question 76

Jenna,a seller of insurance products,is scheduled to meet her prospect,Jay.Jay's assistant always interferes and stops salespeople from contacting Jay.When Jay's assistant attempts to stall Jenna's effort,she tells the assistant that she has authority from Jay's superiors and the top management to meet Jay.The strategy used by Jenna is known as:

A) lowballing.
B) taking down the screen.
C) nibbling.
D) going over the screen.
E) going through the screen.

Question 77

Julia,a salesperson of cosmetic products,is meeting with a person who will tell her the ill effects and problems related to the products she supplies.According to Neil Rackham,the person whom Julia is meeting is known as the:

A) focus of receptivity.
B) focus of reciprocity.
C) focus of power.
D) focus of expertise.
E) focus of dissatisfaction.

Question 78

Veronica,a senior salesperson,has an appointment with a prospect.She tries to convince the prospect's subordinate with an eloquent narration about the implication of meeting with the prospect.She tells the subordinate that the meeting would greatly benefit the prospect.The strategy used by Veronica to meet her prospect is known as:

A) going through the screen.
B) going over the screen.
C) lubrication.
D) going under the screen.
E) lowballing.

Question 79

In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call,Neil Rackham suggests that a salesperson should initially try to call on the person who is the:

A) focus of dissatisfaction.
B) focus of receptivity.
C) focus of expertise.
D) focus of power.
E) focus of satisfaction.

Question 80

In a buying center,a screen can take on the role of a(n)_____.

A) seller
B) decider
C) user
D) influencer
E) gatekeeper